Nagazasshi 11.1 - Sweet Home Nagasaki

nagazasshi 1

11.

Issue

July/ Aug 2018

Sweet Home Nagasaki

nagazasshi Volume 11 Issue 1 July/August 2018

Director

Dominic Balasuriya

Editor-in-chief Will Tiley

Editors

Andrew Haddow Yeti Mallavi

Copy Editor

Cassandra Fegert

Designer

Dylan Nordstrom

Contributors

Dominic Balasuriya Dan Cohen Cassandra Fegert Evan Hayden Joseph Madamesila Will Morgan Andrew Morris Matthew Nelson Dylan Nordstrom Tsuyoshi Okuzono Mamta Sachan Kumar Jun Suganoya Anthony Tartan

Founders

Andrew Morris Matthew Nelson @ nagazasshi instagram

gmail.com

facebook

issuu.com

cover Joseph Madamesila interior Evan Hayden

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his issue brings about a great milestone – Nagazasshi is entering its 10th year! To mark our arrival into the realm of double digits, this issue aims to celebrate the joy of life in this prefecture we call home.

We take a trip into Nagazasshi history (pg.16). Read about the origins of the magazine, according to the very people who started it all those years ago!

Nagasaki is known as a pretty rural place, so why not show some inaka pride and spend a weekend exploring the Shimabara Peninsula (pg.10)? In this remote corner of the prefecture, you’ll find amazing scenery, tasty treats, historical sites, and even a dubious statue of a former US president!

We want to celebrate the combining of people and cultures, and the many numerous ways that people can connect, be that through marriage (pg.14) or through sport (pg.6). The best way to start down this road is hitting the books, so this issue features a bumper edition of Nihongo on the Go (pg.18) to get you out and chatting in no time.

This is my final Letter from the Editor, so I want to thank you all for bearing with me for so long. You’d be surprised how hard these things are to write…

So long, and as ever, happy reading!

Will Tiley Editor-in-Chief Don't forget to check out upcoming events!

8 visit-nagasaki.com/spots/events 8 facebook.com/VisitNagasaki/

CONTENTS

Nagasaki in Print

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Books inspired by Nagasaki and its history

Sported in the City!

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Cultural Exchange and Bonding through Community Cricket

A Day Out on The Hanto

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Take a day to get to know this often overlooked countryside

Marriage and the JET Programme

A story of love from one of Nagasaki's own ALTs

A Word from the Founders Nihongo on the Go

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16

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From literature to manga, the rich history of Nagasaki has inspired a range of books penned by prominent authors from both Japan and the West.

Grab a book and immerse yourself in the history and culture that defines Nagasaki!

8 visit-nagasaki.com

English 日本語 中國語言 한국어 FRA ESP NLD ITA

Photos Nagasaki Prefecture Tourism Association Text Cassandra Fegert, Dominic Balasuriya Nagasaki Prefecture Tourism Association

ENDLESS DISCOVERY

N AGASAKI official visitor guide

（一社）長崎県観光連盟

Silence

Sotome Endo Shusaku’s most famous novel, Silence, is set in Nagasaki during the period of national isolation, when some believers continued to practice Christianity in secret after it was forbidden.

Adapted into an English-language film

by Martin Scorsese in 2016, Silence is the story of two Jesuit missionaries and the severe hardships faced by the local Christian communities. Visit the Endo Shusaku Literary Museum in Sotome, an area noted for a community of Hidden Christians, to learn more about the author’s life and see original manuscripts and books.

8 visit-nagasaki.com/spots/detail/562

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A Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

Dejima David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas and former English teacher in Hiroshima, invites readers to explore the Dejima Dutch Trading Post in A Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet.

During Japan’s period of national isolation (1633-1858), Dejima was the only port in Japan open to trade with the West. Follow accountant, Jacob de Zoet, who finds himself at odds with corrupt and feuding traders, while slowly falling in love with a Japanese midwife. When you’re done, visit the reconstruction of Dejima in Nagasaki City to experience history first-hand.

