HIMAWARI All about Christmas in KitaQ, New Year, Keeping Warm in · 2013-03-05 · The nightwatch bell here starts with a conch shell, and visitors are welcome to ring the bell between

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Himawari 北九州国際交流協会

KIA

itakyushu nternational ssociation

冬号

Winter Edition 2011/2012

In this edition of HIMAWARI:

All about Christmas in KitaQ, New Year, Keeping Warm in

Japan, Ice-Skating and other Lifestyle Information!

As most of you have probably already noticed, Christmas in Japan

is celebrated quite glamorously. You can see Christmas illumina-tions and displays in various places in Kitakyushu, and shopping,

sightseeing or just strolling around in the evening becomes a very romantic experience.

Take your sweetheart, friends or family and enjoy the colorful illuminations in Kitaykushu. If you have no idea where to begin, here are some of the most popular places:

Kokura Illumination The biggest and most glamorous illuminations in Kitakyu-

shu. Thousands of lights can be seen in various places like Kokura Station, AIM (Asia-pacific Import Mart), Amu

Plaza, ChaCha Town, Riverside area around Riverwalk and more. Until: January 10th (Tue) 2012

Yahata Illumination

Around Yahata Station. Until: January 16th (Mon) 2012

Kurosaki Magical Land of Lights Around Kurosaki Station and the shop-

ping arcade. Until: January 9th (Mon) 2012

Orio Illumination Around Orio Station and and Gakuen

odori Until: January 15th (Sun) 2012

Wakamatsu Illumination Around Nakagawa Street

Until: January 27th (Fri) 2012

Mojiko Retro Illumination Around Mojiko Retro Until: February 26th (Sun) 2012

Kitakyushu International Association Winter Edition 2011/12

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The New Year period, known as „shougatsu‟, is the biggest event

of the year in Japan, with „shougatsu‟ meaning the first moon of the New Year. During this time, it is believed that „Toshigami-

sama‟ (a Japanese god) comes down from the sky to look after families and bring happiness in the New Year. For Japanese peo-ple, this is the first chance for them to ask for happiness and

blessings for the coming year. Toshigami-sama is said to come at the start of each New Year, and promise the family a rich harvest

and good health for the year ahead.

Once December arrives in Japan, the whole family prepares to welcome the gods, by tidying their houses, hanging „shimekazari‟ (New Years‟ pine

decorations) in the hallways and making „kagami-mochi‟, a Japanese rice cake with a bitter orange on top, in the home as an offering. In addition to this, families also make „osechi‟ – traditional New Year‟s food – and send

New Year‟s cards „nengajou‟ to friends and family.

On December 31st, known as „Omisoka‟, people eat

„Toshikoshi soba‟ (Buckwheat noodles), which is a tra-dition that has existed since the Edo period of 1603- 1868. The eating of soba is symbolic, as the long

strands of noodles represent long life, and the ease with which soba is cut is meant to symbolize the cut-

ting of links to any trouble in the New Year. After this, in order to absolve the “108 Worldly De-sires” of Buddhism, people will go to listen to the ring-

ing of the night-watch bell at a local Buddhist temple, though in recent times, many young people choose to

go to various „countdown‟ events instead. At many Buddhist temples, you can not only hear the night-watch bell ringing, but you

can also ring the bell yourself. In this edition of Himawari, we will introduce some Bud-dhist temples in the Kitakyushu area, so please head out and pay them a visit!

Kojusanfukuju Temple 6-7 Juzancho, Kokurakita Ward

The nightwatch bell will start ringing at around 11pm, and visitors can have a go at ring-ing the bell after midnight.

Kannonin-kiyomizu Temple 4-7-14 Kiyomizu, Kokurakita Ward

The nightwatch bell here starts with a conch shell, and visitors are welcome to ring the bell between 23:30 and 00:30.

Koryu Temple 2-8-18 Ogura, Yahatahigashi Ward

Bell ringing will be taking place here between 23:45 and just after 00:00.


