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The Akitan Spring 2016

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The Akitan Team Jonathon MorrisHi everyone! My name is Jonathon Morris. This is my third year on JET, and this is my first year as the Education Center ALT/PA. I enjoy watching the footy, skiing, cycling, on-sens, reading the news, and day dreaming.

We are always looking for new content and ideas for The Akitan, so don’t hesitate to contact us. Email me at jonathon.morris@gmail.com

Rebecca BamlettHey! My name’s Rebecca. I’ve just taken over the role of graphic designer for the Aki-tan from the fantastic Stephanie Broder. I’m a 1st year ALT in Akita city, with passions for running, yoga and exploring the great outdoors!

Cover photograph courtesy of Jonathon Morris, Design templates courtesy of Steph Broder

Tara ScottHello everyone! My name is Tara and I am a 1st year UK JET living in Daisen. I love tak-ing photos and exploring new places, espe-cially outdoors! I also have a real passion for history and look forward to getting stuck in to Japanese history and culture. I hope you all enjoy reading the Akitan!

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Photos courtesy of Maeleen Arce

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In This Issue

Introducing our new PAs/ Block Leaders..ALTs in the News...................................................Winter Festivals - A Review..............................Ravenous Rick’s Raving Ramen Reviews...WWOOFing in Japan............................................APPI Ski Trip 2016...............................................Niseko Ski Adventure..........................................Akita Association of JETs...................................

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Photo coutrtesy of Tara ScottPhoto coutrtesy of Tara Scott

Photo courtesy of Jaimee Rice

Photo courtesy of Brianna HomPhoto courtesy of Cari Johnson

5Photo coutrtesy of Tara Scott Photos courtesy of Crystal WrightPhoto courtesy of Brianna Hom

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Introducing our new PAs

Lynne FrancisHello! I'm Lynne and I'm a 3rd year HS ALT in Omagari and happy to be serving as a PA for third time! I look forward to serving and

helping out the great community we have in Akita (PS I have a Costco membership

and I love Taco Bell).

Jonathon MorrisHi everyone, I'm the Education Center PA. I enjoy skiing, onsens, craft beer, riding my bike, watching footy, ramen, and the Akitan

(not necessarily in that order!) If you are interested in any of the above, let me know!

Jennifer CampbellHi everyone! I'm your friendly, Anglophile

PA, Jenny! I'm always down for hanging out, jamming (I've got a guitar!), and going on random excursions. Also, come talk to me if need a sweet fix, because I have enough

chocolate around to last a lifetime!

Nicholas AsquithHello, I am ecstatic to be PA this year, I am finishing my second year as a JET here in

Mitane. I know Japan can be overwhelming - just know you're not alone. Reach out! I

enjoy collected teacups, Tim Burton-related things, baking and making latte art. Oh and I

sometimes write about ramen. hmmm...

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and new Block LeadersHannah Phillips

Hello! I will be going on my second year as a JET and I'm looking forward to my first year as a block leader. I

enjoy pottery, Japanese calligraphy, and hanging around with friends. I look forward to getting to know more

people and helping out in anyway I can. よろしくお願いします！

Michelle BerentHey guys! I'm a soon-to-be 3rd year junior high school

ALT living in Odate. In my free time, I enjoy arcades, petting owls, hunting for tourism stamps, eating real

(not Moss) burgers, trying every Japanese activity I can, and making Hannah glare at me. If you need local rec-

ommendations, a way to get involved with taiko/callig-raphy/festivals/etc., or anything else, I'm here to help!

Cari JohnsonHello! I'm a proud native of craft-beer heaven - Port-

land, Oregon, USA. This is my first year on JET in Akita City. I'm always looking for the coziest coffee joints and

the spiciest ramen shops.

Rebecca BamlettHello again! I'm a first year JET from bonnie Scotland.

I love exploring and am always up for new experiences and adventures around Akita. I'll also never say no to a

cheeky cup of tea and a chat!

Danie ManosGreetings South Block! I am a first year ALT in Yuzawa. Hit me up if you want to play dorky games, sing bad ka-raoke, or sweat it out on a hike or at an onsen. Looking

forward to this year!