8 visit-nagasaki.com/spots/detail/206/

A Pale View of Hills

Nagasaki City Kazuo Ishiguro, 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate and author of Never Let Me Go, is a British-Japanese author born in Nagasaki whose novels famously explore memory and grief. A Pale View of Hills, Ishiguro's first novel, provides insight into post-war Nagasaki and the aftermath of the atomic bombing. It begins with Etsuko, who attempts to negotiate her failures while recovering from the trauma of her daughter’s suicide, as she recounts life in Nagasaki.

Prominent locations include Mount Inasa and the Peace Park, built in 1955. visit-nagasaki.com/special/peace2018/ 8

Kids on the Slope

Sasebo Kids on the Slope, a manga by Sasebo After WW2, the construction of the native Yuki Kodama, takes readers American military base in Sasebo led to on a tour of the jazz scene in 1960s a vibrant music culture still present in Sasebo, through the eyes of a reserved the city. Stop at a local jazz bar, or visit a high school student. A meditation on location featured in the movie, including friendship and love, the manga was Miuracho and Kuroshima Catholic adapted into both an anime and movie.

Churches and the Megane-iwa Rock.

8 www.apollon-movie.com nagazasshi |March/April 2018

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SP

I N T HE C D E T IT OR

Sport has always had a reputation for bringing people together. Mamta Sachan Kumar takes

E

ight-year-old Mikoto busied herself with drawing in the sand, her sparkly blue and pink cap glinting as it reflected the sun overhead.

At just around ten in the morning, the heat is already a solid presence, but Mikoto parked herself quietly by a bench to support her father.

I found myself on the bench next to Mikoto on that sweltering Saturday in April, observing Okuzono Tsuyoshi in the near distance as he positioned himself for the next ball, his bat dug firmly into the ground, squarely blocking the bright blue plastic wickets. He, along with his modest crew of two, were deeply in game mode, unfazed by the sun’s merciless glare. Their sorely inadequate number, made more apparent by the sprawling grounds of Menoto no Undou Kouen, did not seem to bear on them either.

What mattered was the attendance of these regular few members committed to carrying on this practice. It is a

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us to the international community that has formed around the noble sport of cricket. commitment they have kept to heartily, out of their passion for cricket and in loyalty to the man who has been diligently organizing these gatherings for the past three years.

As he took his mark on the pitch, Okuzono-san was proudly donning the iconic light-blue Team India cricket jersey, his name fanned out in block letters across the back. He wears it every time he comes to play. The custom jersey was a gift from his former colleague – “Vinodsan” – on whose invitation he had first attended a match as an observer.

At the time, Vinod, along with other foreigners employed at Nagasaki’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, would meet to play badminton at their workplace gym. As the local liaison officer for his foreign colleagues, Okuzono-san’s role was simply to book a court to ensure that they had a space to play. It is a duty he persistently performs even today, but now for cricket matches.

Taking up Vinod’s invitation, he has March/April 2018 | nagazasshi

since slowly picked up on the rules of the game, graduating from observer to player. And as much as he humbly limits his role to being “just an administrator,” his multiple responsibilities and initiatives place him at the heart of this community. From sourcing out free-ofcharge public grounds, to storing game equipment at his house that he lugs to every meeting; and from routinely making the telephone reservation to ensure ground availability, to sending out reminders to other players, as well as updating the group’s Facebook page, Okuzono-san has taken it all upon himself.

As we chatted for this article, he expressed great concern for the decrease in participation. The group initially had a more impressive count of 16 to 17 active members, comprising of not only Mitsubishi employees, but also foreign researchers from Nagasaki University Hospital and international students enrolled at the Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies. The matches would have healthier turnouts of 10 to 11 at the time. As students’ schedules got busy, and with some from Mitsubishi having left the city at the end of their rotation, the attendance has shrunk.

An active approach seemed necessary to recruit new players. Current regulars tap into their respective circuits, while Okuzono-san visits public events at university fairs and links up with international communities.

