#276

august 2013

page 1, page 3-4: learning from different cultures (con't)page 5: irene's recipe corner, page 6: a letter from suketo hoikuenpage 7-8: japanese lesson, page 8-10: undertaking the shikoku 88

page 11-12: events & memoranda

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The winning speech fromthe 2013 TokushimaPrefectural JapaneseSpeech Contest!

"Good Afternoon Ladiesand Gentleman. My nameis Tsolmon, and I amfrom Mongolia.

First and foremost, I’d liketo ask you all a question

– do you have friendsfrom foreign countries? Dothe Japanese amongstyou have foreign friends;do the non-Japaneseamongst you haveJapanese friends? Thoseof you looking to startmaking such friends, orthose simply looking tomake more, I urge youto listen to my story.

To me, Japanese peopleare foreigners, andtoday I would like to talkabout my impressionsof Japanese people. Ibelieve my experienceshighlight how we cankeep moving forwardwith globalization.

My first encounter witha Japanese person was

group picture of all participants of the speech contest

is a monthly publication of theTokushima Prefectural InternationalExchange Association (TOPIA)

Emma Boardman & Martin Rathmann

Naomi Savarese, Sachiko Muramatsu,Irene Wachuga, Kazue Inoue, Tsolmon

Clement Plaza 6F1-61 Terashima Honcho NishiTokushima City 770-0831 JAPANtel: 088.656.3303fax: 088.652.0616topia@topia.ne.jphttp://www.topia.ne.jp/

Download a PDF file of awa life or view theonline version by going to TOPIA's website!

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show tokushima some love: awaglotThe literary corner ofAwaLife, Awaglot, is acombination of the words"awa" and "polyglot", whichmeans multilingual. Be itfiction, nonfiction, prose orpoetry; funny, sad, long orshort, we want yoursubmissions! If you like towrite, then express yourself!

There is also a classifiedssection for you, ourreaders, to post ads in,but a few rules do apply!

Religious, political,or commercial activities,businesses searching forclients or employees, thingsthe Awa Life editors deeminappropriate.

concerts, lectures, andother event information,cultural, sporting, andother community groupinformation, etcetera.

If you have something youwould like to share with theTokushima community,email the editors at

tanuki (martin rathmann)

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(con't from page 1)not in Tokushima. It was11 years ago when Istudied abroad in China.That Japanese personwas the top student inour class.His handwriting wasbeautiful, and his Englishwas also fantastic. Nomatter how hard I tried,I could never do betterthan him. For the timebeing, my impression ofJapanese people was“how clever they are!”

My second encounterwith Japanese peoplewas when I came toTokushima, and meteverybody here. I havemet a variety of peoplein Tokushima – universityprofessors, students, andpeople out and about inthe working world.Currently, even my 2year old daughter ismaking plenty ofacquaintances at kinder-garten. Obviously, I’velearnt not just aboutpeople, but also aboutculture. I’ve not onlyexperienced Teaceremony, Kabuki andmore, but I’ve practicedthem every day!

It’s hard to say whetherthere is more to bedone, but I do think thatJapan is a country whichabove all strives toprotect its rich culture.

I’m particularly interestedin greetings culture. Forexample, when you studyJapanese, you learn thelanguage used whensaying goodbye. Forthat one simple act,there are a variety ofphrases and gestures,and the decision of whichrespective greeting touse is based on whothe listener is. Theseinclude “Jya, mata”,“Sayonara”, “Mata kondo,tanoshimi ni shiteimasu”,“Sensei, osaki nishitsurei shimasu”, and“Otsukaresamadeshita”.

I especially think theJapanese daily cultureof lowering your head ina show of respect to theperson you are greetingis fantastic. Japanesepeople value the feelingsof others over thefeelings of themselves.

Every day, no matterwhere I am, every timeI am greeted by thesight of the Japaneselow bow, I can’t help butwonder whether therespect for others foundin Japan is strongerthan that in othercountries.

