年越しそば Toshikoshi-Soba Winter 2015 – 2016
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For your cultural life in Hiroshima 年越しそば Toshikoshi-soba Toshikoshi-soba is buckwheat noodles customarily eaten on New Year’s Eve. December 31st, which launches the start of the important New Year celebrations, is called ômisoka. It’s a custom for families to eat hot buckwheat noodles (toshikoshi-soba) in the evening before midnight (but not after). The name literally means ‘year-crossing noodles’ – in other words, seeing out the old year and welcoming in the new. Various reasons are given for this custom. One common explanation is that the length of soba noodles symbolizes longevity. Another is that soba is easy to cut, so it symbolizes the cutting off of all the hardships, troubles and debts of the year just ending. In the Edo period (A.D. 1603 – 1868), there was a custom of eating soba at the end of every month for the same reason; it was called misoka-soba “last day of the month noodles”. The custom also varies around the country. In some areas, people think thicker, longer udon (wheat flour noodles) are more symbolic of longevity. And in Okinawa they prefer the thicker Okinawan version of soba noodles (ryûkyû-soba). (Abstracted from『ニッポン風物詩』 p. 229, IBC パブリッシング) Winter 2015 – 2016 City Office Notices Movie Theaters Bilingual TV Programs Concerts & Plays Museums Events -Seasonal Events Information -Municipal Facilities Lounge & Library -Library News -Trio-phone Service (multilingual interpretation using the telephone) -Garbage Disposal Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation International Exchange Lounge 1-5 Nakajima-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima 730-0811 E-mail: [email protected] Tel. 082-247-9715 Fax. 082-242-7452 Visit the HIRO CLUB NEWS WEBSITE for information online. URL: http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/ircd/joho/hiroclub%2001.html HIRO CLUB NEWS・CITY OFFICE NOTICE City Office Notices ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Translated by the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation International Affairs Department, International Relations and Cooperation Division Tel: (082) 242-8879, Fax: (082) 242-7452 Homepage: http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/ircd/english/index_english.cgi E-mail: [email protected] International Exchange Lounge Tel: (082)247-9715 December 1, 2015 Quick HIV Test Available 臨時エイズ迅速(即日)検査(P4) PLACE: Yunokawa Ladies Clinic (5-14 Shintenchi, Naka-ku) DATE: Sat., December 5 2:00 pm – 5:30 pm Also, HIV campaign events will be held in Alice Garden, near PARCO on December 5. NOTE: Reservations are NOT required. No charge. Anonymous. For all genders. INQUIRIES: Hoken Iryo Ka (Health & Medical Services Division) Tel. 504-2622 Fax. 504-2258 Counseling on Housing (Counseling is available in Japanese only.) 住宅相談(P5) DATE & TIME: Thu., December 24 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm Thu., January 28 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm COUNSELOR: (1) Lawyer (Legal affairs) (2) Architect (Housing conditions, renovations, earthquake resistance, etc.) PLACE: Shiyakusho (City Hall) RESERVATIONS: Call Jutaku Seisaku Ka (Housing Policy Division) by one day before the date you want an appointment. The first six people will be accepted for each day (30 min. per person). INQUIRIES: Jutaku Seisaku Ka Tel. 504-2291 Fax. 504-2308 Subsidy for Cultural Activities 文化活動に助成します(P4) WHO: Groups or individuals who will hold cultural activities in Hiroshima City between April and September 2016 and will make a public presentation. Applicant screening will be held. SUBSIDY AMOUNT: Half of the activity expenses, up to 200,000yen ぶんかざいだんじぎょうか TO APPLY: Send a prescribed application form postmarked by Mon., December 28 to 文化財団事業課 (The Hiroshima City Cultural Foundation, Project Division). The applications are available at Bunka Zaidan and can also be downloaded through Hiroshima City’s official website. INQUIRIES: Bunka Zaidan (Cultural Foundation) Tel. 244-0750 Fax. 245-0246 Please feel free to contact the International Exchange Lounge at 082-247-9715 E-mail: [email protected] Winter 2015-2016 市-1 HIRO CLUB NEWS・CITY OFFICE NOTICE Counseling on Human Rights (Counseling is available in Japanese only.) 人権擁護委員にご相談を(P2) INQUIRIES: Jinken Keihatsu Ka (Human Rights Education Division) Tel. 504-2165 Fax. 504-2609 ひろしまほうむきょく ✣ Hiroshima Legal Affairs Bureau (広島法務局) Tel. 0570-003-110 In-person or telephone counseling from a human rights protection commissioner HOURS: Monday to Friday 8:30 am – 5:15 pm CLOSED: Holidays, December 29 to January 3 PLACE: 6-30 Kami-hatchobori, Naka-ku (located in the Kodo-chosha building) こ じんけん ばん ✣ Children’s Human Rights SOS (子どもの人権110番) Tel. 0120-007-110 Telephone counseling HOURS: Monday to Friday 8:30 am – 5:15 pm Please use the answering machine service after office hours. CLOSED: Holidays, December 29 to January 3 ✣ Regular Counseling at Ward Offices Counseling from a human rights protection commissioner is available once a month at each ward office. Counseling time is up to 30 minutes per person. COUNSELING SCHEDULE: Ward Phone Counseling Day Counseling Time Naka 504-2543 2nd Wednesday Higashi 568-7703 3rd Wednesday Minami 250-8933 1st Wednesday Nishi 532-0925 3rd Thursday 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Asaminami 831-4925 2nd Thursday Asakita 819-3903 4th Thursday Aki 821-4903 2nd Thursday Saeki 943-9706 2nd Thursday CLOSED: Holidays, August 6, August 13 to August 16, December 28 to January 4 RESERVATIONS: Reservations are required for a counseling session, and are accepted from 8:30am by telephone on each counseling day at each ward office. 