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    hthyogo times

    06.11

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    Editor: Emily LemmonDesigner: Karen CornishOnline:Jonathan ShalfPR: Sarah LewisCover: Kris J Boorman

    Contributors:Siton Anipare, Paul Schuble,

    J J Cappa, Andrew Tamashiro,

    David Namisato, Emily Love,

    Lauren McRae, Colin Fukai,

    Susan Thomas, Jessica Grigg.

    All JETs in Hyogo areencouraged to send inarticles, musings, poetry,prose and any ideas toimprove the Hyogo Timesor the betterment o theHyogo JET community.

    Submit by the 15tho each month to:

    [email protected]

    Visit us online!

    Hyogo Times Staff

    ht

    2 hyogo times june 2011

    Message from the Editor

    Hey there Hyogo,Looks like were officially getting into that timeof year where its a party all the time! Thereare lots of events coming up in the next fewmonths, so keep your ear to the ground (andyour eye on our calendar) to stay on top ofwhats afoot!

    May gave us some of the best weather Japanhas to offer (and some typhoons just for fun),but June is coming, so check out our tips onsurviving the rainy season. Weve got a funelementary lesson for ESS, and some intriguingtravel information for you too!

    But as the weather heats up, we also get closer

    to the end of the JET year.

    I would like the July issue to include somereflections by JETs (both returning andnot-returning) on this process of transitionand change. These reflections can take anyform, so please submit whatever you like thatis inspired by this change.

    If youre sticking around Japan, please alsocheck out our list of wanted writers!

    Take care and stay dry,

    Lemmon

    If you get a chance, see the Transitions artshow in Kobe, up until June 4th!

    Contents 3.Message from the Editor 4.Message from the Online Editor

    4.Message from the PR 5.News from your National AJET Rep 6.Life after the B.O.E.6.J-Word Play 7.Travel: Tottori10.The Airport Problem

    12.English Sensei Spirit

    14.Kicchiri Kitchen: Temari Zushi

    15.Maigo in Hyogo

    16.I Heart T-points: Tajomaru

    18.Better know a ken: Ibarrrrragi!

    20.Ramentary: Koshien Ramen

    21.English Corner

    24.Getting to Know Random JETs

    28.June Calendar

    Features22.Tourism in todays Japan

    26.Plum rain

    .........................

    Hello!

    The Write for Tohoku e-book, a collection of nonfiction short stories about Japan,is now published and ready for purchase! All proceeds go to Japan Red Cross.Alon Adika, a Kobe JET alum (2006-2009) is among the JETs and JET alumniincluded in the work. Go to http://fortohoku.org to download a copy!

    Amanohashidate

    10

    22

    26

    3

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    Message from the Online Editor

    Dear Hyogo,Do you have a digital camera? Do you havesome awesome photos youd like to show off?The Hyogo Times has a groundbreaking new

    online photo pool, and youre welcome tocontribute! Yes, this is the first public photo

    group dedicated to Hyogo Prefecture on theinternet! Anyone can contribute as many

    photos as theyd like, and eventually we maystart using them on the website or in the

    publication. As long as the photo was taken

    in Hyogo (and its appropriate) you are welcometo add it. Heres the URL:http://flic.kr/g/fvTLh

    I know you can all find at least 15 minutesof free time somewhere. Pick out a few of

    your best photos and upload them to the site.

    Even just a few added photos would makea big difference!

    Jonathan

    I wanted to let everyone know that Hyogo AJEThas been going through some changes. Andrewand David will be leaving their PR posts, but Illbe sticking around, and as of April will be joinedby Kelly Zuniga, Sifton Anipare, Nicholas Chan,

    John Buckner, and Chinyere (Chi-Chi) Okoli.Im definitely excited to have gotten such a bigresponse from some very promising people, andwe all have high hopes for the coming year! Ourmain theme for the year seems to be unity, aswe hope not only to have more events that drawpeople from all over the prefecture, but we hope

    to get those pesky Kobe JETs out for some Hyogoevents, and at some point wed like to assistNational AJET with block events.

    Please remember, we arealways looking for eventideas, so feel free to send usan email [email protected].

    Our big events coming upinclude the Farewell Party, scheduled for June 17,and the Welcome Party on August 20. There willalso be some beach parties, hikes, and probablya few smaller events sneaking in there as well,so keep an eye on Facebook, the Hyogo Timescalendar, and the Yahoo mailing list for invites.

    Cheers,

    Sarah Lewis

    AJET News

    The group is on Flickr so you will need

    an account to join (theyre free, and easy!).

    Message from the PR

    Hellox2!

    5

    News from your National AJET Rep!

    Hello again, Hyogo JETs!

    Enjoying the soon-to-be-smoldering weather?I only have a few very briefannouncements this month.Brief but important, so dontstart scrolling or clickingsomewhere else just yet...

    Yeah, I saw that.

    Officially as of June 15, MiriamRollason will be taking over thislittle chunk of Hyogo Times asthe new Block 6 Representative

    for National AJET, and I will berelocating to the Hyogo AJET

    team. Please support her inevery which way you can I know shell make a greatrep!and

    to you all!

    Speaking of representin,Valentines Day block partywas such a success that OsakaAJET has decided to make it

    a continuing habit, and theyhave graciously opened up theirexclusive sayonara formal to therest of us in Kansai the best

    part is, the party is already setin Kobe so we dont have towork nearly as hard to get

    there! Lets hear it for thetwo best words in the Englishlanguage: de-fault!

    Block 6 & Block 7 National AJETSayonara Formal/Farewell Party

    @ the Portopia Hotel in Kobe:

    CLUB Keynoteswww.portopia.co.jp/en/index.html

    Saturday June 256:30-7:00 Check-In

    7:00pm 9:00pmDinner Buffet and

    All-You-Can Drink Bar

    Featuring: Dancing,Bingo, Karaoke, Prizes,and Performances

    (before June 4) Pre-PaidTicket/Attending on theFacebook event: 6,500

    (after June 4) Pre-Paid Ticket/

    Attending on the Facebook

    event: 7,000

    Door Price: 7,500

    Dress Attire: Business to Formal

    There are already plans in theworks for an after-party, so ifyou cant make it to the upscalegala event, please consider theensuing mayhem that will flow

    into the streets of Sannomiyaonce the party wraps up. Youll besad you missed it (just like thosewho missed the last party!). RSVPon Facebook (www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=179546815427264 ),

    or by e-mail to Osaka AJET([email protected]), or me and/orMiriam at [email protected] . Saveyourself a bit of yen and signup asap!

