AJET Newsletter

Toyama AJET NewsletterToyama AJET NewsletterVol.1, No.9, March 2009

The First Plum Blossoms…the end of winter is neigh! The First Plum Blossoms…the end of winter is neigh! The First Plum Blossoms…the end of winter is neigh! The First Plum Blossoms…the end of winter is neigh!

The First Plum Blossoms…the end of winter is nigh!

Ume Photo p. 1

Entertainment p. 2

In this issue…In this issue…

This stunning photo comes from Ally’s Photo BlogThis stunning photo comes from Ally’s Photo BlogThis stunning photo comes from Ally’s Photo BlogThis stunning photo comes from Ally’s Photo Blog....These plum blossoms come from Yatsuo in our very These plum blossoms come from Yatsuo in our very These plum blossoms come from Yatsuo in our very These plum blossoms come from Yatsuo in our very own ken. To see more of his work, visit his own ken. To see more of his work, visit his own ken. To see more of his work, visit his own ken. To see more of his work, visit his website, website, website, website, http://tatemaephoto.wordpress.com/http://tatemaephoto.wordpress.com/http://tatemaephoto.wordpress.com/http://tatemaephoto.wordpress.com/Check it out and see how pretty our prefecture Check it out and see how pretty our prefecture Check it out and see how pretty our prefecture Check it out and see how pretty our prefecture rrrreeeeaaaallllllllyyyy iiiissss!!!!

Entertainment p. 2

Reading in Japanese p. 3-5

Peace St. Kitchen p.5-6

Shun Fujimoto p. 7

Sake p. 8-9

Best of the Block p. 10

Okuribito p. 11

Sekkusu in the Shi p. 12

Recipe – Fetuccine Alfredo

p. 13

St. Paddy’s Day p. 14

Jet Effect p.15

TRAM p.16

TOA p.17 – 18

AJET Elections p.19-21

Upcoming Events p. 22-25

http://ajet.net/modules/articles/article.php?id=243 AJET on Facebook http://kanko.toyamaken.jp/english/access.html http://kanko.toyamaken.jp/english/travel_guide.html

Editor’s Note By Paula Kerrigan

With the promise of spring tangible in the air the new AJET year is nearly upon us. From April thenewsletter will be launching into a new term of activity in the AJET community. There are bigplans and little plans for the newsletter but through it all I hope the newsletter has become moreand more of a pleasure to read for you, our audience (and by audience I mean ‘reason forwriting!’). As always I send out the plea for writers. If you have anything that you would like tocontribute to the newsletter it will be gratefully received at [email protected].

A big hanks, as always, to those who took the time to compose an article for this month’sedition. To be honest I was overwhelmed with pride when I read the articles submitted thismonth. Remind me to buy you all a drink sometime (you’ve got it in writing!)!

Vol.1, No.9, March 2009

Toyama AJET Newsletter

EntertainmentEntertainmentEntertainmentEntertainmentEntertainmentEntertainmentEntertainmentEntertainment

David Piper

Who else has seen it?Written backwards in LatinOr just deep inside.

It's hard to be meWhen you're busy being youAnd I'm trying too.

Winter is so longBut summer is far too warmMild observation.

By Stephen Reid

Salmon swim upstreamBut albatross cross oceansWith one flap of wings

By Bryce Rawers




When I first came to Japan in 2005, I asked a friend how I should improve my Japanese. She gaveme a two word answer: read books. At the time, I thought it was a patently silly suggestion. Atthat time I could only just decipher a menu in an izakaya, so there seemed as much chance of mescoring a hat-trick in the World Cup final as reading a Japanese novel! I told this to my friend. Shereplied; ‘You think that now, but one day you’ll see I’m right`.

And, predictably enough, she was. Whatever level your Japanese, you can read realJapanese books. This will get you used to the language as it is used in real life, as opposed to theoften daft sentences you find in textbooks masquerading as everyday chit-chat. The first Japanesetextbook I ever used proudly proclaimed the following as a useful aid to daily life.

��2000�� These shoes were only 2000 yen, but they’re quality merchandise

This is not to say that textbooks are useless but that what we might call `real` Japanese ismore natural; more likely to be useful; and gives you a greater sense of achievement uponsuccessful comprehension. So in this article I hope I can inspire you to try reading some realJapanese, whatever your level. From children’s books, all the way up to the most linguisticallycomplex parts of Mishima, there is something for you in the spectrum of Japanese literature.

Reading in Japanese: It’s all Greek to me!Reading in Japanese: It’s all Greek to me!Reading in Japanese: It’s all Greek to me!Reading in Japanese: It’s all Greek to me!By Jon Perry

Recommendations�� (Jon’s Fantastic Journey, byYoh Shomei),

A beautiful children’s bookabout a dog called Jon whogoes on a journey into theskies. I only bought it becauseit had my name in it, but it is afantastic book that remindsyou how thought provokingliterature aimed at children canbe.

BeginnerBeginnerBeginnerBeginner levellevellevellevel (knowledge(knowledge(knowledge(knowledge ofofofof hiragana,hiragana,hiragana,hiragana, nononono kanji,kanji,kanji,kanji, basicbasicbasicbasic grammar)grammar)grammar)grammar)

At this level, children’s books arethe way forward. The simpler,the better. You can get goodchildren’s books in all libraries(including your school!), and youcan also borrow them fromanyone with children who haveoutgrown that kind of book!These will have no kanji, picturesto help you, and a simplestoryline. This makes it easy toguess the meaning of any wordsyou don’t know already, and ifyou learn a word like that, younever forget it.

One word of warning; thedifficulty level can increasesharply. After all, books forprimary or middle school childrenoften have wizards or aliens orsuch things not generallyincluded in standardconversation textbooks.

I learnt this the hard way,struggling with one sentencein atranslation of PaddingtonBear which read:

�� !��"#$�%�&'��

A large blob of jam hungfrom Paddington’s rightear…

…which is not a sentencethe average learner can dealwith!

There was a knock at the door: Lower Intermediate Level




LowerLowerLowerLower IntermediateIntermediateIntermediateIntermediate levellevellevellevel:::: (all(all(all(all basicbasicbasicbasic &&&& somesomesomesome intermediateintermediateintermediateintermediate grammar,grammar,grammar,grammar, somesomesomesome kanji)kanji)kanji)kanji)

At this level, you may be ableto delve into the world ofadult literature, as long asyou don’t mind skipping overa lot of unknown kanji. This isan important habit to getinto; if you look up everyword you don’t know theprocess of reading soonbecomes a bore and a chore.

If, however, you arecontent to skip over wordsyou don’t know, lettingcontext guide you to aprobable meaning, there is noreason not to tackle shortstories or perhaps manga atthis level. Short stories aregood because at this stagereading speed is often slow,making a whole novel anunattractive prospect.

the same reason, with theadded benefit of pictures toguide you when you are unsureof meaning.

Another possibility at thislevel is to try readingsomething translated from yournative language into Japanese.This may seem pointless at firstbut with the plot already inyour head, you can read awaysafe in the knowledge that ifyou get confused you will notlose the basic plot. The firstbook I read in Japanese was abook version of the film‘Amelie’. This was perfect as ithad fairly simple language and,knowing the storyline, I wasable to guess the meanings ofa number of words, increasingvocabulary much quicker than

Recommendation:

� �� (There Was A Knock, HoshiShinichi)

Hoshi Shinichi was one of themost prolific writers of 20thcentury Japan, and his shortstory collections are excellentplaces to start a journey inJapanese literature. In thiscollection, each story startswith the words �� (There was a knock…).

Developing myriadpossibilities from this onestarting point is a brilliantdevice and Hoshi`s simple,unaffected style make it idealunattractive prospect.

Manga are good forvocabulary much quicker thanthe standard rote memorization.

unaffected style make it idealfor people at this level.

High Intermediate: (around 1000 kanji, intermediate and some advanced grammar)

At this level, simple, modern,full-length novels can beread. However, it is easy atthis stage to pick up one ofthe classics of Japaneseliterature, a Kawabata or aSoseki, and be put off byunwelcoming tomes filledwith unfamiliar kanji andobsolete grammar patterns.Leave these to the Japanesereaders.

We non-natives willfind it much more profitable,from both a reader and alearner’s point of view, todelve into more modern,more accessible works. Againgoing with the technique ofreading works which youalready know in your nativelanguage, Murakami Haruki (��) is often said to be

a good place to startbecause so many peoplehave already read hisworks in translation.

