Winter Edition 2012/2013

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Himawari In this edition of HIMAWARI: All about Christmas in KitaQ, New Year, Keeping Warm in Japan, Ice-Skating and other Lifestyle Information!

(New Year s) Christmas in Japan is a bit different from Christmas in other parts of the world.

While it is still a time to be spent with family and friends, there s a definite preference for spending the holiday as a couple.

1 Himawari In this edition of HIMAWARI: All about Christmas in KitaQ, New Year, Keeping Warm in Japan, Ice-Skating and other Lifestyle Information! 北九州国際交流協会 K itakyushu I nternational A ssociation 冬号 Winter Edition 2012/2013 Winter in Japan, much like winter in many other countries, is dominated by two important events; Christmas and Oshogatsu (New Year s) Christmas in Japan is a bit different from Christmas in other parts of the world. Due in large part to the scarcity of Christianity in Japan, with the added fact of Christmas being a foreign holiday, the celebration has taken on a life of its own here in Japan. While it is still a time to be spent with family and friends, there s a definite preference for spending the holiday as a couple. It s not as if all of Christmas overseas traditions have been lost however, with cake and presents still being an important part of the day. Not only that, the putting up of Christmas illuminations is very popular, and it could be said that Japan s illuminations are the equals of those of any other country in the world. Below, we ve put together a list of the best places in Kitakyushu to see the illuminations, and when you can expect them to be up. Kokura Illuminations November 2 January 10 At the top of everyone s list is Kokura s famous illuminations. These can be seen spread out around all the main areas such as Kokura station, Cha Cha Town, AIM, Riverwalk etc. Mojiko Retro Town December 1 February 24 Go and see the illuminations at Mojiko. Not content with simply lighting up the retro buildings, even the trees have been adorned with thousands of beautiful lights. Kurosaki Station November 18 January 9 Kurosaki Station puts on a show for Christmas as well. The area around the station is covered in lights and various other displays, and even the trees down Fureai Doori are lit. There are plenty of other places around Kitakyushu with amazing illuminations, such as Orio, Wakamatsu and Yahata to name a few. Many individual families also decorate their homes over the Christmas period. Just going for a walk or drive around should reward you with some impressive displays. But whether you take in the lights or not this year, we at the KIA hope you have a Merry Christmas and that you get something really nice for your family and significant other. 1

Winter Edition 2012/2013 Winter is finally here, and with its chilly winds comes the promise of a new start as we wave goodbye to 2012, remembering the good times and forgetting the bad, and get

New Year s in Japan is quite possibly the most important celebration of the year, a time where families come together, eat, drink and be merry.

Below, we ve put together a few staples of the New Year to give you a bit of an idea what to look out for during this awesome holiday.

and white teams and pitted against each other in a singing extravaganza.

2 Winter Edition 2012/2013 Winter is finally here, and with its chilly winds comes the promise of a new start as we wave goodbye to 2012, remembering the good times and forgetting the bad, and get ourselves ready for New Year s as we greet the promising new year. New Year s in Japan is quite possibly the most important celebration of the year, a time where families come together, eat, drink and be merry. People go to Bonenkai (forgetting the year) parties as the New Year is strongly seen as a completely separate thing from the previous, and a chance to make a new start. Below, we ve put together a few staples of the New Year to give you a bit of an idea what to look out for during this awesome holiday. 2 Kohaku uta gassen Much like the New Year s variety shows in other countries, Kohaku uta gassen is a once a year event wherein the country s most talented J-pop and enka singers are split into red and white teams and pitted against each other in a singing extravaganza. Typically reaching the 4-hour mark, watching this and eating toshikoshi soba noodles on New Year s Eve has been a popular tradition for many years. Osechiryori Long ago, it was forbidden to cook during the first three days of the New Year, and so New Year s food was prepared in advance and made of ingredients that lasted well. It generally includes food with coincidentally auspicious names such as daidai (bitter orange) as daidai also means from generation to generation and tai (red sea breem) which is similar to the word medetai or auspicious. The Year of the Snake Japan follows the Chinese zodiac and this year will be the year of the snake, so expect to see a lot of snake-based decorations about the place. Otoshidama Children are often given money in small decorated envelopes by relatives and other close adults on New Year s. Fukubukuro This is a custom where stores around Japan put out mystery bags on New Year s Day for extremely discounted prices. The bags can contain anything, and in some places a few bags might contain some very expensive items or even a plane ticket somewhere. You ll often see long queues of people during New Year s, waiting for their chance to grab a bargain. Nengajo are the cards that are customarily sent out during New Year s to one s friends, family and other people who have had some impact on your life. As it s unlucky for nengajo to arrive prior to New Year s, the Post Office stocks them up and delivers them all at once on the same day, January 1. The cards typically show a motif of the year s zodiac animal along with some set phrases celebrating the New Year.

