Good Morning Aomori Newsletter
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JET ProgrammeProgramme- - AomoriAomori JulyApril – – September June 08 08 Edition 45 July - September 08 Message GOOD MORNING, AOMORI! Three Months in a Glance Helen Masters (Hirosaki) With the weather turning to beautiful summer days, everyone is gearing up for festivals, road trips and hitting the beach. The warm weather festivities were kicked off with Cherry Blossom Festivals. Hirosaki Castle was draped in clouds of pink and flooded with people, particularly students, or so it seemed. The hanami was augmented with such joys as a haunted castle, shaved ice, and bountiful amounts of sake. Gappo Park saw more sake, picnics and mobile karaoke. But, as all good things must come to an end, the blossoms fell and we moved on to more warm weather activities. First up was the epic E of A Futsal tournament. Teams from across the prefecture competed throughout the day and Chris’ Small Town Legends head did not explode despite everyone’s best efforts. There were some great games, some tight finishes and some spectacu- For the Aomori Departing JETS, 2008 lar footwork on display. Speaking of spectacular, Teri and her E of A band of helpers held a great bake sale, raising a ton From the Eastern Capital we flew of money for our kids in Nepal. All in all, the futsal tournament raised 170,000 yen. A big おつかれさま to everyone who up the lengthy spine of this tall island helped out! And an especially big thank you to Chris who put his sanity on the line to make this happen. to reside between mountain peaks along the cerulean lengths of thick woodland Saint Paddy’s Day was held in spectacular fashion and a swirl of green. We started off in Misawa’s Paddy’s Bar, with good CONTENTS to teach matters of frank existence. Irish beer, followed by karaoke with renditions of U2, before we moved on to My Place (not literally MY place), for some Three Months in a For brief, blessed moments free Irish stew. A big thanks to John, Sam and Sabastian for organizing this, as well as letting everyone crawl into their Glance . 2 we became small town legends, houses to sleep. something savage and renewed, Activities & Events . 3 our routines elegant, Keeping to a Misawa theme was the Pirates of Penzance performance, which included our very own John and Sam. John fit our normal lives spectacular. Japan Spotlights the part with an amazing beard that he grew himself (little children everywhere wanted to know if it was real), while Sam CIR Talk . 4 We shook the dust in this grand blue forest, was resplendent as the Captain in vivid purple flounces. JET Community . 5 a breeze of clouds shadowing over a verdant valley, a gust of wind touching every reed and willow, In traditional JET style a myriad of other events occurred such as office leaver’s parties, sports festivals, ultimate Frisbee Year-End Wrap Up . 6-7 bending through curves of rock and sloping cliffs (with spectacular injuries), Ceremonii’s xxXxx and their awesome DJs, our Group C CIRs arriving (welcome!) and Golden rippling across luminous ocean fronts. First Year Week excursions. Introductions . 8-11 Gathering over waves our endeavors, our accomplishments And so another JET year draws to a close, and those leaving ready themselves for a final whirlwind of activity, while those Farewell Message . 12 will catch on sails—yes the ships will sail— staying on brace for the incoming new JETs. Enjoy the next few months! and the mighty ideas of a few strange teachers will be the breath to inspire a prefecture, and a nation. - Phil Crowe (6.02.08) 2 July – September 08 Aomori Events GOOD MORNING, AOMORI! Japan Spotlights/CIR Talk Activities – events & festivals Let’s Celebrate! MIYAGI-KEN: A SNIPPET Kevin Meek (CIR /PA in Miyagi-ken) Festival Name Location Dates Duration You have probably heard many times that because it is home to Tohoku’s number one and Japan’s 12th largest met- Kodomari Soccer Beach Tourney Kodomari 3rd weekend of July 2 days ropolitan area, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture has an excellent profile as a tourist destination in northeastern Japan. Miyagi is also home to Matsushima Bay, famed for being one of Japan’s three most scenic spots. The famed beauty of Nango Summer Jazz Festival Nango 3rd weekend of July 1-2 days Matsushima evokes mixed feelings, but is worth trekking to for the boat ride around its 260 pine-covered islands and Hachinohe Sansha Taisai Festival Hachinohe End of July- Beg of Aug. 3-4 days the panoramic view from Saigyo Modoshi no Matsu Park, especially during the cherry blossom season around April. The resort town is easily accessible from