Other possibilitiesinclude:• Akagawa Jiro�� - a hugely prolificwriter of thrillers• Nishimura Kyotaro�!�"#� - the AgathaChristie of Japan• Nashiki Kaho ($%&')who writes with adeceptively beautifulsimplicity, best seen in !�()�*+, (TheWitch of the West isDead), a moving bookabout a young girl whogoes to live in thecountryside with hergrandmother.

Recommendation-.�/�GO(GO by Kaneshiro Kazuki)

This rollercoaster of anovel about a young

Korean/ Japanese boy was made intoa hit film in 2004. It pulls no punchesin depicting the struggles of its hero,Sugihara, as he attempts toovercome discrimination in aJapanese high school. A coruscatingread which brought the issue ofKorean discrimination into theforeground for the youngergeneration.

This is the best book I haveread in Japanese and I can reallyrecommend it. If you had no interestin the problems of Koreans inJapanese society, you will afterreading this book.




post-war writers. Thisrenders accessible the likesof:Tanizaki Junichiro ( 012�3),Shono Junzo (4526 ),Endo Shusaku �789: and Oe Kenzaburo (;<=6�).

Those who like achallenge might want to tryMishima Yukio �6>?/@ or Kawabata Yasunari(�ABC ), both of whomwrite in styles which arewonderful in literatureterms but less so inencouraging the foreignreader. However, at theadvanced stage, readingspeed and skill at deducingthe meaning of unknown

RecommendationRecommendationRecommendationRecommendation#DE�FG(‘The Setting Sun’by Dazai Osamu)

Like many greatpostwar writers,

Dazai’s novel concerns thedecline of the great noblefamilies who had dominatedthe upper echelons of Japanesesociety before the war. Hismasterstroke is to narrate thestory through the eyes of ayoung girl, whose innocentmusings on the situation giveus some insight into Dazai`strademark gloomy sense of theironic, and his heart-rendingpessimism. Given his life storythis is hardly surprising; hemade four suicide attempts

At this level, it might wellbe possible to tackleacademic texts or older,more difficult literature.There should still be a wordof caution though: anyonepicking up one of the great19th century authors likeNatsume Soseki (HIJK)or Mori Ogai�LMN willstill most likely end up indifficulty, as these bookswere written using so muchclassical Japanese thatwithout special knowledgeof Edo period Japanese theyare still next to impossible.

However, translationsin modern Japanese areavailable, which may be agood compromise.That aside, most modern

AdvancedAdvancedAdvancedAdvanced (Most(Most(Most(Most JoyoJoyoJoyoJoyo Kanji,Kanji,Kanji,Kanji, confidentconfidentconfidentconfident withwithwithwith allallallall butbutbutbut thethethethe mostmostmostmost difficultdifficultdifficultdifficult grammar)grammar)grammar)grammar)

the meaning of unknownwords mean that the canonof great postwar literature isaccessible. It’s worth gettingin to.

made four suicide attemptsbefore finally succeeding in1948. The Setting Sun is notan uplifting work, but it is amagnificent one. O

That aside, most modernmaterials should bemanageable at this stage,including the majority of

The Best Restaurant in ToyamaBy Michael Grudzinski

Peace Street Kitchen“Down to Earth Cooking”

��10-9

Hours: Monday ~ Saturday (12:00-15:00 // 17:00-21:00)

Not far from Toyama Castle,nestled on a small side streetactually called “Peace Street” lies acozy restaurant that beckons oneinside with a sign that simply reads“vegetable”. The interior is equallyunderstated; off-white walls with

only a few hangings meeting a black-and-white tiled floor. There are fivesolid and smooth wooden tablesthat hint at having just been oiled.Against one wall are the signs offarming and of nature: gourds,squashes, wicker baskets, a scale,

eggs, and cotton. During thecold winter months a lonekerosene heater stands sentry inthe middle of the room, warmingthose lucky enough to dine

(located on the interactive map)Toyama City

p: 076.422.6445http://cat.cn1.jp/kitchen/

(continued on next page)


near its heat. Inside the PeaceStreet Kitchen all is calm. Thereare no brash irashaimase’s here, butrather the welcoming and softvoice of Yoshida-san, the kindwoman who owns and operatesthis incredible establishment. Thequiet is occasionally punctuated bythe music of Argentine jazz or folk-rock, emanating from the kitchenand keeping everything groovy.

The Peace Street Kitchen is,hands-down, my favoriterestaurant in the prefecture. Itserves up nothing but gourmetvegetarian fare that makes acommitted carnivore such asmyself forget all about thesucculence of a rack of lamb. Infact, this restaurant is not only arare haven for vegetarians, buteverything served is also 100%vegan-friendly. The Kitchen is allabout food; it does not require

chocolate caramel cake served on aheart-shaped plate. This place is asamazing and adorable as it sounds.

For the past seven years thePeace Street Kitchen has provided

zesty dressing, a palate cleanser thatprepared me for the maintreats. The roasted potatoescomforted me and the sautéedmushrooms seduced me into a

Vol.1, No.9, March, 2009


One of the tasty 1000 � vegetarian meals offered at Peace St.

about food; it does not requireopulent décor (like Sawasdee) orany gimmicks for the gastricexperience.

I recently visited PeaceStreet and appeased my stomachand soul with a set meal. Alldinners at Peace Street come in aset that includes a soup, a salad,and a main course (1,000P ).Yoshida-san usually offers threedifferent choices, which are alwaysdifficult to choose between sincethey all sound so appealing. Fearnot if your Japanese is weakbecause Yoshida-san speaksEnglish and can explain whateverything is.

I began my meal with a lightand refreshing lettuce andmushroom soup, topped with alittle cayenne pepper. The maincourse was an exercise in theteasing and tantalizing of my tastebuds. The daikon salad wasadorned with a delicate and

Peace Street Kitchen has providedthe only niche of completevegetarian cooking in Toyama City.All of the produce is fresh andcomes from local farmers. If youwish to add a little more organicand sustainable cooking to your life,you can also purchase things such asolive oil imported from the MiddleEast (Galilee Olive Oil, olives grownand oil bottled by an NGO) as wellas raw honey produced by Gen’sBees, a Toyama-based hive.

Yoshida-san also opens up herrestaurant to the ALTs of Toyamafor the annual charity dinner andauction, so that we can raise moneyfor deserving causes. The missionof the Peace Street Kitchen is,according to Yoshida-san, to providea place where “you can relax and letyour heart warm.” Indeed it is that,for at Peace Street you feel morehealthy and happy after every visit.O

mushrooms seduced me into astate of bliss. Handmadedumplings tormented me as I triedto divine their filling which turnedout to be lotus roots, shitakemushrooms, and spicy tofu. Mytaste buds hit a crescendo with thetofu topped with a peanut curry, inwhich there were hints of sultryspices that excite the tongue andstay with you like a loyal lover. Itwas the kind of eating experienceafter which you gasp “Wow” andsimply yearn for a cigarette.

The Kitchen also offers a finearray of healthy desserts andorganic coffees and teas. For yourcaffeine aficionados, Yoshida-sanusually grinds the beans (from theRasta Peace Coffee Company)fresh for your cup. Beer can beimbibed during dinner, becauseWolaver’s Organic Ales (Pale andBrown) are on offer. If you arewise enough to become a regularpatron, you may also get a


This month I’m goingto talk about one of myfavourite Japanese sports-men, a Japanese gymnast



nonetheless decided not totell his coach or teammatesabout it. ‘The competitionwas so close, and I didn’twant my teammates toworry about me.`. Withouthim, the team would havehad no chance of beating theSoviets. There were twoevents left. Reasoning thatthe next, the pommel horse,would cause reasonably littlestress on his broken knee,Fujimoto soldiered on andscored 9.5 out of 10, animpressive score for anygymnast, with or withoutinjury. Ridiculously, hethen decided that he would

and the dismount a high-difficulty triple somersault.He landed, raised his armsin a perfect finish, and thencollapsed in agony. His scorewas a personal best of 9.7.

Now, the full extent ofhis injury became clear.Having originally broken thekneecap, he had thendislocated it whendismounting the rings andtorn ligaments in his leg.The doctor who attendedhim later commented,

Shun Fujimoto: The Bravest GymnastBy Jon Perry

‘How he managed to do somersaults and twists and land men, a Japanese gymnast

called Shun Fujimoto whocompeted in the MontrealOlympics in 1976. Neveraccuse us of being behindthe times here in the SportsSection!