Winter Edition 2012/13 Staying warm during winter in Japan can at times be a difficult task.

Thankfully there are plenty of ways to stay warm over the winter period such as.

It s the only skating rink in Kitakyushu that meets international standards at 1800m², and at 2000 for an adult and 1500 for a child for the day, is a good deal too!

Winter is the season of nabe ryori (Hotpot cooking) and other related hearty foods such as oden.

3 Winter Edition 2012/13 Staying warm during winter in Japan can at times be a difficult task. As many Japanese homes don t have adequate insulation, the inside temperature is often very close to the outside temperature. Thankfully there are plenty of ways to stay warm over the winter period such as... Ice Skating: Nothing warms a person up quite like exercise, so why not try out the Kitakyushu Ice Skating Centre in Kokurakita-ku? It s the only skating rink in Kitakyushu that meets international standards at 1800m², and at 2000 for an adult and 1500 for a child for the day, is a good deal too! Address: Asano, Kokurakita-ku (5 minute walk from Kokura Station North Exit) Ph: Nabe Ryori And don t forget about food! Winter is the season of nabe ryori (Hotpot cooking) and other related hearty foods such as oden. There s an almost endless number of nabe ryori recipes to choose from, and all the ingredients can be easily bought at your local supermarket. Generally it simply requires you to buy the soup base and some vegetables and meat and/or sea food of your choice, then slow heat them together until they are cooked through.. Once you ve finished off your soup, the stock can still be used to cook udon/mochi/ramen in as well! How versatile is that? Onsen What better place to shake off the winter blues than an onsen (hot spring)? While nearby Beppu gets all the notice when it comes to onsen, Kitakyushu actually has quite a few very nice onsen of its own. They re spread over most of the different areas of the city, so no matter where you live, it s likely you have an onsen close by. If you re feeling cold and in need of a bit of relaxation, why not try out your nearest onsen? Heating your home The most obvious way to stay warm during winter is just to heat your home. This can be difficult due to the lack of insulation in many Japanese homes allowing heat to escape easily, but it s certainly not impossible. Many different heaters are out there with varying degrees of energy efficiency. Kerosene stoves for example heat a room effectively but can be dangerous due to its naked flame and the fumes. Oil heaters on the other hand also heat a room quickly, are safe, but require a lot of energy to run. Many Japanese people fix the issue of a cold house with a kotatsu however. This is a table with a built-in heater, and the heat is trapped by a blanket that is draped from the sides down to the ground. You can t say you ve experienced a Japanese winter without having used a kotatsu. 3

Winter Edition 2012/2013 The KIA-organised Bus Hike Hiraodai happened on Saturday October 6th and I think it s safe to say, the general consensus is that it was a great success.

We were a pretty diverse bunch, including myself (a New Zealander), a Brazilian, someone from Taiwan, some Chinese students, Indonesians, and a few Japanese people.

Now, for the uninitiated, Hiraodai is a karst plateau, a large tableland of very rocky land formed by the dissolution of soluble bedrock such as dolomite or, in Hiraodai s case, limestone.

The entire landscape of Hiraodai is dotted with thousands of limestone boulders of varying shapes and sizes, as well as pockmarked with sometimes enormous dolines or sinkholes, and gives the

