The Akitan Spring 2015
The Akitan Team Randy Umetsu Hi Akitans. My name is Randy Umetsu. I work at the prefecture’s International Affairs Division as a Coordinator for International Relations. When I am not busy coordinating Akita’s international relations, I enjoy lifting heavy things and putting them back down, drinking craft beer, making gains, taking photos, avoiding the cold, complaining about the yen to dollar exchange rate, gchatting, and counting my macros.
Taylor Fustin Hey Everyone! My name is Taylor Fustin. This is my fourth year on JET and I am the Education Center ALT/PA. I enjoy staring out the window near my desk and reading books. I have been working on The Akitan for the past few years and really enjoy it. We are always looking for new content, so please don’t hesitate to send us some. Email me at Taylor.Fustin@gmail.com
S.A.Broder
S.A.Broder is the graphic designer for The Akitan. She’s a former high school ALT and a current corporate drone. But her hobby of choice is art and she indulges frequently. She enjoys pop art and design with a healthy side dish of digital painting. You can see more of her art on her DeviantArt profile here.
Interested in joining our team? Email Taylor at taylor.fustin@gmail.com
In This Issue Meet Your New PAs!
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Meet Your New Block Leaders! 5 Ginzan Onsen:
New Years in Tokyo
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Who Makes the Kiritampo? 12
The Power of (Snack) Exchange 13 Hanami in Akita: Honjo Park 14 AAJ Financial Report 15 JET TESOL Grants 16
Want to Get Published?
Contribute to The Akitan! We’re always looking for articles, photos, artwork, poetry, you name it! If you think you have something that would interest your fellow Akitans, send it our way. Want to showcase your design skills? Help make The Akitan! Contact Taylor Fustin or Randy Umetsu. Cover Photograph Coutersy of Haruna Tanaka
Photo by Jeffrey Lowther
Northeast Japan’s Living Snow Globe 6
Meet Your New PAs!
Randy Umetsu
Hello, I’m Randy Umetsu. I’m a third-year CIR at the International Affairs Division. I enjoy hitting people on the head with bamboo swords while yelling.
Lynne Francis
Howdy! I’m Lynne, a 2nd year ALT in Omagari. I’m very excited to be a Prefectural Adviser again this year. I’m always here to help, whether you need information, an ear to listen, or need a Kit-Kat hook up.
Rachel Youngblood
Hello, I’m Rachel Youngblood. I’m a fourth/fifth year junior high school ALT from Akita City. I enjoy watching sassy English period dramas, and chimichangas.
Taylor Fustin
I’m Taylor, the Education Center PA. I enjoy riding my bike on cloudy days and playing darts. Let’s have a great year!
North Block
Meet Your New Block Leaders! Colin Flinn I’m looking forward to working with everyone during my 2nd year as North Block Leader. If you’re interested in skiing, hiking, or anything outdoors in Akita I can help you out! よろしくお願いします。
Andrew May Hey folks! I’m Andrew, I’m from Canberra in Australia, and these days I make my home in the lovely town of Odate. It’s a quiet life up north, but we’re a friendly bunch. Hopefully you’ll drop by and find out for yourself!
South Block
Alex Childs Hello fellow Akitans! This will be my 3rd year on JET and my 2nd Year as Central Block Leader. I am originally from Portland, Oregon so I have a love of craft beer, fresh delicious cuisine and the great outdoors... I also like asahi, cheap ramen, and video games. Looking forward to another great year with all of you! Chey Parlato Hey. My name is Chey and I am a first-year JET in Yurihonjo. I enjoy getting out and about so I hope you are all ready for a kicker of a year as I certainly am.
Sasha Ryan Sasha works as a Senior High School ALT in Yokote. In her spare time she enjoys travel, practising karate and learning to ski.
Central Block
Dorene Yamaguchi My name is Dori Yamaguchi, Central Block Leader and 2nd year ALT in Katagami-shi. I live in Oiwake. I love to travel, go snowboarding, and run in local races for fun. I’d be happy to help if you have any questions, and I look forward to getting to know more of you this year!