Fujimoto’s efforts mayhave been somewhatobscured by RomanianNadia Comaneci, who scoreda perfect ten the very sameday, but they are no lessheroic for it. He wascompeting for Japan in themen’s team event, looking tocause an upset by beatingthe long-dominant SovietUnion team. At the end ofhis floor routine, Fujimotofelt a painful sensation inhis right knee. As he laterrecalled, ‘It felt hollow, likethere was air in it.`.

In fact, he hadfractured his kneecap.Understandably in agony, he

then decided that he wouldhave to take part in the nextevent, the rings, because itwas his strongest. Unlikethe pommel, this required adismount from eight feet inthe air, which he would haveto make if there were to beany chance of victory. Eightfeet high and landing on abroken knee.

By this point he couldhide the injury no longer.Team coach Yakuji Hayatanoticed Fujimoto’s hobbleand his sweating, grey pallor,and confronted him.However, Fujimoto’s decisionwas final. He had to compete.‘I knew that if my posturewas not good on landing, Iwould not receive a goodscore. There was only onething to do, I had to try toforget the pain.`.

He was helped to therings by his coach. Hisroutine was near-flawless,

He was warned that tocontinue in the competitionwould be to risk permanentdisability. Fujimotowithdrew and, inspired byhis sacrifice, the Japaneseteam beat the favouredSoviets by just four tenths ofa point, the lowest margin inOlympic history. Impossiblybrave to the end, Fujimotorefused assistance to thepodium when he hobbled upwith his team to collect hisgold medal.

Let us leave the lastword to the man himself.Asked years later whetherhe would do the same thingagain, he replied simply, ‘No,I would not.` �

twists and land without collapsing in screams is beyond my

comprehension`.


After two years of living outhere I'm well aware of this, butit doesn't stop people tellingme. But it is kind of true. Wedrove inland from Toyama citytowards Fuchu-machi,following the Jinzu-gawa, andstopped at a small old woodenbuilding with a tall chimneytowering above the ricepaddies. This little building isYoshinotomo.

Inside we sat at a table anddrank tea while a man in a redjacket explained to us aboutToyama's sake, about theDelicious Water, Delicious Riceand Beautiful Mountains. Amap on the wall with the sakemakers marked on it helped menoticed that if you squint,

After the talk, we wentinto the sake factoryproper. The building wasconstructed at the end of theTaisho period, around eightyyears ago. It was beforeeverything was made ofconcrete, so the architecture istraditional and beautiful. Thebeams are made from hugetrees, black with age, and littlerooms and corridors vanish offthe larger halls. First we wereshown the area where the riceis unloaded, boiled andpolished, once done by hardhand work but now bymachine.

Next we were taken into awarmer room (sake factoriesare very cold) and shown the

Since coming to Japan, I'vedeveloped quite a taste forsake, which before theintroduction of beer in theMeiji era was Japan's mainalcoholic beverage. Likealmost all traditional Japanesethings, it is made of rice. InBritain I tried sake once and itwas horrible. I have sincediscovered that this is becausethe Japanese wisely keep allthe good stuff here, and sendthe bad stuff as far away aspossible, to be drunk byforeigners who don't knowany better.

For a while now, atenkai and in the summerwhen teachers relax a bit, I'vetalked to one of my teachers, a



On sake…By Ally Lomas

noticed that if you squint,Toyama looks like someone saton Japan. the mountains areflattened here and there,resulting in two plains, onearound Takaoka and Tonami,the other around Toyama city,as if they are the imprints ofsome giant prehistoricposterior.

The man told us that,despite being almost in theJinzu-gawa, Yoshinotomo doesnot use Jinzu water but insteadtakes water from the Joganji onthe other side of Toyamacity. Jinzu water is bad, they say,and can”t be trusted. Part ofthis is most likelyhistorical. The Jizu-gawabrought ittai-ittai byou toToyama in the 1950s as a resultof cadmium from mining deepin the mountains, and people'sbones literally crumbled in theirbodies.

are very cold) and shown thelarge, heavy wooden tablewhere koji (rice mould) isadded to begin thefermentation process. Trays ofthe fermenting rice grains werestacked in the room andsmelled a bit like cheese.

In another large roomwater is added to a large tankalong with the koji ricemash. Water is added 3 timesand then the mix is left toferment for 20 to 30 days. Thecontents of the tanks is foamy,thick, and smells strongly ofalcohol, although the content atthis stage is only about10%. When the boss deems itready, the liquid is pumpedthrough a press that looks likea giant accordion before beingpasteurised and bottled. Whilethis was all very interesting, Ihad the distinct feeling that

talked to one of my teachers, aportly man with a big smileyface who looks like he liveswell. He likes sake, as well asthe other by-products ofToyama's delicious rice andwater, and so he is a fantasticsource ofinformation. Anyway, lastweek, he sat down in theempty squeaky chair next tomy desk, and broke out hisEnglish, which is actuallypretty good. He invited me tocome with him to drink sake,which is an invitation that canonly have one reply.

Saturday afternoonfound me 'touring' (imbibinglarge quantities at) two ofToyama's sake factories. Asanyone in Toyama will tellyou, Toyama has DeliciousRice and Delicious Water,thanks to its BeautifulMountains.

(Continued on next page)


pasteurization machine,which resembles a miniversion of Universal Studioswith conveyor belts loopingwildly all over the room.

Once again, the mainpurpose was 'tasting', and theold man conjured up acollection of bottles fromnowhere. One of the mostexpensive bottles cost over10,000 yen. It was smooth,sweet and easy to drink. Thebottle had a silver label andhinted strongly at opulence,clearly something for wed-dings. My personal favouritewas the nama-zake,unpasteurised sake, and it isbest at this time of year, as thefirst batches are being bottled.

It is a sad fact that thenumber of sake makers issteadily decreasing. Once it

everyone was waiting for thenext phase, which involved alot of drinking. We triedeverything from sour,unpressed milky-white nigorito something yellowish thathad been sitting in a tank forten years. It is, technically,just tasting, but with 5 bottlesbeing passed around thegroup of 10, and quite largecups, I was beginning to feelthe effects before we stood upto leave and visit the nextplace.

Our next 'tour' wasn'tuntil six, so we had a 'rest' atmy teacher's house. He andhis wife brought out bottleafter bottle of Toyama sake,including Kachikoma fromTakaoka, my personalfavourite. We also ate allmanner of Japanese drinking



Kachikoma - the best, accordingto me and my science teacher.It’s made in Takaoka in a tinylittle place, and is very nomi-yasui. It’s quite sweet, and verysmooth. Get it now, because it’snama.

Masuizumi – end of the light-railline in Iwase. A family-runbusiness with sake you’d drinkat ALT parties to sake you’ddrink at a kocho-sensei’s funeral.

Tateyama – well, you can buy itanywhere, and I was onceserved it at a posh restaurant inKyoto. However, my teacherwhispered in my ear that it’s notactually made with water fromTateyama.

Obuse – just outside Nagano,Obuse sake can only be boughtsteadily decreasing. Once it

was made by farmers in theoff-season to make the mostof the cold weather and shortdays. Beer is now theJapanese drink of choice ascan be seen in anysupermarket. It's a great pity,as most Japanese beer(Unazuki and Johanaexcepting) is crap. I think Ihave now tried every brand ofmajor Japanese beer, and after1½ years I”m still unable totaste the difference, they'reprobably all made in the samefactory like the British mega-brews. Sake, on the otherhand, is still largely made thetraditional way, by very smallcompanies. The tastes ofdifferent companies areinstantly noticeable.Now, for God’s sake putdown that can of Chu-hai orSuper Dry and try a properdrink…

manner of Japanese drinkingsnacks: rehydrated sweet cod(nicer than I expected), konbuand squid.

We walked to the nextplace, or perhaps meandered,meeting the next shift ofdrinkers to join our group onthe way. Masuizumi is one ofToyama's best, housed in theold quarter of Iwase,surrounded by little windingalleys and woodenbuildings. We were shownaround by the president'sfather, who has been toLondon 5 times to visit hisdaughter, who livesthere. The process is the sameas at Yoshinotomo, but on aslightly larger scale. Thereare tanks in the buildingwhich can hold well over15,000 litres of sake, and areabout the size of the averageJapanese apartment. We werealso shown the

Obuse sake can only be boughtin Obuse, and I heard that ifyou try to sell it outside thetown limits the flavourimmediately sours. It’s reallygood, and there is a greatrestaurant attached to thefactory that has a menu usingonly local ingredients thatchanges every month. Irecommend going now, orwaiting until September whenthe chestnuts are ripening.