4 Winter Edition 2012/2013 The KIA-organised Bus Hike Hiraodai happened on Saturday October 6th and I think it s safe to say, the general consensus is that it was a great success. I woke up to a windy, overcast morning and after sorting out breakfast, headed off to Kokura Station to meet up with the rest of the group. We were a pretty diverse bunch, including myself (a New Zealander), a Brazilian, someone from Taiwan, some Chinese students, Indonesians, and a few Japanese people. We jumped on a train heading south and soon hit our stop at Ishihara-machi Station. From there we took a bus up into the hills and soon found ourselves looking at the rocky landscapes of Hiraodai. Now, for the uninitiated, Hiraodai is a karst plateau, a large tableland of very rocky land formed by the dissolution of soluble bedrock such as dolomite or, in Hiraodai s case, limestone. Or so says Wikipedia at least. While the geographical science behind it may be a bit specialised, the reality of it is truly impressive. The entire landscape of Hiraodai is dotted with thousands of limestone boulders of varying shapes and sizes, as well as pockmarked with sometimes enormous dolines or sinkholes, and gives the impression of rolling hills covered in sheep. It s the sort of scene you d be extremely hard pressed to find elsewhere in Japan, certainly to the same level. After leaving the bus, we met up with our guide, and proceeded to head up the road into the mountains, past sinkholes and masses of limestone boulders that looked like rockfalls until we made it to the highlight of the trip; Senbutsu Limestone Cavern. Within was a meandering cave system cut through by an underground river. The water was freezing cold but the cave itself more than made up for it. The limestone formations on the inside of the cave were surprisingly varied, with certain sections of the cave having what seemed to be completely unique types of formation, odd shapes hanging from the ceiling and the odd low ceiling to crawl through. The experience was quite unlike anything I ve done before, and certainly worth a look. Afterwards, a small group of us hung around to check out the local sake place and ended up sitting outside enjoying a glass, watching the sun sink behind the mountains. Thanks to everyone who came and made it an awesome day, and to anyone who hasn t been, make sure you do it the next chance you get. You won t regret it! 4

Winter Edition 2012/13 Ask any Japanese person what they consider to be a good example of winter sport in Japan and many people will mention Ekiden.

Several people form a team, and run a long distance relay with each member doing their own share of the track, in a race against other teams.

Records for relay intervals and individual runners are looked forward to, but really it s a team event more than a marathon.

5 Winter Edition 2012/13 Ask any Japanese person what they consider to be a good example of winter sport in Japan and many people will mention Ekiden. There are more than a few families where it s practically customary to sit down together over Oshogatsu and watch the Hakone Ekiden (All Japan University Ekiden). Several people form a team, and run a long distance relay with each member doing their own share of the track, in a race against other teams. In Japan, several Ekiden are held, such as the All Japan Inter- Corporation Ekiden and the All Country High School Ekiden, and are broadcast live on TV and radio. Records for relay intervals and individual runners are looked forward to, but really it s a team event more than a marathon. It s about fierce team spirit and the moving drama left in the records and people s memories. So how about actually being on the sidelines cheering on the athletes? Well, as it happens, the 24th Annual Kitakyushu Senbatsu Ladies Ekiden is being held on the 20th of January The top corporations and High Schools battle it out in a competition the likes of which is rarely seen in Japan. The 32.8km course starts at Kokura Castle and heads to Magari in Yahatanishi before looping back to Kokura Castle. The track and the roads surrounding it will be closed to traffic during the duration, but it s a unique chance to show your support for the athletes as they compete against each other for victory. It may be the middle of winter but the sidelines will be heating up as everyone cheers for their favourite teams in this white hot race. Both the opening ceremony and awards ceremony will be held on the 6th floor of Riverwalk Kitakyushu and can be attended free of charge. Opening ceremony: January 19 (Sat) from 16:30 The event itself: January 20 (Sun) 10:00 start Awards ceremony: January 20 (Sun) 13:00 (subject to change) For more info, go to Kitakyushu City: RKB: 5

6 Winter Edition 2012/2013 December Hibiki Christmas Concert: The Nutcracker Suite Date: December 15th; Doors open at 14:00, performance begins at 15:00 Place: Hibiki Hall What: Tchaikovsky s The Nutcracker Suite is performed by a group of talented artists who have performed throughout the country, with a combination of song, dance, piano and recitation. Info: Foundation for Promoting Arts and Culture PH: (093) Countdown in Mojiko Retro Town Date: December 31st; from 23:00 onwards Place: Mojiko Retro Chiku What: Welcome the new year with illuminations, fireworks and banana no tatakiuri. Info: Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry Mojiko PH: (093) January Seijin Matsuri Date: January 13th Place: Spaceworld What: This commemorates everyone who has turned 20 in the last year, celebrates their life so far and gives good luck for their life ahead. Info: Child and Domestic Affairs Bureau PH: (093) February Kitakyushu Art Exhibition Date: February 5 February 17; 09:30 17:30 (the 12th is a holiday) Place: Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art What: Kitakyushu artists, businesses and private citizens have come together to show off their collected artworks in this exhibition. Info: General Planning Bureau PH: (093) Kokura Local Food Festival Date: February 17th 26th Place: Kokura City Centre What: In order to inject some more life into Kokura s centre, various people involved in the local shopping street have got together and created an event focusing on gourmet food made from Kokura s own products. Info: Kokura Local Food Festival Planning Committee PH: (093) Kitakyushu 50th Anniversary Concert Date: February 17th Place: Kitakyushu Soleil Hall What: Listen to chorus singing and songs celebrating Kitakyushu as the city enters the 5oth year since its establishment. Info: Foundation for promoting Arts and Culture PH: (093)

Winter Edition 2012/13 I arrived in Kitakyushu in the first week of June with a week and a half of nothing to do before my job as an ALT began.