Sendai Station via a half-an-hour train ride on the Senseki Line. Shariki Swim Competition Shariki 1st weekend in August 1 day Aomori Nebuta Matsuri Aomori 1st week in August 6-7 days As far as other resort areas go, hot spring or onsen dipping enthusiasts can let loose in Akiu and Sakunami resorts west of Sendai, accessible in less than an hour by bus from Sendai Station. Or, head further north to Naruko, at the foothills Hirosaki Neputa Matsuri Hirosaki 1st week in August 6-7 days of the Kurikoma (Mountain) Quasi National Park. Naruko and its surroundings also beckon hikers and is particularly attractive in autumn because of its breathtakingly colourful gorge. Head up the mountains and explore this hiking Goshogawara Tachi-Nebuta paradise during the warmer months or slide down them in winter. Skiers love Miyagi and its environs in winter. Among Matsuri Goshogawara 1st week in August 5-7 days the variety of choices are Spring Valley and Izumigatake, visible from Sendai and less than an hour away, and the Zao Kuroishi Yosare Matsuri Kuroishi 3rd weekend in August 2-3 days Mountain range, straddling Yamagata and Miyagi prefectures, among others. Zao is also a hikers’ paradise. One must- see in Zao is Lake Okama, a mystical volcanic crater filled with emerald green water. Ohma Blue Marine Festival Ohma 3rd weekend in August 1 day Higashi Dori Mura Festival Higashi Dori 3rd weekend in August 1 day Back in the ‘City of Trees’ itself, so dubbed for its abundance of greenery, nightlife aficionados can explore the envi- rons of Sendai Station or get lost in the more youthful Kokubuncho district, the local version of Kabukicho but more Fujisaki Fireworks Festival Fujisaki 3rd weekend in August 1 day ‘innocent’, where endless pleasures hide away in over 4000 entertainment establishments. Three big festivals every year – the Tanabata Festival at the beginning of August, the Jozenji Street Jazz [and whatever other kind of music the Onoe Festival Onoe Late August 1 day locals can get away with] Festival in September, and the ‘sparrow-dance’ infused Aoba Festival in May as well as the Kizukuri Umaichi Matsuri Kizukuri Late August 1 day Pageant of Starlight on Jozenji Street in December are huge people pullers and fun makers. It is difficult to lay out all of Miyagi’s virtues in one page, but hopefully this has whet your appetite for exploring the prefecture more deeply. Check Rokunohe Festival Rokunohe Early September 1 day out http://www.miyagitheme.jp/ for details about what you might want to see in fabulous Miyagi. Shichinohe Matsuri Shichinohe 1st weekend in September 1 day . Misawa Air Show Misawa 1st Sunday in September 1 day CIR TALK Angella Lee (Aomori) Towada Aki Matsuri Towada 2nd weekend in September 1 day Annyong Aomori! I am Angella Jiyoung Lee working as a Korean CIR in Ao- mori prefectural office. I am happy to introduce myself and what I do. Mostly Shimoda Town Festival Shimoda Last weekend in September 2-3 days I work in the office, translating documents into Japanese and Korean, and Tanbo Rice Harvest Inakadate Last Sunday in September 1 day interpreting when Korean visitors come to meet the governor. And I am one of the few lucky people who got to go to Tokyo to meet all the new 2007 – 2008 . JETs earlier than anyone else! Time flies, doesn’t it? I’m already on my 3rd Work Event Schedule year on JET since this April. EVENTS I know how much ALTs are loved by kids because I go to your schools! Some- July 4th Leavers’ Party in Aomori City July times I go to elementary schools all over Aomori, introducing Korean culture, 26th-29th Group A new JETs Tokyo Orientation food, what Korean elementary schools are like, and how to say Annyong! (Hi!) July 21st Marine Day July 30th Group A JETs arrive in Aomori. in Korean. I am teaching Korean language for grown-ups twice a month in Ao- July 24th- 2008 JET leavers departure from Let’s give them a big welcome! mori-city. I have no idea about the Korean dramas the students like, but I know August 6th Aomori. Best of endeavors! how to say Korean right. I speak 95% Korean in the class so bring your good ears if you want to join. The door is always open. 3 4 July - September 08 YEAR-END Wrap Up! GOOD MORNING, AOMORI! End-Year Wrap Up! YEAR-END WRAP UP! “Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning, but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” -Hal Borland Photos by the Aomori JET Community and Dominic Smith 5 6 July - September 08 Introductions JET Programme - Aomori First Years ONE YEAR in the BLUE FOREST! featuring 1st-year JETs NAME 1. Job Description 2. One thing few people know about you RIDWAN KHAN CRYSTAL GREEN LINDSEY HURLEY 3.