Ginzan Onsen
By Tierra Tank
Northeast Japan’s Living Snow Globe
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tep back in time with me. Come crunch and slide down ancient paths where all signs of life are constantly eroded and white-washed over with snow. Where time freezes in a snow globe of serene calm. Such is Ginzan Onsen, one of Japan’s truly well-hidden treasures. We drive through an endless maze between towering walls of white beckoning us forward. The road narrows and the snow spilling over into the middle of the street make for precarious passage. Orange mechanical giants whir down the street in a desperate attempt to clear away the white menace. Old buildings and houses line the way forward, not a conbini or supermarket to be seen. It’s not the out-dated nature of the architecture or the utter lack of any signs of life besides old men and women wandering the street. It’s how long the street seemed to continue forward. Farther and farther back we go through time in a wormhole of ice and snow.
Eager to stretch our cramped legs and start our adventures, we go to meet up with fellow JETs outside. We call out to greet them, but the perpetual thunder of the crashing river below drowns our voices. Thick, fluffy whiteness falls softly and gently to constantly remind us we are in true snow country. It covers everything, clinging to hair, melting into fabric, coating the bridges and windowsills in garland. In Nikaho, the icy wind rips into your flesh and chills to the core. At Ginzan, it settles slowly and gently onto the skin and vanishes.
There are many dining options ranging from little cafes specializing in sweet manju filled with red bean or edamame paste or curry bread and coffee sets to places with more hearty offerings such as soba noodles. Unlike the interior of the hotel which is actually very modern, the cafes and shops maintain a preserved antiquity. We are directed to the second floor in our cafe of choice and find a few seating options despite its small size. There are tiny private booths sepFinally, curving around one last bend, we arated by walls and curtains while the rest of breathe a sigh of relief as a tiny hamlet matethe room opens into a more free and less intirializes out of the valley. As we try to get our mate space with low tables and zabuton. Along bearings and locate our ryokan, we are told that the windows facing the town, there is a long, only foot-traffic is allowed down there. We’re low bar where one can gaze at the falling snow directed to go back up the hill to the parking while sipping hot tea. space around the corner and wait for the van they will send for us. Back at the parking lot we Travelers planning to arrive early can hit up gather our luggage and the van arrives shortly any other hot springs in the area before they as promised. Down the hill we go, into the snow close shortly after noon. Fortunately, Koseglobe where only feet and designated vehicles kiya has a sister relationship with another are allowed to tread. onsen, Ginzan-sou (銀山荘). Guests at either ryokan are allowed to enjoy both onsen until We arrive at Kosekiya Bekkan (古勢屋別館), guest closing time at 8:30pm absolutely free! one of the many gorgeous buildings lining the Clerks in the lobby at reception will recognize edges of the valley. The interior is warm and sister-patrons by the provided yukatas (and inviting with a golden glow. A professionally jackets during winter) unique to each onsen dressed smiling face is there to greet us. We are and allow them entry. The shuttle can also ferry invited to take our valuable items with us and people to and from the onsens. leave our luggage there so we can freely explore until check-in at 3pm. Finally, we’ve arrived at Kosekiya offers rooms for up to six people with our home away from home. 4 futons and 2 western-style beds in separate
cherry and pear-flavored offerings showing off Yamagata prefecture’s specialty. Everyone left feeling full and ready to lounge the night away. Breakfast proved to be just as delicious and satisfying and endless refills of rice ensured everyone was prepared for the long journey home. Renowned as an “onsen town”, there are many bath options to choose from, large outdoor “rotenburo” to a little foot bath built into the walkway through town. Ginzan-sou offers a sizable indoor bath in case of foul weather, but also connects to a bath outside the building where you can sit in the hot water (and trust me, it will be HOT no matter what the ambient temperature) while snowflakes dot your skin with cold. To top that all off, another bath is connected via stairs with wooden seats built into the floor to lay back and lounge and take in the snowy vista. There is also a roof over this part of the bath in case you’ve had enough snowflakes falling on your head.