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Kissho Temple

13-11 Kisshoji-machi, Yahatanishi Ward Bell ringing will be taking place here between 23:30 and just

after 00:00. Myosen Temple

1-8 Shozumachi, Tobata Ward After the chief priest has rung the bell, visitors are also wel-

come to have a go, between 23:10 and 00:30.

However, if you prefer the idea of a countdown party to a temple or shrine visit, then

please check our recommended spot below! Countdown 2011 in Mojiko Retro

Here you will find a large number of food stalls, stage performances, live mu-sic, fireworks and much more. Of course admission is free!

Following on from the countdowns of New Years Eve is „Gantan‟ (New Years Day), when Japanese people celebrate the

first sunrise of the New Year. This is believed to bring good luck, and so many people will head to the top of their local

mountain to witness it. Also, during the first few days of the New Year, people will pay a visit to their local shrine and pray for health and happiness over the coming year, in an activity

called „Hatsumoude‟.

Here are a couple of the best spots to see in the first sunrise of the year in Kitakyushu:

Sarakurayama Mountain (Yahatahigashi Ward) At 662

meters high, Mount Sarakura offers fantastic views of Kita-kyushu and its surrounding areas. Getting to the summit is easy, with a cable car and slope car running from morning

until evening. At the top, you will find a viewing platform, places to relax and a restaurant. The cable car will run very

early on January 1st, so you won`t miss the first sunrise. On this day you will also find food stalls and more on the moun-taintop.

Yahazuyama Mountain (Moji Ward) Yahazuyama is located within walking distance of the JR Moji and JR Komorie Stations. The mountain stands at 271 meters and has a campsite at the peak. From here you can enjoy great views of the first sunrise of the New

Year, while „zenzai‟ – red bean soup – will be served to visitors free of charge from 06:30 (amount is limited).


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The winter in Kitakyushu can get extremely cold at times, and since most houses in Japan have no real central heating and bad insulation there is a

great need for effective heating appliances. For those of you who feel the wide variety of appliances out there is rather confusing, we have put together a brief list of some common appliances and

their characteristics.

Electric bar heater（電気ストーブ）– Uses electricity. Not so effective to heat a room quickly.

Halogen heater（ハロゲンヒーター）– Uses electricity. Heats using a halogen lamp. Heats up

fast but only heats a small area where the lamp is directed. For use in smaller spaces.

Far Infrared heater（遠赤外線電気ストーブ）– Uses electricity. Effectively heats a room. Prices

increase with the amount of far infrared being emitted. Also improves the body`s circulation!

Far Infrared Carbon heater（遠赤外線カーボンヒーター）– Uses electricity. Heats up quickly

and can effectively heat a room. Is very energy efficient.

Kerosene stove（石油ストーブ）– Uses kerosene. Heats a room effectively, is comparatively

cheap. You can place “nabe” and cook up a stew, or attach humidifiers. However, you have to watch the open flame that burns the kerosene, air your room, and the cost of kerosene fluctu-ates.

Kerosene fan heater(石油ファンヒーター）– Will heat an entire room but you will need to buy

kero separately. Also these heaters are expensive.

Oil heater（オイルヒーター）– Uses electricity. Heats a room well but does use comparatively

more electricity than other types.

Electric carpet（電気カーペット）- For those of you who may be missing the warm feeling of

carpet underfoot, one of these would definitely fit the bill.

Futon dryer（布団乾燥機）- These dry and warm-up your futon, making it much warmer and

easier to sleep in the cold.

Denki moufu（電気毛布）- This works in a similar way to the electric carpet, but functions

rather as an electric blanket. A list of other goods that don`t break the bank:

Kairo - “Hot Bags”（カイロ）– A disposable heating good. It is a small bag filled with “heat

beads”. When the pack is opened and the Hot Bag is shaken and massaged it heats up. Good to keep in your pockets to keep your hands warm. Specific types to be worn on the hips, in the shoes etc. are also available. There are also ones that can be heated in a microwave in-

stead of by shaking!