    Finally, speaking of the HyogoAJET team, we humbly requestyour help this upcoming year.Our team will be bigger and(our aim is to be) better than

    ever, but we cant do it withoutyour input. This year we reallywant to branch out of our littleniches and see more of whatour ken has to offer, but beingan awfully big ken its difficultto know what that is all by our

    onesies. Thats where you comein. If you know or youre curiousabout upcoming events, festivalsand overall good times that areor are not happening in yourarea by all means, tell us! Your

    input will be even more essentialover the summer when ouradorable new baby JETs arrive please, think of the children.Wont someone please thinkof the children? Anyhoo, hitus up with all your knowledge

    and intel, anytime, any PLACE.Bring it, just bring it on!

    This is your friendly neighbourhoodBlock Rep signing off, and your

    new chariot-riding Hyogo AJETrep signing on... or vice versa...whatever, Im not picky,

    Sifton ^___

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    []

    Life After the B.O.E........

    Tottori.................................

    Travel Japan!Hehe...

    Paul SchublesJ-word play

    A new car is new model.So what model is an old car?

    Answer:

    (the sound of rattling/clattering)

    While can mean type or

    model (yes, as in that shingatainfluenza), a double is thesound of something rattling,like an old car.

    By David Namisato

    David Namisato is an illustratorin Toronto, Canada, and a formerCIR (Ajigasawa-machi, Aomori-ken,2002-04).

    Davids recent projects includechildrens picture book, Fly CatcherBoy written by Rebecca Kool andpublished by Gumboot Books,Gabe and Allie in Race Through

    Time, a time travelling Canadianhistory comic appearing in Kayak:Canadas History Magazine forKids, illustratingArchie charactersfor trading card company 5finityProductions, and of course themonthly Life After the B.O.E. comic.

    www.lifeaftertheboe.com

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    8 hyogo times june 2011

    Tottori, Tottori-ken

    TravelJapan!

    Tottori is situated on the seaof Japan, with the Sendai riverrunning through it. Japanslargest sand dunes stretch 16kmalong the coast of Tottori-ken,and they are the main

    sightseeing destination.

    I have visited Tottori City twicenow in spring and in winter.It was lovely in both seasons,but with summer coming soon

    I would definitely considervisiting again as the beacheslook amazing. Near the dunesyou can go swimming, andfurther up the coast is goodfor surfing too.

    There is a lift at the sand dunesfor 200 each way, but you will

    still need to walk up the sanddunes, it is really just a novelty.It doesnt take long to hike up,and the views are definitely

    worth it. For a moment youmay think you are in anothercountry, as there are camels atthe sand dunes! You can ride acamel for 1,800, or 3,000 fortwo people. To have your photo

    taken with the camel is 500.There is also a horse carriage

    ride which costs 1,000 perperson for a 15 minute roundtrip along the dunes. From

    April 19th to November 30thyou can do sand boarding atthe dunes. There are manysouvenir stores around the

    area, and it can feel a littletouristy, but once you areat the top of the dunes itis just natural scenery allaround you.

    We stayed at Yanagijayafree campsite which hada nice kitchen area, cleantoilets, and areas to havecamp fires. At night we went

    into town to enjoy the onsen.Tottori is known for its hot

    springs. Tottori Hot Spring isjust five minutes from Tottoristation, but there are manyothers in Tottori and thesurrounding areas.

    One of the best parts oftravelling for me is trying thelocal foods. Tottori is knownfor crab (winter), mushrooms,shallots, beef, and pears (late

    summer/early autumn). Pearsoft-cream has a very mildtaste, but is delicious. NearTottori port there are seafoodmarkets, and we also foundsome nice restaurants withvery fresh seafood for lunch.

    Where to stayWe stayed at YanagijayaCampground ()which is a free campsite rightnext to Kids Land (Kodomo no kuni). From Tottori

    Station it is about 20 minutesby bus. It is west of the sanddunes and is a lovely shadycampground with toiletsand kitchen area.0857-20-3227

    www.oreraryu.com/field/

    yanagijaya.html

    9

    Next to the campground is

    the Tottori-shi cycling terminal.It is a guesthouse as well asproviding information aboutcycling in Tottori. Rooms arepriced from 3,000 a night.0857-29-0800

    There is a Toyoko Inn in Tottoricalled Tottori-eki Minami-guchiwhich is priced from 5,000a night for a single room

    with breakfast.www.toyoko-inn.com/eng

    Oasis Minshuku () is

    just five minutes from the sanddunes. Rooms are priced from

    4,000. Breakfast is 500 anddinner is 2,500.0857-23-0227

    Ladies Inn Tottori (

    ) is for women only and roomsrange from 4,500 5,300.0857-23-8161

    Wel City Tottori ()is a business hotel with Western-style rooms from 4,500. Dinneris available from 1,000.

    0857-22-8100

    Getting thereWe drove a car to Tottori City

    which takes about 2 hoursfrom Himeji.

    By train it can take

    two hours from Himeji(with a few changes)and it costs 4,200each way. There isalso a direct train from

    Himeji which costs 4,600and only takes 1 hours.

    Other InformationTottori information centreat JR Tottori station is veryhelpful, and they can helpyou to arrange accommodation

    or suggest sightseeing.

    0857-22-3318

    Sand boarding is 2,500 fora 2 hour lesson and rental.Sand boarding season is

    April 19thNovember 30th.Reservations are required.0857-23-1749

    Lauren McRae

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    The Airport Problem

    Boasting one of the worlds

    most extensive and modernrailway systems, Japan is notfrequently seen as a major airhub, but in fact the archipelagonation is host to around

    100 airports. Hyogo JETs arefortunate to enjoy a wide rangeof convenient air travel options.Three domestic airports (Itami,Kobe, Tajima) are locatedentirely or partially inside

    of Hyogo, with internationalflights to Asia, Europe andNorth America, and the MiddleEast flying out of KansaiInternational Airport.

    When the construction ofKansai was completed, allinternational flights were movedfrom Itami, which then becamea domestic only airport. Despitethe lack of international flights,Itami has remained a popular

    airport due to its close proximityto Kobe-Kyoto-Osaka and thewide range of Japanese cities itflies to. Kobe airport was built as

    a rival to Itami, and though itsdestinations are comparativelylimited, it offers service to

    major destinations like Okinawa(Naha), Tokyo-Haneda, andSapporo (New Chitose). Thediscount Japanese airlineSkymark is currently planningto begin long haul international

    routes, and may introduce aKobe-Narita route to coincide.Drivers who leave their car atKobe Airport and take the bayshuttle to Kansai Internationalreceive free parking. Even thoseliving in rural northern Hyogo

    can enjoy the benefits of fast,cheap air travel. A very quickcommuter flight from TajimaAirport to Itami and a transfer

    can have you in downtownTokyo in about three hours.

