Volume 10, Number 1 April /May 05

Japanese / English / Portuguese Bi-monthly Newsletter

Yamanashi

‘Anzac’ is the acronym of the ‘Australia and New Zealand ArmyCorps’. On April 25th 1915 the newly-formed Corps made itsoperational debut in a landing on the Gallipoli peninsula inTurkey. The small cove where Australian and New Zealandsoldiers landed was quickly designated ‘Anzac’, and the wordcame to be used to describe all Australian and New Zealandsoldiers who fought on the peninsula, and eventually anyAustralian or New Zealand soldier. In both countries, Anzac Dayis held on the 25th April every year to commemorate those killed inwar and to honour returned servicemen and women.

If you happen to be in Australia on Anzac Day, you can expect tosee people gathering in numbers at dawn, you can expect to seepubs and clubs full to the brim with smiling happy faces and youmay even be lucky enough to spot the traditional game of ‘two up’sometime during the day. Anzac Day is one of Australia’s mostsignificant holidays. It's a perfect day to catch up with old matesand good friends while sharing drinks and laughs. Anzac Day isessentially a day to remember those whom Australia has lost. The origin of Anzac Day dates back to 25th of April, 1915. It wason this day that Australian and New Zealand troops met their fateon the shores of Gallipoli. To commemorate those lost on theshores, many Australians attend what is called a dawn service.Friends, family and community members gather at dawn to‘remember’ those already gone. Generally, there is a flag ceremonyand people listen to the ‘Last Post’. The ‘Last Post’ is a traditionalbugle call that signifies both the end of the day and the end of theservice. Playing the ‘Last Post’ on Anzac Day, signifies to thosegone before us to rest in peace. Many towns also partake in anAnzac march. War veterans and sometimes their families parade

ANZAC day in Australia

through town wearing their war medals and those of their ancestors.After the parade, the majority of Australians will then go to a local pubor Retired Servicemen's League (RSL) Club. The rest of the day isenjoyed with family and friends. More than likely, a game of ‘two-up’is involved. ‘Two up’ is a game the soldiers used to play during thewar. It’s a game that basically involves tossing two coins into the airand betting on which side the coins will land. It is only ever played onthe Anzac Day holiday. After an afternoon of drinks, the ‘two up’ circlecan become quite raucous as the crowd waves their money aroundcalling out their bets. To me, Anzac Day has always been a day to spend with family andfriends. It is a day to reflect and cherish those close to you, a day toremember the importance of ‘mateship’.

My name is Lisa Middleton. I am originally from Sydney, Australia. Forthe last three years, I have been living and working as an EnglishInstructor in Yamanashi-shi.

From Sichuan by Yuki Endo It will soon be six months since I began studying Chinese at

