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 and April 2003: Thank you to everybody who applied for a student visa from October. We received a record number of applications and there was strong competition for places. 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 application kits from October. 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. 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 April 2003 start please contact admissions@yamasa.org for more information.

Short-term courses:

Discovery Tour starting on September 6th - itinerary at: http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/english/programs/discovery_20020906.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 Kamikochi, Takayama Jinya, Nara - Todaiji, Nara Park, Toyota Motor Factory and Kaikan, Okutono Jinya, Seto, Kyoto - Ryoanji, Nijo Castle, Kiyomizudera, Jishu Jinja, Lake Shoujiko, Mt. Fuji viewing, Magome, Tsumago, 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 from August 22nd but accommodation is very limited. Contact admissions@yamasa.org as soon as possible for information.

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3. Staff Interview: Kikuyo Furukawa (Student Village Caretaker Manager)

Kikuyo Furukawa

Tatsuya Kato, a previous Staff Interviewee carried out this weeks newsletter interview:

Tatsuya Kato: Hello, Mrs Furukawa, you've had your hair cut!
Kikuyo Furukawa That's right, the other day I made the big decision to cut a lot off.
T: What was the reason? Because it's summer at the moment and you though it would be cooler?
F: Yes. I've had long hair for some time, but this summer I decided to have it cut short.

T: There will be a picture sent together with this interview for the newsletter so students who have graduated will be able to see your new hair cut. Later on today I'd like to take one photo of you.
F: That's good because students who have stayed in the Student Village might get in touch with me again. Actually, I sometimes receive letters or emails from students who have returned home and that's one of the most encouraging parts of the job I do. Students tell me about what they have been doing recently and it's rare to meet friends abroad, but I have the chance to meet people at the Student Village which is a good thing.

T: How long have you been caretaker manager of the Student Village?
F: Since the end of March 2000, so nearly 2 years and 4 months.

T: In the Student Village there are 50 rooms with space for 70 people. On top of that there are a lot of short-term students who are staying for no more than 12 weeks. So in the 2 years and four months you have been working there must have been many students who have stayed here?
F: Yes, many nationalities. Depending on the season, the numbers, type and nationality of the students change. Also, depending on the year, there is a tendancy for....................................

Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/staff_int_22.html

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4. Japan Guide: Ayu Fishing

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Fly fishing and weir fishing (Yana) for Ayu is a popular summer pastime in Japan and a good example of a Japanese traditional fishing method. The Ayu fish (a small Japanese river trout) is a unique genus. Ayu fish are amongst the Japanese people's favorite fish. The fish have a sleek body and when broiled with salt are tastier than many other species. To Japanese people, the word Ayu conjurs up images of summer, the countryside, and good taste.

They have a lifespan of only 1 year and are found in the many fast flowing rivers of Japan. Unfortunately dam construction has seriously affected their habitat, although it should be noted that the impact of dams and other man-made structures on the Ayu is one of the causes of the growing environmental awareness in Japan.

Part 1. Ayu Fishing with "Yana"

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Most people who catch Ayu do so at a Yana. A Yana is a small weir of wood and stone, with a fish trap (a type of fishing net) attached made of bamboo, reeds or other suitable materials. The opening of the fishing season is good for a barbecue of freshly grilled Ayu with salt, miso (bean paste) and cold beer.

Click to enlarge

The origins of yana are unknown, though the Ainu (Japan's indigenous people) and the Japanese have long raised these fish and harvested annual catches. This fishing technique is not restricted to Japan, and was widely practised across the Eurasian continent wherever the environment suited.

The basic method used is to funnel the water of a river so that it passes over a small weir, usually less than a meter high. A platform (typically made from bamboo) is then built below the weir, so that the water and smaller inhabitants of the river pass through the gaps and continue downstream. By placing the poles of the platform close enough together, any fish washed over the weir will then be trapped and easily caught by people fishing there.

Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/japan/english/destinations/aichi/ayu.html

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5. 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

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6. 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.

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(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