On the other hand, bowsbetween young Japaneseare decreasing, andrecently a simple nod anda handshake havebecome common place. Iwonder why this is? Is itbecause it makes iteasier to engage withnon-Japanese people?What do you all do? Whateffect do you think thiswill have on the future ofJapanese greetings culture?

Mahatma Gandhi saidthat “A nation's cultureresides in the hearts

tsolmon

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and in the soul of itspeople”. It is for thereason that I believethat even in 100 yearstime, Japan’s uniquebowing culture will notdisappear.

In conclusion I would liketo make the followingtwo points:

Firstly, if you are to notbe left behind in globalsociety, I want you tolearn the language ofyour friends, not justJapanese – a foreignlanguage. Becoming ableto speak a sharedlanguage is somethingwhich is particularlyimportant for youngpeople.

Secondly, if you want tobecome friends withforeigners, I think thebest place to start is byusing the foreign languageyou have put so mucheffort into learning, andby communicating yourcountry’s important culture-Japanese culture - toforeigners. If you wantsomeone to teach youabout a different culture,it’s important to becurious, and not beafraid to ask questions.Through this, you cangain new knowledge

and new connections,don’t you think?

Before I finish, I just wantto say that after 7 years,I was able to meet withthat Japanese student Ifirst met in China. Atthat time I didn’t talk tohim in Japanese, but Ican’t wait to surprisehim with it next time!I’m going to keep givingJapanese my all.

This takes me to theend of my speech –

thank you very much forlistening."

(con't from page 3)

the speech contest winner tsolmon

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irene's recipe cornerby irene wachuga

Tomatoes are growingleft, right and centeron our balconies…The summer vegetableis loved by kids andadults alike, and it’srich in lycopene (makingit very beneficial to ourhealth). Next time youwant to spice up yourpicky eaters meal orwow your buddies,give this recipe a try!It’s a cool, delicatesweet treat..yum…!

2 cups of tomato juice5g of powdered gelatin70g of granulated sugar1-2 Tbsp of lemonjuice (or ½ a lemon)1 Tbsp of Cointreau(an orange flavored liqueur)Mint leaves (for decoration)

1. In a small cookingpot, add the tomatojuice and sprinkle thegelatin on top. Stir justenough to mix it up.2. Let it sit for about 5minutes.3. Put on medium lowheat and bring to aboil. Take off the heat

and add the sugar(stirring until it dissolves).4. Add the lemon andthe Cointreau.5. Pour into a coolingpad or small glassverrines, and cool overice water till set. Coolcompletely in the fridgeuntil just before serving.6. Top with mint sprigsand enjoy!

tomato jelly (irene wachuga)

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Year after year, the hightemperatures and humidityof the Japanese summersees cases of heat strokeappearing one after theother around the country.Even in kindergartens, theamount of time spentplaying outside in theheat is being reduced.

Children in particular arenot always able to judgefor themselves whenenough is enough, and it’simportant that adults areappropriately alert. Theimportance of takingprecautions to avoid heatstroke goes withoutsaying, but in the eventthat the child seems evena little under the weather,be sure to be quick tomove them to a coollocation, loosen theirclothes and let them rest.In the event that they liedown, elevate their legs.Don’t forget first aidmeasures such asrehydration, or cooling thebody with water or ice. Inthe event that these

solutions do not lead torecovery, get the child tothe hospital straight away!

- Put a stop to exercise whenthe temperature rises over35 degrees. In the event ofhigh humidity, caution isadvised even at 25 degrees.- Be sure to stay hydrated.Sweat causes a loss notonly of fluids, but of salt,making that a dilutedsports drink a good option.- Light and breezy clothesare a way to avoid getting toohot.- Wear a hat- Resting at the first signof ill health

The roasting summer isfar from over – pleasetake suitable precautions

MaterialsInner tube (from kitchenroll etc)Wrapping Paper (decoration)

Pens/PencilsTapePlastic bottle caps (3 perstick, 3-5 sticks)

Instructions

1. Wrap the paper aroundthe inner tube anddecorate it as you wish2. Make 3 – 5 sticks bytaping the plastic bottlelids on top of each otherin sets of 3.

