(1) The first bits:

Greetings and salutations. First up - email problems. We've had a few problems with the servers in recent weeks - apologies for the slower than usual response times. Things seem to be back on track now. If you sent an email and didn't get a reply - its likely that you are one of a few people we had trouble contacting - please drop us a line.

The new academic year has kicked off - a big welcome to the large number of new AIJP, AJSP, Acceleration and SILAC students who have converged on Okazaki - I think this might be the first time since I started working here (more than many moons ago in case you are wondering) that 50 countries will be represented in the alumni. If only I knew the name of a decent beer from Serbia-Montenegro, or the airspeed velocity of an African swallow. But I digress. Whether you are from Tahiti or Narvik, Siberia or South Africa, a doyen of the Harvard Karate Club or flyhalf for the Warrumbungle Barbarians - youkoso! to each and every one of you. Study hard, play hard, and enjoy Japan to the full!

a) Bulldozers: Even some of the usually less than observant students have commented on the presence in front of the student village of a great big massive caterpillar tracked earth mover doing what seems to come naturally to bulldozers.

Wozzat all about?

By the end of May, we are building a new coin laundry (laundromat) next to the "Mini Stop". The student village already has two internal coin laundries (at discount rates) catering to the residents, but in conversations and interviews with many students over the past few years there have often been comments regarding the dryers. At present we have 5 washing machines and 4 dryers - with the washing machines at 200 yen each, and the dryers are priced per time period. The current dryers are essentially designed for household use, and during periods of extensive heavy use gradually take longer to dry clothing than designed. The dryers are in heavy use, particularly during the June wet season (the "tsuyu") and the depths of winter, and at times of such heavy use the feedback we have received from students is that it can take a lot of time to dry important things such as blankets, futon covers, heavy clothing and the like.

So what will adding another coin laundry achieve? Essentially, what the new coin laundry will feature is a series of large front loading industrial strength machines. These machines cost a lot of money, extremely expensive actually, but what we are planning to do is allow the general public (who also need dryers) to use the facility - and revenue from them will hopefully cover the majority of the costs involved.

Another purpose of the project is further improving security. We will continue to illuminate the area, but the new building will also fill the space between the Mini Stop and the Village "North" entrance, which should reduce the number of outsiders from using the Student Village footpath, and screen both the entrance and the ground floor windows from car headlights, noise etc emanating from the Mini Stop carpark.

b) Fibre-Optic Internet Access:

Installation of high speed fiber optic cable has been completed at Residence U. The cost of internet access is 3150 yen per month (in the case of student visa holders, we will have prices for short term students by the next newsletter). Please note that this is an optional extra, so unlike the Student Village it is not included in the accommodation fee. If you are (or are going to be) living in Residence U and would like the high speed access, please contact Nakajima-san in Student Services, or let admissions know by email. We have been updating the accommodation comparison file and naturally there will be further updates throughout the year.

In addition to the installation of the fibre-optics, Residence U has been given a make-over, with new staircases, and a fresh paint job. There are only 20 apartments, and at the end of March only 4 apartments were vacant for new students to enter, however rooms will become available during the course of the year (complete turnover occurs within 24 months), so if you want the privacy and quality of this residence - AND - high speed access, please select it high on the list of preferences whenever completing an application form.

"Message from a little bird" - During the past month or so, I have mentioned in emails and at the new students orientation seminars that we are considering the installation of fibre optic networks in other accommodations. This is no longer the case - instead of considering it, we are committed to it. By September at the absolute latest, the Yamasa Villa 3 and 4 apartments (39 apartments) and the Residence K (14 studio apartments) will also have these facilities available as an option. In other words, if you are planning on studies from October, 73 studio apartments and 50 village rooms will have high speed access available at the prices listed above. Keeping in touch with friends, reviewing lessons via the OCJS etc will never have been easier.

c) "best-of-the-web":

For quite a few years now the hardworking crew behind yamasa.org have been slaving away deep in the Audio-Visual control unit and Multimedia studio in the depths of Aoi Hall, the International Office, the OCJS crew (both in Okazaki and London), Tokyo office and elsewhere etc. For the most part their work is unnoticed, but without it Yamasa wouldn't exist in its current form. This month the site received a "best of the web" gong from japanzine for their efforts. Congratulations and a big on-going thank you to Haruko Awakon Hugo Britos, "Engineer Tomas" Cermak, Kelly Duke, Roger Fung, Miki Fukuyasu, Andres Barbosa Guerrero, Yuki Hasegawa, Gisele Hirata, Mieko Hori, Joseph Huang, Shihkuei Huang, Mike Hussey, Erina Kato, Tatsuya Kato, Kim Suerim, Tiziana Launech, Steffen Lehmann, Sunhee Lee, I-Fong Liu, Sharon Lin, Patty Lo, Lo Fang-Jung, Euan McKay, Chris Moorhouse, Regine Morwill, Mun Jong-Gap, Toshiyuki Nakajima, Wally Oyama, Rafael Riquelme, Brett Robson, Tadashi Sugita, Sir Jon Walden, Stephanie Weng, Joshua Wilbur, Kornelis-Jan Woltjer, Sacha Zemp, and of course the many others who have contributed time, energy, creativity, articles, suggestions & corrections. Please keep up the work!

d) Sayonara "Furobar", Youkoso "Zig Zag"

The "furobar" (see newsletters #26, #36, #54) is no more. In its place and now open every day is Zig Zag. If you are a new student seeking to make a few friends, obtain information informally, or are looking for the only place in town (Japan?) where you can enjoy a meal and two drinks and still have change from 1,000 yen - drop on in. Zig Zag also has an excellent and expanding lunch menu. Best way to make use of it is to order in advance - its cheaper, and you get to sit down and eat within 5 minutes of the start of your lunch break.

Operation: From Mondays to Wednesdays Zig Zag operates as a cafe from 11:30am to 5.00pm, providing lunches and an afternoon menu. Feel free to hang out, do your homework, unwind etc. On Thursdays it will operate as a cafe from 11.30am to 4.00pm, and as a bar from 4.00pm to 9.30pm. On Fridays the operating hours are from 11.30am to "very late". On Saturdays from 6.30pm to "extremely late". Coming soon to Zig Zag is a wi-fi connection, house computers, online ordering system for the lunch plan and more live music. More info and the website in the next edition of the newsletter.

e) Things to do:

Free Origami Classes! On the first Friday of the month the Okazaki International Association also holds free origami (paper folding) classes in Aoi Hall at Yamasa from 3:30pm.

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

(c) Other bits:

• Make money by writing articles for the newsletter. See the contributions page for details.
• Find a course: see the program catalog.
• Contact Admissions if you have any questions.
• See below for information regarding course deadlines.

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 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: We are now accepting application for the next start date - October 2004. 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 2004 start please contact Admissions. The deadline for completed applications is June 10th 2004.

Short-term courses:

Tour destinations: The May 14th Discovery Tour visits a variety of destinations including Kasuga Taisha, Todaiji, the Isuien Garden & the Neiraku Museum, Hikone Castle, Lake Biwa, Iga-Ueno, Ueno Castle, Okutono Jinya, Toyota Motor, Asuke village with its thatched houses and craft based cottage industries set in a picturesque gorge and many other destinations. See http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/programs/discovery_20040514a.html for more information.