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Today's Contents:
1. The first bits: Things To Do, World Cup review, JETRO test, Summer festivals
Mt. Fuji trip.
2. Course information.
3. Student Interview: Adriana Jane da Rosa (SILAC)
4. Japan Guide: Hikone and Lake Biwa
5. Things Japanese: World Cup Review
6. About The Yamasa Institute for Japanese Studies
7. Subscription Information
1. The first bits.
(a) Things to do:
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| Mikoshi Festival |
Mikoshi Festival: How would you like carry a large heavy object around Okazaki whilst making a lot of noise? Yamasa students build their own Mikoshi 'float' to parade through the streets of Okazaki along with hundreds of other people. Last year the Yamasa's 'float' won a prize from a panel of judges - can we do any better this year? More information, including costs will be in the next issue of the Newsletter, and posted in Aoi Hall and Yamasa II building.
Hanabi: One of the largest festivals in the whole of Japan, a huge firework display will be held near Okazaki Castle from August 3rd - sunset onwards - Be early if you want a good viewing spot. See Japan Guide - issue 2 and Things Japanese - issue 16 for more information.
Nagoya Port Firework Festival: Held on Friday July 20th (a national holiday) from 19:30 - 20:45 over Nagoya port. To get there take the Meijo line to Nagoya-ko station and its a 3 minute walk to the port from the station.
Tanabata Matsuri: Inchinomiya City's famous Tanabata (Star) festival will be held from 25th - 28th of July. To get there from Okazaki take the JR line to Owari-Ichinomiya station.
Toyohama Tai Matsuri: One of the more bizarre festivals that takes places over the Summer has young men running naked through the streets of Toyohama behind a 50 foot sea bream made of wood and bamboo! At the end of the festival, the participants take the giant fish into the sea offering prayers for a good catch. To get there take the Meitetsu Kowa line to Kowa station and from there take a Chita bus to Toyohama. Call (0569) 65-0004 for more information.
32nd Nagoya Summer Festival: From July 27th - 28th there will be various street performances, with music, shows and even wrestling! Near Sakae subway station.
The different purposes of this monthly "Yamasa Tokyo Club" are:
- meeting between ex-yamasa'jin'on one-to-all basis (and not on a multiple one-to-one basis
which is time consuming in Tokyo).
- welcoming Yamasa students visiting Tokyo .
- exchanging information and experience about living, studying and working in Tokyo & around
for 'the new ex-Yamasa'jin'.
- having (a lot of) fun together.
It is not only meant for (ex) Yamasa 'jin' living in Tokyo - ex Yamasa 'jin' visiting Tokyo are more than welcome!! Please feel free to pass this information on to (ex) Yamasa 'jin' and/or to bring any of your friends.
(b) Japanese Language Proficiency Test application:
The Japanese Language Proficiency Test is held in December every year in Japan and applications are now being taken for students enrolling in a course at Yamasa, who will not be in Japan to complete an application in person. If you are going to be studying at Yamasa through December this year and would like Yamasa to apply on your behalf to take the test please contact admissions@yamasa.org stating which level of the test you would to apply for (1,2,3 or 4). Please note that it is not possible to take two exams, for example, Level 2 and Level 3. The deadline for applications to Yamasa is towards the end of August and the application fee is 5,420 Yen.
(c) Teste JETRO:
O Teste JETRO é um teste reconhecido pelo governo, especializado em comunicação de negócios na língua japonesa, e é realizado uma vez por ano no Japão e em outros países ao redor do mundo. As inscrições para o teste deste ano estão sendo aceitas até o dia 10 de julho - o teste propriamente dito será realizado no dia 28 de setembro em diversos locais, incluindo Nagoya. A taxa para realização do teste é de 5,500 - 6,000Yens, dependendo do nível. Para maiores informações, contate seu conselheiro acadêmico (se você é atualmente um aluno da Yamasa e estará no Japão em 28 de setembro), ou:
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) JETRO Test Secretariat
International Communication Department
2-2-5 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8466
Tel: (03) 3587-1143 Fax: (03) 5563-2857
E-mail: nihongo@jetro.go.jp
Web site: www.jetro.go.jp
(d) Online Kanji Dictionary now accessible:
On Thursday 17th of January the programmers in the back office released the test version of Yamasa's OCJS Online Dictionary. This dictionary is published in English, Chinese (Traditional), Spanish, Korean, German and Czech and includes both a word dictionary and a Kanji dictionary in an online database. At the moment the only version you will be able to see is the test version, so the server will be very slow. It will give you a good idea of some of the resources that the OCJS project has been working on over the last 18 months, so if you have the time have a look at:
http://www.yamasa.org/ocjs/kanjijiten/index.html
(e) Jobs:
| A local company is interested in hiring a Japanese speaking foreigner with marketing experience to work as product manager handling a major project. The product range is from a major european manufacturer. The successful applicant should be degree qualified, fluent in English, have Japanese proficiency of upper intermediate or higher (equivalent of Level 2 minimum) and be committed to work for minimum of 2-3 years. For details contact Declan Murphy at the International Office. |
Recruitment ongoing for the following positions at Yamasa:
see http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/careers.html for details and other vacancies, and contact careers@yamasa.org if you are interested in applying. Most are connected with web publishing and translation. Study Japanese for free in exchange for part-time work in the International Office. These are ongoing positions - we need people all year round, so please contact us if you are interested in positions later in the year as well.