Hot water bottle（湯たんぼ）- Good for times when it‟s cold and you can`t sleep.

Fill the water bottle with hot water, wrap with a blanket and then take it to bed. Should stay warm until the morning.

Kotatsu（こたつ）– A must for a truly “Japanese winter”. A low table

that sits on top of an insulating mat is covered by a futon blanket

and contains a small heater. These are sold in a set and are great for keeping your lower half warm all through winter!

Chanchanko（ちゃんちゃんこ）– Some traditional Japanese indoor

winter wear. It is a coat specifically made from blanket-like material. Is worn draping from the shoulders like an insulated bathrobe. Goes

well with the “kotatsu” above.


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Celebrating Setsubun (The end of winter/start of spring) „Setsubun‟ generally refers to the last day before the start of a new season in Japan, these days particularly to the last day of winter, February 3rd, before the spring season begins.

Events for the „Setsubun‟ used to be held annually at the Impe-rial Court, and events to drive away the devil began during the Heian Period. These days, people celebrate the beginning of

spring in the following ways:

Bean scattering During this ritual, people throw roasted soybeans (meant to symbolize demons) out of their houses, while shouting “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi”,

meaning “demons out, good luck in”. In doing this, people believe that you can ward off evil spirits and call good fortune in your house.

Eating beans Once they have scattered the beans, people will ask for a year of good fortune. They will then

eat the above mentioned soybeans, and they believe that they can spend the new year in sound health.

Ehoumaki (literally meaning “luck direction roll”)

On the day of the setsubun, people will eat uncut

makizushi (rolled sushi) while facing the yearly lucky compass direction. During this time it is tradi-tion to close your eyes and make wishes. Inciden-

tally, this year‟s (2012) “lucky direction” is north-northwest! It is believed to be good fortune to put seven different ingredients into the sushi roll, due

to there being the Seven Gods of Good Fortune. The role is eaten as a whole, which symbolizes to not “cutting of the ties with good luck”. This tradi-

tion is said to have started in the Kansai region, but has been followed by many other regions of Japan

since around the year 2000.


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Hello everyone,

How did you enjoy autumn in Kitakyushu? I hope you had the chance to visit the Interna-

tional Autumn Festival 2011 in Yahata. In spite of the weather, over 1000 people came and

enjoyed food and drinks from all over the world and a stage program with international

music and performances. Just in case you missed this great event, you can find some im-

pressions on this page.

As always, I want to thank everyone who contributed to this edition of Himawari.

The next Himawari will be published in 2012, so let me take this opportunity on behalf of

the whole KIA to wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New

Year 2012!!!

PS: Have a look at our homepage if you want to sign up for the “Himawari E-mail Service”.


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Whether you are new to ice skating or already an experienced skater, everyone is welcome to enjoy this fun winter sport. Wait, you haven`t heard of the place to do ice skating in Kitakyu-

shu yet? Well, here are the details!

Where: The West Japan General Exhibition Center (AIM Building)

When: Open from Sunday 27th November 2011 – Wednesday 4th April 2012 Opening hours: Weekdays – 16:00-20:00

Weekends (and school winter and spring holidays) – 10:00-20:00 Admission: To skate – Adults: 2000yen, High school or younger: 1500yen (Of course skates are included)

*Groups discounts are also available for groups of over 20 people Entrance only: 300yen, children 3 and under are free Getting there: A five minute walk from the north exit of Kokura Sta-

tion. Simply follow the moving walkway towards the AIM building.

