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Today's Contents:
1. The first bits: SARS notice, New Program Catalog & Course, Events, Travel destinations
2. Course information
3. Staff Interview: Sayumi Kuroda
4. In the News: "Super Online Dictionaries"
5. Japan Guide: Nanzenji
6. About The Yamasa Institute for Japanese Studies
7. Subscription Information
1. The first bits.
I would like to address some of the concerns that have come about from the current situation with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The situation is subject to change of course, but we would like to assure everyone that it is safe to travel to Japan and to study at Yamasa. Many parts of East Asia, including China, Hong Kong, Singapore and so on, have been effected by the virus, but so far there have been no confirmed cases of SARS in Japan. The health ministry is taking measures to prevent any spread to Japan and is using high-tech equipment to deal with the problem. It has already equipped Narita airport in Tokyo with a special camera that measures body temperatures of people entering Japan and passengers arriving at other airports are monitored closely for any signs of the illness. Quarantine and immigration checks at Japanese airports are usually thorough, but if you are flying in from Asian airports or Toronto, expect a few more delays than usual. If you haven't booked your flight yet, a direct flight is probably the best way to arrive. There will be an update on SARS in the next issue of the newsletter. If you need any further information on the subject don't hesitate to contact Admissions for more information.
What's happening with the homepage? : A complete overhaul basically. Should be done by the end of the month. The new program catalog is now online including our new "Refresher" course. Leveraging Yamasa's heavy investment in Computer Aided Language Learning (CALL) technologies, the new customizable program is now available on-demand and unique in that it can be commenced on any weekday of the year. Also updated is the Location directory - check out our new much improved clickable maps of Hane-cho and the local area including the trains. We've also uploaded a new OCJS directory, start studying before you come!
(a) Things to do:
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 and May will be for you. These trips provide a great opportunity for you to visit locations much cheaper of the price that it would cost normally, with an experienced guide and door-to-door service:
May 10th - Day trip - This is trip along the higashiyama hills of eastern Kyoto, up to the peak of Mount Hiei, where there aer no longer any warrior monks, but beautiful national treasures and a view to die for. Destinations include
Kyoto:
Sanjusangendo,
Kiyomizudera,
Mount Hiei, Lake Biwa
(Cost: 6,600 yen including tax. Departure from your accommodation on May 10th at 0630, return by 2030. Includes all transport, all admission fees. Does not include lunch.)
May 11th - Day trip - We will meander from the Heian period to the Momoyama, visiting the locations of the Genji
Monogatari, spectacular Byoudoin and the castle and sake town of Fushimi. Destinations include
Kyoto:
Ishiyama-dera,
Uji:
Byodoin,
Ujigami Jinja, Fushimi Castle and Fushimi Inari Shrine
(Cost: 6,600 yen including tax. Departure from your accommodation on May 11th at 0630, return by 2030. Includes all transport, all admission fees. Does not include lunch.)
May 17th - Day trip - A trip to the vast waters of Lake Biwa, including (a slightly expensive but worthwhile) cruise to the sacred island of Chikubu, beautiful Hikonejo and Genkyuen and the battlefield of Sekigahara. Destinations include
Sekigahara,
Hikone Castle and Genkyu-en, Lake Biwa Cruise,
Chikubu Island - Tsukubusuma-jinja and Hougon-ji
(Cost: 9,600 yen including tax. Departure from your accommodation on May 17th at 0630, return by 2030. Includes all transport, all admission fees. Does not include lunch.)
May 18th - Day trip - A day trip into the remote mountains bordering Mie and Nara to visit Ninja country, taking in the highest castle walls in Japan, a former Ninja residence, an onsen and cable car to the mountain top of Gozaisho-dake. Destinations include
Iga-Ueno:
Ueno Castle,
Ninja Yashiki,
Gozaisho-dake,
Yunoyama Onsen
(Cost: 6,600 yen including tax. Departure from your accommodation on May 18th at 0630, return by 2030. Includes all transport, all admission fees. Does not include lunch.)
May 31st - 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 May 31st 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
Free Origami and Kimono Classes! On the first Friday of the month the Okazaki International Association also holds free paper folding classes in Aoi Hall at Yamasa frmo 3:30pm. On the third Friday of every month they hold a kimono class at 2:00pm in Aoi Hall where you can try on a Yukata.
(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. Staff Interview: Sayumi Kuroda - AIJP
 |
| Sayumi Kuroda |
The following interview, conducted by Patty Lo, was translated from the Japanese original.
Patty: I was wondering if I can interview you for this week's staff interview?
Sayumi: Uh.....I guess so. Why me?
P: I thought you'd make a good interview!
S: I see. Can we postpone the interview until Wednesday because I have an appointment with a student now?
P: Okay sure.
Wednesday
P: Thanks for agreeing to the interview. Let's get started....
S: So the interview is in Japanese but are you going to write it up in English or Japanese?
P: Well, probably in English and then Tatsuya Kato will translate it to Japanese.
S: Come on, you can do both versions!?
P: If I write it up in Japanese as well, you'll probably..........
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/staff_int_27.html
4. In the News: New articles
In this edition we have another article to help you practice,
"Super Online Dictionaries 
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: Nanzenji, Kyoto
Nanzen-ji (Southern Mountain Temple) is considered the most famous and important Zen temple in the world. Home of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism the temple consists of 12 sub-temples, which only a few are open to the public. Also within the temple grounds are several gardens, of which only three are available to be viewed. Two of the sub-temples also serve vegetarian lunches.
The history of the Nanzen-ji begins in the year 1290 when the emperor Kameyama invited Fumon the priest to his retirement palace (he abdicated in 1274 due to a poor relationship with the Kamakura shogunate) to exorcise a ghost that was plaguing the palace with problems. Instead of chanting incantations to drive out the malignant spirit, like any other priest, Fumon simply sat down and meditated (zazen) until the ghost apparently left. The emperor was so impressed with the strength of Zen Meditation he graced Fumon with his lower palace on his retirement villa grounds.
While the emperor lived in the....
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/japan/english/destinations/kyoto/nanzenji.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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