Jackie Jean-FrancoisHey everyone, I'm a 2nd year ALT from Yokote City! I love making new friends and experiences, almost as much as I love trying out new dishes! If you have any

interesting stories, feel free to let me know!

North Block

Central Block

South Block

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English Education

“English is not just a means of communica-tion, it is a window to other cultures”Akita Educational Centre Head Satoko Mak-abe (眞壁聡子).

The ability to speak English, for example, allows us to give directions to foreigners in town, or travel abroad relatively painless-ly. Being able to hold a conversation and getting to know foreigners is, quite simply, a way to broaden our interpersonal rela-tionships. English based on just reading and writing is not a means a way of achieving this.

Coming from a different country or environ-ment, our culture and way of thinking will also vary. When young children in Japan so-cialize with foreigners they also learn what similarities and differences they share in relation to the rest of the world, from their eating habits to their societies. Take elementary school, for example. In Japan everyone attends school at no-cost, but schools in Africa are not provided for by default. Many children are not able to attend school. Students borrow their siblings hand-me-down book bags and draw their lines in the dirt instead of using a blackboard. It is while learning English that we are also able to deepen our understanding of the world.

A reason to learn

“By knowing a different culture or way of thinking, young children and students in Japan can begin to consider whether their way of thinking or commonly held beliefs are shared in the rest of the world,” accord-ing to Takeru Sato (佐藤健), former princi-pal of Akita Minami Senior High School and

ALTs in the News

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professor at Akita International University, “‘Conversation and the Art of Discussion’ are prime examples of this.”

In an exchange between Japanese counter-parts there is always a certain “Isshin Den-shin” mentality, that is to say, a tendency to behave under unspoken tacit implications alone. In contrast to this, foreigners gener-ally have an “If you don’t say it, I don’t get it” attitude. The concept of transmitting one’s thoughts without speaking directly is perceived as a virtue in Japan, but when we speak to foreigners there are sometimes those who do not share this view.

An enjoyable Cultural Exchange is Un-derstanding

The Akita Board of Education’s “Super English Camp,” offered in July of last year in Akita-city, where participants (from junior high and senior high schools) stretch their English ability as they interact with an as-sistant English Language teacher (centre of photograph).

Giving our opinions unambiguously, making our points of uncertainty understood - ac-quiring these types of skills can also be said to be a part of English language acquisition.“I do not want to forget the wealth of cul-ture given to us by the poetry and novels of the English language, they teach us how to think about life,“ says Yasuhiro Wakaari (若有保彦), Associate professor at Akita Uni-versity’s Education and Culture division, currently conducting research on English classroom methodology, “It is precisely because English education as of late has put such an emphasis on communication that I want [us] to recognize this point once again.”

“Before English serves us as a tool, I want our younger students to understand that it is something enjoyable.” A large num-ber of English instructors share this view point. Once you understand English and conversations spring forth, you will have more friends and acquaintances and deepen those relationships. And if you accumulate enjoyable personal experiences like this, the formal writing and reading approaches will tie into English organically.

So what would be the best way to communi-cate the enjoyment of the English language? English instructors within the prefecture are working to solve this problem every day.

Source: Akita Sakigake newspaperTranslator: Nicholas Asquith

English Camp 2016 has started. 55 ES and JHS students participated in the first camp in Iwaki, Yurihonjo City, and interacted ac-tively with eight ALTs.

Source: Akita Sakigake newspaper

Let's Actively Speak English

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WInter Festivals A ReviewStory and Photos by Jaimee Rice

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Story and Photos by Jaimee Rice

If you are travelling to the Namahage festi-val, it is highly recommended that you drive, as the festival is quite far from Oga station. There is a free shuttle bus running, however it is limited to only 2 times a night. Once at the festival, you can enjoy festival food, sake and warm yourself by the giant bonfire.

The Namahage descend from the mountain and walk around the crowd, so don’t worry if you don’t have a good view, the Namahage come to you! Don’t forget to grab the falling straw from their costumes, as it apparently brings good fortune.