Option: Putting grains ofrice or beads inside thecaps can create interestingsound effects during play!

3. With the decoratedinner tube on the ground,drop the sticks inside,before pulling the tube sothe child can enjoy thesight of the smaller sticksforming one tall column!

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japanese lessonby sachiko muramatsu

Prior to commencing myplacement on the JETProgramme, I foundmyself researching mynew home in Shikokuonline. Setting aside thenumerous pages regardingAwa Odori, the onlyother information I reallydiscovered was about aseries of templescommonly referred toas the Shikoku 88. Ithought not much moreabout it until I reachedTokushima and wasbustled off to theprefecture’s orientation,an ‘English Camp’, heldat Juraku-ji Temple(number 14 on the trail).

Listening to the headmonk detail the historyof the temple andbrowsing through thegift-shop, my interestwas piqued. It was thenthat I set the onlyenduring goal for mytime in Japan andpurchased a nokyocho,or stampbook, intendingto complete thepilgrimage for myself.

The Shikoku 88 Pilgrimageis said to have beenfounded around the 9thcentury by a Patriarchof Esoteric Buddhismcalled Kukai (later tobecome known as Kobo

undertaking the shikoku 88by naomi savarese

japanese garden featuring a smallkoi pond at hanta-ji temple, ehime

prefecture (naomi savarese)

japanese lessonby sachiko muramatsu

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undertaking the shikoku 88(con't from page 8)

Daishi). The 88 templeson the pilgrimage route,laid out in a roughlycircular formation, arefamed as sites whereKukai spent time trainingas a traveling ascetic.The pilgrimage, or henrotrail, begins in Tokushima(the place of spiritualawakening) with 23temples littered mostlyalong the eastern side ofthe prefecture. These arefollowed by 16 temples inKochi prefecture (theplace of ascetic training),26 temples in Ehimeprefecture (the place of

enlightenment) and roundedout with 23 temples in thenorthern Shikoku prefectureof Kagawa (the place ofnirvana).

These days, largely dueto the incredible distancesbetween temples (on aroute covering some1200km), many pilgrimschoose to visit thetemples by car or bustour. However, walking orcycling the route isbecoming increasingly morecommon as a way to trulyreflect on the journey andconnect with the

incredible landscape thatShikoku has to offer.Having time to achievemy goal only onweekends, I opted todrive to each temple –completing the pilgrimageone part at a time (amethod called kugiri-uchiin Japanese). This hasseen me spend numerousSaturdays and Sundaysglued to google maps,often driving both thelength and breadth of theisland in a somewhatrandomly haphazard fashion,collecting the beautifulcalligraphies in my stampbook

main hall at maegami-ji temple, ehime prefecture (naomi savarese)One of the few places I’ve found in Shikoku that also has two very lush tracts of grass!

bamboo (martin rathmann)

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for 300yen a pop. Inthe past few weekendsfor example, I havevisited roughly 30temples spread fromthe largely coastal areaof Marugame in Kagawaprefecture, through themountainous regions ofEhime prefecture anddown to the verysouthernmost tip of theisland at Cape Ashizuri-Misaki in Kochiprefecture; doubling backto return home and setout again another day,I hate to imagine justhow many kilometresI’ve traversed on myway.