Sichuan University. I have slightly become accustomed to thedialect of Sichuan, removed as it is from standard Chinese, I nolonger hesitate in the face of driving rules I could not haveimagined in Japan, and I have come to find the spicy cuisine heredelicious. At Sichuan University there are exchange students from Japanand Korea, as well as other countries around the world includingGermany, France, Britain and America. During break timesvarious languages, but primarily Chinese and English, fly about.For everyone the main aim is to learn Chinese, but each person alsohas an interest in the language and culture of other countries, andthere are many things to learn aside from Chinese. Starting withthe greetings from various countries, drinking customs and waysof communication, although I ought to be in China it feels asthough I am doing foreign exchange in every country around theworld. Currently, I have left the foreign exchange student quarters andam renting an apartment with two American friends. My everydaylife is in English, my classes are in Chinese and when I speak toJapanese people I use Japanese so I am split between threelanguages and many times I mix them up. I mix Chinese into themiddle of my English, I put English into my Chinese and I end uptalking in Japanese to my room-mates (who can’t understandJapanese). This happens unconsciously so after I have spoken Ithink back and it sounds strange and I laugh about it with myfriends. It seem quite bizarre but also amusing. Also, one of myroom-mates is Chinese-American. For her, reading and writing aredifficult but she can speak, whereas I find speaking difficult butcan read and write, so we are able to help each other with ourrespective weak points and we always work together onhomework or for tests. Because our respective cultures in whichwe grew up and living environments were different there are somedifficult points with us all living together, however I do think Ihave experienced something valuable. When I initially came to China, although I wanted to use ChineseI was tormented by problems – I couldn’t use the words, I didn’tunderstand the Sichuan dialect, my ears weren’t accustomed to thesounds and I couldn’t adapt to life in China. I had many morechances to use English and I had a hard time feeling pressurized tosolve these problems but having nothing left inside me. I didn’thave the chance to get to know Chinese people and I reproachedmyself many times – I had finally come to China but what was Idoing? Because I hardly had any chance to meet Chinese students,and because the scale of the university was different to that inJapan, I realized that as long as I was doing nothing myself,nothing was going to happen. After that, I visited the Sino-Japanese Friendship Centre, I went to see a Japanese languageschool and I created chances to make contact with Chinese peoplemyself. Now, I have many Chinese friends and every day I playsports, go shopping, go out to eat, or study with various people,and I have come to enjoy every day. Through this half a year, not just in relation to Chinese study butin order to make this one year of foreign study worthwhile, I havehad to be especially sensitive to information around me. Also, Ihave felt that striving to gather information by myself, meeting lotsof people and trying out lots of things have been important.Furthermore, through studying abroad, not just through studyinga foreign language, you think about what is best to do in this shortperiod of time, how you can react to this different culture andlifestyle, and ultimately you are able to come to know your ownability to respond to things. In the remaining half a year, in order toexperience many things I am eager to grapple with anything andwant to enjoy life in China as much as I can.

Looking back on life as a CIR

MUITO OBRIGADA !

Before I realize, 3 years have passed since I came to Yamanashi. IfI include my time as a foreign exchange student I have lived inJapan, albeit not consecutively, for five years. In this time I havehad differing experiences and I have made Japan a place for myown growth and development. I made a start at my third timeliving in Japan as a Coordinator of International Relations forYamanashi Prefecture. If I look back on it now, I was inexperiencedand fresh - I had lots of hopes and dreams but also some unease,and a feeling of nervousness at this new experience. Thinking back, in my first year I struggled to get used to the joband the new environment. I found it hard understanding Japanesesociety and working as a foreigner, and I can recall times when Iwas moved to tears. I have Japanese ancestry so from the outside Ilook like a Japanese person and there are many ways in which Iwas treated the same as a Japanese person, however there are alsothings incomprehensible to me and at times I wanted to shout out“I’m not Japanese!”. I understood that I was expected to behaveand think like a Japanese person but I was unable to accommodateeverything. While in Brazil I had thought about my own identity –I am Brazilian, but am I also Japanese? It is good that having cometo Japan and had these experiences I have been able to confirm formyself that I am a Brazilian. Also, when I learnt not to judge peopleby their external appearance, nationality or culture but to accepteach other as human beings, and realized that this opportunitywas a lesson in multi-cultural living, I thought for the first time thatthis is the initial step towards cross-cultural understanding. Withthis, my tears vanished! Rather, I thought, like the lyrics of a certainsong, I would carry my hopes for the future and each time tearscame they would make me stronger. When I entered my third year my sense of trepidation hadnaturally eased and I noticed that my hesitation had also graduallylessened. I had grasped the ropes at work and began to beentrusted with the running of bigger international exchangeevents, such as the ‘International Soccer’ event and the ‘WorldCharity Christmas Party’. Due to a lack of experience in eventcoordinating there were times when I clashed with my superiorsand sempai and I truly experienced the feeling of responsibility incoordinating an event and the difficulties of exercising leadership. If I look back on it now, it was probably for my own good.Through it, I finally understood the meaning of internationalunderstanding and the feeling of accomplishment from seeinginternational exchange through to the end. I also worked as aninterpreter for the International Division of the prefecturalgovernment during the visit of the Governor of Minais Geraisstate, and this was the most challenging task from all my threeyears. Last autumn, I took part in an opinion-exchange meetingwith Prime Minister Koizumi organized by CLAIR and theMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications, which will be agreat memory. While in many ways it has been difficult, I do wantto continue doing an internationally-related job and this has been agreat treasure for which I am very grateful. Not just in the work place but anywhere you go, if weunderstand each other’s feelings this will lead to goodperformance. The world is coming closer and around us we seepeople from many countries. We are in an era in which we all livetogether. At the dawn of the 21st century, even a small thing liketrying to understand each other in our everyday lives could lead toimportant international understanding. Over these three years, many people have shown me kindness, Ihave caused them a few problems but also I have learned manythings. In this limited space it is not possible to sufficiently expressmy thanks but to everyone who has made my days in Japan soenjoyable and contributed to my growth as a person, I thank youall very much. MUITO OBRIGADA!

