Despite a slight slip in the newsletter's "fortnightly updates" schedule, things generally seem to be back on track. So, let's get to the good stuff...
(1) The first bits:
(a) April 2007 Student Visas:
Because of the large number of applicants for April Student Visas, we expect that the visas allotted to us by the
Immigration Bureau for April 2007 will be almost completely allocated by the end of the first deadline. Fast track
applications received prior to the second deadline will be processed, however as our language quotas (particularly for
native speakers of English and Mandarin Chinese) are going to be extremely tight, very few places will be available.
Bottom line is - if you are still planning to apply for a long term visa for April 2007, you should submit your application as soon as possible.
(b) New Eiden Location:
Until recently, the closest consumer electronics store to Yamasa was Eiden, located on Route 248 just across from the
Jusco shopping center. However, a few weeks ago Eiden
closed up shop in preparation to move to a larger, but unfortunately more distant location
further up Route 248. The new store is now open, and it's about twice as far from the campus as the previous one, but to make up
for that the size and product selection has increased. Additionally, there's a CompMart (computer parts store) and Design
Center (furniture store) located in the same shopping center, making the longer trip a little bit more worth your while.
To get to the new Eiden, head up Route 248 towards the
AEON Jusco shopping center.
Continue along the road as it
curves to the left, past the police station. Continue still farther until the road curves back to the right. The shopping center is
on the right side of the street, just before Route 248 crosses the river. You can see a bit of the new store without making the long
trek by watching this
video.
(c) Road Construction Continues:
There's a lot of contruction going on closer to the campus, as mentioned in the previous newsletter, and it won't be stopping any time soon.
This week the crews started pouring concrete for the road that's cutting a swath through what was once the faculty and staff parking
lot. For the nitty-gritty details, take a look at the
video.
(d) Villa 5 Construction Continues:
Also mentioned last issue, the construction of the new Villa 5 student residence continues apace. The latest progress can
be seen in the construction photogallery
and this video.
(e) Japanese Language Proficiency Test:
If you signed up to take this year's JLPT, you most likely received your test voucher this week. The test is December 3rd,
and for most Yamasa students the examination center is
Aichi University's Nagoya
Campus at Miyoshi (located between Toyota and Nagoya).
Please check your test voucher! Ask the teachers if you do not
understand where your test center is or how to get there!
For those taking the exam at the Aichi Daigaku, this is how to get
there: Take the Aichi Kanjou (Aikan) line from JR Okazaki to Toyota where you switch to the
Toyota Meitetsu Line, direction Nagoya. You'll have to walk from the Aikan station to the Meitetsu station
(about 500 meters, as the stations are located in different buildings). Get off
at Kurozasa Station (the station's name is also printed on the test
voucher) and follow the crowd up the hill to the campus buildings.
Make sure you are on time and turn off your keitai phone! Apparently last year some idiots
were disqualified because their telephone were ringing or vibrating during
the test, and rightly so.
There are still a few weeks left until the test, so use that time wisely.
The faculty are more than willing to help you with preparations,
even outside the elective classes, so don't hesitate to ask for assistance. We wish everyone the best for the day. zenryoku o dashite, ganbatte kudasai! And to help everyone relax, the
bar will be open afterwards (but not before...)
(f) Halloween Party Aftermath: There was quite a turnout for this year's
Halloween Party on campus at
Zig Zag, with a "bring your own meat" BBQ and small bonfire adding to a
more casual atmosphere than in previous years. As usual there were still a good
number of folks who dressed up for the occasion. By popular vote (measured via the "clap-o-meter"), the prize for
Best Costume went to the cross-dressing, whip-wielding, cosplaying Swedish contingent.
This editor got the impression that it wasn't the first time these guys wore seiraafuku.
Click here for photos of the winners and more.
(g) Current Trip Schedule:
The trips scheduled for this winter have proven quite popular, with all weekend trips through the end of 2006 already completely booked.
For those of you who will be here in January, however, the trips in January to
Nara
(visiting Horyuji and Chuguji) and to
Nagano Prefecture
(mainly to see the Japanese snow monkeys at
Jigokudani, as well as
Matsumoto Castle) still have vacancies.
You can book a spot for either of these trips online.
You do not need to already be in Okazaki City to apply.
If you haven't received your Student ID number yet, you can apply by using your passport number. If you don't know your
accommodation allocation yet (or won't require accommodation) just select "Off-Campus". We can change
your details after you arrive. Non-students can participate in any of the tours if a guest of a currently enrolled student.