The journey has notbeen without its trialseither – I’ve often gottenlost, been at the behest

of the pouring rain orthe scorching sun,suffered from ‘templeapathy’ after attemptingto visit too many sitesin one stint, experiencedminor car breakdownsand reached one ortwo of my destinationsshortly after the officehas closed for the day(rendering me unableto collect the uniquetemple calligraphy inmy book withoutspending the night inwait) – but I have 7temples left to visit andI’m anticipating a floodof relief and anoverwhelming sense ofachievement once Ifinally realize my goal!

the view coming down the mountain from yokomine-ji temple, ehime prefecture (naomi savarese)

having my stamp-book signed by theresident monk and his friendly little dog

(naomi savarese)

undertaking the shikoku 88(con't from page 9)

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events & memoranda

People who want real experience at theTokushima Awa Odori, can dance freelywith the Niwaka-Ren.

When: August 12 (Mon) – 15 (Thu)from 18:30 or from 20:30

Where: Meeting point is Tokushima-shi in front of the city hall orat the Motomachi shoppingstreet entrance

Cost: free participationInfo: TokushimaCity

TourismAssociationTEL: 088-622-4010

Let’s Dance with the Niwaka-Ren!

Awa Odori in Tokushima City

When: August 12 (Mon) - 15 (Thu)18:00 - 20:00 1st performance20:30 - 22:30 2nd performance

Where: Tokushima city centerCost: free(excludingpaidstageseats)Info: TokushimaCity

TourismAssociationTEL: 088-622-4010

Awa Odori in Naruto City

When: August 9 (Fri) – 11 (Sun)19:00 - 22:00

Where: Naruto city centerCost: free(excludingpaidstageseats)Info: Naruto City Uzushio

Tourist AssociationTEL: 088-684-1731Naruto City Summer Firework Festival

When: August 7 (Wed)20:00 - 21:00

Where: Area around Naruto CultureCenter & Muya River Park

Info: Naruto City UzushioTourist Association

TEL:

events & memoranda

TOPIA offers a counselling and advisory service to all foreign residents to help withissues involving accidents, working conditions, housing, visas, international marriage,and more. Counselling is available in English and Japanese. Please note that althoughevery effort will be made, we may not be able to deal with all cases.

Everyday, 10:00 - 18:00Tel: 088-656-3303 or 088-656-3320 (allows three-way conversations with an interpreter)

Counselling Service at TOPIA

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The importance of preparing for the Nankai earthquake expected to hit Tokushima is onlyincreasing. If a natural disaster occurs, what will you do? Tokushima PrefectureGovernment, in conjunction with the Tokushima Prefecture International ExchangeAssociation (TOPIA) is proud to announce a study tour for foreign residents at theTokushima Prefecture Disaster Prevention Center to provide information on what to do incase of a natural disaster. During the tour you can experience earthquakes, strong windsand more via simulation, as well as learn about what to do when a disaster occurs.

Date: Sunday, September 8, 10:00-13:0010:00 – Leave Tokushima Station by bus for the center13:00 – Arrive at Tokushima Station by bus

Location: Tokushima Prefecture Disaster Prevention Center(Kitajima-town, Tainohama Aza Onishi 165)

Target: Foreign Residents in Tokushima PrefectureDetails: Disaster prevention guidance via video, simulation of strong winds /

earthquakes, fire fighting and disaster control exercises, lecture aboutearthquakes & tsunami, responding to early Earthquake Warnings andemergency provisions tasting (English and Chinese Interpreting)

No. Places: 40 peopleCost: FreeHow to apply: Please send in the following information by fax to the address below. You can

also apply by sending the same information by email or postcard.Name Gender (M/F) Address Nationality TELE-Mail Address Occupation Workplace Address Japanese Level

. (1.Daily-use 2.Greetings 3.None)Deadline:Applications to:FAX: Tokushima-ken Kokusai Koryukyokai FAX (088)652-0616Email: coordinator1@topia.ne.jpPostcard: 770-0831Tokushima-shi Terashima Honcho Nishi1-61 Clement Plaza 6F

Koekizaidan Hojin Tokushima-ken Kokusai Koryukyokai (TOPIA)Contact: TOPIA (Kimura) TEL (088)656-3303

Tokushima Prefecture Disaster Prevention Center Study Tour