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Today's Contents:
1. The first bits: New Program Catalog & Course, Spring Events, Ski-ing, Travel destinations, OCJS Passwords, Free Japanese Classes
2. Course information
3. Student Interview: Vivien Oelberg
4. In the News: World Water Forum
5. Japan Guide: Ujigami Jinja, Kyoto
6. About The Yamasa Institute for Japanese Studies
7. Subscription Information
1. The first bits.
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| Graduating students from our Academic programs |
New Program Catalog & Course: Also arriving (will be uploaded April 1st) with the new academic year will be Yamasa's new online program catalog including a new "Refresher" course. Leveraging Yamasa's heavy investment in Computer Aided Language Learning (CALL) technologies, the new customizable program will be available on-demand and unique in that it can be commenced on any day of the year. We will cover the new course in the next newsletter, but for a sneak preview visit the program catalog from Tuesday onwards.
(a) Things to do:
There are a plethora of parades, and a feast of festivals over the next month to keep you busy. Here are just of a few them taking place in and around Okazaki and Aichi Prefecture:
The Grand Shrines of Ise: On the 31st of March there are two sumo ceremonies being held at Ise City, Mie Prefecture. The first is in Tezuiri from 10:00am on the 31st at the Inner Shrine of Ise. Admission is free to this ritual ceremony by grand champion sumo wrestlers. The second is in Hono Ozumo at Jingu Kaikan Sukei Kai which features not only the ceremony, but also competition. Admission is 2,800 Yen. More information on the Ise Grand Shrines can be found at http://www.yamasa.org/japan/english/destinations/mie/ise.html.
Inuyama Festival: On April 5th and 6th a festival, which it has been said was started in 1635, takes place in front of Inuyama Castle, just a short walk from Inuyama station on the Meitetsu Line. Thirteen festival floats containing large mechanical puppets parade through the town of Inuyama. The floats are designated as important cultural properties by Aichi prefecture.
Ieyasu Parade: On Sunday April 6th, by far the biggest event at this time of year in Okazaki sees a huge samurai parade with hundreds of participants dressed in clothing and armor from Sengoku Jidai ("Period of the Warring States"). The parade will begin at around 1:30pm from Iga-Hachiman shrine, make it's way past Higashi Okazaki station, and finally finish on the banks of the Otogawa river where a mock battle will take place. This is a 'must see' event that only happens once a year so don't miss it!
Handa Spring Festival: This is taking place from now until the begining of May. Amongst the festivals of floats with karakuri dolls (mechanical puppets) there is also a festival dating back to 1560 which celebrates the defeat of Yoshimoto Imagawa by Nobunaga Oda in a battle at Okehazama. There will be a procession of people leading horses through the town on the 6th of April. Getting tere: Take the JR Taketoyo train line to Handa station or the Meitetsu Kowa train line to Chita Handa station.
Matsudaira Spring Festival: On the 12th of April at 18:00 and 10:00 on the 13th there is a water-drawing ceremony at Matsudaira Toshogu shrine. The ceremony is held at a well where Ieyasu Tokugawa was bathed when he was born. Expect to see not only this but also fireworks and a parade of mikoshi floats.
Ski-ing - same day return: If you would like to take a day-trip to go ski-ing then the special offer that JR (Japan Railways) is running in conjuction with the small Ciao Ontake Snow Resort would be for you. From just 7,000 Yen you can get return travel from Nagoya station to the resort in Gifu Prefecture and a one day lift pass (ski hire and clothing is extra). You should be able to ski for about 6 or 7 hours. Check out http://www.ciao.co.jp for more information on prices and other deals available.
Spring Tour Schedule: Do you want to see a little bit more than Okazaki? Eager to get away for a day trip or weekend? Then some of the upcoming tours during April will be for you:
April 12th - Day trip - While visiting UNESCO world heritage listed sites in the former capital, depending on the weather we might also have good opportunities for viewing the cherry blossoms. Destinations include Kyoto: Kinkakuji, Ryoanji, Heian Jingu, Nijo Castle. (Cost: 6,600 yen including tax. Departure from your accommodation on April 12th at 0700, return by 2030. Includes all transport, all admission fees. Does not include lunch.)