Takayama – you don’t need anexcuse to go to Takayama, but ifyou still haven’t been, free saketasting may prompt you. Thereis a whole street full of sakemakers, so work your waydown it.Niigata –annual Sake Festival15/3http://www.japantravelinfo.com/features/features_item.php?featuresid=104 O


“What do you want yourteam name to be?” I asked

Okuribito, Oscars, ToyamaBy Ruth Kingdon

accepts the job and begins totravel around Sakata,Yamagata, performing hisnew duties. Tooembarrassed at first to tellhis wife, Mika (HirosueRyoko), about the work hedoes and later about how hehas fallen in love with it andall that is involved in hisnew career he attempts tokeep his new life a secret.

The loss of his bestfriend, Yamashita (SugimotoTatta), due to disgust at hisnew job, and unexpectednews from his wife addsextra turns to this story oflove, discovery andrevelation.

The first reasonToyama ken should be proudof this film is that the director,Takita Yojiro was born inTakaoka on December 4th1955. The second reasonToyamans should be proud ofthis film is that is was filmedin Nyuzen on the northeastern border of our ken.

Yojiro has been makingfilms since the early ‘80s.First coming to prominencewith his popular, long-running ‘Molester’s Train’series, starting in 1982, hehas gone on to make criticallypraised films over the years.But it is with ‘Okuribito’(‘Departures’) that he has



team name to be?” I askedmy san-nensei studentsearlier this week.“Okuribito! Okuribito!” Wasthe reply. Perplexed Iasked what this was, only tobe met with cries of“Oscars!” and “Toyama,Toyama!”

Their near-perfectEnglish finally expressed tome that Okuribito is, in fact,the new Japanese film byTakaoka-born Takita Yojirowhich recently won BestForeign Language Film atthe Academy Awards. Notsurprisingly this win hasevoked a great sense ofToyaman pride in itsresidents and my studentswanted to share in some ofthat glory. Sadly, unlike thereal Okuribito, my students’team didn’t win our game.Well they wouldn’t, they’rerubbish.

revelation.

Okuribito will be availableto buy on DVD from the

March 18th 2009.�

(‘Departures’) that he hasreally made a name forhimself.

Okuribito tells thestory of Kobayashi Daigo(Masahiro Motoki), aprofessional cello player who,when his orchestra suddenlydisbands, finds himselfunemployed. He answers ajob advert featuring the word‘departures’, assuming he willbe embarking on a new,exciting career involvingtravel. Receiving the job onthe spot, he soon learns thatit is departures of an entirelydifferent nature -ceremonial“encoffination” of corpsesprior to cremation - that hewill be working with.

With no other jobprospects and a verypersuasive employer in theform of Sasaki Shoei(Yamazaki Tsutomu), he

If Tateyama, If Tateyama, If Tateyama, If Tateyama, Gokayama and the Gokayama and the Gokayama and the Gokayama and the great Aeon Mall don’t great Aeon Mall don’t great Aeon Mall don’t great Aeon Mall don’t make you proud to make you proud to make you proud to make you proud to live in Toyama ken, live in Toyama ken, live in Toyama ken, live in Toyama ken, this certainly will.this certainly will.this certainly will.this certainly will.


The Best of… KYOTO PREFECTURE:

**Hina Matsuri at Hokyo**Hina Matsuri at Hokyo**Hina Matsuri at Hokyo**Hina Matsuri at Hokyo----ji Temple**ji Temple**ji Temple**ji Temple**The Hina Matsuri, or Girl’s Celebration, is one of Japan’smajor holidays. Come celebrate this event with the Girl’scelebration ceremony at Hokyo-ji in Kyoto. The Celebrat-ion ceremony will start at 11:00 and there will also be adance performance by Shimabara Tayu (the highest classof Geisha). Entry is 600 yen. Please call 075-451-1550 forfurther information.

**Seiryu**Seiryu**Seiryu**Seiryu----e at Kiyomizu Temple**e at Kiyomizu Temple**e at Kiyomizu Temple**e at Kiyomizu Temple**

From March 15 (Sun) to March 17 (Tues), come to thefamous Kiyomizu Temple for a grand parade (starting at14:00 each day) and to see the symbol of this temple – ahuge blue dragon – making his way around the beautiful

Best of the Block Best of the Block Best of the Block Best of the Block –––– March 2009 March 2009 March 2009 March 2009 By Brenda McKinney

What’s going on around our area in Japan? Here are some of the most exciting eventscoming up in March…



The Best of… OSAKA PREFECTURE**Grand Sumo Tournie ****Grand Sumo Tournie ****Grand Sumo Tournie ****Grand Sumo Tournie **

huge blue dragon – making his way around the beautifulgrounds! The event will also be held on Friday, April 3rd

and entry is 300 yen. For more information, please call075-551-1234.

The Best of… HYOGO PREFECTURE:

The Eddying Tide (whirlpools) in southern Awaji aresome of the biggest in the world and you can approachthem safely by boat, leaving from Fukura Port. SouthernAwaji island is home to a wonderful Bunraku puppetmuseum; an English-themed farm with onion ice-creamand koalas; and Awaji boasts TWO (one real and onereplica) samurai castles. Great terrain for biking(landscape scenes right out of a Ghible movie)!The Uzushio Matsuri is on all spring (March 1st – May31st). For information contact the Minami Awaji Nandantourist office at 079-952-2336.

SUMO is coming to Osaka March 15 – 29th!! Get yourtickets to this live and actually-very-exciting event on theNihon Sumo Kyokai Official Grand Sumo Home Page(http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/ticket/nittei_hyo/index.html).Also be aware that the cheaper “standing tickets” areactually very close *seats* and can be bought the day-of ifyou get to the ticket window early enough!

**Uzushio Matsuri (Eddying **Uzushio Matsuri (Eddying **Uzushio Matsuri (Eddying **Uzushio Matsuri (Eddying Tide Festival) & Beautiful Tide Festival) & Beautiful Tide Festival) & Beautiful Tide Festival) & Beautiful

Awaji Island**Awaji Island**Awaji Island**Awaji Island**


Vol.1, No.9, March 2009 Page


The Language Of LoveThe Language Of LoveThe Language Of LoveThe Language Of LoveBy Paula Kerrigan


I know you’re all waiting forme to write an article aboutcondoms. It’s coming, Ipromise, but first…

I’ve never dated anyonewho didn’t speak the samemother tongue as me. Theclosest I have come is datingan American. This has beendeceptive, he looks and soundslike he is speaking the samelanguage as me, and we arefamiliar with the words thatthe other is using, but thatsometimes only hinders us inunderstanding each other. Toput it into cliché, words get inthe way. This infiltrates everyaspect of our communication.Basic Vocabulary, Tone,Context, Cultural References,

that their relationship hadhad a slower start than theirsame-mother-tongue rela-tionships. 43% Said therehad been no difference; and17% said that it had actuallybeen faster (less tongue morelips, as one friend put it!)•82% Of those surveyed usedEnglish as the main com-munication medium. 2% (1person) said they used sex asa common language, which Ithought was a good idea.

I asked for a word ofadvice for those involved indifferent-mother-tonguerelationship. This was myfavourite.

‘My boyfriend once told me

because, in an age where weblindly accept that men andwomen speak differentlanguages (a half-baked idea ifyou ask me, but anyway) - orat least have different styles ofCommunicating - I don’t thinkthat people generally enterinto relationships where theybelieve its going to be hard tocommunicate.

You know what I mean?Katie doesn’t call up her bestfriend and say, ‘Gosh, I’ve justmet this great guy who has atotally different style ofdealing with problems fromme but I’m really lookingforward to getting used to itand learning to compromise!’No. It’s not common.Context, Cultural References,

Directness, Body Language.So I got to thinking, how onearth do so many peoplemanage to carry on successfulrelationships with someonewho speaks a completelydifferent mother tongue fromthem.

I decided to send out asurvey to people I knew inrelationships like this. I endedup with about 50 responses,from men and women fromevery continent exceptAntarctica! About 30% of theparticipants did not speakEnglish as a first language.