The Japanese Language Class for Mums and Dads is for all foreign mums and dads who are, for example, interested in studying Japanese but not able to attend other language classes or

worried about child-raising in Japan. Besides practicing Japanese, we will have specialists who offer consultation on child-raising, information about events for small children and many other things. During the consultation time, volunteers will available to baby-sit children in the Kids

Room, so you can easily participate in the class. Currently we are focusing on foreigners who are able to speak basic Japanese but have diffi-culties in reading and writing. However, we also have cooking and culture experience events,

so don`t miss this great chance to participate!! Time & Date: Every week Thursday between 10:30 ~ 12:30

Place: Kitakyushu Kodomo no Yakata Yahatanishi, Kurosaki 3-15-3 COMCITY 7F

(Right next to Kurosaki Station!) Participation fee: Free (text book fee required)

Kids Room: 300 JPY/1 person for one time

For: Foreign mums and dads

Inquiries: Kitakyushu International Association TEL: 093-662-0055 (Japanese/English) FAX: 093-662-6622 (Japanese/English/Chinese/Korean)

E-mail: [email protected] (Japanese/English/Chinese/Korean) In charge: Ms. Sasaki


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JANUARY

Date Place Inquiries

8th (Sun) 10:00 ~ 15:00

(15th in event of rain)

Chuo Greenery Park (next to

the Kitakyushu Municipal All-purpose Gymnasium), Ya-

hatahigashi

Kitakyushu Recycle Union

Tel: 093-651-9245

14th (Sat) 10:00 ~ 15:00

(cancelled in event of rain)

RKB Housing Park Kokura West Japan Recycle People

Association Tel: 092-752-7761

FEBRUARY

Date Place Inquiries

11th (Sat) 10:00 ~ 15:00

(cancelled in event of rain)

RKB Housing Park Kokura West Japan Recycle People

Association Tel: 092-752-7761

12th (Sun) 10:00 ~ 15:00

(19th in event of rain)

Chuo Greenery Park (next to

the Kitakyushu Municipal All-purpose Gymnasium), Ya-

hatahigashi

Kitakyushu Recycle Union

Tel: 093-651-9245


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Flea Market Travel Details

① RKB Housing Park: Three minutes walk north from JR Nishikokura Station.

Next to the Sumikkusu Golf Centre. ② Chuo Greenery Park: Take the Nishitetsu No. 1 bus, and get off at the Sanjo bus stop, near to the

Spina supermarket. Others

③ Kokura Illumination Kokurakita Ward

④ Yahata Illumination Yahatahigashi Ward

⑤ Kurosaki Magical Land of Lights

⑥ Orio Illumination

⑦ Wakamatsu Illumination

⑧ Mojiko Retro Illumination

⑨ Kojusanfukuju Temple Kokurakita Ward (next to the Adachi Park)

⑩ Kannonin-kiyomizu Temple Kokurakita Ward

(A short walk from Minamikokura Station)

⑪ Koryu Temple Yahatahigashi Ward (Near to Yahata Station)

⑫ Kissho Temple Yahatanishi Ward

⑬ Myosenji Temple Tobata Ward

(A short walk from Tobata Station)

⑭ Mt. Sarakura Yahatahigashi Ward

⑮ Mt. Yahazu Moji Ward

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Getting to the KIA

（財）北九州国際交流協会ざいきたきゅうしゅうこくさいこうりゅうきょうかい

Kitakyushu International Association

〒805-0062 北九州市八幡東区平野1丁目きたきゅうしゅうしやはたひがしくひらの1ちょうめ

1－1

国際村交流こくさいむらこうりゅう

センター３階かい

(International Village Center 3F, 1-1-1, Hirano,Yahatahigashi-ku)

Tel: 093-662-0055 Fax: 093-662-6622

開館時間かいかんじかん

/Open Hours：9:00 ～ 17:30

火～日曜日か～にちようび

/ Tuesday to Sunday

休館日/Closed: 月曜日と年末年始(12/29～1/3)

Mondays & Year-end/New Year

E-mail: [email protected]

こくらインフォメーション

(Kokura Information Desk)

〒802-0001 北九州市小倉北区浅野きたきゅうしゅうしこくらきたくあさの

3-8-1

AIM（アジア太平洋たいへいよう

インポートマート）２階かい

(Asia-Pacific Import Mart 2F, 3-8-1, Asano, Kokurakita-ku)