In my home country and my home state, cycling was a hobby of both my Father and mine.

Once we packed up we departed for what might become a four hour trek across a landscape I ve known since my childhood.

7 Winter Edition 2012/13 I arrived in Kitakyushu in the first week of June with a week and a half of nothing to do before my job as an ALT began. My Japanese was terrible, I couldn t read menus, couldn t properly ask for what I wanted and could read nothing, but I had something I needed; a bicycle. In my home country and my home state, cycling was a hobby of both my Father and mine. We would often rise early on weekend mornings stuffing the pockets of our jerseys with peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and banana sandwiches and filling water bottles. Once we packed up we departed for what might become a four hour trek across a landscape I ve known since my childhood. We rode up and down and flat and against headwinds and with tail winds until, eventually, we would stop at a small dairy by my parents home for a litre of chocolate milk, a drink my father swears by for recovery. With these memories strong in my mind, I didn t just want but needed a bike. I walked to the nearest bike shop I knew of, having passed it on the bus a few days earlier and I bought a bike with nothing more than the power of pointing fingers (including a positive thumbs up) and a handful of cash. Once I had pedals under my feet it was, to use a very American phrase, on. I ve been all over Kitakyushu since. Climbing mountains wherever I can find them and following narrow unpopulated roads anywhere they may appear. My first ride, inspired by a picture of Kawachi Wisteria Garden sent to me by a friend, took me to Kawachi from my apartment near the Kokurakita Kokuraminami border. The wisteria blooms were gone and the garden closed when I arrived, but well beyond that there was so much to enjoy. The climb up to the reservoir was difficult, with a winding grind of a climb that began with vast stretches of rice paddies with varying elevations, then narrowed under thick green bamboo groves and finally opened up into an expanse of blue. The Kawachi Reservoir appeared to me like the fruit of a long and difficult endeavour. I sat in sublime awe of the landscape, so different from the light brown chaparral of my home. Since this first trek I ve visited as many natural wonders as my legs will allow. I ve ridden up to the top of Hiraodai and gazed out across the city and marvelled at the beautiful rock structures. I ve coursed around the reservoir near Sugao with its emerald water and up into the beauty of Sugao no Taki, and I ve risen very slowly pedal after pedal to the peak of Mt Sarakura to view a halo of dense fog. Nowhere in my life have I ever experienced a landscape like this. In Kitakyushu I ve found a multitude of incredible cycling routes, beautiful nature, and all in such relatively close proximity to my apartment. With my jersey packed and pedals beneath my feet I m only limited by my ability to navigate this beautiful city. By Shane Minter. 7

Winter Edition 2012/2013 Time Place Contact 15 th (Sat), 15:00-19:00, (Will not be affected by rain) Kokurakita-ku Kitakyushu Media Dome West Japan Recycling Citizen s

Kokura de Furima Executive Committee Office PH: 093-772-3223 Message from the Editor Hi everyone!

Heaps of people came and it ended up being a great few days for all involved.

8 Winter Edition 2012/2013 Time Place Contact 15 th (Sat), 15:00-19:00, (Will not be affected by rain) Kokurakita-ku Kitakyushu Media Dome West Japan Recycling Citizen s Action Group PH: Time Place Contact 10 th (Sun), 10:00-16:00 (Will not be affected by rain) Kokurakita-ku, West Japan General Exhibition Centre, Shinkan Kokura de Furima Executive Committee Office PH: Message from the Editor Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great Autumn and are looking forward to the New Year. Thanks to everyone who went along to the B-1 Grand Prix. Heaps of people came and it ended up being a great few days for all involved. I would also just like to thank everyone who has had something to do with Himawari over the last year; the translators, the article writers and of course you, the readers. The next Himawari will of course be coming out in 2013, and so I d just like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! From your friendly Southern Santa. 8

Winter Edition 2012/13 6 5 4 3 2 1 7 8 Flea Market Travel Details 1 Kitakyushu Media Dome: Ride the monorail

2 West Japan General Exhibition Centre: A short walk north from Kokura Station.

9 Winter Edition 2012/ Flea Market Travel Details 1 Kitakyushu Media Dome: Ride the monorail to Kawaraguchimihagino Station. 2 West Japan General Exhibition Centre: A short walk north from Kokura Station. Others 3 Kokura Illumination 4 Yahata Illumination 5 Kurosaki Magical Land of Lights 6 Mojiko Retro Illumination 7 Mt. Sarakura 8 Hiraodai Kokurakita Ward Yahatahigashi Ward Yahatahigashi Ward Kokuraminami Ward 9

may have with life in Japan, or that Japanese people may be having in relation to foreign citizens, by providing important information and links to specific organizations.

