Monthly Published monthly by: Mitaka Municipal Office, Tokyo Edited by: Secretariat and Public Relations Section Mitaka Municipal Office 1-1-1, Nozaki, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8555 Corporate Number: 8000020132047 Phone: 0422-45-1151 URL: http://www.city.mitaka.tokyo.jp/ foreign/english/index.html Mitaka City News, providing information on public services, lives and events of Mitaka September 1, 2019 No. 238 City, is published on the 1st of every month. ©2001 スタジオジブリ The 30th Mitaka International Festival MISHOP WORLD 2019 Let’s Join Hands: We Are One World! Date and time: September 22 (Sun.), 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Venue: Inokashira Park (West Garden Cultual Exchange Square and around the baseball field) Sponsor: Mitaka International Society for HOsPitality (MISHOP) Co-sponsor: Junior Chamber International Mitaka Supported by: Mitaka City World Bazaar: Foods and Folk Crafts from around the World! JR Chuo Line Mitaka Sta. Kichijoji Sta. Enjoy the cuisines and folk crafts of various countries. There will also be Keio Inokashira Line attractions where you can experience the cultures and customs of these countries. Tamagawa Water Fair trade and NGO activities will also be introduced. MISHOP Supply Inokashira Park Stage: Delivering the Live Sound and Beats of the World Murasaki Bridge West Garden Enjoy performances of dance and music from various countries including Japanese traditional entertainments. Let’s have fun watching spectacular dancing Mansuke Bridge Cultual Exchange Square and listening to energizing music! (15 minutes walk from Mitaka Station or Kichijoji Station) MISHOP Station: What Is MISHOP All About? Ghibli Museum, Mitaka Around the Baseball Field This area will introduce the activities of MISHOP, such as programs to promote multicultural understanding, international friendship exchanges, Japanese-language learning classes, etc. Kids Zone: Come On, Children! Around-the-World Bingo Rally Win a prize by completing a bingo sheet, answering quiz questions in each area. Information Don’t miss the hands-on attractions, either, such as the popular game using parachutes! Information about Mitaka International Society for HOsPitality Community Fellowship Zone MISHOP Office Shops and displays will be set up by various public and community groups. Days: Monday through Saturday (Closed on national holidays) Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Location: Mitaka City Chuo-Dori Town Plaza 4F, 3-30-12, Shimorenjaku 181-0013 Bring Your Own Dish and Chopsticks and Get a Discount! Tel: 0422-43-7812 Fax: 0422-43-9966 Some shops will offer some discounts if you bring your own dish and URL: https://www.mishop.jp/ chopsticks. Please cooperate in garbage reduction efforts. Established: November 23, 1989 Special Exhibition Commemorating the 110th Anniversary of Osamu Dazai’s Birth: “The Aesthetics of a ‘Wandering Osamu Dazai Yasunari Kawabata Naoya Shiga continue to play” in his remarkable work “A Seagull”, which he wrote while living Musician’ of Words” in Mitaka. It features a number of works collected by Shoshi Yamanouchi, a leading figure in the study of Dazai’s works and life, as well as written materials Inquiries: Yuzo Yamamoto Memorial Museum Tel: 0422-42-6233 that provide a glimpse into the relationships Dazai had with other literary figures such as Yasunari Kawabata and Naoya Shiga attracting attention in recent years. Osamu Dazai (real name: Shuji Tsushima) was a world-renowned author of We hope you enjoy those insightful materials which also include unpublished modern Japanese literature. Born in Kanagi villege in the Kitatsugaru District of work and all of Dazai’s portraits taken by Mitaka-based photographer Shigeru Aomori Prefecture (now Goshogawara, Kanagi Town) on June 19, 1909, Dazai Tamura. lived in 113 Shimorenjaku of Mitaka Village for about seven and a half years from September 1939 to the time of his death in June 1948, excluding periods of Duration: From September 21 (Sat.) to October 20 (Sun.) evacuation due to World War Two. Dazai wrote most of his 150 works at his Days of closure: September 24 (Tue.), 25 (Wed.), 30 (Mon.), October 7 (Mon.), Mitaka home and his office near Mitaka Station. Many are set in Mitaka City, 15 (Tue.) and 16 (Wed.). showing that the city inspired his creativity as a writer as well as being where he Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (admission 7:30 p.m.) lived with his wife and son. Admission fees: ¥500 In this exhibition marking the 110th year of his birth, we focus on Dazai’s belief Note: Admission is free for those with a “Tokyo Museum Grutto Pass 2019” or a and way of life. He referred to himself as a “wandering musician” of words, and Disabled Person’s Handbook, and junior high school age attendees or younger. stated: “Even though I’m terrible at playing the violin, I can do nothing but Location: Mitaka City Gallery of Art (Coral 5F, 3-35-1 Shimorenjaku) 2 MITAKA CITY NEWS September 1, 2019 Mitaka Municipal Office Phone: 0422-45-1151 Sales of Gift Certificates with Mitaka City Mitaka Picture Book House in the Astronomical Premium Benefits Observatory Forest: Harvest Moon Viewing Inquiries: The call center for Mitaka City premium benefit gift certificates, Tel: Inquiries: Mitaka Picture Book House in the Astronomical Observatory Forest, 0422-29-9618 (open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until December 27 (Fri.), Tel: 0422-39-3401, URL: www.city.mitaka.tokyo.jp/ehon/ 2019); Livelihood and Economy Section, Ext. 2551 This facility, which just celebrated its tenth anniversary on July 7, holds To help soften the impact of the consumption tax increase that will go into effect traditional Japanese festivals every in October 2019 and stimulate local consumption, we will begin selling gift season. certificates under the Mitaka City premium benefits program to eligible residents. “Otsukimi” is an old tradition originated ◇ Gift certificate details in China and brought to Asian countries We will sell a single set worth ¥5,000 (10 sheets of ¥500) for ¥4,000. including Japan. People in Japan appreciate and honor the autumn moon on ◇ Persons eligible and the number of sets they can purchase the old lunar calendar date of August 15 (1) Registered residents of Mitaka City as of January 1, 2019 who were exempt (which falls on September 13 this year from paying resident tax in the tax year of 2018* (maximum of five sets per according to the modern calendar). It is person) known in Japanese as chushu no meigetsu Storytelling * Excluding spouses and dependents that live with a person who is not exempt (also called jugoya, meaning “the fifteenth night”). On the day, as per the customs of from paying resident tax, and welfare recipients old, the venue will be offering pampas grass and dango sweet rice dumplings to the (2) Heads of households with residency in Mitaka City with children born between moon. April 2, 2016 and September 30, 2019 (five sets × the number of applicable Date and time: September 15 (Sun.) from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. (in case of rain, the children [five sets maximum per child]) program to be held from 5:00 p.m. onward will be canceled) Location: Mitaka Picture Book House in the Astronomical Observatory Forest ◇ About the issuance of gift certificate purchase exchange coupons (inside the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan; 2-21-3 Osawa) For the eligible persons covered in (1) above: The city is sending a purchase Details: Storytelling, stargazing, refreshment booths, etc. exchange coupon application form to the head of the household where the eligible Application: Just come to the venue. person belongs. Please apply to the city for the purchase exchange coupon by Friday, November 29, 2019. For the eligible persons covered in (2) above: Starting in late September, the city will mail a purchase exchange coupon to the heads of households (no application Events of Mitaka City Sports and Culture Foundation necessary). Gift certificate sales period: October 1 (Tue.), 2019 to January 31 (Fri.), 2020 Mitaka City Arts Center, Tel: 0422-47-5122 Gift certificate sales counter: All post offices in the city and Japan Agricultural Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Cooperatives Closed: September 2, 9, 17, 18, 24, 25 and30 Gift certificate validity period: October 1, 2019 to February 29 (Sat.), 2020 * For details on the shops where you can use these certificates, please refer to the HP https://mitaka-art.jp/ticket (in Japanese only) Mitaka City website. ＝ A nursery service is available. (Please apply two weeks prior to each performance.) Mitaka City Arts Center Concert Hall “Kaze” Mitaka Solar System Walk Stamp Rally 2019 Wien-Berlin Brass Quintet Inquiries: Mitaka Network University, Tel: 0422-40-0313 September 16 (national holiday), Official website for the event: URL: http://www.taiyokei-walk.jp/ More information can be found on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. from 3:00 p.m. Tickets now on sale. All seats reserved. Dates: September 20 (Fri.) to October 27 (Sun.) Prices (tax included) ◇ Walk across the solar system! Members: S-seats: ¥4,500; A-seats: ¥3,600; Nonmembers: S-seats: ¥5,000; A-seats: ¥4,000; By shrinking the solar system to 1.3-billionth its actual size and placing the sun at U-23 (23 years of age or younger, A-seats only): Wien-Berlin Brass Quintet, Mitaka Station, we can set every celestial body all the way to Pluto within the ¥3,000; ©OLIVERKENDL.COM Mitaka City limits. Participants in the Mitaka Solar System Walk can walk through Note: Preschoolers are not allowed into the concert venue. eleven areas that correspond to those celestial bodies, collect stamps at participating Performers: shops and facilities in each area, and experience the vastness of outer space.