The other onsen I recommend is Takimi (瀧見) Onsen. Like the name implies, this one boasts a
rooms. Our room was very clean and spacious. After our guide lets us in, he explains the features of the room and their sister-relationship to Ginzan-sou. Our package deal came with both dinner and breakfast served on the second floor. A little pamphlet introduced us to each dish served in Japanese and which order to eat them in. Ours started with the oh-so-necessary kampai with cherry-flavored wine in little heart-shaped cups. Dishes ranged from delicious steak pieces seared on your own little hot plate to fresh morsels of sashimi. To top it off were little
stunning view of a waterfall! The building is located in the very back of the town and up quite a long, but beautiful, winding hill. Your best view of the waterfall will be on the way up. It’s actually quite hard to spot from the actual bath unless you lean way out (which is very dangerous since it’s on the edge of a cliff!). But after the arduous hike you’ll be rewarded with a hot bath that also includes an indoor and outdoor area. The outdoor bath at Takimi is a little more “outdoors-y” in atmosphere since rotenburo at Ginzan-sou are still part of the main building while the outer wall of the pool in Takimi is made of rocks and stones giving it a more natural feel. Fans of the world-renowned and award-winning Ghibli film Spirited Away will be delighted to know that Ginzan Onsen was one of the inspirations for the movie’s mysterious, majestic setting at an enormous bathhouse along with Dogo Onsen (道後温泉) in Ehime prefecture. When the sun sets over the mountains, and the gas lamps cast soft shadows over the ancient buildings, you’ll know you’ve entered the realm of the spirits. Tohoku winters can be harsh and a pain to get through with lack of sunlight. Onsen are one of the best ways to keep your spirits up and your body warm and healthy. If you find yourself unable to flee to the tropical climes of Okinawa, why not look a bit closer to home? Great service, a fantastic setting, and hot, soothing waters wait for you at Ginzan Onsen. See you there!
New Years inByTokyo John Lennon
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o, you’re teaching English in Japan and winter vacation rolls around. Oh, what will you do? Well, THIS GUY decided to hit up Tokyo, because… why not?! I decided to attend two festivals in Tokyo at the Meiji Shrine and Mt. Takao. In order to enjoy both events I slept in late on Dec. 31th, because this was an all night adventure. First, I went to the Meiji Shrine to welcome in the New Year. This is a common tradition in Japan, and a lot of people go. I arrived just a little before 10 pm, and there was already a line for the shrine. I ended up being in the second group of
people to enter the Meiji shrine, but I had to stand in line for a bit over two hours, so you might want to bring warm clothes and a 3DS to help pass the time. When your group is allowed to enter the inner court where the shrine is you throw as many coins as you want into the collector, clap twice, make your wish, and bow. Afterwards, you can buy an assortment of New Year’s souvenirs. I bought a New Year’s fan, which is now hanging up in my apartment. And when the souvenirs are bought you head down to a myriad of festival food stands to get happy beverages and delicious edibles.
Then I walked back to the train station, which runs all night long, but not every line is open. I had to head to Shinjuku station to hop on the train that went to the base of Mt. Takao.
Another tradition is to hike Mt. Takao during the night to see the first sunrise over Tokyo. It is well lit, and not too long of a hike, but it was steep in the beginning. There is also a lift that you can take in order to bypass the harder parts of the hike. It takes about an hour to climb to the very top, and along the way are food and souvenir stands. I bought a charm with the faces of the mountain’s two protectors. There are also three main shrines on the way to the top, and many smaller ones to enjoy. Finding the picture perfect spot for the sunrise is difficult, and people will start to stake out their spots in the twilight hours of morning. But it’s completely worth seeing the sun slowly slide past Tokyo’s horizon in blinding brilliance; it resonated with me that I had entered a new and exciting year.