After the taiko and dance performances, the Namahage hand out fried mochi to the crowd. It is very cold at this festival, so re-member to rug up, or just stand by the fire all night.

Namahage festival, Oga

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Travelling to Kariwano station from Akita city on the Ou line takes about 30 minutes. From the station, it’s a short walk to the main festival street.

There, a giant rope is laid out on the street, and tied together in the middle. The two sides recruit people to help pull the rope by handing out gloves and headbands.

Make sure you rug up and wear appropriate footwear to this festival as the night is cold and the road is slippery.

These photos were taken right before both teams started the tug of war battle!

Tug of War, Kariwano

Photo coutrtesy of Tara Scott

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Tug of War, Kariwano

Photo coutrtesy of Tara Scott

Travelling to Yuzawa station from Akita city on the Ou line takes about 90 minutes. From the station it’s a straight walk to the festival streets. You can see snow dogs and little shrines made from snow along the way.

The festival food at Inukko festival is amaz-ing. There is a wide variety of food, drink and craft goods.

At the festival there are lots of snow sculp-tures to look at and explore. You can climb the sculptures (within reason) for a better view of the details. Many little kids sit on the snow dogs and pose for photos.

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There are also music and dance perfor-mances. Yuzawa ALT, Jasmine Millman played the koto with a local group at the festival this year.

And of course, as it is a dog festival, you can see a lot of cute dogs to see at this event. This guy’s name was Hosuke.

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Ravenous Rick’s Raving Ramen Reviews

Story and Photos by Ravenous Rick

AFURI 阿夫利 らーめん

Afuri opened in just 2009 as a small shop in Ebisu, but it has spread all throughout the Tokyo area. I personally frequent the San-genjaya branch.

Address: 〒154-0024 東京都世田谷区三軒茶屋2-12-11 (Sangenjaya branch)Hours: 11AM~5AM Daily

The Sangenjaya operating hours are really nice. The nearest station is Sangenjaya, and there is a Donki-hote nearby, open 24hrs a day. A great place to visit after a night out.

You won’t have to wait long even during peak hours because there are a decent amount of seats here.

Decor: Large seating arrangements, main-ly counter, but there are some booths as well. Most Afuri branches seem like cafes on the outside, and are decent places to bring dates. The Sangenjaya branch has an island style kitchen, so you can see the dishes be-ing expertly prepared.

Menu: There are several salt (塩shio) and soy-sauce (醤油shoyu) base flavours, as well as yuzu (柚子a citrus-y fruit).

The ravenous reviews in this edition will be on shops in the Tokyo area. What? Where have the local reviews gone!!!? You say? Do not despair, I will be sure to include some more neighbourhood shops in the next edition of the Akitan!

AFURI Shio Ramen

Hachizo Roast Duck Ramen

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All the broths are on the lighter side and pair well with thinner noodles. And luckily, at Afuri you are able to request your noodle thickness. I would recommend sticking with the thin (細いhosoi) or medium (nami) cuts.

Dipping noodles (つけ麺tsuke-men) and ramen are on the menu; I have personally tried both.

There are seasonal options, as I have been here at various times of the year I always see something new.

Afuri’s roasted chashu (Aburi-chashu), is re-garded highly. Slow churned with a melt-in-your-mouth consistency, it pairs well with any shio-base ramen.

The tsuke-men here is very unique. The notes are distinctly sweet and spicy and the togarashi and ra-yu used for it are home-made. Characteristic of the ramen broth, Afuri’s tsuke-men is also on the lighter side, and never inordinately spicy!

Photo from Yelp

Photo from Yelp

Soup: 3.5/5Noodles: 4/5Toppings: 4/5Sides: 3/5Ambiance: 5/5Special notes: Yuzu flavours, late night hours

麺屋 八蔵 (Men-ya Hachi-zo)

Hachi-zo is a single proprietor located in a quiet residential area of Setagaya, Tokyo. They are closed on Tuesdays.

Address: 東京都 世田谷区 若林 3-16-1Hours: 11:30～14:30 and 18:00～21:30 Daily

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Decor: There is only one big round counter that seats about 10 people, one ramen-master in the back, one server in the front, and a TV. Serious ramen-connoisseurs and/or social recluses generally make their rounds through here without so much as a peep, but one thing is for sure, the ramen keeps people coming back. There is often a line out of the door, so it is best to come during off hours.