    The benefits, however, do notcome without problems orcontroversies. Many questionedthe wisdom of building KobeAirport when Itami alreadyexisted, but now that it is built,

    the argument has turned towhether or not Itami shouldremain. Located in a denseresidential area and subject tostrict operating time restrictionsto limit noise pollution,

    expansion of Itami is almostimpossible. Rail access to theairport is limited to the Osakamonorail which only runs tothe northern suburbs. Osakasgovernor, Toru Hashimoto,has vigorously argued that

    Itami should be closed andits domestic flights moved toKansai and Kobe.

    The issues in Kansai arereflected throughout all of

    Japan in what has been calledthe airport problem ().With a tepid economy and aglut of transportation options,can Japan really afford all ofthese airports? Even when theeconomics make sense, limited

    space, operating restrictions,and heavy competition fromcompeting air hubs

    in neighboring countries all

    make maximizing the potentialvery challenging.

    The most famous airportproblem is Narita Airport,Japans leading internationalairport. As the Japaneseeconomy was approaching itsboom in the 1970s, the strainon Tokyo Haneda airport was

    evident, and with no feasibleoptions for expansion, thedecision was made to build anew airport. Planners eventuallysettled on rural Narita city, an

    hour away from central Tokyo.Local resistance to the airport

    was fierce, marked by severalarmed skirmishes with policeand some deaths. To avoid arepeat of that chaos, futureairports such as Kansai wereconstructed on artificially built

    islands away from land. Thoughthis solved the space issue, it didnot relieve the access problem,as the airports are still locatedsome distance away from themajor metropolitan centers.

    Service has also been aheadache. Long plagued bycomplaints about the traveltime between Narita and Tokyo,regulators finally relentedand allowed Haneda airport

    to offer limited internationalservice again last year. At the

    same time, a renovated Ibaraki

    Airport began offering serviceto some international anddomestic locations. With suchan array of airports in the Tokyoregion there is concern thatthe spreading out of service

    will dilute Japans air hubcapabilities to such an extentthat Seouls Incheon Airportwill establish an overwhelmingposition as the major air hubin East Asia. For many airtravelers in Japan, it is already

    cheaper and quicker to makean international connection atIncheon rather than at Hanedaor Narita.

    Airlines in Japan are also

    saddled with mounting troubles.The two major network carriers,Japan Airlines (JAL) and AllJapan Airlines (ANA), have beenhit hard by fuel price increasesand competition from low costcarriers. JAL, once the national

    carrier of Japan, was forced toslash routes, lay off employees,and seek government assistanceto avoid financial collapse. ANA

    has responded to the increasedcompetition by getting into the

    act with plans to establish itsown low cost airline.

    Innovation is coming intechnology as well. ANA willtake the first delivery in 2011

    of Boeings new long range 787

    Dreamliner, constructed ofcomposite materials designed

    to reduce fuel consumption.Skymark will be the firstJapanese customer of the hugeAirbus A380, capable of haulingover 500 people. Not to beoutdone, Japans rail systemmay take a huge leap forward

    if the long planned ChuuouShinkansen a one hour linearmotor shinkansen betweenTokyo and Osaka is realized.Add to this the plan to makeJapans expressways toll free

    and it becomes evident thatcompetition in the Japanesetransportation industry willremain fierce.

    Regardless of the outcomeof that struggle, Japan will

    be forced to reexamine howit approaches transportationinfrastructure development andwhat models will be essentialfor success in the future.Perhaps more difficult than

    deciding what should be builtis determining what ought to

    be done with what has alreadybeen built. The airport problemlooks to be a puzzle that willperplex well into this decadeand beyond.

    Colin Fukai

    Callinall politicos

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    12 hyogo timesjune 2011

    The cards used or this

    activity can be downloaded

    directly rom the Hyogo Timeswebsite. Go check!

    A while back, one of my

    elementary schools requestedthat I read some English picturebooks to my sixth graders.So I ran to the nearestJunkudo(an hour away) and picked upthe three most interesting (but

    still simple) I could find fromtheir small selection. I wassurprised how well it went over,considering that this was oneof my more difficult classesthat didnt really seem to have

    a lot of confidence or interestin English. So I started alwaysbringing the books with me

    as sort of break glass in caseof emergency tool. They provedto be especially useful in myyounger classes when I had

    extra time because otheractivities went shorter thanexpected. The reception waseven better than with my sixthgraders little kids love picturesbooks regardless of what

    language theyre in. The bookswere probably even more excitingbecause they were in English.

    It came time to teach animals

    to my first and second gradersat the same elementary school.

    One of the books I had happenedto pick up was From Head toToe by Eric Carl (a classic formany of you, Im sure). Thebook introduces twelve or soanimals and gestures commonly

    associated to them in simple

    English. So I thought to myself,Hey, why not use this book as a

    jumping off point for the animallesson? What was a spur of the

    moment idea turned into a three

    lesson mini unit that was reallyfun for the kids and got them

    to remember the names of theanimals in the book really well.

    The lessons go as follows

    (please note that each lessonwas actually only about fifteenor twenty minutes out of theclass period).

    Lesson OneFor the first lesson I read thebook twice. The first time the

    kids just listen. The secondtime I have the kids do the

    gestures as written in the bookafter each page cat archesits back, gorilla thumps its

    chest, etc. (be careful on thedonkey page! I usually justhave the kids do a small one

    foot kick, but some kids mayactually try to stand on their

    hands and kick as pictured somake sure they dont accidentlyhit anyone). Each page endswith I can do it! I can do it!,

    which I try to have the kidsrepeat as theyre doing thegestures (though some kids

    will just say it on their own super cute!).

    After we finish with the book,I use flashcards and drill thekids on the animal names andgestures. Since its all still newat the point they may need quitea bit of repetition, especially

    with the more unusual animals:buffalo, camel, crocodile, parrot(the parrot doesnt actually havea gesture in the book so its yourchoice if you want to include himor not. When I did, I used an arm

    flapping motion). After enoughdrilling, we play a simple gesturegame. First I do the gestures

    and the kids have to guess whatanimal I am. Then I call outan animal and the kids haveto do the correct gesture.

    Lesson TwoIn this lesson we review and

    consolidate what we did inthe first. I read the book forreview, but only once, and I havestudents do the gestures asI read. Afterwards we drill theanimals again with flashcards

    and gestures. They should be

    starting to get the hang of themnow, but make sure to work onthe ones they have trouble with.We ran out of time this lessondue to other activities so wefinished with a quick round

    of the gesture game for practice.