By Deysi Lika Kamiji

When it comes to fortune telling, I am something of a skeptic. I

don’t believe in fate, I don’t own a crystal ball and I think the stars

and the planets are all together too far away to have any influence

on me regardless of what date I was born. I do suspend my disbelief

long enough not to walk under a ladder, but that is largely through

not wanting to be struck on the head by a falling object rather than

through a fear of being struck down with bad luck. Hence, when my

co-workers first asked me what my blood type was and claimed it

held the secrets of my personality and future, I was, well, skeptical.

Fortune telling through blood type is firmly embedded in the national

consciousness of Japan, even though historically speaking it is a

fairly recent phenomenon. The American scientist Karl Landsteiner

was the first person to identify the different groups of human blood,

in 1909, although in no way did he link these to personality. The first

sign of this came from a Japanese doctor, Kimata Hara, who in

1916 published a research paper purporting to link blood group with

temperament. However, the real breakthrough came in 1927, when

Takeji Furukawa published a series of articles entitled “The Study of

Temperament through Blood Type”, in which he assigned

characteristics to each blood group. Although he gave a fairly simple

description for each type, these have evolved somewhat over time

and some of the characteristics assigned to each blood type

nowadays are as follows:

The most common blood type in Japan, and hence the ‘best’,

is A, which accounts for approximately 38% of the population

(interestingly, the most common blood type in the US and Britain

is O). Despite reports that during World War Two the Japanese

Army formed battle groups according to blood type, a kindergarten

once adapted its teaching methods along the same lines, and in

the past companies have tried to organize their workforce

Whilst researching the custom of fortune telling through blood

type for this article, it was suggested that for a better insight I

should find out my own blood type - at once revealing my

innermost secrets as well as ending speculation around the office

as to what type I was. And so it was that, literally minutes later, I

was sat in a nurses office with a needle in my arm, trying to smile

for the camera (see picture above). A few days later the results

came through and I was.....A, the same as the majority of the

population around me.

However, apparently I am not a typical ‘A’, as one person told

me, “There are types of A, of course...to get a proper

understanding you need to know your parents’ blood types as

well....maybe one of them is O?”

Whether knowing my blood type has given a new view on myself

is hard to say. Certainly, the characteristics for the groups are

general enough that I can find elements in A that describe me

and could be a common feature with other ‘As’. However, this is

a long way from believing in a link between my blood and my

character. But maybe that’s not the point. Most forms of fortune

telling require an element of faith in something not entirely proven,

but this allows you to be involved in something that is both slightly

mysterious and, even to a skeptic such as myself, quite

good fun.

into harmonious blood-groups, in actuality fortune telling based

on blood type is an interest rather than an obsession. Every

morning you can check your forecast in the papers or on TV, and

you can evaluate your dating success by checking you and your

prospective partner’s compatibility based on blood type, but rarely

will it go further than this. Still, around 90% of the population

know their blood type, a much higher percentage than either the

US or Britain, and should you be asked many people will be

surprised if you don’t know, or may think you are holding your

personality cards close to your chest so as not to give too much

of yourself away.