Menu: Hachizo has a large range of items on their menu. This ranges from Curry-ud-on, tsuke-men, Chinese-style wonton noo-dles (wantan-men), several varieties of Chi-nese sesame seed noodles (tan-tan-men), and shoyu/miso based ramen.

Seasonal options are not out of the ordinary, either. I have seen a winter miso-ramen and cold soy tan-tan-men on the menu before!

Personally, I enjoy Hachizo’s tan-tan-men the most. The broth has a distinctive tangi-ness to it that mixes well with the spiciness of the broth. You can request the tan-tan-men extra spicy (kara-kuchi) - I always do.

Yet, the tsuke-men seems to be the most popular item on the menu. The roast duck (Kame-rosuto) tsu-kemen is a definite must-try if you only plan on visiting here once. The cuts are succulent and priced at a real value for under 900 yen.

Soup: 4/5Noodles: 4/5Toppings: 4/5Sides: 4/5Ambiance: 1.75/5Special notes: Roast-duck chashu

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WWOOFing in JapanStory and Photos by Rebecca Bamlett

Before your mind jumps to conclusions, I’m not talking of Akita’s beloved Hachiko. In fact this story features neither Akita nor any mention of cute puppies. Flocks of hens, goats and new-born lambs however…

A few months ago, like many, I was fran-tically trying to pull together last minute plans for Spring Vacation, when I came across WWOOF or ‘Worldwide Opportuni-ties on Organic Farms’.

WWOOF is an international organisation which connects organic farmers world-wide, with interested volunteers. So called ‘WWOOFers’ exchange their time helping out with various tasks on the farm in return for free accommodation and free meals.

Decision made! Having been stuck inside most of winter, this presented the perfect opportunity to make the most of the re-freshingly warm spring weather. Within the

week, I applied and was accepted to stay at Keiko’s Farm House in the depths of Saita-ma’s ‘Inaka’.

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At Keiko’s I worked together with a French couple, two German friends and a num-ber of Japanese volunteers, making for an almost backpacker-esque travelling vibe. Many of the Japanese workers were ex-‘sal-arymen’ from Tokyo, rejecting the bustling city in favour of a less crowded, simpler lifestyle.

Now, I won’t lie – the work wasn’t always particularly easy. Every day I would wake up to feed the chickens at 8.30am, and collect their eggs. Keiko’s farm hosted over 200 chickens, and as you can imagine, this job required a strong resilience to being sieged by squabbling chickens and tackled by the jealous rooster.

This mayhem would ensue twice daily, followed by egg polishing (ie. scrubbing away chicken poop). Other tasks included planting and harvesting vegetables in 青畑 (so-named despite its obvious greenness), pruning bamboo (and by pruning I mean hacking at with a saw-like tool), taking care of the goat and sheep, and a whole lot of weeding! Tea and lunch breaks, taken every day with the hosts and other volunteers, provided a much-appreciated respite.

Yes, it wasn’t easy, and I would flop into bed exhausted every night at around 9pm. But it was satisfying. Satisfying to learn new skills and experience this essential, yet often

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underappreciated industry. Satisfying to see your vegetables sold at market. Satisfying to spend your days working in the sunshine and enjoy the incredible sunsets at the end of a hard day’s work. And, most of all, sat-isfying to see your work make a real differ-ence to the people running the farm (also the animals – Hicchan, the sheep, had two baby lambs the day I left).

I don’t know if I’ll ever have the opportunity to WWOOF again while on JET, but I’d rec-ommend to anyone interested in an alterna-tive travelling experience, go for it! Obvious-ly, everyone’s experience is different and I have heard of some not-so-fabulous hosts.

But do some research before you go and WWOOFing can be a cheap and worthwhile way to get to know more of Japan and the people living and working here, outside the classroom.

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APPI SKI TRIP 2016Story and Photos by Jaimee Rice

On February 27th a group of around 25 ALTs and friends of ALTs went to Mount Appi in Iwate prefecture for 2 days of snow sports.