It quickly became apparent that the group, though formed on the basis of a common love for cricket, functions as nagazasshi |March/April 2018

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much more. With benches marking the boundary line, neon orange traffic cones delineating the pitch, an improvised tennis ball in hand, and the men playing in jeans and shorts – completely unguarded and umpire-less, the propriety of technically-sound ‘cricket’ was obviously moot. Rather, this ‘community’ as it were, has come to symbolize a resource for the many foreigners living in the city; a network they can tap into for help; and a means to break away from the monotony of work and home responsibilities; to socialize. Just as well, Okuzono-san’s intent was clear: “I just hope to continue this community for future newcomers [to feel] free [and refreshed] from daily stress.”

As for himself, Okuzono-san attributes his interest in foreign cultures to his international work environment; his penchant for Indian spices unmistakable in the flood of food snaps on his social media account and the influence of his South Asian teammates ringing out clearly as he exclaimed “chalo!” (Hindi for “let’s go!”) to hasten the bowler.

Wrapping up our session, he most eloquently – and ironically – confessed, “I believe that a splendid performance in sports compensates for my lack of language skills.”

On behalf of his group, Okuzono-san keenly invites anyone interested in playing cricket or even just to observe the game.

The members meet twice a month over the weekend, at either Menoto no Undou Kouen or Kawabira Ground. Follow them by joining their Facebook group page – ‘Nagasaki Cricket.’

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A Day Out on

The Hanto

Although part of mainland Nagasaki, the Shimabara Hanto (Japanese for “peninsula”) is often overlooked by many residents and tourists due to its perceived ruralism. Change that notion by taking a day, or a whole weekend, to visit some of Nagasaki’s most beautiful countryside and best natural onsen! With a rich (and sometimes dark) history, discover clues into Japan’s past, and the large number of mountains and shorelines offer beautiful views and vistas around every corner.

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Prefectural Highways (more routes are available)

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Busses Shimatetsu (operates to Isahaya) Nagasaki Ken-ei (operates to Nagasaki & Isahaya)

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Shimatetsu Train Line

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Shimatetsu Ferry to Kumamoto Taira ↔ Nagasu Shimabara ↔ Kumamoto (high speed available) Kuchinotsu ↔ Amakusa

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Transfer to JR Kyushu Nagasaki | Sasebo | Fukuoka | Saga

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The best way to experience the Hanto is to do so by car, but don’t feel discouraged, there are public transportation options for those without one!

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Text & photos Dylan Nordstrom Special thanks to the Hanto ALT community for their suggestions

Unzen Boasting two separate hot spring towns and one of the tallest mountains in Nagasaki, Unzen city is the prime place to enjoy a refreshing bath and experience nature.

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ith a multitude of natural onsen spread across Obama and Unzen Hot Spring Town, you could spend your entire day visiting them all, and still just scratch the surface. No visit to Obama would be complete without experiencing a striking sunset from Japan’s longest footbath, Hot Foot 105, which gets its name from the temperature of the water (105°C at the source) and its length (105 meters). And while you’re there, stop by the tourist information center to get a photo with a statue of the USA’s 44th POTUS – you won’t forget it!

Not looking to sit in hot water? There are many other things to see while in Unzen City. Mount Fugen is a short trip away for those that want to challenge themselves to a hike that ends with incredible views of the entire Hanto. A ropeway to an observation point is also available for people that aren’t complete masochists, or just stay in Unzen Hot Spring Town and visit the Unzen Hells.

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If you’re feeling a bit hot after all that hiking, cool off with a range of gelato flavors from Orange Gelato in Obama.

For those that want a more savory option, Mushigamaya specializes in steaming vegetables, meat, and seafood in the hot sulfurous water vapors that naturally occur in Obama. You can also grab the local specialty, Obama Champon, for a real Nagasaki experience. And don’t forget to try an onsen egg from one of the many stands dotted around either of the towns!

Onsen Suggestions: Ryokan Tsutaya and Yunoka in Obama and Fukudaya in Unzen are popular onsens. Start there if you are having trouble deciding which onsen to visit first!

