home Home home acjs ACJS/Aichi acjs ocjs OCJS/Online ocjs japan Japan Guide japan faq FAQ faq net Network net data Databases data contact Contact Us contact mm Multimedia mm log Log in log
yamasa.org / home / acjs / network / newsletter /    -    Tuition   Tour Schedules    Language policy Ní thuigim thú
Hattori Foundation Logo Yamasa
Student Network

The Yamasa Institute, Okazaki, Japan
Innovative, International & Non Profit
Yamasa
Sitemap | Google

Search Tips | Help Desk

Newsletter
Archive by issue
Things Japanese
Student Interviews
Staff interviews
In the News
Japan Guide
Other
Photos
Student Homepages
Email
Okazaki Guidebook
Library
Alumni
OCJS
Help us improve!
Suggestion Box

Previous

Next

Menu

Today's Contents:

1. The first bits: Events, Mt. Fuji climb, Summer festivals, Discovery "Option E", Travel destinations
2. Course information
3. Student Interview: Muniandi Vijayalakshmi
4. In the News: "Unpleasant and Misunderstood Japanese"
5. Japan Guide: Takayama and Gero Onsen
6. About The Yamasa Institute for Japanese Studies
7. Subscription Information


1. The first bits.

Climb Mt Fuji: The annual pilgrimage to Japan's national icon has been pencilled in for the weekend of July 26th/27th. The Mt. Fuji climb will be open to everyone and really is an experience of a lifetime. If you are unable to make the first trip then don't worry! There'll be another opportunity to scale the volcano again on the weekend of August 9th/10th. Further details are listed below in the Summer Tour Schedule.

Discovery "Option E": Want to get a taste of the real Japan but don't have enough time to take a month or two off to study? Here is a solution. Due to popular demand and an increased capacity, we are now able to provide a new "Tour Only" option for Yamasa's "Japan Discovery Program". Online applications now enabled, accommodation includes futon rental, OCJS password and airport pickup also provided.

(a) Things to do:

Tokugawa Shogunate Exhibition: In commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the start of Tokugawa Shogunate (1603 - 1868), the Okazaki Mindscape Museum of Arts is holding an exhibition of many items and belongings of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the first Shogun who was born and grew up in Okazaki. The exhibition runs until July 6th.

Folk dance festival: A folk dance festival will take place in Nagoya on August 30th and 31st. The "Nippon Domannaka Matsuri" will include a Yosakoi dance group from Okazaki. If you joining the dancing group from Rokusho Shirine near Higashi Okazaki train station then please contact Ms. Otake Itsuki on (0564) 51-2930 (in Japanese). Rehearsals are held from 7:00pm to 8:00pm every Friday.

Tanabata Star festival: The Cross Culture Circle (C.C.C.) will be holding a Tanabata Matsuri in Aoi Hall on Sunday July 6th from 16:00. The fee is just 700 and this includes food and drink. For more information call Kamiya on 090 3253 8339.

Summer 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 May and June 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:


July 19th-21st - 2 night trip - Its time to get out of Okazaki for the weekend. A 2 night/3 day trip to big beaches, big buddhas, and big cities. Destinations include
July 19th - Shiraito-no-taki, Ryuukouji, Enoshima, Shonan Beaches, Kamakura
July 20th - Kamakura Daibutsu, Engakuji, Tokyo: Ueno-koen, Shitamachi Museum, Ameyoko Arcade, Akihabara, Harajuku
July 21st - Tokyo: Shinjuku, Yokohama
(Cost: To Be Confirmed. Departure from your accommodation on July 19th at 0700, return on July 21st by 2030. Includes all transport, all admission fees, accommodation. Dinner/Breakfast. Does not include lunches.)
July 26th-27th - Mount Fuji Part 1. Climb Japan's highest mountain (3776 meters/12388 feet). We stay in a mountain hut about 400 meters elevation below the peak before making a dash to the summit for the sunrise. The crater walk is not to be missed. Guide will be carrying emergency equipment. After our descent we visit the beautiful waterfalls of Shiraito-no-taki.
July 26th - Hamanako, Climb Mount Fuji
July 27th - Descend Fuji, Shiraito-no-taki
(Cost: 14,300 yen including tax. Departure from your accommodation on July 26that 0830, return on July 27th by 1800. Includes all transport, mountain hut accommodation, admission fees. Does not include meals.)
August 2nd - Day trip - The Okazaki fireworks festival dominates this day, as more than half a million visitors swamp the castle. We are trying to book seats in the tiers by the river, please apply early or we won't get good seats. Not far from the castle we start with a visit to the famous Hatcho Miso. Destinations include
Hatcho Miso, Denpark, Yoshihama, Hanabi
(Cost: To Be Confirmed. Departure from your accommodation on August 2nd at 0630, return by 2130. Includes all transport, all admission fees. Includes lunch & dinner.)
August 3rd - Day trip - to Toba and the Grand Shrines of Ise. Destinations include Mikimoto Pearl Island, Futamigaura, Ise Grand Shrines, Okage Yokocho
(Cost: 6,600 yen including tax. Departure from your accommodation on August 3rd at 0630, return by 2030. Includes all transport, all admission fees. Does not include lunch.)
August 9th-10th - Mount Fuji Part 2! Another chance to hike up Japan's highest mountain if you missed the first climb on July 26th. Or, for the masochists, you can do it again! We will stay in a mountain hut about 400 meters elevation below the peak before making a dash to the summit for the sunrise. The crater walk is not to be missed. Guide will be carrying emergency equipment. After our descent we visit the beautiful waterfalls of Shiraito-no-taki.
August 9th - Hamanako, Climb Mount Fuji
August 10th - Descend Fuji, Shiraito-no-taki
(Cost: 14,300 yen including tax. Departure from your accommodation on August 9th at 0830, return on August 10th by 1800. Includes all transport, mountain hut accommodation, admission fees. Does not include meals.)
2003 Summer Tour schedule: (for questions/bookings contact International Office)