Yahata (KIA) Consultation times: 10:00 16:00 Languages of consultation: Kokura Kokura Information Office Consultation times:10:00 16:00 Languages of consultation: English: Tuesday & Friday English:

10 FREE CONSULTATION FOR FOREIGNERS がいこくじん外国人 Winter Edition 2012/13 むりょうそうだんのための無料相談 Consultation Service for Foreigners Here we help to solve any problems or worries that foreign residents may have with life in Japan, or that Japanese people may be having in relation to foreign citizens, by providing important information and links to specific organizations. Consultations are available in both Yahata and Kokura, are free of charge, and don t require reservation. Please feel free to visit, and be assured that your privacy will be respected. Yahata (KIA) Consultation times: 10:00 16:00 Languages of consultation: Kokura Kokura Information Office Consultation times:10:00 16:00 Languages of consultation: English: Tuesday & Friday English: Wed & Thur Chinese: Tuesday & Friday Chinese: Wed & Thur Korean: Friday Korean: Wed & Thur Japanese: Tuesday & Friday Telephone number: Japanese: Wed & Thur Telephone number: address: helpdesk@kitaq-koryu.jp Address and directions at bottom of page. Closed on national holidays and during the New Year Period. For more information, please take a look at Foreigner Support Services at the KIA on the KIA homepage. Free Consultation -Specialist Legal Counseling (13:30 to 16:30 every 4th Saturday) - Dec 22nd, Jan 26th, Feb 23th A counselor from the Kitakyushu Branch of the Fukuoka Bar Association will help you with all kinds of legal problems (reservation is required). Consultation Concerning Immigration Procedures (13:00 to 16:00 every 3rd Sunday) - Dec 16th, Jan 20th, Feb 17th Administrative specialists will offer advice on procedures such as changing of visa status, extension of stay, and other issues (reservation is only required if you need an interpreter). Psychological Counseling (9:30 to 12:30 every 4th Saturday) - Dec 22nd, Jan 26th, Feb 23rd A clinical psychologist will offer counseling for people having difficulties with relationships, cultural differences, and mental well-being (reservation is required). Getting to the KIA ( 公財 ) 北九州国際交流協会きたきゅうしゅうしやはたひがしくひらの1ちょうめ北九州市八幡東区平野 1 丁目 1-1 こくさいむらこうりゅう国際村交流かいセンター 3 階 (International Village Center 3F, 1-1-1, Hirano,Yahatahigashi-ku) Tel: Fax: かいかんじかん開館時間 /Open Hours:9:00 ~ 17:30 か ~ にちようび火 ~ 日曜日 / Tuesday to Sunday 休館日 /Closed: 月曜日と年末年始 (12/29~1/3) Mondays & Year-end/New Year kia@kitaq-koryu.jp こくらインフォメーション (Kokura Information Desk) きたきゅうしゅうしこくらきたくあさの北九州市小倉北区浅野たいへいよう AIM( アジア太平洋インポートマート )2 階 (Asia-Pacific Import Mart 2F, 3-8-1, Asano, Kokurakita-ku) Tel: Fax: かいかんじかん開館時間か火どようび ~ 土曜日きゅうかんび休館日 /Open Hours:10:00 ~ 17:30 / Tuesday to Saturday にちげつしゅくじつねんまつねんし /Closed: 日月祝日と年末年始 (12/29~1/3)/ Sun, Mon, Public Holidays & Year-end/New Year かい North exit Kokura Station Amu Plaza Amu Plaza West Japan General Exhibition Center Rihga Hotel Kokura St. Building West Japan General Exhibition Center Kyu- La Foret Kokura Station Bus Center Aim Building 2nd Floor Kokura Information Best Denki Kitakyushu International Conference Center Asano 2-Chome Bus Stop Asano 2-Chome Bus Stop 10

冬号 Winter Edition 2009

冬号 Winter Edition 2009 北九州国際交流協会 Kitakyushu International Association Kitakyushu HIMAWARI International Association October&November 2007 In this month s Himawari: Japanese New Year, Countdown party, Sunrise spots, Shrines,