April 13th - Day trip - Another visit to Kyoto and the best sites this city has to offer. Destinations include Kyoto: Sanjusangendo, Nanzenji, The Path of Philosophy, Ginkakuji, Mount Hiei. (Cost: 6,600 yen including tax. Departure from your accommodation on April 13th at 0700, return by 2030. Includes all transport, all admission fees. Does not include lunch.)
April 18th-20th - 2 night trip - takes us to Kobe, where we visit the foreign settlement and Chinatown, before heading on to the majestic white castle of Himeji. We sample the nightlife, shopping and entertainment of Osaka. Destinations include
18th - to Kobe.
19th - Kobe: Kitano-cho, Nankin-machi, Himeji: Himeji Castle - to Osaka.
20th- Osaka: Dotomburi Arcade, Amerika Mura, Universal Studios Japan.
(Cost: 23,100 Yen. Departure from Aoi Hall on April 18th at 1700, return on April 20th by 1930. Includes all transport, all admission fees, accommodation. Dinner/Breakfast. Does not include lunches.)
April 26th - Day trip - to southern Nara, we visit Nara: Muroji, Horyuji, Yakushiji. (Cost: 6,600 yen including tax. Departure from your accommodation on April 26th at 0630, return by 2030. Includes all transport, all admission fees. Does not include lunch.)
April 27th - Day trip - to northern Nara, we visit Nara: Kasuga Taisha, Nara Park, Nigatsudo, Todaiji, Neiraku. (Cost: 6,600 yen including tax. Departure from your accommodation on APR/27 at 0700, return by 2030. Includes all transport, all admission fees. Does not include lunch.)
Free Japanese Classes! Okazaki International Association holds free Japanese lessons taught by volunteers to non-Japanese living in Okazaki. Every Saturday from 2:30pm to 4:30pm at Tatsumigaoka-kaikan (3rd Floor), a 10 minute walk from Higashi Okazaki Station to Higashi Myodaiji cho. And also every 2nd, 3rd and 4th Thursday and Sunday of the month in Aoi Hall at Yamasa from 10:00am - 12:00am. Call 0564-45-5778 for more details, or email yoshiaki_yamamoto@hotmail.com
(b) The Online Center:
The Online Center for Japanese Studies is up and running and can be accesssed at http://www.yamasa.org/ocjs/. Passwords can now be obtained through the secure server. A big thank you to everyone who assisted, for full information on updates to the Online Center please click here.
(c) Other bits:
Jon Walden
Admissions Coordinator, International Office
The
Yamasa Institute - Aichi Center for Japanese Studies
1-2-1 Hanehigashimachi
Okazaki
Aichi Japan 444-0832
Tel: +81 (0) 564 55 8111
Fax: +81
(0) 564 55 8174 (admissions)
Fax: +81 (0) 564 55 8113 (student
affairs)
Email: Admissions
Email: newsletter@yamasa.org
URL: http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/
URL: http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/
2. Course Information
Accommodation
If you are coming to Okazaki during the next few months, please visit the housing availability site, which has just been upgraded.
Message from Yukiko Iijima (Housing Officer): Please also note that it is extremely important that you rank your accommodation preferences clearly. Upgrades are possible in the event of cancellations - so if your first preference is a single room in the village, select "Village single" as first choice, "Residence U" as your second choice and so on.
Long-term Courses:
Student Visa: Applications have now closed for the April 2003 student visa, and the next start date is October 2003, which we are now accepting application for. Please note that we will take into account a number of factors when considering a student visa application including age, academic background, nationality and so on - automatic acceptance of a student visa application is not guaranteed. If you need more information about dates, please check the deadlines for the student visa listed in each course in the program catalogue. If you wish to apply for the October 2003 start please contact Admissions for more information.
Short-term courses:
| Tour destinations: The May 16th Discovery Tour visits a variety of destinations including Magome, Hiking the Nakasendo, Tsumago, Toson Memorial, Sekigahara, Hikone Castle, Lake Biwa Cruise, Chikubu Island, Ueno Castle, Ninja Yashiki, Yunoyama Onsen, Toyota Kaikan, Toyota Motor Factory tour, Asuke, Horaiji-san (Hiking), Nagashino and many others. See http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/programs/discovery__20030516a.html for more information. |
Discovery Tours all have vacancies - contact Admissions for further information. Tour dates for this year are available at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/programs/discovery_dates.html
All SILAC start dates have space from April 17th but accommodation is becoming limited. Acceleration Format 1 and AIJP are both full until July and Acceleration Format 2 is full until September.