The main thing that Ilearned about theserelationships is that peoplewho enter into different-mother-tongue relationshipstend to accept a fundamentalfact: its going to be hard tocommunicate. This was aninstant eye-opener for me

‘My boyfriend once told mehe was going to rape me.This obviously took meaback. It turned out to be amistranslation of the verb ‘toravage’. If you know yourboyfriend is not a rapist, trynot to jump to conclusions.’

This last piece ofadvice, whilst hilarious, hasactually really helped me alot in understanding thatwords are not the mostfundamental part ofcommunicating. Don’t feelyou need to resort to signlanguage to be understood,simply giving your partnerthe benefit of the doubt coulddo the trick.

I’d like to thankeveryone who took part inmy survey, I appreciate yourcandidness. I will be usingyour valuable information infuture articles. O

No. It’s not common.Because of this accep-

tance that it is not theirpartner’s fault that com-munication is difficult (i.e. it isthe language barrier’s fault)couples seemed to be muchhappier with their partner’scommunication. Of the 50people I asked about whethertheir partner was a goodcommunicator only 6 answered‘No’ or ‘Not particularly’. Ialso asked 20 friends in same-mother-tongue relationshipswhat they thought. Theanswers came backstereotypically male/femaledissatisfaction from almost all.

Some more generalresults:•Over 95% of the peoplesurveyed said they would notbe put off by language whenconsidering a futurerelationship.•40% of the participants felt



Fettuccine Alfredo with Blackened

Chicken

By Robert Hollands

Blackened Chicken

Ingredients:

§ 300 g chicken, cubed or cut into strips

!Inter-Ken Exchange Article!

As part of our inter-ken adventure this month we’re diving into the delicious creative culinary juices of Robert Hollands from Hyogo Prefecture

Alfredo Sauce Ingredients:

§ 1 cup heavy cream

§ 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (use fresh!)

Directions:

§ Mix all spices and herbs together in a bowl to create the blackening mix.

§ Slice the chicken into strips or cubes and sprinkle liberally on all sides with the blackening mix.

§ Heat cooking oil in a pan and fry the chicken on one side until the spices turn dark brown or black in color.

§ Turn the pieces over and do the same for the other side.

§ Serve atop Fettuccine Alfredo. Make sure the chicken is cooked through before serving.

§ 300 g chicken, cubed or cut into strips § 1 Tbsp sweet paprika § 1 tsp salt § 1 tsp granulated garlic § 1 tsp onion powder § 1 tsp cayenne pepper § 1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper § 1/2 tsp dried oregano § 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Directions:

§ Melt the butter in a saucepan.

§ Add the minced garlic and sauté over low heat until the garlic starts to release its aroma.

§ Slowly add the cream, stirring it into the melted butter

§ Cook for five minutes on low heat to bring sauce to temperature. Be careful never to allow the sauce to boil, and stir continuously to prevent the cream and butter from separating.

§ Gradually add the Parmesan to the sauce, stirring it in until it melts completely. The addition of the cheese will thicken the sauce and will bind the cream and butter together.

§ There should be enough seasoning in the blackened chicken to forego adding additional seasoning to the sauce, but if you feel compelled to do so, please keep in mind Bob’s Rule No 1: Do it on the heat, not on your plate. Nothing overpowers a dish quite like the taste of raw salt and pepper; cook it first.

§ 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (use fresh!)

§ 2-3 Tbsp butter

§ 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

§ salt and pepper, to taste into the melted butter.


tossed over your left shoulder.This is of course providingthat you still have full hand-eye co-ordination!

You don’t have to be inIreland to celebrate Paddy’sDay, you can do it right herein Japan! The Tokyo parade isorganized by the IrishNetwork Japan in an effort tointroduce Japan to Irishculture. Every year thisparade goes from strength tostrength and last year it wasreported to have about 1000participants. This year’s Tokyoparade takes place on March15th at Omate-sando,Harajuku 2pm-4pm. If youcan’t make it to Tokyo, thereare 8 other parades around

With Ireland’s biggest Nationalholiday only days away, I canfeel a pang of homesicknesslooming, like a rotten spud inthe bottom of a pot of stew. Asan Irish person, I feel quiteapprehensive about my first St.Patrick’s Day away from theemerald isle. So, why is St.Patrick’s Day so important to usIrish folk and how did it allbegin? And who the hell wasthis Patrick dude anyway?!

St. Patrick is the patronsaint of Ireland, credited withconverting the pagan Irish toChristianity; driving out thesnakes; and introducing theRoman alphabet and Latinliterature into Ireland whichpaved the way for a golden age

be the judge of the Irish”. Nowonder we put on such hugecelebrations for the man, weIrish don’t take any chances!

St. Patrick’s Day, orPaddy’s Day as it’s colloquiallycalled, is traditionally a religiousholiday. However, internationallyit has come to be associatedwith everything Irish: anythinggreen and gold; shamrocks;leprechauns; singing; dancing(céilí ) ; Irish music (ceòl); sillycostumes; Guinness; andgenerally “having the craic”. Tothose who celebrate itsintended meaning, St. Patrick'sDay is a traditional day forspiritual renewal and offeringprayers.

“Everyone is Irish on

Snakes, Drowned Shamrocks, and PaddySnakes, Drowned Shamrocks, and PaddySnakes, Drowned Shamrocks, and PaddySnakes, Drowned Shamrocks, and Paddy!!!!By Mo Kirwan

Vol.1, No.3, September 2008


are 8 other parades aroundthe country. See the IrishNetwork Japan website (www.inji.or.jp) for full details.

Traditionally Paddy’s Dayis celebrated by most of us inour second homes…the localpub! There’s nothing betterthan getting nicely sozzledwith friends and loved ones incelebration of all things Irishand belting out a ballad ortwo. Don’t forget, we haveour own Irish haven, Pot StillIrish pub, right here inToyama where you’ll meetplenty of happy folk who youcan join in drowning theshamrock with on March 17th!

Yes, Paddy’s Day is acelebration of Irish culture butyou don’t have to be Irish toget into the spirit of thingsand have the craic.Lá Fhéile Pádraig shonadaoibh go léir,Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

paved the way for a golden agein Irish history where Irishmonasteries became Europe’sleading intellectual centers.

Ironically, Patrick himselfwasn’t Irish at all, but British,having been kidnapped from hishome as a boy by Irish piratesand forced to be a slave for 6years tending sheep. Duringthese years, it is said that heturned to God for solace. Afterescaping from Ireland to Britainand then on to Gaul (France) hebecame a priest and spent 12years studying in a monastery.Supposedly Patrick was hauntedby a calling to return to Irelandto convert its people.

Legend has it that St.Patrick banished all the snakesfrom Ireland on his return. Inreality this legend symbolizesthe end of paganism in earlyIreland. As Ireland’s patronsaint, it is said, “While Christwill judge all nations, St. Patrickwill

“Everyone is Irish onMarch 17th”. So how can youget into the swing of thefestivities? The most commoncustom is wearing greenclothes. This probablyoriginated because of the Irishflag, where Catholics arerepresented by the colour greenand Protestants by the colororange. Interestingly, thecustom of pinching someonenot wearing green is notpracticed in Ireland and actuallyoriginated in America (a word ofwarning, pinching an Irish manor woman might loose you acouple of teeth in Ireland).

In Ireland, it is custom towear some real shamrock inyour hat or lapel. The phrase“drowning the shamrock” comesfrom another Irish customwhere you dropped shamrockinto your final drink. Havinghonoured the toast, theshamrock is then removed and


Toyama AJET NewsletterVol.1, No.9 March 2009

Largely thanks to the promotional help of thelocal JET community in Aomori Prefecture,both Japanese and Western artists generouslydonated 50 original artworks to the NAMASTEArt Exhibition charity event. The artworksspanned a wide variety of genres, includingcalligraphy, pottery, photography, screen-printing, tapestry, and animation, but all wereconnected through a theme that embracesinternational unity: NAMASTE, an Indian wordthat indicates greetings and honor.

The event was created with the support of theAomori and Akita JET charity organizationEverest of Apples, which provides educationdevelopment aid from Japan's apple-producingregion to the needy communities surroundingEverest. The NAMASTE Art Exhibition is oneof many JET-organized projects that contributesto Everest of Apples(www.everestofapples.jetsetjapan.com).Similar projects have been carried out by JETsand their communities across Japan, such as aphotography exhibition run by a JET ALT inKumamoto Prefecture who was able to gain thesupport of his Prefectural Office and local townhalls. Involving the local community ensuresthe endurance of these kinds of events.