Who Makes the Kiritampo? Recently, I overcame one of my biggest Japan-related fears: kiritampo (きりたんぽ). It struck fear in my heart. I love it grilled, but my favourite way to eat it is in nabe.
You might have asked yourself if there is a mascot for this food. You didn’t? Well, there is. Her name is Tampo-chan or Tampo Komachi-chan. http://youtu.be/4Mr8YusVbE0 Want more? Search “kiritanpo” “or “たんぽちゃん” on YouTube. Also, does the food have a website? Of course! http://www.tanpo.or.jp/taiso. html You need a website, especially with the yearly festival. Wait, you didn’t know there was a festival? November 11th, or 11/11 (because it looks like four kiritampo sticks “1 1 1 1″ - the same reason that it is “Pocky” day).
Last year I ate kiritampo nabe a few times, but I was not brave enough to cook it. This year, I hadn’t made it yet – not because I couldn’t find ingredients, but out of fear. How do I make the kiritampo? What if it is a disappointment? Now, a normal person might have gotten a recipe and just made the thing. Instead, I went to the grocery store and bought the kiritampo. Fear struck again: what if I can’t do it? What if I don’t have the power of Akita in me? Then, about a week later, I went to the fruit and vegetable store in Ikawa. I looked – no, I stared at the kiritampo area. What to do. How do I make this happen?
By Keith Ikoma
Finally, I got brave. “I can do this,” I reassured myself. As I asked for help from the store clerk (perhaps a kiritampo saint), each question was answered with a questioning response, breaking down my ignorance and the language barrier. This interaction was awkward, but resulted in a “recipe” where she would suggest an ingredient and tell me how to prepare it. She said goodbye with a “がんばって!” I diligently prepared the ingredients, in anticipation and fear of the result. Will it work? Does the nabe love me? In the end, I がんばり ましたed. It was amazing! I ate it with Akita rice and iburigakko – because I wanted to complete the meal correctly in Akita-style (even though, as I’ve now been informed, that is NOT how one eats the kiritampo). I feel like I’ve achieved something big here. This food helps to make winter less terrible. And the world is a less scary place. Moral of the story: even though I’m basically terrible at Japanese and life, it’s good to take risks and just go for it. Actually, the main point is just a shameless advertisement for kiritampo.
The Power of (Snack) Exchange
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n Akita, it’s no secret how hard it can be to get a tasty piece of home. Sure, we have many options compared to ten or more years ago, thanks to the internet and stores like Yama-ya and Kaldi. However, sometimes a person has a craving that no matter how much they browse the pages of Amazon JP or wander the aisles, it simply cannot be found. Fortunately, I was introduced by a fellow JET to the world of exchanges through Reddit. a sort-of social media website offers a platform to share information, pictures, videos and more.
There are several ways to participate in exchanges through Reddit. The most common is through a section of Reddit called “/r/snackexchange.” Through this forum, users are able to request snacks they want or offer trades from
By Lynne Francis
all over the world. Through my three trades through this method, I have managed to get many goodies like seasonal candy (pumpkin spice M&Ms anyone?), chips, and lots of chocolate. However, due to some people abusing the trust that goes with such exchanges, they have made requirements to participate in this forum such as requiring three months of being a Reddit user. Those users who are verified to have successful trades get an icon next to their username (those are the people I tend to trade with since they seem more trust-worthy).
However, there is also Reddit Gifts. What started out as a once-a-year exchange at Christmas has evolved into a year-round program where users are paired up with people worldwide to exchange gifts fitting a certain theme. Such themes include t-shirts, action figures, baseball,
snacks, yarns, stationary, and even needlecraft. After four exchanges, I’ve had the pleasure of getting gifts from all around the world like Canada, Portugal, and the UK. I have also sent gifts to places I never expected like Siberia! The best part of these exchanges is that they are free to participate in (with a registered username of course).
