awa life "TOPPY" A monthly newsletter for inter na tion al resi dents of Tokushima, produced by TOPIA, the Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association. May 2007 No. 203 by hiroko kimura the origins of golden week [email protected] olden Week is the ratings are the highest are constitution was introduced longest string of public known as 'Golden Times'. on May 3, 1948. Constitution holidays in the entire Thus the name Golden Week is called ॕၓ (kenpo) in gyear. But where does was taken from this. At the Japanese, so there were many the name come from? This beginning it was called Ougon babies in that year named with time I'm going to write about Shuukan which means the character for ॕ such as the origins of the name golden week in Japanese. ॕજ (Kenji) or ॕત (Noriko). 'Golden Week'. But the name was lacking It originally began in 1951. in impact so it was changed People's Day: A holiday Everbody assumed that the into English. We used to have set for people of today government was responsible Silver Week as well, which working too hard. In 1985 for naming the holiday period, also had a holiday and some the government decided they but actually it wasn't. Do events including Culture Day, would make this weekday a you know who it was? It was but never became firmly holiday between two other the executive director of a established. holidays and give the people a filming company. In those chance to rest. Now people's days, the most popular form Green Day: This day is to day is on May 4. However, in of entertainment was going respect and give thanks for 2009, there will be another to the movies. In 1951, a being blessed by nature. Also, people's day on September movie 'Jiyuu Gakkou' that we cultivate warm hearts. April 22, since the 21st and 23rd was originally shown at 29 was originally the Showa are already public holidays the time became a greater Emperor's birthday, but it was (Respect for the Aged Day and success than other movies changed to Green Day in 1989 Autumnal Equinox Day). shown during the New Year's following his death. Holiday's and Obon. So the Children's Day: A day when executive director, Hideo Constitution Day: It is we value children's personality, Matsuyama, hoping that many on this day we hope for the and hope for their happiness. people would watch movies nation's growth in honor of A long time ago, this day was during these holidays, named enforcement of the Japanese only for celebrating boys in them 'Golden Week'. But why constitution. The Japanese the family, but in 1948 the 'Golden'? The times when audience the origins of golden week ... con't on page 3 inside awa life this month the origins of golden week - 1, 3 ... yellow sands rising - 4 fl ying fi sh and holidays - 5 ... staff introductions - 6 martin's manga corner - 7 ... letter from suketo hoikuen / shin mai mama nikki - 8 japanese lesson - 9 ... memoranda - 10, 11, 12 awa life Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA) is a monthly publication of the Tokushima Clement Plaza 6F Pre fec tur al International Exchange Asso ci a tion 1-61 Terashima Honcho Nishi (TOPIA) Tokushima City 770-0831 JAPAN tel: 088.656.3303 fax: 088.652.0616 Andrew Dahms & Claire Tanaka [email protected] http://www.topia.ne.jp/ Contributors This Month: Andrew Dahms, Jody Godoy, Kazue Inoue, Hiroko Download a PDF fi le of awa life or view the Kimura, Isao Nishitani, Martin O'Brien, Tetsuo online version by going to TOPIA's website! Onishi, Smitha Prasadh, Claire Tanaka, and Noriko http://www.topia.ne.jp/e_index.htm Osaka from the editors fter a warm winter and a cold spring, it y the time this May edition has arrived, looks like the seasons are fi nally getting Golden Week will be over for another on track. Pedalling through the city is year and everything will be back to aa joy, with the scent of fl owers and the bnormal. Did you go someplace interesting sound of birds in the air. The May edition of this year? I've begun to find that while trying Awa Life is always sort of a time for refl ection to get out as much as possible, most of my because it's made during April, which is the travelling tends to happen long away from first month of the new fiscal year. You can the popular holidaying times. I often end up see this year's staff introductions on page going out for just the day or a weekend, and six. As for me, I am in my fourth year in my only rarely outside the prefecture. In another position here, and I've only got a few months realisation I have found that with all my camera left until my contract ends at the end of July. gear I seem to carry more luggage than some With the National Culture Festival happening in do travelling overseas. Perhaps these two Tokushima this year, it looks like there will be things are related? To each their own, however a lot of fun events to get involved with in the - we all have different ways in which we enjoy coming months, so I hope to see some of our spending time, and I hope you've been able to Awa Life readers out on the town! do a lot of that over the past Golden Week. Love, Claire Cheers, Andrew a view from the beautiful park area and lookout surrounding kawashima castle (photo by andrew dahms) -2- the origins of golden week ... con't from page 1 government changed the day to Children's Day and it became a day to celebrate both boys and girls. The government considered which day would be best, and the ideas came forth to put it on March 3rd, April 1st or May 5th. In the end they chose May 5th as March 3rd is too cold in Hokkaido and April 1st is also set aside already for April Fool's Day. During Golden Week many people go abroad or to tourist spots and collectively contribute over one trillion yen to local economies. That writer hiroko (left) with her elder sister on the fateful walk means some people have days off but some people have town by the sea. At the time climb). My dad told my sister to work even harder during our eldest son was five years and I that it would be a long Golden Week. old, and he wanted to go day but it would be fun. So fishing so much, so we took my sister and I were very Memories of Golden Week him to a nearby fi shing pond. excited. We left home early We all have memories of the After a while without any in the morning. I guessed we holidays, and the adventures bites, all of a sudden there wa could get there at least around we sometimes find ourselves s a loud splash and I turned noon, but around noon we in. Here are a few of those... around thinking a fish had were still walking. My sister struck the boat. But there in and I began to wonder when Noriko: I often used to the water was our son! We we would get there. At some spend the entire GW at quickly tried to pull him in, point we saw some signs my grandma's old house in but the distance to the water saying how long we had to Miyoshi-shi (west Tokushima). was too long to reach so we go in kilometers, but we were All my cousins would gather had no choice by to try and too young to understand. My and we enjoyed fishing eels pull him in with the fi shing line dad kept encouraging us so and crabs in the small river. back to the shallows, where we kept walking, but then it They were eventually doomed we got him safely. started getting darker and to turn into delicious tempura And I have to say, he's the darker. On the way we made by grandma. Tokushima is biggest catch I've ever had! walking sticks from what we blessed with beautiful nature We gave him some food and found by the roadside, and and scenery, and I hope now he's grown up to be an I almost cried. We couldn't you enjoy staying here in adult. Everyone, take care if make it and ended up eating Tokushima for the whole you go out on the water this riceballs we had brought in Golden Week as much as you Golden Week! the wood. can. Yesterday I took a look at Hiroko Kimura: When I was the walk on a map and it Tetsuo Onishi: Everytime we a child, my family decided to said 10km just to get there, come to Golden Week there do a walk from #13 to #12 but over an eight hour walk. is a moment our family looks in the 88 temple pilgrimage I wonder if my dad did any back on with a good laugh. A (#12 is known as being of the research beforehand? But it long time ago we went with highest altitude for the entire was an adventure for me, for the whole family to a pretty pilgrimage, and a difficult sure. -3- by smitha prasadh yellow sand rising [email protected] he night before my friends and I left for Seoul, South Korea during spring break, tI went online to double- check the weather forecast there—and I was shocked to see that the current weather condition was listed as “widespread dust”.