Automobile tax, a prefectural tax levied on all those who own an automobile, iscoming! Anyone who owns an automobile as of April 1st will be sent a tax notice in Mayand must pay the designated amount by May 31st. The annual tax is calculated accordingto the characteristics and use of the automobile. The table to the right provides aguide to the amount of tax levied on private automobiles: (for more informationcontact the Yamanashi-ken Jidosha-zei Jimusho Yamanashi-ken Jidosha-zei Jimusho Yamanashi-ken Jidosha-zei Jimusho Yamanashi-ken Jidosha-zei Jimusho Yamanashi-ken Jidosha-zei Jimusho <YamanashiAutomobile Tax Office>Japanese only - (055) 262-4662)

Total Engine Displacement Annual Tax

1,000cc - 1,500cc ¥34,500

1,500cc - 2,000cc ¥39,500

2,000cc - 2,500cc ¥45,000

2,500cc - 3,000cc ¥51,000

3,000cc - 3,500cc ¥58,000

TAX NOTICE

Conscientious, even-tempered, perfectionist;

demands a lot from him/herself and from others.

Pragmatic, strong-hearted, reliable, individualist and

free-thinking but can be moody and self-centred.

Independent, flighty, sociable, passionate and hates

to lose, confident, jealous.

Sensitive, distant, inconsistent, split-personality - both

outgoing and shy, confident and timid.

A

B

O

AB

In this installment of the beginner's guide to Koshu-ben, we will introduce a simple yet effective

phrase which I am assured will have you sounding as though you were born and raised right here in

Yamanashi.

This expression is often used at the end of a speech in which someone has explained something, as if to say, "that's what

we'll do" or "that's how it is".

B: ("Understood") *Next edition:

KOSAKURyuo-Tamagawa

ten

-

Writing a restaurant column in Yamanashi, it seems strange

that I have not stumbled upon the true delicacy of the

Prefecture before. Every area in Japan has its local delicacies,

and every area also adds its flavour to nationwide favourites

such as udon or ramen. In fact, in Yamanashi’s case its most

famous dish is based around these noodles, which originally

came across from China centuries ago. Somewhere along

the way to becoming the prefectural food of Yamanashi they

were flattened out, so that nowadays they ressemble long,

thick ribbons rather than the usual strands. It is said that Takeda

Shingen himself would eat this dish on the field of battle, which

is just one more reason why it is held in such high esteem by

the people of Yamanashi. The dish in question is, of course,

houtou.

However, the word ‘delicacy’ may be a little misleading

when describing houtou. This is not a special dish only eaten

on special occasions. Indeed, it is the ultimate everyday food.

In Yamanashi the Kosaku chain of restaurants specialises in

houtou and they currently have ten restaurants around the

prefecture, and establishments in nine other Prefectures

around the country.

The second largest Kosaku restaurant in Yamanashi is the

Ryuo-Tamagawa establishment. The outside is dominated by

a huge water wheel behind which lies the restaurant, set in a

traditional building which dates back 250 years to the Edo

period. Rebuilt only once after a fire, entering the restaurant

is like stepping back in time into an olden day inn, or at least

what I imagine an olden day inn

would have been like. The seating

throughout is Japanese style and the

walls, ceilings and passageways are

decorated with antique paintings,

pottery, calligraphy and even a full set of samurai armour,

kindly provided by the landlord from his personal

collection.

The most popular dish, and the pride of Kosaku, is the

kabocha houtou (pumpkin houtou). It is brought

steaming to your table in individual, black cauldrons and

as it arrives the rich, hearty aroma of the broth wafts

towards you. Nestled amongst the thick, flat noodles is a

collection of vegetables (potatoes, leeks, mushrooms,

beans) and of course chunks of sweet, succulent pumpkin.