6 appointment slots are available per counseling day. Please feel free to contact the International Exchange Lounge at 082-247-9715 E-mail: [email protected] Winter 2015-2016 市-2 HIRO CLUB NEWS・CITY OFFICE NOTICE For National Health Insurance holders, Financial Support for Large Medical Expenses 国民健康保険高額療養費の申請には領収証が必要です(「ひろしま市民と市政」2015.11.15 日号 P6) こくみんけんこう ほけん If you are enrolled in the National Health Insurance Plan (国民健康保険) and your monthly copayment has こうがくりょうようひ exceeded a designated limit, you can apply for Financial Support for High Cost Medical Care (高額療養費の しきゅう 支給). For the application, you are required to submit payment receipts issued by the clinics you visit, so please keep them and do not throw them away. For details, please consult your residential ward office. INQUIRIES: Hoken Nenkin Ka (Public Health & Pension Division) Ward Phone Fax Ward Phone Fax Naka 504-2555 541-3835 Asaminami 831-4929 877-2299 Higashi 568-7711 262-6986 Asakita 819-3909 815-3906 Minami 250-8941 252-7179 Aki 821-4910 822-8069 Nishi 532-0933 232-9783 Saeki 943-9712 923-5098 Job Openings 求人情報(P4) *Japanese speaking ability is required. *For foreign residents, there may be conditions, such as visa status, which need to be fulfilled in order to apply. *Application forms are available at the City Hall lobby, ward offices, and branch offices, and can be downloaded from the city’s official website. ☆ Information on job contents, qualifications, and salary is in the 『ひろしま市民と市政』 (the Hiroshima City Hall newsletter). For more information, please direct inquiries to the contact for each job listing. Position Application Job Exam Contact Information Openings Period げんばくひばくしゃえんごじぎょうだん 原爆被爆者援護事業団 Nursing Homes for 1st Stage = Dec. 20 A-bomb Survivors: By Dec. 18 A-bomb Survivors Relief 1 2nd Stage = Jan. 13 Dietitian (Full-time) Foundation Tel. 845-5091 Fax. 845-6934 すいどうきょくえいぎょうか Around the city, 水道局営業課 Fuchu-cho or 1st Stage = Jan. 8 Waterworks Bureau Saka-cho: A few nd By Dec. 15 2 Stage = End of Jan. (Public Service Division) Water Service Meter Reader (Full-time) Tel. 511-6832 Fax. 221-3110 Fire Services Bureau (Ote-machi 5-chome, 1. Clarinet しょうぼうきょく そうむか Naka-ku): A few players 消防局総務課 Female music band 2. Saxophone members (Part-time) 1 player Fire Services Bureau Jan. 18 By Jan. 8 - Play a specific music 3. Flute (General Affairs Division) instrument 1 player - Perform flag dancing Tel. 546-3411 Fax. 247-1645 while wearing a 4. Trombone miniskirt 1 player - Clerical work Please feel free to contact the International Exchange Lounge at 082-247-9715 E-mail: [email protected] Winter 2015-2016 市-3 HIRO CLUB NEWS・CITY OFFICE NOTICE City Office Notices ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Translated by the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation International Relations and Cooperation Division Tel: (082) 242-8879 Fax: (082) 242-7452 HP: http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/ircd/ International Exchange Lounge Tel: (082)247-9715 E-mail: [email protected] Consultation Service for Residents of Hiroshima (Chinese, Portuguese & Spanish Available) Tel: (082)241-5010 E-mail: [email protected] December 15, 2015 ✣ Welfare & Health Services For foreign residents, there may be conditions, such as visa status, which need to be fulfilled in order to receive public assistance and welfare services, so please inquire at a relevant office for details. Special Purpose Allowance 臨時福祉給付金の申請はお済みですか(P6) To those eligible households who have not yet applied, the City has mailed application forms for the りんじふくしきゅうふきん special purpose allowance, Rinji Fukushi Kyufukin (臨時福祉給付金, temporary welfare benefit). If you received these forms, please fill them out and return them to the City as soon as possible, as the deadline for the application is January 29, 2016. You must apply in order to receive the allowance. For details, including application requirements, please contact the Information Service Center (Toll Free 0120-082-232). APPLICATION PERIOD: Until Fri., January 29, 2016 INQUIRIES: Please call 0120-082-232 (Toll Free) (Services are available in Japanese only.) Chiiki Fukushi Ka (Local Welfare Services Division) Tel. 504-2766 Fax. 504-2169 Individual Number Cards: いろいろ使える個人番号カード(P3) Part of the Social Security and Tax Number System Since November, the City has been sending residents a notification card for their Individual Number, also referred to as マイナンバー (“My Number”). From January 2016, an Individual Number Card will be issued for free to those who wish to have one. An Individual Number Card is a plastic card which contains an IC chip, and the bearer’s name, address, date of birth, sex, the Individual Number (My Number), and ID photograph, etc.