However, like with other exchanges, there is always the chance someone will only sign up just to get a treat and not give back in return. This has happened only once in my many exchanges, and thankfully another person stood up and offered to send a gift to me. I feel these exchanges are not only entertaining, but also a great chance for cultural exchange. What better way to bring Japan to others than through food or entertainment? I love being able to share my experience with others even from miles away. The perks of getting a piece of home or somewhere new aren’t too bad either. I’ve been working on doing an exchange with my students and somewhere abroad, almost like a letter exchange. However, talking to your teachers about this is absolutely important. Some things to keep in mind while exchanging:
1. Set a price limit with your partner. Try to keep in mind shipping (it’s usually much cheaper to ship from Japan than to Japan). 2. Make sure to look up what items are not allowed for shipping (for example, you still can’t send beef jerky to Japan). Make sure your partner knows this too! 3. Ask the post office about extra paperwork depending on the country (I’ve had to fill out an invoice for shipments to Europe but not US/ Canada) 4. Make sure you know the format of the address if you’re unfamiliar with certain country’s procedures (I had no idea how to read an address from Norway the first time I saw it). 5. Be careful. This is obvious, but remember you are trading with people through the inter-
net, and it’s always better to be cautious.
Exchanges are a great opportunity to get a piece of home or somewhere new while sharing our experience abroad. If you ever have any questions, please feel free to ask or check out my sources! Now, if only I could find a way to do a Taco Bell exchange….
Hanami in Akita: Honjo Park By Stephanie Hupp
One of the lesser known areas for hanami, Honjo Park, is a tucked away secret in Yurihonjo city. The sakura blooms in late April and the city holds a weeklong festival to celebrate. The tentative date for the festival will be April 19–25. The festival typically runs from 9 am to 6 pm. There are dozens of stalls selling a variety of standard festival foods from takoyaki to chocobanana, but Honjo’s specialty is Honjo Ham Fry, a must try.
The park was originally the site of a castle, but like many castles in Japan, it has since been destroyed. However, at the top of the hill, you can still see a replica of the castle. If you go inside, a very genki attendant will happily show you around the tiny museum and explain to you in his best English about the history of Honjo.
Because the park is built on a hill, it has a tiered affect making the sakura appear to be built on each other, which makes for an enchanting view. Onlookers can either spread blankets and enjoy their picnics at the field on the north end of the park or walk around the paths working their way up. On the south side of the park, there is a gorgeous view of Mt. Chokai as well as Tsurumai Onsen and a man-made lake surrounded by sakura.
AAJ Financial Report
Continued from previous page ... There are around 1,000 sakura trees total in Honjo Park. The park is unique because there are different colored sakura blossoms, which include yellow and purple blossoms. From the playground nearby, you can always hear the sounds of children playing. And at night, the lanterns glow, adding a special ambiance to the park. You can find one of the park entrances inside the city hall parking lot, or you can use the Honjo Park parking lot across from Ozaki Elementary School. The address for the park is 由 利本荘市観光文化振興課
Picture from Jeffrey Lowther
JET TESOL Grants
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or years within the JET community, there has been discussion as to whether or not ALTs should have TESL certification before or shortly after entering the JET program, since many ALTs come straight from college having little to no experience in teaching. The debate continues as to whether this is a benefit or a disadvantage, as learning from first-hand experience is one way to gain practical knowledge in the field. Katherine Blancha, a third year ALT in Nishime, was a recipient last year of CLAIR’s partial grant for TEFL certification. Blancha considers herself to be an advocate for TESL certification for those entering the field of English language teaching. “I think I gained a lot from the course by taking it after having years of experience as an ALT in schools here, but if it was realistic and practical to require TEFL certification for every ALT either prior to or immediately after coming to Japan, I would back it in a heartbeat,” said Blancha.