It was about a 3 hour drive to Appi from Akita city.

We were lucky to have nice weather and decent snow fall overnight to allow for maximum fun.

We stayed at a cute pension right by the skiing areas that offered delicious meals and relaxing onsen, perfect after a day on the slopes!

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Having learned to ski during my first Aki-ta winter, I had gotten hooked to the point where it might have become somewhat of an obsession. As each winter approaches I look for the next ski resort to try out. When I heard that my ski senpai Patrick Poelsma (a former Odate JET) would be working as a ski instructor at the world famous Niseko ski resort in Hokkaido, this winter was sort-ed: I was going to Niseko.

Having managed to enlist a couple of trust-worthy North Block souls to accompany me on the pilgrimage, the scene was set. Leav-ing from Odate by car, we drove up to Ao-mori City for a 10am ferry. The heavy snow we drove through in Aomori only served to whet our appetites for what was to come.

After a 1 hour 45min journey we arrived with time to spare and boarded the ferry excitedly. Although the ferry wasn’t espe-cially cheap (approximately \12,000 each for a return trip for three people with a car), when comparing alternatives we factored in the use of trains and buses for the entire trip (carrying skis and boots etc), as well as the convenience, we decided the difference in price was negligible.

At three hours forty minutes, the Aomori to Hakodate ferry offered the perfect chance to rest and relax in the shared open plan rooms (more expensive private rooms with beds are available). A nap, a few games of cards and a stroll on the (sunny yet wind-swept) deck to admire the view later, and we were ready to go.

Niseko Ski AdventureStory and Photos by Jonathon Morris

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Once we disembarked the ferry, we found time to seek out and sample the famed Ha-kodate chain burger restaurant Lucky Pier-rot. The restaurant provided a fascinating setting in its décor and styling, and the food was exactly what we needed.Regrettably our mission didn’t allow us the time to further explore the city of Hakodate, so we ploughed on, refreshed and eager.After about a three hour drive (on the regu-lar non-toll road), we arrived at our private accommodation in the village of Rusutsu, near Niseko, before seeking out an onsen and our long lost former JET for a reunion.

The following morning we were greeted by what can only be described as incredibly clear sunny weather. The photos don’t do it justice! There were spectacular views of Mount Yotei from sunrise to sunset. We were informed that Niseko gets perhaps five days every winter that are this clear. We were truly blessed!

With 34 individual pistes served by 20 ski lifts, the mountain (Mount Niseko Annu-puri) is huge compared to the ski resorts around Akita. Our ski pass was for half of the mountain, which was plenty for a few days. The north side of the mountain is to-tally ungroomed and wild, only on the maps unofficially. Exploring this area is a serious undertaking and should not be attempted alone, or without proper preparation and precautions. Over the years there have been many fatalities, so it is vitally important to respect the mountain, together with the rules.

After taking three separate lifts up from the Hanazono resort, the peak was in sight. There are a total of eleven gates set up at key points to govern access to the wild parts of the mountain where the deepest fresh-est powder (JPOW) is to be found. As the weather was so clear all of the gates were open and the mountain was ours! After a couple of runs on the regular slopes to warm up we headed out through gate 5. Tra-versing across the mountain side was sur-prisingly hard work due to the fresh powder and gradient. Our efforts were well worth it as the snow was fresh and deep, and the terrain wild!

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The weather was perfectly clear all day which made for an incredible day of skiing. By mid-afternoon at the top of the mountain the conditions were magical as the sunshine lit up falling snow dust so it twinkled and shone like specks of fairy dust. I had never experienced that before, and it is something I don’t think I will ever forget.

Most ski resorts close around 4pm, but at Niseko, parts of the mountain are open for night skiing. So at around 4 we warily left the mountain for a conbini refuel and re-freshment. As soon as the sun went down the temperature dropped considerably, so with some extra layers we headed to the area open for night skiing at Grand Hirafu. With a very real chill in the air we ascended the mountain to find the 15 foot high giant thermometer next to the mountain lodge telling us it was minus 11 degrees centi-grade. Of course this was without the wind

chill factor, so must have felt closer to minus 25 or lower. Needless to say, this is where warm layers of clothing are essential! As cold as it was, we soon warmed up after a quick ski down the mountain. The illumi-nated mountain was a fantastic place to ski, and there were surprisingly few people.