    Lesson ThreeThis was the grand finale.We drilled the animals withflashcards and gestures onemore time, though this timeI asked students, What animaldo you like? because we hadalso been working on that aswell (but with fruit). By thistime, the kids have all theanimals and gestures down(the HRT and I were so proudof them!) so we played theMysterious Animals gamefrom Englipedia. The kids have

    a secret animal card on theirback and have to guess whatit is by having another studentperform the right gesture forthem. If they get it right theywould come to me or the HRT,say the animal name, and thenget a new card. There are sets ofcards on Englipedia, but since Iused From Head to Toe, I made myown set using clip art I foundon Google. I laminated thecards (since the little ones havea habit of destroying things),punched a hole in each one,

    and then tied a string throughit so I could easily put it overthe kids heads. The kids hada ton of fun! The only problemwas, the kids were so good at theanimal names and gestures thatthe HRT and I had our handsfull giving the kids new cardsso they could keep playing!

    Points to be carefulof and resourcesSome of the animals in

    the book are a little unusual

    (Im pretty sure Japan doesnt

    have anything like a buffalo)

    so check with your HRT if

    its ok to just stick with the

    ones in the book. Ive never

    seen anything saying you

    should teach these animals

    and not those, but better

    safe than sorry!

    Many large bookstore

    chains such as Junkudo and

    Kinokuniya carry some English

    picture books, but they are a

    little expensive (From Head to

    Toe cost between 1,100 and

    1,300). However, if you are OK

    with online shopping, Amazon

    Japan (amazon.co.jp) carries

    From Head to Toe cost for only

    about 600 (wish I had known

    this)! Whats also great about

    Amazon Japan is that domestic

    shipping is free, you can pay

    at your local conbini, and the

    site can be viewed in English!

    Detailed instructions for

    Mysterious Animals can

    be found on Englipedia here:

    http://jhsenglipediaproject.com/

    esp_game_mysteriousanimals

    Emily Love

    Picture Books!

    EnglishSensei Spirit

    EnglishSensei Spirit

    13

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    []Maigo

    in Hyogo

    MaigoinHyogoLastmonthsMaigoin Hyogo was TakarazukaGrand

    Theatre...But,wheres this?

    15

    Temari Zushi (sushiballs) are easy to make, look great,and taste delicious. Just chooseyour favourite toppings.

    Sashimi () is filleted fish

    that you can find in the seafoodsection of the supermarket. Mostfish can be eaten raw, so thereare many types of sashimi, withthe most popular ones beingtuna and salmon. Sashimi can

    be already thinly sliced or youcan do this yourself at home.Scallops, octopus and squid canalso be thinly sliced and be usedin this recipe.

    Ingredients2 cups rice

    1 tablespoon sake

    5cm x 5cm piece of kelp (konbu)

    4 tablespoons vinegar (su)1 tablespoons sugar (satou)

    1 teaspoon salt (shio)

    Various toppings

    tuna (maguro), flathead(hirame), seabream (tai), scallop(hotategai), yellowtail (hamachi),smoked salmon, shiso leaf,wasabi, sweet and sour ginger(syoga no amazuzuke) (light

    pink flat pieces of ginger)

    Step One

    Wash the rice, drain it and set itaside for 3060 minutes beforecooking it.

    Step Two

    Put the rice (plus normal

    amount of water for two cupsof rice), sake and kelp in therice cooker.

    Step Three

    Once cooked put the rice ina large bowl, mix the vinegar,

    sugar and salt in a separatebowl, sprinkle it over the ricewhile cutting it with a rice

    paddle, dont stir or flip it.

    Step Four

    Roll the rice into the sizeof a table tennis ball.

    Step Five

    Put a square of plastic wrapon your hand, put a piece ofseafood, wasabi and shiso leaf(optional) on the plastic wrap.

    Step Six

    Put a rice ball on top and twist

    the plastic, then untwist it.

    Step Seven

    Serve with extra wasabi, soysauce and ginger.

    Lauren McRae

    Basic Risotto

    Temari Zushi

    14 hyogo times june 2011

    KicchiriKitchen

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    Tajomaru

    The kendo club at my

    school was, historically,rather disappointing,despite the majority of ourstudent body coming froma middle school with a veryrespectable team. For the pasttwo years, they have only hadabout three active members,and the student with thestrongest swordsmanship,who competed at the nationallevel in junior high school,gave up competing in favorof managing the club (whichmostly consists of passing out

    cold beverages). Even threeyears ago, however, when theclub had nearly ten members,practice consisted of peepinginto the girls changing roomwith binoculars for thirtyminutes, then going home.Imagine my surprise, then,when amongst the new batchof freshman was someonewho takes the sport seriouslyenough to bring her shinai(kendo sword) into TSUTAYAwith her en route for home.

    I bumped into this studentin thejidaigeki (periodfilm) section and thereforeimmediately asked her fora recommendation.Jidaigekifilms are typically set in theEdo Period and usually

    incorporate samurai and

    swordplay to some extent.This student was literallycarrying around a sword,albeit wooden, in a videostore while browsing throughmovies about ninja andsamurai; who better to askfor a recommendation?

    The answer, in short, isanybody but a fifteen-year-old girl. She was torn betweensuggesting Goemon, about thelegendary Japanese banditwho stole from the rich and

    gave to poor in true RobinHood fashion, and Tajomaru,the untold story of the banditfrom the famous short storyIn a Grove. According to thestudent, Goemon overusesspecial effects and, therefore,the fight scenes and storylinein Tajomaru would bemuch more interesting.I hate to slander my poorstudent, especially since itis rare to meet a Japaneseperson genuinely interestedin domestically produced

    films, but ultimately I wasunimpressed with Tajomaru(Nakano Hiroyuki, 2009).However, I think the issuegoes deeper than this filmin particular.

    Compared with other films

    taking place during the EdoPeriod, Tajomaru is, as faras I am concerned, apop

    jidaigeki. Kurosawa Akira, forexample, was famous formaking period dramas, andof particular note are thosestarring Mifune Toshir.His Rashmon won theprestigious Golden Lion atthe Venice Film Festival in1951, a first for Japan. SevenSamurai is considered oneof the greatest films of alltime, and without Hidden

    Fortress, every Star Warswould have been as bad asThe Phantom Menace. Thesefilms were, perhaps due tothe filmmaking technologiesavailable at the time, grittyand realistic.

    Viewing a Kurosawa film is

    akin to being transportedback in time; that time alsobeing an age where Japanesemen (potrayed by Mifune)grew moustaches (potrayedby Mifunes moustache)strong enough to hold swordson their own. Tajomaru, onthe other hand, is litteredwith some very prettyactors that look as if theyshave between takes; theirfaces might just as soon befound on an advertisementfor a host club. This is not

    an overstatement; whena nobleman who kills thebandit Tajomaru usurpshis name, sword and joinsa group of theives, theyimmediately give him amakeover. Apparently, beinginitiated into a maraudinggang of bandits is equivalentto attending a junior highschool slumber party.

