"Suzuki sensei winding up for another big forehand cross-court winner"

Due to Golden week two weeks ago, there was no newsletter. From the amount of disappointed messages I received I will make sure that even during the holidays you won't be deprived of your beloved newsletter. I took advantage of the holiday - I was let out of the office on 'probation' by Declan - and went to Nagano prefecture for a short stay in a 'ryokan' and a trip to an 'onsen' (hot spring). Although I've lived in Japan for 18 months now this was the first time for me and I managed to last about 15 minutes before the heat got the better of me. I think onsens are like 'natto' - an acquired taste.

Social Tennis Club: Up and running from last weekend is the new STC (Social Tennis Club). Every Friday (3pm-5pm) and Saturday (11am-1pm) Yamasa will take students, teachers, and anybody else who would like to play, to nearby tennis courts for a bit of fun. You don't have to be Martina Hingis or Pete Sampras to join in - everybody is welcome whatever your ability. The main purpose is to relax, and also to speak Japanese out of the classroom. Local residents and friends are being invited to participate as well via the Japanese version of this newsletter and the print version "Yamasa Tsuushin". The courts are located at Minami Okazaki Koen so on Saturdays you can bring along some food and enjoy a brunch/lunch in the surroundings. It's 500 Yen per person (racquet provided by International Office) or 300 Yen if you have your own racquet. For bookings please contact tennis@yamasa.org (there is a 100 Yen surcharge if you don't book and just turn up on the day!)

FM Okazaki: As mentioned in Issue 27 (2001/04/20) of the newsletter, Yamasa now has a community radio station. Since April 1st, "FM Okazaki" (76.3FM) has been broadcasting live from Aoi Hall. As was also mentioned in the last issue, we will be streaming the programming over the internet from summer as extra support for the (also soon to launch) Online Center for Japanese Studies. As part of the preparation for the launch of the international version of the FM Okazaki website, we are currently test streaming. If you would like to hear the radio station, you might be able to hear it using the Real Media format at http://203.216.67.109:8080/ramgen/encoder/fmlive.rm . One problem is that the radio station is not yet broadcasting 24 hours a day, so apologies to those of you who won't be able to pick up the stream yet. (Also - as we are only testing at this stage there will be some downtime) If you encounter severe buffering, please contact the Director of the International Office Mr Declan Murphy at declan@yamasa.org - it will make his headaches worse but he'll appreciate the feedback.

Things to do:

1: Tahara Kite Festival: On May 26th and 27th a kite festival is being held where participants try and bring other participants kites down. The action begins at 10.00am on Saturday 26th and will be held at Toyota Motor Company's International Centre (10 minutes by taxi from Mikawa Tahara station). On Sunday 27th, the venue is changed to Hana-no-ki Hiroba and begins at 9.00am with a kite-fighting (!) contest that will go on throughout the day. For more information call the Tahara Kanko Kyokai at (05312) 3-3516 (Japanese only).

2: Osu Kannon Antiques Market: Held on the 18th and 28th of every month in Osu Kannon, Nagioya. Take the Tsurumai line (subway) to Osu Kannon station and take exit number 2. The event is quite popular and there are many bargains to be found but it's advisable to get there early.

3: Mount Fuji Climb: On July 7th and 8th join Declan and others on the experience of a lifetime (well one of them at least), climbing Japan's most famous mountain. Keep your diary free.

4. Things Japanese: Noh and Kyogen 

The current Noh Theatre at Okazaki castle was the first municipal (city owned) theater built in Japan and the oldest still in use.

On May 18th 2001, Noh was among the 19 cultural spaces and forms of expression to which UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) today gave the title of "masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity". By proclaiming these 19 masterpieces, UNESCO - whose World Heritage List of the outstanding cultural and natural sites is very well-known - has wanted to raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding intangible heritage, an essential component of cultural diversity.

Noh is a Japanese performance art, thought to be one of the oldest theatrical forms in the world which combines elements of drama, poetry music and dance into a rare art form. It is performed throughout Japan, mainly be men who have passed the art down through family members for a number of generations.

Noh developed into its present form during the 14th and 15th centuries under performer/playwrights Kannami and his son Zeami. Zeami, in particular, wrote numerous plays which are still performed today. During the Edo period (1603-1868), Noh became the official performance art of the military government; a ceremonial drama performed by professional actors for the warrior class and in a sense, a prayer for peace, longevity, and the prosperity of the social elite. Feudal military lords throughout the country supported their own troupes and many studied and performed the art themselves.

With the societal reforms of the Meiji period (1868-1912), Noh lost its governmental patronage and nearly died out. However, after World War II enough performers regrouped, found private sponsors, and began teaching the art to amateurs so that it slowly began to become popular amongst certain groups again.

Noh has a small but enthusiastic following around the world with performers being highly trained. There are approximately 1,500 professional performers who make their living largely through performing and teaching Noh, and thousands of others who take an interest or who perform their own Noh plays.

There are five types of...

Continued at http://www.yamasa.org/acjs/network/english/newsletter/things_japanese_13.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/accreditation1.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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