Tel: 093-551-0055 Fax: 093-551-1289

開館時間かいかんじかん

/Open Hours：10:00 ～ 17:30

火か

～土曜日どようび

/ Tuesday to Saturday

休館日きゅうかんび

/Closed：日月にちげつ

・祝日しゅくじつ

と年末年始ねんまつねんし

(12/29～1/3)/ Sun, Mon, Public Holidays & Year-end/New Year


Kokura Station Amu Plaza

Kokura St. Building

Kokura Station Bus Center

North exit

Rihga Hotel

Kyu- La Foret

West Japan General Exhibition

Center

Aim Building 2nd Floor

Kokura Information

West Japan General Exhibition Center

Asano 2-Chome Bus Stop

Asano 2-Chome Bus Stop

Kitakyushu International Conference

Center

Best

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FFFREEREEREE CCCONSULTATIONONSULTATIONONSULTATION FORFORFOR FFFOREIGNERSOREIGNERSOREIGNERS 外国人がいこくじん

のための無料むりょう

相談そうだん

Consultation Service for Foreigners

Here we help to solve any problems or worries that foreign resi-

dents may have with life in Japan, or that Japanese people may

be having in relation to foreign citizens, by providing important

information and links to specific organizations. Consultations are

available in both Yahata and Kokura, are free of charge, and don‟t

require reservation. Please feel free to visit, and be assured that

your privacy will be respected.

Address and directions at bottom of page.

Closed on national holidays and during the New Year Period.

For more information, please take a look at Foreigner Support

Services at the KIA on the KIA homepage.

Yahata

Kitakyushu International Asso-

ciation (KIA)

Consultation times: 10:00 – 16:00

Languages of consultation:

English: Tuesday & Thursday

Chinese: Tuesday & Thursday

Korean: Thursday

Japanese: Tuesday & Thursday

Telephone number: 093-671-2606

Kokura

Kokura Information Office

Consultation times:10:00 – 16:00

Languages of consultation:

English: Wednesday & Friday

Chinese: Friday

Korean: Wednesday & Friday

Japanese: Wednesday & Friday

Telephone number:093-671-2606

●Free Consultation -Specialist

Legal Counseling (13:30 to 16:30 every 4th Saturday) - Dec 24th, Jan 28th, Feb 25th A counselor from the Kitakyushu Branch of the Fukuoka Bar Association will help you with all kinds of legal problems (reservation is required). Consultation Concerning Immigration Procedures (13:00 to 16:00 every 3rd Sunday) - Dec 18th, Jan 15th, Feb 19th Administrative specialists will offer advice on procedures such as changing of visa status, extension of stay, and other is-sues (reservation is only required if you need an interpreter). Psychological Counseling (9:30 to 12:30 every 4th Saturday) - Dec 24th, Jan 28th, Feb 25th A clinical psychologist will offer counseling for people having difficulties with relationships, cultural differences, and mental well-being (reservation is required).

①After School-Nihongo Hiroba

After-school classes at Kokura Information for foreign children and parents who wish to study Japanese and work on their

coursework.

②Wakuwaku-Nihongo Hiroba

A chance to get out of the classroom and have fun as a family in Japan. The Wakuwaku events are planned by Nihongo Hiroba, so anyone is welcome to join, no matter what your level of Japanese is. Of course coming alone is also fine!

~Upcoming Wakuwaku-Nihongo-Hiroba Events~

December 23rd (Friday) 2011 – Let`s make `Mochi` (rice cake) and New Year`s pine decoration!

March 2012 - Let`s cook Japanese food!

PLEASE NOTE! ■ The participation fee and capacity depend on each event. ■ Details may change, please check the schedule.

■ Please be aware that admission for each event will be closed once all the places are taken.

If you are interested, we can send you the latest information. Please contact 093-662-0055 / [email protected] for more details.

にほんごひろば NNNIHONGOIHONGOIHONGO HHHIROBAIROBAIROBA

E-mail address: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.kitaq-koryu.jp/en_new



Documents

HIMAWARI All about Christmas in KitaQ, New Year, Keeping Warm in · 2013-03-05 · The nightwatch bell here starts with a conch shell, and visitors are welcome to ring the bell between