(h) New Winter Programs in Sapporo: Starting from January 11th and February 8th, the
Hokkaido Center is offering
two Sapporo winter program modules for those who have a
proficiency level roughly equivalent to or higher than the end of Book 1 of the
Minna-no-Nihongo series (or Lesson 25 of the OCJS).
It is also possible to combine studies in both
Okazaki &
Sapporo, in a similar
way to the new summer program
offerings. In addition to the modules, the Japan Discovery Program will have a
Hokkaido tour from
February 9th to February 20th - you can do the tour only, do it after a Sapporo program
(Option B), or participate in the tour from
Okazaki. Apart from February's annual
Sapporo Snow Festival, 2007
will see Sapporo host the FIS World Ski Championships from
February 22nd to March 4th - the first time this event has been held in Asia. Improve your Japanese, and enjoy
perfect conditions for
skiing and snowboarding in Hokkaido.
(i) Coming Events:
Hilltop Jazz Concert:
The month of Jazz in Okazaki continues with the increasingly famous "Hilltop Jazz" concert on November 12th. Held in
the Budokan at Chuo-sogo Park in
eastern Okazaki City, this year's headline performances are Terumasa Hino with his
quintet, followed by the fantastic Yosuke Yamashita and his 12 member Panja Swing Orchestra. The cheapest tickets are 3000
yen (eat instant noodles that day), available from the Okazaki Civic Center near Yamasa's campus.
Sumo - Kyushu Basho:
If you enjoy watching the big guys go head to head, the sumo
tournament in Fukuoka, Kyushu takes place from November 12th to 26th. It might be a bit far to travel for those of you in
Okazaki, but NHK broadcasts the main bouts every day starting at approximately 3pm.
Tokugawaen - Autumn Light-up:
It's fall in Japan, and that means it's
kouyou time.
If you're looking for a place to do a little leaf watching, the Tokugawaen in Nagoya (the garden of the
Tokugawa Art Museum)
is offering illuminated viewing until 8:30pm from
November 17th to December 3rd. Admission to the garden is 300yen. From JR Okazaki station take the train to Kanayama,
transfer to the JR Chuo Line, and exit at Ozone. The garden is a few minutes walk south east from the station.
See the Tokugawaen website for more information.
(j) Other bits:
The Editor
Yamasa News
The
Yamasa Institute - Aichi Center for Japanese Studies
1-2-1 Hanehigashimachi
Okazaki
Aichi Japan 444-0832
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(2) Course Information
Accommodation
If you are coming to Okazaki City during the next few months, please visit the
housing availability file (Opens new window).
Message from Rie Kawakita (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:
Applications for April Student Visa intake:
Admissions for long term visas for April 2007 are now open. Early application is advised due to the
selection process and the limited number of visas
we are allocated by the Immigration Bureau for April. To download application forms
click here.
Short-term courses:
All SILAC programs have space from November 9th but due to high occupancy
rates accommodation is
very limited and early application is advised.
Contact Admissions as soon as possible for information.
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Discovery Tour starting on January 26th 2007 - itinerary at:
http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/programs/discovery_20070126.html. Please
contact Admissions for details. There are still a few places
available - join a very small private tour: There are still a number of places available - join a very small private tour:
Includes
Okutono Jinya,
Takisanji,
Toyota Motor,
Nagano and
Zenkouji, the
Japanese snow monkeys at
Jigokudani onsen,
Matsushiro, and the
WWII Imperial HQ tunnel complex,
Matsumoto City and the famous
Matsumoto Castle, before visiting the
Japan Ukiyoe Museum,
Nara including,
Kofukuji,
Nara Park,
Kasuga Taisha, the
Isuien Garden & the Neiraku Museum as well as many other locations. |
Other Discovery Tours all have vacancies -
contact Admissions for further information.
Tour dates for next year are available at
http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/programs/discovery_dates.html
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3. THINGS JAPANESE: "Happoshu" - Softer on the wallet, if not on the head
Like many other peoples of the world, the Japanese enjoy having a beer. They enjoy beer so much in fact that the Japanese government
decided to increase taxes on it in part to protect more traditional beverages such as nihonshu. This is why any product
labeled as biiru costs two or three times as much in Japan as it does in many other countries.
In Japan, a product is classified as beer if malt makes up at least 67% of its fermentable ingredients. To escape the heavy beer tax
threatening their bottom lines, the beer manufacturers began lowering the amount of malt in their drinks, substituting rice or other
fermentable substances. The resulting beverage looks and tastes close enough to beer for many people, but escapes the heavier beer
tax bracket. However, since it is not legally beer anymore, it can't say biiru on the...