Accommodations: Most of the onsen double as hotels, so finding a place to stay is easy. If you enjoy the hostel life, get a bed at Tsudoi Guest House in Unzen, the only hostel on the Hanto. For those a bit more adventurous, there are many love hotels dotted along the way to Obama and throughout the Hanto!

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Shimabara The densest city on the Hanto is also home to a wealth of onsen, as well as parks and a traditional district showcasing Shimabara’s history.

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ander through Shimabara’s traditional street, lined with samurai houses, tea houses, and waterways filled with koi, to learn about how past residents once lived. At the end of the street is Shimabara Castle, noted for a unique design that is different than typical Japanese castles, and home to Shimabara’s newly appointed mascot Shimabaran (created by Yokai Watch creator Noriyuki Konishi). A short distance away is Shimabara’s shopping arcade, where you can make friends with the cats that frequent the area and stop in at Kotoji, which boasts a reclining Buddha.

With multiple fishing ports in and around Shimabara, you’re never too far from finding fresh fish. Shimabara is famous for its Tiger Pufferfish, known as ganba locally, or fugu elsewhere.

Peak season is in the spring, but it can be found year-round. If shellfish is more your speed, grab some gazami, or Japanese blue crab, throughout the summer season. For Shimabara’s specialty,

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find a restaurant serving guzoni, a soup made with seasonal assortment of ingredients and mochi, which melts and stretches in the hot soup.

The best burgers on the Hanto, and arguably in Nagasaki, can be found at A Burgers Café. Take their recommendation and get the mozzarella burger! Despite being take-out only, you can head to a nearby a park to eat. For the freshest seafood, go to Amimoto and take in the view of one of Shimabara’s fishing ports while you eat the day’s catch.

At the end of a long day exploring, relax in one of Shimabara’s onsen, or chat with the local obasans at Yutorogi Ashiyu, the free local footbath near the arcade.

Onsen Suggestions: Hotel Nampuro is hands-down the favorite onsen in Shimabara among Japanese locals and the ALT community. It has a higher price, but is well worth it!

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Minamishimabara With a rich history and vast tracts of nature, it’s easy to find beautiful places tucked away throughout Minamishimabara.

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nce home to a Portuguese trading port in the town of Kuchinotsu, Christianity spread throughout the Hanto, and the area became one of the most Christian places in Japan during the Edo period. You can learn about the deep and dark history of Christianity at the Arima Christian Heritage Museum and visit the Christian tombstones.

To cool down in the summer heat, visit the nearby beach in Kazusa, where you can swim or rent stand up paddle boards from the local shop. For another way to cool off, head to Tonosumi Falls, a sundappled waterfall outside of Arie.

Minamishimabara is populated with great eateries, some along the main road and others tucked away in the mountains. It’s recommended that you visit Menkui, where you can get some delicious locally made somen. Eat it there, or get packs to take home! If you travel up into the mountains, you’ll find Sanesu Farm, where they grow the freshest

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mushrooms on the Hanto. The attached café serves up a multitude of mushroom related dishes, from pizza and fried mushrooms, to ice cream made with local milk and mushroom powder. If you make an appointment you can even go mushroom picking!

For the best fried chicken, check out locally renowned, Tori no Shiraishi.

Assorted types of fried chicken are available and during the winter holiday season, they do full platters. Hidden behind a pachinko parlor is Café Bremen, a quaint cafe serving up freshly roasted coffee and cakes by a kind barista and his wife. For something truly special, go to Fukae’s Gendaiya, and try their unique gobo (burdock root) karaage, thinly sliced and seasoned to perfection. For a good gift to take home, get some locally made nihonshu from Yoshidaya in Arie.

If you’re planning to stay the weekend, check out a homestay experience in issue 10.2 of the Nagazasshi.

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Marriage and the

JET Programme Wherever you live, there are few events in ones’ lifetime as joyful and personal as a wedding. The marriage traditions vary wildly from country to country, making an international marriage a truly unique event. Here, Anthony Tartan tells us of his experience of getting married while on the JET Programme.

A

t the beginning of my 3rd year as an ALT, I married a Japanese national.