Every year, re-contracting ALTs and CIRs are encouraged to apply for the partial grant given to 200 lucky JETs by CLAIR. The grant is worth 15,000 JPY and will be given to recipients once they complete the course. JETs must initially pay for the course and any transaction fees that may apply. As with any grant, certain restrictions apply: The course must be entirely online, it must be a minimum of 100 hours (although there is no
By Stephanie Hupp
limit), recipients cannot hold previous certificates, and the course must be completed by January 30. There are absolutely no extensions. If the course is not completed, you will not receive the grant.
The full list of restrictions, as well as a Q&A, can be found at the following link: http://jetprogramme.org/documents/tefl_overview_e.pdf There are no restrictions on which TESL online courses a JET may take, and it is entirely up to the recipient. However, CLAIR does caution JETs to research before choosing an online course and offers testimonies to help JETs get an idea of courses available. Blancha said her course only took her about five months to complete, which she did by balancing study with work and school.
“I have a lot of free time at my junior high school, so most of my studying was done during mornings and afternoons when there were no classes, “ said Blancha. “I also studied at home. Depending on my schedule, there were weeks I didn’t study at all and weeks I spent 20 plus hours studying.” Within Blancha’s course, she covered content like stress and intonation, lexis, visual aids, classroom management, and error to name a few. Blancha was particularly happy about learning the existence of grammar book through course, as it solved any questions and uncertainties pertaining to nuances such as adverb placement, semi-colon usage, and grammar terminology.
“Every English or TEFL teacher ought to have one of these,” Blancha explained.
For Blancha’s particular course, outside of the given reading material available via download, Blancha was also assigned a tutor who she was free to contact via e-mail and Skype calls. She said her tutor was very prompt at responding to e-mails. She read the material one unit at a time, did the self check activities, completed the tasks and submitted them as a word document to her tutor. Her tutor would then grade them and make comments on her work. She commented that you don’t have to wait for your tutor to send back graded work to complete the next unit, but it’s recommend you only e-mail her one assignment at a time unless you’ve communicated otherwise. “There were a variety of tasks, including essays, English language exercises, creating activities to teach a point, finding material to use in class and explaining how it could be used, making cue cards and creating lesson plans,” explained Blancha. “Each task was specific to the unit’s[sic] focus. By doing the reading and self-check first, you are prepared to complete the tasks, but there was often a need to look outside of the course material, and the tasks made you think.” However, it should be noted not all courses include a tutor or these examples of exercises, and this is unique to Blancha’s experience. It cannot be expected through all TEFL courses, even those recommended by CLAIR. Even as a native speaker, Blancha said she learned a lot about her own language.
“I learned that English is a ‘stress-timed’ language. This means that the time between stresses in a sentence is roughly the same. My course used the following example. ‘He gave a speech. He gave a short speech. He gave a very short speech.’ If you say the sentences aloud,
you’ll notice we say the ‘extra’ words more quickly so all three sentences take roughly the same amount of time to say.” Throughout Blancha’s course, Blancha said, “The values of taking a TEFL course are both professional and personal, and help the JET participant as well as their schools.”
“It’s definitely changed my approach to teaching, which, considering that will help not only me, but my schools too, may be the most valuable result of taking the course, “said Blancha.
More information about applying for the grant will be available in April at http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/news/tefl.html. To apply, simply fill out the short application and hand it in to your supervisor by the given deadline. Blancha’s advice to any JETs wanting to get their certification while in Japan is “If you can afford it, do it.”
Editor’s Note: This article was update on March 25, 2015 as per the author’s request
Join Us At the Returners and Recontractors Conference Monday, June 8, 2015 10:00-16:45
The 2015 Akita Returners and Recontractors Conference (平成26年度再任用者及び 帰国者研修) will be held on June 8, 2015 at the Prefectural Education Center in Tenno, Katagami City.
JETs will be split up into two group: returners (those leaving JET) and recontractors (those staying another year). Returners learned about topics such as how to receive their pension refund, how deal with your Japanese taxes, and what are the rules regarding returning airfare etc. Conference presentation and workshop details will be posted on the wiki page in the days to come. More info on the Akita JET Wiki
The Akitan, Spring 2015 All works copyright to their respective owners