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/things_japanese_42.html
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STUDENT INTERVIEW: Maxime Capron (France, AJSP)
Declan: Hello. Thank you for the interview.
Maxime: Pas de probleme.
D: When did you start at Yamasa.
M: April 2005. I started in I class in the AIJP.
D: So you studied Japanese before you came?
M: About a year and a half in college.
D: In France?
M: Yep. In Lille. Universite Lille 3.
D: What text were you using when you started at Yamasa?
M: Minna-no-Nihongo II. We started at Chapter 26.
D: So you have been at Yamasa for more than 18 months now, are there many students left from when you began?
M: Actually almost all of the people in my class right now, all started around the same time.
D: What about any of the teachers?
M: Yamada Aya-sensei taught me an elective, one of the conversation classes. The other teachers I didn't have back then.
D: Who is in the teaching team for your class?
M: Fuma-sensei, Hattori-sensei, Yamada-sensei, and Hayashi-sensei.
D: Was this stay your first time in Japan?
M: Yes.
D: What sort of things have been surprises for you? Things you may have noticed while living in
Okazaki City that were different from expectations?
M: Umm. The way families live. They live separately without....
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/student_int_73.html
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5. Japan Guide: Shiga Kogen (Nagano) & Ueno Toshogu (Tokyo)
Skiing and snowboarding in Shiga Kogen:
Shiga Kogen is a
winter sports mecca. It is the largest ski and snowboard resort area in Japan,
and probably one of the world's largest, with 21 different resorts
all interlinked with one combined lift ticket. You can ski or snowboard all day hardly hitting the same runs
twice. To ski all of the runs would require a few days.
There is fantastic variety in terms of terrain, modern facilities and fast lifts.
Shiga Kogen has 4 gondolas,
14 quad lifts, 7 triples, 35 doubles and 6 single lifts as well as a useful tram.
Shiga Kogen is a highland area northeast of Nagano City located
inside Joshin-Etsu Kogen National Park.
If you are not driving, there are shuttle buses from Nagano Station, or you can take the train on the Nagano Dentetsu line
to Yudanaka (famous for Japanese
snow monkeys), and switch to a shuttle bus from there (20 minutes).
During the 1998 Winter Olympic Games,
Shiga Kogen hosted the women's downhill, the super Giant
slalom, slalom, and all snowboarding events. The snow quality and conditions are usually excellent reflecting
higher altitude than many Japanese resorts.
The key to Shiga Kogen is altitude. The various resorts are all at different heights. For example Sun Valley Maruike
is at 1400 meters (4600 feet), Kuma-no-Yu at about 1700 meters (5575 feet), and each of Higashi Tateyama, Terakoya, and the
excellent....
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/japan/english/destinations/nagano/shiga.html
Ueno Toshogu:
Located in Ueno Koen, that this shrine can still exist in
Tokyo
today is something of a mystery. The original shrine is said to have been built in 1627 by the warrior
Todo Takatora, daimyo of
Iga and Ise.
The wooden, intricately decorated Toshogu shrine survived repeated fire bombing
raids, massive earthquakes, and even one of the major battles of the 1868 civil war. As a reminder of the
days of the Tokugawa Shogunate, it is one of the few
physical links Tokyo still has with its Edo period past.
Todo Takatora was considered a shrewd and courageous leader, a highly capable administrator, and skilled
castle architect.
Once a vassal of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Todo had participated in the Korean campaigns),
he decided to align himself with Tokugawa Ieyasu
before the battle of Sekigahara in 1600.
That success was rewarded, and by 1627
Todo Takatora had become a vassal of Tokugawa Iemitsu
(Ieyasu's grandson and the 3rd Tokugawa Shogun). At that time,
Tokugawa Iemitsu had not yet officially implemented
the sankin-kotai system, but Todo Takatora
maintained a yashiki (residence) in Edo, despite his
feudal domain being relatively small at 300,000 koku, and
Iga and Ise being
many days travel away. To some extent,
the ability of men like Todo Takatora
to maintain yashiki in Edo may actually have encouraged
the formal implementation of the sankin-kotai system, which was to become a key feature of the
.....
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/japan/english/destinations/tokyo/toshogu.html
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6. ABOUT THE YAMASA INSTITUTE
The Yamasa Institute is compromised of three teaching centers:
the ACJS Japanese Language School in Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture,
the HCJS Japanese Language School in Sapporo in Hokkaido and the
the OCJS, an online Japanese teaching center providing affordable Japanese education worldwide.
The 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
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C O M M U N I T Y M E M B E R S
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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 Copyright Yamasa - All rights reserved.
Ní thuigim thú 