(f) 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@yamasa.org
Email: newsletter@yamasa.org
URL: http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/
URL: http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/
2. Course Information
Accommodation
Until the middle of August all of Yamasa's accommodation is full and the only accommodation available between now and then is in the Rec World Hotel. Students applying for courses from June and July and wishing to stay in accommodation which is currently unavailable will be placed on a waiting list. There are usually some last-minute changes, so check with admissions@yamasa.org for information or see the availability file for details. Please note that accommodation is not reserved until we have recieved the tuition fees for your chosen course in full.
Accommodation in apartments in the annexe of the Rec World Hotel (near Daijuji Temple) will be used whenever Yamasa's accommodation becomes full. The prices for the "1K-Single" and "2K-Shared" room options have been discounted and are now the same price as the Student Village. For more information on the apartments in the Rec World Hotel annexe, please see the following pages:
http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/hotel.html (for accommodation description)
http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/tankisei.html (for price list of accommodation)
Message from Housing Office: 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 for October 2002: Applications for the October 2002 student visa start have now closed (though applications currently in process will still be accepted). The next student visa start date is April 2003 and we will begin accepting applications from October. If you need more information about these dates, please check the deadlines for the student visa listed in each course in the program catalogue. If you wish to apply for the April 2003 start please contact admissions@yamasa.org for more information.
Short-term courses:
| Discovery Tour starting on August 23rd - itinerary at: http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/programs/discovery_20020823.html Contact admissions@yamasa.org 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 Includes Tokyo Disneyland, Goza beach, Tokyo, Ueno Koen, Goza fish market, Obara washi, Hamanako, Dogashima, Shimoda Bay, Minami Izu, Onsen and Gourmet: Seafood, Kyoto - Ryoanji, Nijo Castle, Kiyomizudera, Jishu Jinja, Ago Bay, Tenryu Gorge, Komagane-take, Mindscape museum as well as many other locations. |
Other Discovery Tours all have vacancies - contact admissions@yamasa.org for further information. Tour dates for next year are available at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/programs/discovery_dates.html
All SILAC programs have space but accommodation is not available until August 8th, unless there are cancellations. Contact admissions@yamasa.org as soon as possible for information.
3. Student Interview: Adriana Jane da Rosa (SILAC)
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| Adriana Jane da Rosa |
This week Brett has been sent back to last weeks interviewee Dean Abadzic's old class, the SILAC Himeji class, to interview one of his classmates, Adriana da Rosa.
Brett: Can I interview you for the newsletter before you rush off home?
Adriana: Yes.
B: Now, you're from Portugal ...
A: No, I'm from Hong Kong.
B: But Jon told me ...
A: My father is Portuguese, but I was born in Hong Kong.
B: OK, so you're from Hong Kong. What where you doing before you came here?
A: I'm an economics major in New York State. I'm doing a minor in Asian studies.
(Brett looking confused)
B: You are one of our "international" students?
A: (giggles)
B: So you are on summer vacation from university?
A: Yes, I'm going back to Hong Kong for a few weeks after SILAC.
B: Your family is still in Hong Kong?
A: Yes.
B: You're studying on SILAC?
A: Yes for two months.
B: You're with Nana-sensei and..................
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/student_int_30.html
4. Japan Guide: Hikone and Lake Biwa
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| Hikone Castle |
Hikone is a small town with a population of about 100,000 people. It was first mentioned in the Manyoshu, a collection of poems from the 7th and 8th centuries, and has one of the four most popular and beautiful castles in all of Japan. Ii Naomasa, a loyal and very capable general of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, was given Hikone as a reward for helping Tokugawa win the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Before to the battle, the Hikone property was the personal territory of Ishida Mitsunari, Tokugawa Ieyasu's main enemy.
Ii Naomasa wished to begin the construction of his castle in 1602 but passed away before he could start his project. His son, Ii Naotsugu, carried out his plans and started building the castle in 1603. The castle compound was completed in 1622. Though not as grand as Himeji Castle, Hikone Castle more than makes up for its size with its breathtaking natural surroundings.
Approaching the castle you will notice that the stone walls seem poorly constructed. You will see that the lowers walls are constructed of large fitted boulders. As you walk up the hill, you can see that the gaps between the large boulders have been filled in with smaller stones. This wall design is called the gobo-zumi style and though it looks quite shaky and slapped together, it is actually a very sophisticated style of building that is extremely stable and effective in keeping the building intact during earthquakes. The strength of these walls is underlined by the fact that.....................
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/japan/english/destinations/shiga/hikone.html
5. Things Japanese: World Cup Review
After all the shocks and suprises, normal order was resumed as two of soccer's most successful nations competed for the World Cup in Yokohama on Sunday June 30th. Brazil and Germany, both regarded as outsiders for a shot at the title, made it through to the final, with Brazil coming out as winners 2-0 after a double strike from the winner of the Golden Boot (for most goals scored), Ronaldo. The tournament itself was an overwhelming success for both of the host countries. Not withstanding the ticket problems that the FIFA appointed ticket supplier 'Byrom' caused and the claims about the standard of refereeing in certain matches, Korea and Japan can be proud of bringing soccer to the attention of the masses in countries where baseball is the number one sport.
With the current economic woes that both Japan and Korea have been suffering recently the progress of both teams will help rekindle self confidence, not only in the work place but also .............................
Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/things_japanese_26.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.
(c) 2002 The Yamasa Institute Aichi Center for Japanese Studies
1-2-1 Hanehigashi-machi
Okazaki Aichi Japan 444-0832
Tel: +81 (0) 564 55 8111 Fax: +81 (0) 564
55 8113
URL: http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/
Email: admissions@yamasa.org