3. Student Interview: Vivien Oelberg - SILAC
 |
| Vivien Oelberg |
Jon: Do you mind if I interview you for this week's newsletter?
Vivien: No, not at all.
J: What were you doing before you came to Yamasa?
V: I was working at an advertising company in Vienna (Austria) doing graphic design.
J: How's the course been so far?
V: It's going fine. There's a lot to study but with only one other student in my class I find I can concentrate well. I was not used to listening and speaking Japanese so the small class is good for practicing this. I know some of the grammar that we are covering already, but I was not used to using it in conversation.
J: What brought you to Japan?
V: I think the language is really interesting; it fascinates me. I first came across it through food packaging.
J: Food packaging? That's one of the more unique ways of being introduced to the language!
V: It was actually through my job in advertising.
J: Did you know much Japanese before you arrived?
V: I studied for about 4 years on my own, and I had some private lessons.
J: In Vienna?
T: Yes. But because of work I didn't have much time so I studied ............
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/student_int_43.html
4. In the News: New articles
In this edition we have another article to help you practice,
World Water Forum 
About "In the News": This section aims to help you improve your understanding of articles in contemporary Japanese print and web media. Articles are from a wide range of sources including business, fashion, music, lifestyle, entertainment, crime, politics, international relations and so on. All articles are printable, and are accompanied by streaming audio files of the article being read at normal speed by male and female native speakers. Furthermore there are questions from the OCJS faculty that will help you confirm your reading or listening comprehension skills. (If you are an advanced learner, you may wish to attempt the questions after first listening to the audio link only, and then read the article to test your listening comprehension skills).
In addition, by using the link generator of the OCJS online dictionary with its definitions and kanji animations, you can easily check the meaning of new words, and also the stroke order of any Kanji that are new for you. The titles of the links ARE NOT translations of the headline accompanying the article (we don't want to give beginner level students too many hints to the answers), but are indicative of the subject field.
5. Japan Guide: Ujigami-jinja
One of the 17 historic sites of Kyoto and Nara listed by UNESCO as World Heritage, this shrine is the one most visitors to Kyoto unfortunately miss out on - probably due to its relative remoteness. Although smaller than Byodoin, it is still worth adding an hour or so to your schedule when visiting Uji. UNESCO officials had the presence of mind to take the lovely stroll over the bridge across the fast flowing Uji river and up the stairs and quiet lane to what is not only beautiful, but the oldest existing shrine buildings in Japan. Untouched by the centuries, there is a large tract of ancient forest behind the main shrine building, keeping the area peaceful and quiet, and providing a haven for birds.
The site was dedicated during the Heian period (794-1185). According to ancient manuscripts, the 5th century Emperor Ojin had two sons. The older of the two princes (called Uji-no-waki-iratsuko) decided to .......
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/japan/english/destinations/kyoto/ujigami.html
6. ABOUT THE YAMASA INSTITUTE'S AICHI CENTER FOR JAPANESE STUDIES
The Yamasa Institute is committed to providing high-quality education in the Japanese language. We are a non-profit organization, a part of the Hattori Group. We are accredited by Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education - APJLE, accreditation number B302 - and "the only Institute in the Mikawa region with the appropriate programs, systems, curriculum and facilities required for quality Japanese language education" according to the Ministry of Justice. Further, in recognition of the excellent quality of our programs, we are in the top tier of 'Appropriately Authorized Japanese Language Education Institutes' - in fact, the only school in the Mikawa area with this prestigious recommendation. For full details see the accreditation section on the homepage at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/accreditation.html
7. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
You are being sent this newsletter because at some time you contacted the Yamasa Institute's Aichi Center for Japanese Studies through email, or you contacted an internet-based Japanese language information service which forwarded your email to us. If you do not want to receive further issues of this newsletter, please send a message to unsubscribe@yamasa.org with the word "unsubscribe" in the title. We apologize for any inconvenience.
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