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) 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/

Return to top of page


2. Course Information

Accommodation

If you are coming to Okazaki during the next few months, please visit the housing availability site, which has 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: The next student visa start date is October 2003, which are now closing. The deadline for submission of complete visa kits is July 15th. 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 immediately.

Short-term courses:

Tour destinations: The August 22nd Discovery Tour visits a variety of destinations including Okutono Jinya, Toyota Kaikan, Asuke, Tokugawa Art Museum, Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, Asahi Beer Brewery Tour, Takayama Jinya, Hida Kokubunji, Shirakawa-go Ogimachi, Kyoto, Tokyo: Ueno-koen, Shitamachi Museum, Ameyoko Arcade, Akihabara, Harajuku and many other destinations. See http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/programs/discovery_20030822a.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 extension programs have space from July 10th and academic programs have space from July but accommodation is very limited.

Return to top of page


3. Student Interview: Muniandi Vijayalakshmi

Muniandi Vijayalakshmi
Muniandi Vijayalakshmi

The following interview was conducted by Roger Fung.

Roger: First of all, thank you very much for your time. So, how may I call you?

Muniandi: Viji. You can call me Viji.

R: Viji-san, desu ne. Why are you studying Japanese right now?
M: I've been living in Japan for about 2 years, with my husband and my family.. everyone is living in Toyota-shi. I am an engineer and I would like to work in a Japanese company. I want to study good, solid Japanese properly so that's why I came to Yamasa.

R: What were you doing before you came to Yamasa?
M: Before coming to Japan I was a college student in India. Soon after college I got married and came to Japan. For 2 years I was busy raising my kid. That's also why I wasn't able to study Japanese properly.

R: I see, raising a child is a tough job indeed. When did you start this course, and how long are you planning on studying here?
M: I started 2 weeks ago and I only intended to study for 4 weeks, but I am planning to extend my stay for 8 more weeks, which totals up to 3 months. I would like to learn more and more!

R: Hmm I see I see. So you came to Yamasa to study Japanese for work, what are your plans after finish graduating?
M: During my studies here I would like to practice my....

Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/student_int_48.html

Return to top of page


4. In the News: New articles

In this edition we have another article to help you practice, "Unpleasant and Misunderstood Japanese" ganbatte!

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.

Return to top of page


5. Japan Guide: Takayama and Gero Onsen (by Patty Lo)

Takayama in the northern part of Gifu Prefecture is a castle town at the foot of Takayama Castle built in the 16th century. It is a town of old wooden houses which draws thousands of vistiors very year and is called Little Kyoto. Its temples, shrines, festivals, rivers and bridges are reminiscent of Kyoto on a smaller scale. Takayama-matsuri is believed to have begun in the 16th or 17th century and is one of the three largest festivals in Japan. At the festival, intricate floats roam around the city utilizing the essence of Hida's traditional techniques (and a lot of people power). Takayama-matsuri is held in spring and autumn every year. In the spring the central shrine is Hie-jinja Shrine, and in autumn, the central shrine is Sakura-yama Hachiman-gu Shrine.

Gero Onsen is located in the middle-eastern part of Gifu Prefecture, on the border with Nagano Prefecture has been known as a spa since the 10th century. It is also known as one of the three best...............

Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/newsletter/japan_guide_19.html

Return to top of page


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

Return to top of page


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.

C O M M U N I T Y   M E M B E R S
register


Hattori Foundation (est.1919) - The Yamasa Institute
1-2-1 Hanehigashi-machi, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, JAPAN 444-0832
Tel: +81 (0)564 55 8111 Fax: +81 (0)564 55 8113 Email: Inquiries

www.yamasa.org content is created and maintained by Declan Murphy and the students and
staff of the Yamasa Institute's Multimedia Studio. This site is Yamasa - All rights reserved.