Although available as part of a setto, one cauldron of houtou

is quite filling enough and also remakably healthy. Kabocha

is by no means the only choice and the other houtou dishes

available include mushroom, pork

and duck. Although not many of

us will be going to battle after a

meal such as this, for a taste of

Yamanash i that goes back

centuries it should not be missed.

Many thanks to the manager of

the Ryuo-Tamagawa branch of

Kosaku, Kozo Yamamoto, and his staff.

A discount voucher for 10% off

food and drink at Kosaku can be

downloaded from their website

(www.kosaku.co.jp).

Look for the sign.

234 Tamagawa

Kai city

TEL 055-279-5555

Open: Everyday

11:00~22:00

e.g - A: ("Golf next week is on thursday at 11. Right, that's what we'll do.")

Alps Dori

Showa Dori

Lawson

Family MartSevenEleven

PaxAmano

Apio

GranPark

KaiCityOffice

ItoYokado

R20

ChuoExpressway

Kofu Showa IC

午　前 午　後 夜 全　日 超過料金

9:00am～12:00pm 1:00pm～5:00pm 6:00pm～9:00pm 9:00am～9:00pm 1時間

大会議室（収容70名） 2,200円 3,310円 3,310円 8,830円 730円

小会議室（収容15名） 720円 1,100円 1,100円 2,910円 240円

会議室使用料

In response to the tsunami damage caused by the earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra on December 26th last year, theInternational Centre carried out a collection of emergency funds until the 28th of February. Thanks to the goodwill of many, andtogether with a donation box placed inside the Centre, we raised 248,153 yen. These emergency funds were sent, through UNICEF, onthe 2nd of March. We would like to express our gratitude and thanks to everyone for your cooperation.

Published by Yamanashi International Association

edited by Yurie Amemiya and Ben Morris

The International Centre is open daily from9:00am to 9:00pm except on Mondays andon the day following a national holiday.

400-0035 2-2-3 / 2-2-3 Iida,

Kofu-shi, Yamanashi-ken, Japan 400-0035

TEL 055-228-5419 / FAX 055-228-5473

http: //www.yia.or.jp/index.html e-mail : webmaster@yia.or.jpEditor's Note:

Yamanashi International Association

AprilAprilAprilAprilApril

Event Calendar

-Ben

New Consultations for foreignersCultural gaps, language barriers, legalquestions. If you are experiencingproblems with any of these, or know aforeigner who is, please contact theInternational Association. A consultationservice is available for foreigners everyWednesday, from 6:30 to 9 pm, at theInternational Centre.Consultant: Johny HayashiLanguages: Indonesian, Portuguese,

Spanish, English, Japanese.* Every first Wed. of each month, thelawyer and Prof. Onodera Shinobu fromYamanashi Gakuin Univ. will join theregular consultation service.Place: International Centre

Fair Trade Day: 'Food & Fashion'Come and learn about Fair Trade inYamanashi.When: Saturday, May 14; 11:00 - 14:00Where: International CentreCost: 500 yenInformation: International AssociationTel: (055)-228-5419

And so another Spring arrives in Yamanashi. I was fooled by anshort burst of warmer weather and eagerly packed away mykotatsu, only to shiver for the next fortnight as I was remindedthat Spring hadn’t quite found its feet yet. Nevertheless, now isthe time for cool breezes, warm days and, of course, o-hanami. Indays gone by people would compose poems as they gazed at theblossoms. Nowadays we drink sake and sing karaoke, but still theswathes of pink that spring up across the landscape are not to bemissed. Enjoy!

MayMayMayMayMay

Seminar: Living together withforeign residents - Looking at disasterprevention in Yamanashi throughaccounts of disaster volunteer activity inKobe and Niigata.When: Saturday, April 23; 13:30 - 16:00Cost: FreeWhere: International CentreInformation: International AssociationTel: (055)-228-5419

Int'l Salon: 'Pub Quiz'Come and test your knowledge andexperience British Culture!When: Saturday, May 7Where: TBACost: TBAInformation: International AssociationTel: (055)-228-5419