This project's success is rooted in the universallanguage of art. Many JETs come to Japan with

National AJET News and BulletinsNational AJET News and BulletinsNational AJET News and BulletinsNational AJET News and Bulletins

JET Effect: Aomori’s Art JET Effect: Aomori’s Art JET Effect: Aomori’s Art JET Effect: Aomori’s Art Exhibition for CharityExhibition for CharityExhibition for CharityExhibition for Charity

The pieces were displayed at the well-knownDenega Art Gallery in Hirosaki, AomoriPrefecture. The event launched on a Fridaynight with a cocktail party where guests wereinvited to dress their best, sip wine, and nibbleon hors d'oeuvres while perusing the galleryand bidding on live art created during theevent.

The organizers were pleased to have sold themajority of the artworks, and were able to raiseabout 240,000 yen in proceeds, all of which willhelp education-focused charitable organizationsin Cambodia and Nepal.

language of art. Many JETs come to Japan withan artistic background and form a uniqueperspective on a culture they encounter withfresh eyes. Combined with Japan's longtradition of deep appreciation for art, artbecomes a powerful medium for internationalcommunication.

For more information about this project orabout organizing a similar project, pleasecontact [email protected]

PSG, the AJET Peer Support Group, has begun its recruitment process for 2009-10 volunteers.

PSG is a network of JET volunteers who work on a rotation basis. Members of Peer Support Group are available at night from 20:00 to 07:00, 365 days a year. PSG provides a confidential and anonymous, listening and referral service to all JET participants.

If you are interested in becoming a PSG volunteer please contact the PSG Volunteer Coordinator, Vandy Paul, at [email protected] - she will then send you an application form.

Lend a friendly ear - Join the AJET Peer Support Group!


Top 10: Japan’s Hidden Gems, by Jon Perry

Vol.1, No.9 March 2009

Now, for a sneak preview of the March 2009 T.R.A.M. :

*If you prefer a hard copy, please send your name and home address to [email protected]. AJET members will receive the T.R.A.M. for free, non-members will have to pay for postage. You

can also arrange to pick up your copy! Deadline for request is March 10th, so do it! :D

The March 2009 T.R.A.M. will be ONLINE!

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Top 10: Japan’s Hidden Gems, by Jon PerryDon�t know where to go for your breaks? Jon�s got some awesome suggestions!

KimRyan teaches us how to take pictures! ………… sort of sort of sort of sort of

Travel and vacation stories from Rae, Emmett, Vannie

Random bits from Will, Jarrad, and friends

Yo Momma Jokes!THE COMPLIMENT EDITION

•Yo momma is so tidy that she got a Valentine's Day present from Mr. Clean. – James Floyd

I eat this stuff up!


Well, it’s that time ofyear again, and thedeadline to apply to be aTokyo Orientation Assistant(TOA) is around the corner.I’ve served in this position forthe past two years, andboth times it has been anamazing experience. So, Ithought I’d take thisopportunity to share myexperiences with you alland hopefully get those ofyou who are on the fenceto make the decision to gofor it!

When I first got thepapers for TOA, I thought tomyself, “Wow, it’d be cool ifI could go down there and

So You’re Thinking of Applying for TOA…So You’re Thinking of Applying for TOA…So You’re Thinking of Applying for TOA…So You’re Thinking of Applying for TOA…By Tiffany DyerBy Tiffany DyerBy Tiffany DyerBy Tiffany Dyer

“It felt great being able to use my “It felt great being able to use my “It felt great being able to use my “It felt great being able to use my personal, specific knowledge to help personal, specific knowledge to help personal, specific knowledge to help personal, specific knowledge to help answer questions [incoming Toyama answer questions [incoming Toyama answer questions [incoming Toyama answer questions [incoming Toyama JETs] had about where they were soon JETs] had about where they were soon JETs] had about where they were soon JETs] had about where they were soon going to live.”going to live.”going to live.”going to live.”

from all parts of the worldasking me any assortmentof questions, most of which Icouldn’t answer (one of myfavorites was, “What type ofphone do you recommend Ibuy now that I’m going toAomori?”). I did my best

and when I could I pointedthem in the right direction

TOA to reserve a place toeat, followed by karaoke,to get everyone from theprefecture together forthe first time. I had extratime during the planningmeetings in June, so Iscouted out the area

around the hotel. Thereare plenty of restaurants,I could go down there and

meet the new JETs likeCheryl (my TOA back in2006) did for me, but I don’tknow if I can cut it…yeah,I’d better not.”

And I left it at that forquite some time, actually. Idon’t know exactly when orwhy, but one day I snappedout of it and decided that Ishould never, ever tellmyself I can’t do somethingif I haven’t even given it ashot. So I went ahead andapplied and, as it turns out, Igot the job.

Don’t get me wrong,being TOA is certainly noteasy by any means. When Ifirst got there I was terrified.The planning meetings inJune are exclusively toprepare for presentations,so I didn’t feel at allprepared for the hordes ofnervous, jet-lagged masses

them in the right directionand at least offered them afriendly ear (which I think iswhat many of themneeded in the first place).

The best part oforientation for me waswhen I finally got to meetthe incoming Toyama JETs.It’s a rush knowing thatyou’re the first person fromToyama that these peopleare going to see and it feltgreat being able to use mypersonal, specificknowledge to help answerquestions they had aboutwhere they were soongoing to live. Also, on thatday, two English-speakingmembers of the BOE comedown to help as well, so itwas really at that time that Ifelt like we were all comingtogether to form a team.

The group outing isalways a blast! It’s up to the

are plenty of restaurants,and the hotel is prettyclose to Shibuya (which Iaffectionately call “CrazyTown”). I went withArabian Rock, anAladdin-themedrestaurant, because therecertainly isn’t anything likeit in Toyama but it’s stillpretty distinctly “Japan”-feeling, I think.

As TOA, I was alsorequired to serve at theCLAIR Information Deskand at the HospitalityCenter, in addition togiving my presentationand helping out theToyama JETs. The CLAIRdesk was all business(“Can I have an extrafolder?” “Where is the(insert country here)embassy night?”), but theHospitality Center was the


place where I really had to bea good listener. Aside fromkeeping track of who wasusing the internet, I was thereto listen to worried JETs, orgive sick JETs some over-the-counter medicine if theyneeded it. Most of the peoplewho came just needed to talk,and I’d listen to them andusually just chat about this-or-that; nothing too serious. Butonce, a young woman burstinto tears as soon as shecame in, and simply said “Ineed to talk!” through chokedsobs. Fortunately, anotherTOA immediately took hersomewhere private andtalked to her for the rest of thenight. Another time while Iwas on duty a woman came

“It was…deeply rewarding to be there “It was…deeply rewarding to be there “It was…deeply rewarding to be there “It was…deeply rewarding to be there for people when they really, really for people when they really, really for people when they really, really for people when they really, really needed someone there to listen.”needed someone there to listen.”needed someone there to listen.”needed someone there to listen.”

foreigners get the mostout of this experience andfeel the excitement ofadventure, not the chill ofanxiety.

So if you’re on thefence about TOA, Istrongly recommend thatyou go for it! Being on theother side of orientation isa unique and incrediblyrewarding experience,one which you won’tlikely soon forget! O

attack), and I had to get aCLAIR officer to findappropriate help for her.Yes, the Hospitality Centerwas tough at times, but itwas also deeply rewardingto be there for peoplewhen they really, reallyneeded someone there tolisten.

After being a TOA Iknew that, from that pointforward, I had two goalson the JET Programme.One remained the same:to understand Japaneselife in a way one can onlywas on duty a woman came

in with “heart palpitations”and couldn’t breathe right (ifyou ask me, it was a panic

Your Charity Donations At Work!!Your Charity Donations At Work!!Thanks to everyone who bought a kiss from Marilyn Monroe (Dominique) at Thanks to everyone who bought a kiss from Marilyn Monroe (Dominique) at the Halloween Party or bought something kitschy at the Peace St. Charity the Halloween Party or bought something kitschy at the Peace St. Charity Auction. Your efforts helped raise 32,000 yen for charity. This donation was Auction. Your efforts helped raise 32,000 yen for charity. This donation was made to the Room To Read Cambodian Library project spearheaded by made to the Room To Read Cambodian Library project spearheaded by

former JETS. former JETS.

Look for some exciting Charity Look for some exciting Charity projects coming soon!projects coming soon!