    Did I mention that afterthe makeover, the soundtrackswitches to guitar solo

    compliments of the musicalstylings of Jet? Up until thispoint in the film, Tajomaruis a serious effort by directorNakano Hiroyuki. In spite ofthe absurd-from-the-get-goprettyboy cast and likewise

    too-much-like-a-soundstage-

    to-believable sets,Tajomaruaddresses serious issues inthe upper classes. However,that all goes out the windowwhen the new Tajomarudecides to go on a montagerampage of theivery setto modern rock.

    You would think, perhaps,that a film this ridiculouswould at least have someover-the-top violence. Inthe seventies, films suchas Lady Snowblood pioneered

    the blood shower; the ideathat getting sliced with asword or, if you were unlucky,having an entire limb cutoff would result in aninstantaneous monsoon ofblood. Typically, this woulddrench the attacker a la KillBill (which is actually basedon Lady Snowblood). Remember,though, that Jet is merelyrock, not heavy metal, andblood is unbecoming on veryfashionable bandits. Thus,the number of times Tajomaru

    shows blood on a humanbeing that has been cut down,as opposed to merely on theblade that did the cutting,is once, and that characterhad to show his blood bydefault; he was wearing

    his kimono open in orderto display his shaved chest.

    In conclusion, Tajomarunever decides what kindofjidaigeki it wants to be.It is too stylized and elegantto be realistic and too sillyto be taken seriously. Itsonly appeal is as a pop periodpiece; one that appeals toa young female audiencethat can swoon over thepretty costumes andmetrosexual men. There

    are modernjidaigeki thatare good films, however.Castle Under Fiery Skiesportrays the plight ofcraftsmen, as opposed tosamurai, in a serious mannerthat successfully createsa compelling drama. KamuiGaiden, at the other extreme,uses CGI extensively, yetcarefully retains the raw,realistic feel of a Kurosawaperiod film throughcostuming, set designand other techniques.

    Give those a try; leaveTajomaru on the shelf.

    Thanks for watching(something else)!

    J J Cappa

    1716 hyogo times june 2011

    I HeartT-points

    I HeartT-Points

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    In Ibaraki, my home for the last 9 months, its both common

    and fun to say the prefecturesname with a long, rolling rwhile switching the k for theg: Ibarrrragi! Despite the

    energetic name, many peoplemay not know much aboutIbaraki-ken. However, they

    might know our prefecturesmascot, Mito Komon. Otherthan our being our cute, beardedprefectural cartoon character,he is a local historical figureand the star of the longest

    running Japanese drama of thesame name. His popularity putsIbaraki, a prefecture North-Eastof Tokyo, on the map for many.

    The beloved Mito Komon is a

    character based on TokugawaMitsukuni, the 2nd Daimyo ofMito (our capital city) in the Edoera. This egalitarian leader livedin a manner similar to that ofhis people choosing a smallcottage in the woods instead of

    a luxurious castle. He workedhis own rice paddy and even paid

    taxes like the local farmers. Inhis television drama, a disguisedMito Komon travels with twosamurai side-kicks, seeking outinjustice and fighting corruptionthroughout Japan.

    In his honor, Mito hosts a MitoKomon festival every summer.The festival includes a paradefilled with dancing, elaboratefloats, and good food. A Mito

    Komon makes an appearance,sporting his typical yellow hatand purple vest and thin, whitebeard. One of the first thingsI did as jet-lagged ALT was dancedown the streets of Mito in theMito Komon parade. Dressed

    in red and blue yukata, wenewly-arrived gaijin were taught

    traditional Japanese dances.We were sweaty, unpracticed,uncoordinated, but happy,especially during the numerous

    beer breaks.

    A snow of pink, white, and redpetals can be seen floating fromKairakuen Park in Mito. It isone of the three most beautiful

    gardens in Japan, and it hasmore than 3 thousand typesof plum trees. The blossoms are

    celebrated during the Mito PlumFestival held Febuary 20th toMarch 31st. At Kairakuen, you

    can take a boat ride on MitosSemba lake, feed the slightlyscary black swans, or just lieunder the cherry trees during

    hanami. You may be able toglimpse the Mito Art Towerabove the cherry trees. Thistwisted, geometric landmarkis an icon for the city. Ridingan elevator to the top of the

    art tower and gazing over ourcapital is now, unfortunately,impossible, as the tower wasstructurally damaged during theTohoku earthquake. Despite the

    damage, it still stands, definingour skyline.

    There is a Mito Komonstatute covered in giantChrysanthemums in the smalltown of Kasama. The town hasa Chrysanthemum festival from

    October till November,

    where you can see our

    mascot in full bloom along

    with chrysanthemums the sizeof dinner plates. The festival

    is based around one of the

    three largest Inari shines in

    Japan. Kasama is also famous

    for pottery, so you can goshopping for some locally-made

    artwork or try your own hand

    at the craft in one of the many

    pottery studios.

    In Ibarakis Ushiku, you can view

    the world from inside the headof a Buddha. This bronze Buddha

    is the tallest standing Buddha

    in Japan. An elevator will take

    you up 120 meters. You can

    over-look the flower gardensand a nearby animal park.

    Ku be! is Lets eat! in Ibaraki-ben.

    While at the Mito Komon festival

    or anytime during your Ibaraki

    sightseeing, you can sample

    our famous food. Ibaraki isknown for its tender Hitachi

    beef, green-colored Hitachi

    Aki soba, and melons - we are

    the largest melon producer inJapan. Also, the Okukuji area

    is famous for apples. You can

    try a delicious, fresh apple or

    soak with then in a ringo-buro

    (apple-filled) onsen. Addingapples to the hot volcanic water

    is supposed to give you a good

    dose of vitamins, although it

    may give you the feeling of

    soaking in warm apple cider.

    The infamous natto is Ibarakisstringy, stinky specialty. Whether

    you love natto or hate it, Isuggest you give it a try if youare in Ibaraki. You never know.You might find that you like it.If not, well, just say, Shanme! (Itcant be helped! in Ibaraki-ben).

    Nothing is more satisfying thanslurping ramen in a revolvingrestaurant on top of our Mt.Tsukuba after a challenging

    climb. The mountain is thesubject many local legends.According to folklore, a deitycame from the heavens and

    asked Mt. Fuji and Mt. Tsukubafor shelter. Mt. Fuji, in its prideand arrogance, did not think it

    needed the gods blessing, soit refused. Mt. Tsukuba, on theother hand, welcomed the god,and in return, the god blessedthe mountain. So today, Mt. Fujiis a barren mountain, and Mt.Tsukuba is a mountain full of

    life. Beautiful forests of cypresstrees and red pines cover ourpurple mountain.