After a little while however, fatigue start-ed to set in, and we departed at around 8pm, shortly after an ill-advised attempt at some very difficult moguls! We realized we had been out on the mountain for nigh on 9 hours which meant we had absolutely earned a visit to an onsen.

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The next day we weren’t quite as lucky with the weather, as the winds at the peak of the mountain meant the gates to the ung-roomed areas were all closed. There was still enough mountain to keep us occupied though, and we enjoyed another great day.

We ventured out that evening to explore downtown Niseko village. I had heard many people describe Niseko as not really part of Japan, and I understood what they meant. The ski village bars and restaurants were packed with such an array of people from all over the world it was more akin to the Unit-ed Nations than the Japan I knew in Akita.

That night after dinner it started raining and continued to rain through our final day of skiing and the day after when we left. We couldn’t curse our luck too much as the weather on our first day was so spectacular-ly good. You can never predict the weather after all.

After loading up on omiyage gifts we made the long trip back in rain, ever so slightly bedraggled but thrilled we had finally made it to Niseko, and we all vowed to return. A good time was had by all, and Niseko is thoroughly recommended!

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Akita Association of JETs (AAJ)

From Winter to Spring…..

This year’s mild winter is coming to a close as warmer weather breezes in with sun-shine and cherry blossoms. We hope every-one had a great winter season full of hot chocolates and snowy onsens. It may have been frosty out, but there were still some great community events to start off 2016. The Appi Ski & Snowboard Trip saw a re-cord breaking 27 people this year! Everyone had a blast carving up the amazing slopes at Appi and relaxing in the onsen following a great steak dinner at Pension Mutti. An event purely for fun and adventure, we look forward to keeping up the tradition next year!

AAJ also recently wrapped up this year’s rockin’ St. Patrick’s Day Party. It was an amazing night full of all things green that raised ¥66,393 for the non-profit organiza-tion BLUE FOR TOHOKU, the same charity that we partnered with for the Halloween Party. To learn more about the night and get an inside look into the party, check out Jaimee Rice’s article for AAJ “Goin’ Green in Akita” on AAJ’s website www.charityaki-ta.com. Thanks so much to everyone who came out to volunteer and party. The night was a great success!

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Exciting Announcement!As many of you know, for two of this past year’s major events, the Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day parties, AAJ has worked in partnership with the non-profit organiza-tion Blue for Tohoku. Blue for Tohoku is a Japanese charity organization that works to support orphans and communities who are still struggling from the damages wrought by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. They are an amazing organization that con-tinues work imperative to the lives of many in Tohoku. As a thank you for our work with them, BLUE FOR TOHOKU has invited AAJ to speak in Fukushima this May about our oganization and to meet many of the peo-ple their organization works tireslessly for. We are looking forward to connecting face to face and strengthening our partnership with BLUE FOR TOHOKU through this event.

What to look forward to…..As the weather gets warmer and Akita comes back to life, AAJ will be planning this year’s summer camping trip!

In the past, we’ve usually camped for a night on the banks of the famous Lake Tazawa, but this year we’re doing something new! For a change of scenery, we’re looking to experience the beauty and variety of Akita through Odate’s Beniyanasou Nature Park up north. We hope everyone is as excited as we are to explore this new nature area and participate in an event purely for fun and adventure!

The dawn of spring in Akita also brings the first stirrings of this year’s Sumo Tourna-ment! We hope everyone is getting excited and, for those participating, training hard. This annual event hosts participants, both foreign and Japanese, from all over Japan and boasts both men and womens’ brack-ets. All the proceeds from this event will be donated to a non-profit organization. We hope to see everyone come out for an ex-citing day and a great cause! Start getting your mawashi aired out, and keep updated by subscribing to AAJ’s Facebook page or checking our website, www.charityakita.com.

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The Akitan, Spring 2016All works copyright to their respective owners