To make independent donations, please visit: http://www.firstgiving.com/cambodianlibraryTo make independent donations, please visit: http://www.firstgiving.com/cambodianlibrary

life in a way one can onlyunderstand through livinghere; but the other, Irealized, was to help

**Deadline for application is coming around the corner, so be sure to MAIL yourapplication to your CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION so that it gets there by MARCH 6th! **

If you have any questions about the application process or about what it was like tobe TOA, feel free to send me an email at [email protected].


Do Do YOUYOU have what it takes?have what it takes?

AJET—we are the movers, the shakers and the producers of most of the major events, outings and fundraisers during the year. We put together a number of publications and are all constantly thinking of ways to make a stronger, more cohesive and positive community!

To me, AJET is like an organism; it’s not just an organization. Each year, it grows and improves, and it proves time and again (along with this amazing community) that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Through the guidance of its officers, we can get together and do just about anything, and I don’t think I’m alone when I say that serving AJET has been one of the highlights of my year!

The end of our AJET officer term is coming up in April, and now is the time when we’re looking for a few capable men and women to pick up the torch, and take their turn to serve as Toyama’s social leaders/coordinators. Do you have what it takes?Do you have what it takes?Do you have what it takes?Do you have what it takes? If you are responsible and organized, like to help others, enjoy strength in leadership and coordinating events that you can be proud of, please consider applying

A Message from the Prez…A Message from the Prez…

enjoy strength in leadership and coordinating events that you can be proud of, please consider applying for a position on AJET! It has been incredibly rewarding to be a part of this team, and if you’re up for the challenge, I hope that you’ll consider adding this to part of your JET experience!

Please, take a look at the descriptions below and decide which is right for you. Then submit a short short short short platform (no more than 100 words) about why you want this position, and why you think you are a platform (no more than 100 words) about why you want this position, and why you think you are a platform (no more than 100 words) about why you want this position, and why you think you are a platform (no more than 100 words) about why you want this position, and why you think you are a good candidate. good candidate. good candidate. good candidate.

It’s been a great year for AJET, and I look forward to passing this experience along to your capable hands!

Platforms are due no later than March 30th, no exceptions.Platforms are due no later than March 30th, no exceptions.Platforms are due no later than March 30th, no exceptions.Platforms are due no later than March 30th, no exceptions.

And without further ado, here are the available elected positions:And without further ado, here are the available elected positions:And without further ado, here are the available elected positions:And without further ado, here are the available elected positions:

AJET PREFECTURAL REPRESENTATIVEAJET PREFECTURAL REPRESENTATIVEAJET PREFECTURAL REPRESENTATIVEAJET PREFECTURAL REPRESENTATIVELike organization? Leadership? Responsibility? Try being PR!Like organization? Leadership? Responsibility? Try being PR!Like organization? Leadership? Responsibility? Try being PR!Like organization? Leadership? Responsibility? Try being PR!

As PR I’m basically the overseer of Toyama AJET. I communicate to the other officers, make sure that AJET is meeting its goals (and keeping the budget) and send information about AJET to all of you! I work very closely with the newsletter editor to make sure it’s the best it can be! I always keep what’s best for AJET in

mind, and try to make sure that everything runs as smoothly and successfully as possible.Additionally, as PR I have represented AJET at Toyama Orientation and meetings, and I speak for

Toyama AJET to our national counterparts and to local authorities, such as the PA and BOE. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s worth it! If you’re ready to hone your leadership skills, then the position of AJET PR is a good fit for you!


TREASURERTREASURERTREASURERTREASURERLike handling money? Keeping records? Responsibility? Try being Treasurer!Like handling money? Keeping records? Responsibility? Try being Treasurer!Like handling money? Keeping records? Responsibility? Try being Treasurer!Like handling money? Keeping records? Responsibility? Try being Treasurer!

As Treasurer, I’m responsible for the monies and financial records of Toyama AJET. I communicate with the AJET president, Social Representatives and Travel Rep regarding financial matters. I make sure that the account is balanced and the records are current.

Additionally, I get to collect the fees and chase people down at events like Leavers Weekend and Welcome Weekend. I am the officer’s best friend when they need event money and their biggest pest when I need their receipts.This job is for someone who is responsible with other people’s money. But it’s also for the person who

wants everyone to know their name… “AH, you mean the AJET treasurer – the one who’s always asking for money!”

EXCURSIONS REPEXCURSIONS REPEXCURSIONS REPEXCURSIONS REP

The excursions officer puts together the AJET adventures, namely to Mt. Fuji and to Kyoto. These are very memorable trips and it’s great to be the person who

organizes them! The excursions officer should be ready and willing to take part in these trips again, and to offer his/her sage advice to those who are going for the

first time!first time!

SOCIAL REPS (THERE ARE TWO ELECTED POSITIONS)SOCIAL REPS (THERE ARE TWO ELECTED POSITIONS)SOCIAL REPS (THERE ARE TWO ELECTED POSITIONS)SOCIAL REPS (THERE ARE TWO ELECTED POSITIONS)

Remember welcome weekend, the Halloween party, and soon, the Murder Mystery Dinner? Well, the social reps are the people who coordinate these events, making them possible for you to enjoy! Someone running for this position should be well-organized, since it takes a lot of forethought to plan big events! But most of all, social reps must be genki! It is recommended, but certainly not required, that someone in this position either have or have easy access to a car.

CHARITY REPCHARITY REPCHARITY REPCHARITY REP

The Charity Rep thinks of fun ways for our community to give back to others! Like the social reps, the charity rep should be well-organized, since he/she must

also sometimes plan large-scale events. However, the Charity Rep is also responsible for making money for AJET charities, so he/she will work closely

with the AJET treasurer. The Charity Rep must have a heart three times the sizeof a normal person. Merry men optional but recommended. Archery experience a must.


PUBLICATIONS EDITORPUBLICATIONS EDITORPUBLICATIONS EDITORPUBLICATIONS EDITORContact: Paula Kerrigan (AJET Newsletter Chief Editor) Contact: Paula Kerrigan (AJET Newsletter Chief Editor) Contact: Paula Kerrigan (AJET Newsletter Chief Editor) Contact: Paula Kerrigan (AJET Newsletter Chief Editor) (((([email protected]@[email protected]@gmail.com))))

The Publications Editor is the chief coordinator of AJET publications, including the newsletter and the TRAM. This position can be very rewarding, since the Publications Editor will work with many people on a regular basis and produce a product (the newsletter) monthly. But this position comes with great responsibility and requires someone who is very driven, well-organized and willing to take responsibility of a team of editors, writers and contributors. The publications editor works very closely with many, if not all other officers, and keeps regular contact with the AJET PR. If you are ready to take on a steady workload that keeps you up to date with just about every major JET event, then this is the job for you! Much like the PR, this position comes with a consistent workload, but if you’re up for the task, it’s worth it!

Note: There are currently two chief editors and an editing team working on Note: There are currently two chief editors and an editing team working on Note: There are currently two chief editors and an editing team working on Note: There are currently two chief editors and an editing team working on publications, but Publications Editor will be a position held by ONE person.publications, but Publications Editor will be a position held by ONE person.publications, but Publications Editor will be a position held by ONE person.publications, but Publications Editor will be a position held by ONE person.

Paula Kerrigan, Paula Kerrigan, Paula Kerrigan, Paula Kerrigan, Newsletter GoddessNewsletter GoddessNewsletter GoddessNewsletter Goddess

Van Tran, TRAM Van Tran, TRAM Van Tran, TRAM Van Tran, TRAM CoordinatorCoordinatorCoordinatorCoordinator

VOLUNTEER POSITIONSVOLUNTEER POSITIONSVOLUNTEER POSITIONSVOLUNTEER POSITIONSThe following are available volunteer AJET Officer positions. These positions are on a volunteer basis and you need not submit a platform.

Toyama AJET Quick Contacts:President: [email protected]: [email protected]: [email protected] Reps: [email protected] T.R.A.M: [email protected]: (Tonami/Takaoka) TBA

(Toyama) [email protected](Niikawa) [email protected]

Charity: [email protected]: [email protected]

AJET Newsletter Staff:Editors: Tiffany Dyer

Paula KerriganStaff Writers: Michael Grudzinski

Maurette KierwanAlly LomasJon Perry

Maddy RodellCartoonist: David Piper

Haiku Guru: Bryce RawersProduction: Danielle Lewerenz

All eligible platforms will be printed in April’s AJET Newsletter. Elections will be held at the April All eligible platforms will be printed in April’s AJET Newsletter. Elections will be held at the April All eligible platforms will be printed in April’s AJET Newsletter. Elections will be held at the April All eligible platforms will be printed in April’s AJET Newsletter. Elections will be held at the April Regional meetings, and new officers will be notified during the last week of April. Regional meetings, and new officers will be notified during the last week of April. Regional meetings, and new officers will be notified during the last week of April. Regional meetings, and new officers will be notified during the last week of April.