    The revolving ramen restaurant is

    between the peaks of Mt. Nantaiin the West at 871 meters highand Mt. Nyotoi in the East at

    877 meters high. It was oncesaid that the two peaks, ashusband and wife, gave birthto gods or even Japan itself.They were worshiped in religiousceremonies. Now from the

    mythical origin of Japan, overyour bowl of ramen, you can

    view the entire city of Tsukubafrom the sacred peaks. From thetop, you can catch glimpses of

    nearby Tokyo, or even see all theway to Mt. Fuji. From Octoberto February you can take a cablecar up the mountain for a StarDusk Cruise. You can walkaround the mountain and takein the night sky high above the

    lights of Tsukuba city.

    There is a saying about travel,Abroad to see wonders thetraveler goes and neglects the

    fine things which lie under hisnose. Often the best placesto experience the real Japanare those far from the treks oftourists and crowds with hoistedcameras. So, if you are readyto see off-tour Japan, stop bySemba lake or dance in the Mito

    Komon Festival with a beer inhand. Who knows what finethings you will discover?

    Susan ThomasSHS ALT

    Ibaraki or Ibarrrrragi!

    Betterknow a ken

    1918 hyogo times june 2011

    Betterknow a ken

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    Chip Boles

    21

    Koshien Ramen!

    Fure, fure, fure, fure!(thats hooray in Japanese)Like so many other Hyogo(and Osaka, and Kyoto, and

    even SHIGA I hear) JETs,I was dismayed when thehuge behemoth of an eventthat was the Tigers baseballgame was canceled due torain last month. Seriously

    crushed. While I wasnt oneof the people shelling outfor shinkansen tickets, it wasa good long drive down before

    Mother Nature eventuallyspoiled everything.

    Nevertheless, we pressedon. From being down in thedumps, chugging beers infront of Koshien Stadium,we decided to enjoy the dayas best we could. While enjoy

    would come to include theconsumption of massiveamounts of food and drinkof all kinds, we started withan economical and convenientchoice: Koshien Ramen.

    Located within the shadowsof the overpass that seems tograze the side of the stadiumitself, Koshien Ramen is amere hop and step from thegates of the hallowed Tigers

    playground. The rain whichhad caused the game to be

    cancelled also ensured that

    customers werent floodinginto this place. Dressed in ourTigers best, and looking a bitworse for wet wear, we werelooked upon sympatheticallyby the Hanshin-themed

    restaurants owners. A roundof beers and each face lookeda bit brighter. Orders ofgyozaand ramen were placed

    and spirits were lif ted. Theowner took the time to showus signed memorabilia hed

    collected from over the years,even letting yours truly takea couple of (very careful)hacks in the restaurant.

    The ramen was great. Thegyoza was great. The beer wasgreat. And while I wont denythat much of my newfoundfondness for this humbleramenya is based on anythingBUT the taste of their offerings,

    make no mistake, its prettydarn good.

    The moral of the story here isif you have a chance to get toa Tigers game, do it. If you havea little bit of time before that

    game to eat some ramen, doit at Koshien Ramen. Its WAY

    better than the slop theyattempt to pass of as ramen

    inside the stadium. And ifyou see a chubby Asian guywearing a Kanemoto j ersey,well, it might be me, but hell,theres a ton of those kinds ofguys in the area on game days.

    Andrew Tamashiro

    Ramentary

    ............................

    Engrishcorner

    21

    ??????????

    Got Engrish that deserves to be shared? Send it to Hyogo Times and it mightbe featured in the next issue!

    In light of the recent Rapture talk... ^^Photo taken by Emily Lemmon at the Sapporo Beer Factory in Hokkaido.

    Participate!Hyogo Times is currently looking for writersto contribute to the following sections:

    Love & Relationships Book discoveries

    Restaurant Review

    ... and many more!

    Contact us today [email protected]

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    22 hyogo times june 2011

    in the Beppu Hot Springsarea alone received 33,000cancellations. Touhoku andKanto regions suffered 390,000

    cancellations, while another170,000 were reported in otherareas of Japan. In March of2010, 706, 684 internationalvisitors came to Japan, andonly 50% of that number(352,800) came this year.While cancellations inTouhoku and the Kantouregions are understandableand for Touhoku most probablywise (I myself, fly into actionat the slight bumping of a desk,let alone level 6 aftershocks),its time people understood

    the real and current situation.

    Misinformation in themedia has damaged peoplesconfidence in tourism ingreater Japan, when it isonly a small percentageof the country that has

    been shut down to tourism.All major power outages inthe Kantou region stoppedwell back at the end of March,and the beginning of GoldenWeek also saw the restoration

    of the Tohoku Shinkansen Line.On the international front,

    JNTO (Japan National TourismOrganisation) branches aroundthe globe are scramblingto repair the damage doneto Japans reputation asa tourism destination.

    British and AustralianGovernments are advisingthat nationals stay clearof the Fukushima plantsat a 60 and 80km radiusrespectively. Obviously

    these warnings are on theconservative side, consideringthe Japanese national warningstands at 30km. The Australiangovernment goes into furtherdetail, advising people not

    to travel to Ibaraki, Tochigi,

    Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima

    prefectures, unless your

    presence there is essential,due to limitations on essential

    services, infrastructure damage,

    and ongoing concern about

    the status of the Fukushima

    Nuclear Power Plant. However

    Aomori, also in the north,

    is open for business, and itsfamed Nebuta festival, with

    its giant hand crafted figures,is just around the corner!(August 2nd to 4th).

    Summer holidays are almostupon us, and exam week is

    even closer. It is not onlyour duty, but our job to enjoyall our paid leave and injectsome money into the tourismindustry, and thus Japan.Get people back homeon board too. International

    visitors spend more moneyand stay longer, injectingfurther funds into the nowflailing i ndustry.

    So when you travel around

    Japan in the coming months,spoil yourself, youll only

    be helping Japan too.

    Jessica Grigg

    Feature

    Tourism in todays Japan

    A great credit to allAssistant Language Teachers

    I know, we maned up. Manyof us also found avenues todonate toiletries, stationary,second-hand clothes and the

    like. Now, there is anotherway we can all help, and

    its all in the name of fun.

    Self restraint (or jishuku) isunderway in a big way. Asexplained in the New YorkTimes,jishuku is voluntaryself restraint, which has been

    seen by the greater Japanesepublic as the correct code ofbehaviour for Post-Tsunami

    Japan. While many perished,others are displaced, and willbe for some time. Japan called

    for power conservation toalleviate the struggling powergrid, which turned into thesacrifice of all non-essentialluxury items and activities.Those who are seen to beliving frivolously (especially

    those in Kantou and Tohoku

    regions) are inviting socialcondemnation.Jishuku isalso responsible for our mostbeloved phallus being kept

    under wraps at this years

    Dankon Matsuri in Kawasaki.