Just over a year ago, two friends told me I should meet with a mutual friend of theirs - a midwife from the hospital in my town. We had a great connection from the start. On the first night, we ate some great tantanmen, watched the fireflies, and did some stargazing under Kamigoto’s beautiful night sky. It only got better from there, and the more time

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photo Jun Suganoya

we spent together, the closer we became.

Eventually, we decided to get married.

She took me to her hometown in Hokkaido to meet her parents and taught me how to ask permission from her parents for her hand in marriage. お父さんとお母さん、○○さんと結婚したいで す。ずっと幸せにします。

Mum and dad, I want to marry your daughter. I will always make her happy.

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Her parents were very happy for us and gave us their blessing. The next day, we went to the yakuba (town hall) and completed the konin-todoke (marriage registration) form. ¥420 and 30 minutes later, we were married.

My parents travelled from Australia to attend our wedding at a shrine in her hometown, close to Sapporo in Hokkaido. For the wedding, I had to rent montsuki hakama (紋付袴), a type of hakama (formal trousers worn over a kimono) for special occasions. My wife needed a shiromuku (白無垢), a white kimono that represents purity.

At the shinzenshiki (神前式, Shinto wedding ceremony), we drank sake three times from three different cups to purify ourselves and our marriage before the gods. The cups are called sakazuki (盃).

The smallest represents heaven (or love), the middle cup represents earth (or wisdom), and the largest cup represents humankind (or happiness). Next, we recited the chikai no kotoba (誓いの言 葉) which are somewhat like vows. We had to announce them to the gods and spirits to ask for their blessings for a happy marriage.

Both of our parents, as new in-laws, wrote letters to each other that we translated and shared. This was a successful way to share our family history. My wife’s parents were very curious about Australian heritage, as a large percentage of Australian families, including mine, migrated from Europe nagazasshi |March/April 2018

after World War II. The letters were kept and framed as a permanent symbol of this joining of cultures through marriage. Because not everyone could attend the ceremony, we held wedding parties in Sapporo, Tokyo, and Brisbane with our friends and other relatives.

Our journey through getting married came with a variety of conventions and traditions; creating our own style while celebrating the joining of two families.

I’m not the first ALT to get married on the JET Programme, and I won’t be the last. My main advice is this: find the person who makes you happy, and worry about the customs later. Modern marriage is all about making your own traditions, and having fun along the way.

QUEEN KEBAB

QueenKebab.Sasebo

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queenkebab_sasebo

Andrew Morris | Matthew Nelson 15th June 2018 The Nagazasshi Magazine

A Letter from the Founders In honor of our 10th year, we take a look into the history of Nagazasshi. Andrew Morris and Matthew Nelson, the founders of the magazine, shed some light on how the ‘Zasshi as we know it came into existence.

The idea for the Nagazasshi began as most of the best (and worst) ideas in history have: over drinks in a pub. On this particular night, we were trading pints at The Spot in Omura (RIP), and it came up that we both enjoyed writing and bemoaned the fact that we didn’t really have a reason to do it. Thus came the initial idea of putting together a local zine for our Nagasaki friends to share their original writing, photography and artwork, not to mention recommendations for local restaurants, cultural festivals, out of the way hikes, and all those delicious meibutsu.

An initial testing of the waters to gauge others’ interest helped us see that quite a few folks felt similarly, and within a matter of weeks we managed to turn our “wouldn’t it be cool if…” idea into a full-fledged project. Early meetings ran the gamut from invigorating and inspirational, to frustrating and confounding. It became clear that while we had plenty of enthusiasm for writing articles and putting together an interesting magazine, our ambition to distribute paper copies was go-

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ing to take some real organization. Suddenly our band of idealistic, if somewhat foolhardy, foreigners needed to find a local printer, solicit advertisements from unsuspecting businesses (in *gasp* Japanese!), and figure out how to put our ideas into a palatable magazine format. The fact that we pulled it off and that the Nagazasshi is still going 10 years later, truly warms the cockles of our Nag-lovin’ hearts.