Please send any specific inquiries to the current officer who holds the desired position, who can be Please send any specific inquiries to the current officer who holds the desired position, who can be Please send any specific inquiries to the current officer who holds the desired position, who can be Please send any specific inquiries to the current officer who holds the desired position, who can be reached via the contact emails listed below. Send general inquiries to reached via the contact emails listed below. Send general inquiries to reached via the contact emails listed below. Send general inquiries to reached via the contact emails listed below. Send general inquiries to [email protected]@[email protected]@gmail.com....

and you need not submit a platform.

AJET LIBRARIAN (NIIKAWA REGION):AJET LIBRARIAN (NIIKAWA REGION):AJET LIBRARIAN (NIIKAWA REGION):AJET LIBRARIAN (NIIKAWA REGION):We are currently looking for an AJET librarian to hold English books for the Niikawa region. This is not a time commitment, so much as a space commitment. If you are interested, please contact [email protected].

PUBLICATIONS STAFFPUBLICATIONS STAFFPUBLICATIONS STAFFPUBLICATIONS STAFF: : : : Anyone may volunteer to work on the Publications Staff for the AJET newsletter and/or the TRAM and its affiliated publications. Look for the volunteer sign up sheet, which will be circulated at the April regional meetings.

WEBMASTERWEBMASTERWEBMASTERWEBMASTER; The webmaster is chiefly responsible for the upkeep of the toyamajets.net message boards. If you are interested, please contact [email protected].

2120Spring Equinox

19Happy Birthday

1817

Happy St.

1615

Happy

14Happy Birthday Nicole

WHITE DAY

1312Happy

Birthday Kim Ryan

Vote for NAJET Block Rep by today!!

111098

7Book Club/ Dinner

6543Happy Birthday Dominique

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SaturdayFridayThursdayWednesdayTuesdayMondaySunday

What’s Happening – March 2009



43213130Happy Birthday Laura T.

AJET PLATFORM DEADLINE

29

28Happy Birthday Jarrad

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EquinoxBirthday Stephen and Karen

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Happy Birthday Tim

Advertise your event (or an event you know about) on the AJET calendar! Send info to [email protected].




UPCOMING EVENTS

…because reading …because reading makes you makes you smatsmat

SMARTSMART

This month we’ll be discussing the book, The Game by Neil Strauss. Here is a short summary of the book, in case you are interested in reading it:

Are you just another AFC ("average frustrated chump") trying to meet an HB ("hot babe")? How would you like to "full-close" with a Penthouse Pet of the Year? The answers, my friend, are in Neil Strauss's entertaining book The Game. Strauss was a self-described chick repellant--complete with large, bumpy nose, small, beady eyes,

The GamePenetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists

glasses, balding head, and, worst of all, painful shyness around women. He felt like “half a man.”

“

glasses, balding head, and, worst of all, painful shyness around women. He felt like “half a man.” That is, until a book editor asked him to investigate the community of pickup artists. Strauss‘s life was transformed. He spent two years bedding some fine chiquitas and studying with some of the North America’s most suave gents--including the best of them all, the God of the pickup “community,” a man named Mystery. Mystery is an aspiring Toronto magician who charges $2,250 for a weekend pickup workshop. He is not much to look at: a cross between a vampire and a computer geek. But by using high-powered marketing techniques he‘s turned seduction into an effortless craft--even inventing his own vocabulary. His technique sounds like a car salesman’s tip sheet: his main rule is FMAC--find, meet, attract, close. He employs the “three-second rule”--always approach a woman within three seconds of first seeing her in order to avoid getting shy. Other tricks: Intrigue a beautiful woman by pretending to be unaffected by her charm; also, never hit on a woman right away. Start with a disarming, innocent remark, like “Do you think magic spells work?” or “Oh my god, did you see those two girls fighting outside?” And finally, the most important characteristic of the pickup artist--smile.

After two years, Strauss ends up becoming almost as successful as Mystery, but he comes to an important realization. His techniques were actually off-putting to the woman he ended up falling in love with. And they never prepared him for actually having a relationship. After a while, he ran out of one-liners and had to have a real conversation. Still, The Game is a great read that may help some AFCs come out of their shells

Well, this book will certainly lead to some interesting discussion. If you’re planning to attend the book club on March 7th, come share your opinion over some tasty eats, provided by Laura R. If not, grab this book anyway and judge for yourself whether this is a gimmicky self-help fad, or a true manual for successful swingers!

If you need information on the time or location of this month’s meeting, check with the host, Laura R., at [email protected].

”




UPCOMING EVENTS

National AJET Elections – Our Local Block Rep Candidates!

This year, there are two – count ‘em, TWO! – JETs from Toyama who are running for Block 5Representative on the National AJET council! If elected, one of them will represent Block 5 (Aichi, Gifu,Fukui, Toyama and Ishikawa), and hopefully bring all of these kens together to form a stronger community!

Since there are two of us running, it is especially important that all of you get out there and vote! You canvote, and see the platforms of the other two candidates, at http://ajet.net/2009Elections/

The Toyama Candidates and Their Platforms:

Maddy Rodell:I’m Maddy Rodell, currently a first year JET in Toyama prefecture. The supportive AJET community we have in I’m Maddy Rodell, currently a first year JET in Toyama prefecture. The supportive AJET community we have in Toyama has really made me feel at home here, which has inspired me to become more involved in life on the JET programme.

I know just how vital it is for everyone to feel that they are important and that they can actively contribute to the workings of the JET programme. I have lots of experience in representing and helping people in large organisations, and this combined with my enthusiasm, positivity and hard-working attitude make me your perfect new block rep!

What I will do for you:

Represent you and your opinions at National AJET meetings.Keep you informed of news and events in the block and on a national level.Strengthen inter-prefectural communication and relations.

My experience:

Employed by my University Union to liaise between my department, students and the union; represented students and made them better able to voice their opinions on their education. Four years employment in front-line customer services for a large chain of electrical stores.

Why I should be your block rep:

I know you matter.I can be assertive in formal situations.I am highly motivated and experienced.You can depend on me.




UPCOMING EVENTS

National AJET Elections

Elliott Pevida:Elliott Pevida – Connecting AJETs in Block 5

My Mission:

To improve communication between the kens of block 5 (��, ��, ��, ��, and my own wonderful ��) and be their voice and representative before the National Council, CLAIR, and other ministries.

More simply— To give JETs the chance to know what’s going on locally and nationally.

My Vision:

I want to see JETs of all forms (ALTs, CIRs, and SEAs) have the possibility to hear of or even join the events of sister organizations in neighboring kens. I hope to establish not only open, but easy and useful conversations sister organizations in neighboring kens. I hope to establish not only open, but easy and useful conversations between the kens and national organizations. I dream of the chance to encourage Aichi peep to come and drink of the oishii mizu of Toyama-shi. I yearn for the possibility to tell those in Fukui about the awesome and quite famous pottery trip that Matsunami of Gifu AJET has coordinated for a couple years now. I hope to build bridges between the Toyama folk who herd to Kanazawa weekly and those actually IN Kanazawa. Why even stop with publicizing these things inside our block, why not think nationally! I bet you get where I’m going with this. Lastly, I would love to serve, to the best of my ability, the non-native English speaking JETs as their Liaison.

My Qualifications:

Prior experience in leadership (Honesty, Dedication, Vision)Honesty - Experience in managing over $1.5 million of goods as an Inventory SupervisorDedication - Editor-in-Chief for the weekly college newspaper, The Collegian.Vision - Student Body President.Ability - Excellent skills in communication by written and oral means in multiple languages.Interest - Personal time in each ken in my block, even joining other AJET kens’ events.Motivation - A real desire to make your lives even more AWESOME as your Block 5 Rep!

Don’t forget to vote byMARCH 12th! And don’t forget to check out the platforms of the othercandidates, Ian, Michael, Rachel, and Tyson on the AJET Elections website!


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