    That pesky old lawthat requires dancingestablishments to havelicensing for events after

    1am (a costly and difficultprocess) that was largelyignored by officials in thepast, has now become strictlyenforced. Highways that werenotoriously congested during

    Golden Weeks of the past werecomparatively easy to passthis year. Sunday afternoon

    at Osaka Aquarium hasbecome a stroll in the park,rather than the normal chaoticfight for a good vantage point.

    This is what has promptedme to write this article.

    As a tourism advocate,I feel that it is my dutyto spread the word. If you

    needed an incentive totravel, well, here it is.

    Get travelling, the JapaneseTourism Industry needs you!

    Akasaka district has becomeeerily deserted. The visitorsinformation centre normallysees 3,000 people per day,but numbers have droppeddramatically to 500-600 people

    daily. An employee at thevisitors centre said that in allher 20 years of working there,

    they had never before had sofew visitors.

    Just so you can get ideaof what kind of numberswe are looking at, betweenMarch 11 and the end ofMarch, accommodation

    23

    Feature

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    JessicaGrigg

    Getting to Know Random JETs

    Emily LoveI like: music, traveling, nerdystuff, coffee, chocolate

    But I dont like: mukade, thejingles they play at MaxValuwhile youre shopping, squid

    I can: do a mean impressionof Gackt at karaoke

    But I cant: actually sing

    I have: home-made fudge in myfridge. Right now. You jealous?

    I want: silver high-tops, a cat,to learn how to dance

    More DetailsSchool and Location in Hyogo:Yamasaki East JHS, Shiso-shi

    Birthday: January 14th

    Born and raised: Illinois

    University and Degree:University of Pittsburgh,Bachelor in Japanese Languageand Culture with a minor inStudio Arts and some Globaland Asian Studies Certificates

    Other jobs that you have had:Just part times ones this ismy first real job

    Travels since becoming a JET:Only old and new haunts in Japan

    Travels before becoming a JET: Spain

    Hobbies: listening to music, goingto the city? I do live in the inaka...,playing shamisen (though Imreally bad about practicing),collecting paraphernalia forwhatever I happen to be into

    Staying another year? Yep

    FavoritesFood: Italian is pretty awesome.Sushi and okonomiyaki are prettyswell to

    Sports: Uh... does professionalStarCraft count?

    Music: I love a little bit ofeverything... Muse, The Killers,Big Bang, Buck-Tick, Poe, LedZeppelin, Radiohead, Lady Gaga

    Shop: Tower Records, Starbucks,Uniqlo

    TV Show: Firefly, Criminal Minds,Dexter (Season 1), Coffee Prince,Battlestar Galactica, Harvey

    Birdman Attorney at Law, ahandful of asinine variety shows

    Movie: Lord of the Rings, PrincessMononoke, Detroit Metal City,Singing in the Rain, Hero, TheDark Knight, old Godzilla movies

    Random TriviaProudest Achievement: Hmm...maybe getting JET?

    Advice for the younger: Dont bea hater spend your time andenergy positively and on the thingsyou like, not on what you dont like

    Motto: Keep calm and put the bassin your walk

    I remember when there were only151 Pokemon.

    What are you drinking? Blackerthan a moonless night, hotterand more bitter than Hell itselfThat is coffee

    Who would you like to meet?Hayao Miyazaki

    Why should we elect

    you President of the World?I would immediately enactthe Bill and Ted Act which states,be excellent to each other

    Best thing about Japan so far?Transportation! Getting to seesome of my current favoritebands and artists live

    If it was my last day on earth Iwould Have a really awesomehomemade dinner with my familyor do something exciting andexcessive with my friends

    Interesting fact about me: I oncewent to a summer camp forbuilding robots out of lego

    TeachingMy top tip for teaching: Knowingabout what your kids are into(music, characters, etc) andworking it into your lesson canspice up even the most tedioustopics and worksheets

    When the class is too quiet I tryand skip ahead to a game if I can

    Bribery for students YAY or NAY?Not really. I always forget mystickers when I go to elementary

    school and my middle schoolersdont really need it. Though I liketo offer prizes for games

    Funniest Story involving work:For Halloween we played a simpletrick or treat maru-batsu game.Making my kids hop around theclassroom wearing silly hats wasawesome, but then one of the

    kids stood up and sang the

    theme to Evangelion

    Jessica GriggI like: dipping my vegemite toastin a glass of milk

    But I dont like: Natto

    I can: dance for 7 hours straight,

    and hold a tune at Karaoke.

    But I cant: get on a swing without

    getting motion sickness

    I have: a sweet ride; 99 Honda Civic

    Sedan, manual transmission

    I want: a packet of Tim Tams that

    never runs out!

    More DetailsSchool and Location in Hyogo:Sasayama Industrial High School,

    Sasayama city

    Birthday: 10th July 1986

    Born and raised: Born in Perth,

    Western Australia, but grew up

    in Australind.

    University and Degree: Murdoch

    University, Bachelor of Hospitality

    and Tourism Management

    Other jobs that you have had:

    Check-out chick, Vege gal, Bar

    wench, Business Travel Consultant

    Travels since becoming a JET:

    Hong Kong, Macau and lots of

    places within Japan, including

    Toyama, Okinawa, and Koya-san.

    Hobbies: Travel, Clubbing, Sewing,

    Cooking, Swimming.

    Staying another year? Surprise

    recontract!!Japan youre not rid of

    me just yet ;)

    FavoritesFood: Kaiten Sushi, Katsu-don,just about any kind of Nabe

    (excepting Motsu-nabe)

    Sports: Field Hockey, Swimming,

    and Tennis

    Music: Trance, and anything I can

    sing along to for those chill times

    Shop: Uniqlo, Rakuten, Amazon...

    and Conan! (I have a thing for

    hardware stores)

    TV Show: Game of Thrones

    Movie: All time fave; The Little

    Mermaid. The world needs more

    Ranga Heroines.

    Random TriviaProudest Achievement: Convincing

    the Hyogo BOE that they should

    ignore my No and let me stay

    another year.

    Advice for the younger: Dont

    be afraid to change your mind

    because of what others might

    think. You are the most important

    person in your life.

    Motto: Mistakes, if you learn from

    them, are only experiences.

    I remember when I ranaround in skivvies and leggings

    shouting various Captain Planet

    character phrases

    What are you drinking? a cup of

    Tetley, then a Cuba Libre typically

    followed by some Aquarius

    Who would you like to meet?

    Florence Welch, of the Machine

    Why should we elect you President

    of the World? As the Presidentof the World, every Man, Woman

    and Child would be required to

    give and receive, 1 hug per hour.

    No exceptions

    Best thing about Japan so far?