It is a testament to both the dedication and talent of those who decide to join the fray each year, and also to the relevance of the act of sharing one’s cultural and personal experiences when living in such a fascinating place as Nagasaki-ken.

Lastly, we’d like to thank a few of the folks who helped bring the Nagazasshi to life: Allan Wooding, our initial design guru; Nori Ito and Emilie Masson, who (if memory serves) initially came up with the name Nagazasshi. Marika Galadza, an always creative contributor and editor, and Mutia Adisoma, who was indispensable early on and eventually took the helm when the two of us moved on. To each of them and anyone else who has given their time and energy to the magazine, thank you again for your creativity and passion. It wouldn’t still be here without you.

-Andrew Morris & Matthew Nelson

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Nihongo on the 日本語オン・ザ 10周年おめでとうございます (jū-shūnen omedetō gozaimasu - Congratulations on 10 years)! On this special occasion, we, the wizards who have devoted our lives to polishing our language craft, want to offer five magical tips to help improve your own lingual conjuring.

For reference, in Japan Х means “wrong” and О means “correct”. American PlayStation controller configurations are confusing for Japanese people, in case you were wondering.

1

There is No Self First, the subjects of sentences, especially when talking about yourself, can largely be inferred through context. Watashi is perhaps the most over-used Japanese word among beginners. For example, when talking about how much you like sushi:

Х 私は寿司が好きです О 寿司が好きです → Х watashi wa sushi ga suki desu О sushi ga suki desu О 好きな食べ物は寿司です → О sukina tabemono wa sushi desu

2

Hey You! Not You Again!

Second, avoid “anata”. Yes, it roughly translates to “you”, and it works in English, but it can sound rude in Japanese. Just omit the pronoun.

If you truly need to reference the person in the statement, call them by their name or title ie. Honda-san or Sensei. Think about these examples when asking someone if they like cake.

Х あなたはケーキが好きですか Х Anata wa kēki ga suki desu ka

О ケーキは好きですか О kēki wa suki desu ka О 先生はケーキが好きですか → О sensei wa kēki ga suki desu ka

→

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NIHONGO WIZARDS

Taking the first two tips even further, consider omitting as much inferable information from your sentences as possible. It will help you form more natural expressions and you may be surprised at how well you can still get your point across!

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単語と文法

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Do or Do Not; There Is No Want Offers are phrased differently in Japanese and English. Although in English we ask if someone wants (to do) something, in Japanese, you ask if someone will or won’t do something. Try to avoid the たい (tai) form of verbs when making offers. For example, when offering food: Х 食べたいですか？ О 食べますか？ О 食べませんか？ → → Х Tabetai desu ka? О Tabemasu ka? О Tabemasen ka?

Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods But Desu and Masu As a beginner/intermediate speaker, try to end your sentences with desu/masu, called ですます体 (desu masu tai). Sticking to dictionary form in the middle of sentences and desu/masu at the end will give you practice conjugating and help you sound natural and cordial. A Japanese conversation equivalent to a record-scratch happens when you throw a statement-ending masu-form verb into the middle of your sentence.

Below is how to say you will go somewhere. Х 私はに行きますと思う О 行くと思います → Х Watashi ha ikimasu to omou О Iku to omoimasu (Cut out everything that can be inferred!)

The Flashcard Is Mightier Than The Pen For some, writing kanji is one of the coolest parts of learning Japanese.

But, as a new-to-intermediate learner, writing kanji by hand is unquestionably the least useful skill for you to spend your time on. We know it’s fun, but for the first few years of studying Japanese, learning anything beyond the basics of writing kanji will bear no fruit. Pounding flashcards for 30 minutes a day will make you a much better speaker in six months than spending that same time scribbling borrowed Chinese characters on grid paper. We studied Japanese for at least half-adecade before worrying about writing kanji and look at us now. We’re Japanese wizards.

The Wizards Way Finally, the real secret to mastery of the Japanese craft, is practice.

However, aspiring wizards need beware that practice doesn’t make perfect; practice makes permanent. Make good habits early, put in your hours, and you will get better. Remember that every current Japanese language wizard is just a novice who never gave up.

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