    Accessibility of travel. In WA,

    drive for 5 hours and youll still

    be in WA. Here, I could be in

    Toyama, Kochi or Hiroshima!

    If it was my last day on earth I

    would Eat black bean and

    beni-imo icecream on the beach

    with my best friends and family

    Interesting Fact about me: I cantouch my nose with my tongue.

    TeachingMy top tip for teaching: Smile;

    if the students think youre

    enjoying yourself, they will

    be more engaged

    When the class is too quiet I

    Make a dramatic sad face,

    guilt works wonders

    Bribery for students.. YAY or NAY?

    Stamps seem to be enough out

    here in Sasayama. Love these

    country folk ^^Funniest Story involving work:

    My student explaining that

    her classmate likes Porno

    to the whole class. (Referring

    to the band Porno-graffitti)

    EmilyLove

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    []Feature

    Plum rain

    In my first year, in mid-May,

    I was standing at a checkoutcounter in fluorescent-lit Jusco.

    Its hot isnt it, the lady remarked

    as she rang up my items. Yeah,

    its like its already summer! I

    replied. She considered this. Well,yeah, except, first comes the rain,

    then summer, she informed

    me. Oh, right, of course.

    Six 100%-humid, sweat-inducing,

    mold-infested weeks later, I had

    come to understand what she

    meant.

    Japans rainy season, (tsuyu,

    orplum rains, because now its

    ume season, yall) is caused by the

    meeting of two huge air masses:

    the moist air over the Pacific

    comes up against the cooler

    continental air mass, and parksright over east Asia for about two

    months, providing Japan, Taiwan,

    Korea, and east China with

    plentiful precipitation. The seasonends when the warm air mass

    associated with the subtropical

    ridge pushes this stationary

    front north, giving us pure,

    unadulterated summer swelter.

    Japans rain starts first down in

    Okinawa, then progresses northlike the cherry blossom front a fewmonths before. Okinawas officialrainy season dates are May 8th to

    June 23rd, and Tohoku can expect

    theirs from June 12th to July 27th.Hokkaido is the only area that

    gets off scot free, and is reportedlydownright pleasant during themonth of June.

    Kansais rain period is June 6thto July 19th. The rainy season(clearly) does not keep strict dates,

    nor does it rain every single daywithin this period, but it doesput a damper on outdoor activityplanning, laundry-doing, and my

    general sanity levels.

    To keep from losin your shit, here

    are a few helpful tips for the rainyseason:

    Dehumidifiers: almost allthe stores will be selling littleportable water-absorbers bythe truckload. Its a good idea

    to stick them in the corners ofyour closets and other spacesyou want to help keep dry.

    Youll want to check these

    from time to time and replacethem when they get full.

    Dont forget nooks and crannieslike your shoes. They sell shoe-insert water absorbers too. Thelittle things in your life can

    grow mold as well!Larger, electric dehumidifiers

    can be used to persuade thewater out of your laundry.These can be pricey, but theycan also be worth it.

    You may want to locate thenearest laundromat withdryers. Make friends withsomeone who can drive.

    Invest in rain boots and adecent umbrella. If you bike,consider those full-body plasticsuits that look so silly. Or, an

    umbrella holder for your bike.You may also want to invest

    in lots of (kabi killer,excellent for mold) and useit generously on yourbathroom surfaces. Wetwipes are good too.

    Airflow is important. You mayhave the urge to shut yourhouse up to keep the wet out,

    but allow me to counsel

    you: you cannot keepanything out with your flimsyoft-penetrated walls. Better to

    keep the fans on. You may have

    to strategically aim the fans in

    problem areas when you leavefor the day (for example, the

    top of my fridge would collect

    condensation since the freezerwas cold. The condensation

    would turn to mold beneath the

    shelter of the microwave. When

    I went to work, I stood the fanon top of a chair in the kitchen

    so it would constantly be

    blowing on the top of the fridge,thus saving me from further

    mold-scrubbing experiences

    in that spot).

    Bugs like to get out of the

    rain too. This is also mukadeseason, so keep an eye on your

    drains, and you might want

    to surround your house withthat bug-protection powder.

    Remember that mukade

    hideously tend to come in pairs,so if you find one, try to find itsbrother too.

    You will sweat, a lot, and yourhair will not behave. You mightfeel sluggish and unmotivated.Dont worry, this is normal;

    just ganbare! If you do outdoorsports, they will be muddy, ifindoor, they will be six timessweatier. Your students mayalso get a little weird, especiallyif you teach in elementaryschools. Not getting to playoutside for days on end sucks

    for them too.

    If travel is how you get yourkicks, dont despair. JapanGuide (www.japan-guide.com/e/e2277.html) points out that therainy season means touristattractions will be less crowded,and some locations are prettyawesome in the rain.

    June showers bring June

    flowers. This season is alsoa good time for irises andhydrangeas, so whethercapitalizing on a sunnyafternoon or just gaman-ingin your boots and raingear,

    consider taking in the views ofthese rainy season specialties.

    When sunny days do occur,imitate your neighbors inhanging outside every pieceof bedding and laundry youvebeen saving for two weeks.

    If you know of tips I havent

    mentioned, share them in thecomments section of this articleon the Hyogo Times website!

    And dont worry, rainy seasonalso ends. Be patient with yourselfand those around you, and itll

    just fly by.

    Emily Lemmon

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    28 hyogo times june 2011

    Hyogo TimesJune Event Calendar

    Calendar

    Sun Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat29Akashi Genjin FestivalAkashi

    Tokushima Touch Rugbywww.tokersajet.com/rugby/

    05YumuraHot Springs FestivalYumura Hot Springs

    12

    19Ajisai FestivalTsumanosato Ajisai-en,

    Sairinji Temple

    26

    30

    06

    13TOA Planning Meeting1314 June

    20

    27

    31

    07

    14Tea Ceremony WorkshopTime: 13:0015:30

    Location:JICA Hyogo

    Fee: FREE of charge!

    21

    28

    01

    08

    15Ako Kotto-ichi(antique market)Oishi Jinja (Shrine)Held the 15th of each month

    22Himeji Yukata FestivalHimeji

    29

    02

    09

    16

    23Himeji Yukata FestivalHimeji

    30

    03

    10

    17Hyogo Farewell Party

    24Himeji Yukata FestivalHimeji

    01

    04Himeji Prom-stravaganza

    Kinosaki Yukata FestivalA festival with Yukata fashion

    show, Miss Yukata contest, etc

    11

    18

    25Block 6 & 7 Farewell FormalLocation: the Portopia Hotel,Kobe: CLUB Keynotes

    Time: 6:30pm9:00pm

    Fee: 6,5007,50002

    For more indepth details about all the events, please visit our website:www.hyogoajet.net/hyogotimes