This page has been replaced by the Events page on the Tsukuba Wiki site.

January 2005

Ice Festival at Fukuroda Falls

Until February 1 (??).
Fukuroda no Taki, one of Japan's premier waterfalls, is located almost 2 hours north of Tsukuba. During the winter, this waterfall freezes up into a giant icicle 120 meters high and up to 73 meters wide. The falls consist of 4 sections that spread out the modest flow of water into a shallow sheet some 20 to 30 meters wide, making for a beautiful scene any time of the year. As the falls face more or less to the north, the winter sun doesn't reach them at all, and so the temperatures don't have to be all that cold to get the falls to freeze up. Typically, every year in late January and early February, the falls are so solid that ice climbers scale them for sport.

Entrance is 300 yen for adults and 150 yen for middle school children and under. It is free after 5pm, when the falls and suspension bridge are lit up in various colors until 8 pm on weekends and holidays. If you go on Jan. 17 or 31, you can get a free bowl of "Kenchin Jiru" soup that will be handed out to the first 500 people from 5pm. There is no guarantee, of course, that we won't have a warm spell during that time that melts much of the ice. But even into late February, when there is a significant cold spell, you can see the ice.

To get there by car, go up the Joban Expressway to the Naka Interchange and exit back towards Tsukuba. Turn right at the first main road and then again right on Route 118 a couple of km up from there. Continue up 118 through Omiya for about 35 km. The falls are to the right just shortly before you get to Daigo Machi. You can also get there fairly easily by train. You simply take the Joban line to Mito and then change over to the line connecting Mito and Koriyama (Fukushima) -- this line is called the Suigun sen. You then get off at the Fukuroda Station. It's about 2 km up to the falls, and you can either take a bus, a taxi or a nice hike. Useful info in Japanese available at www.town.daigo.ibaraki.jp/05spot/taki/taki01.html

Shinshun Kokai River Kite Festival

January 25 (??) from 10am at the Fuminari Bashi Grounds.
From the Yatabe Interchange on the Joban expressway, continue on to the center of Ina Machi. Turn right at the T-intersection and follow that road (route 19) on towards Toride. The grounds are located where that road crosses the Kokai River. Contact number 0297-58-2111.

Tonegawa Dondo Matsuri

January 15 (??) at 5pm.
Centers around the burning in a giant bonfire the various New Year's decorations (such as "kadomatstu", the bamboo and pine branch decorations used to welcome the New Year). In the coals of the bonfire, people roast senbei (and perhaps even marshmallows these days) on long sticks. For further info, call 0297-74-2141. www.city.toride.ibaraki.jp/pr

Toride Tone River Kite Festival

January 10 (??) from 9:30 to 14:00 at the Toride Ryokuchi Undo Koen. Along the banks of the Tone River.
While windy March is considered the prime time for kite flying in many Western countries, January is the traditional season in Japan. Two kite flying events are scheduled in January within reasonable driving distance from Tsukuba. These include very large kites taking many people to control, and if the weather is good, they are quite a sight to see. If traveling by car, you will need to approach the park by crossing over the Joban tracks from Highway 6. By train, it's a 5 min. walk from the East Gate of Toride Station. It will be postponed if it rains. Contact number: 0297-74-2141.

February 2005

Mt. Tsukuba Shrine Festival

The Shinto shrine on Mt. Tsukuba will be celebrating the "Chinese New Year" (according to the old lunar calendar) on Feb. ??. The big events of the day begin at 2 pm on the ?? and 3 pm on the ??, with various traditional events. For instance, men who have been chosen for the privilege throw beans our over the crowd as a symbol of spreading blessings. It is very similar to the "Setsubun" festival and its "oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi" ("devils out and blessings in") ceremony. If you haven't seen these ancient rituals, this would be a good time to take a trip up to see things.

Seishun Juhachi Kippu

The Seishun Juhachi Kippu can be bought between Feb 20th and March 31st to be used between March 1st and April 10th. This is a ticket which gives you 5 days of unlimited national rail travel on local and rapid JR trains for a total cost of 11,500yen. (It is not vaild on limited express trains and the Shinkansen). This is a particularly good deal as it can either be used by one person for 5 days or be shared by 5 different people. Buy it at most JR stations.

More information:
www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/seishun18.html
www.japan-guide.com/e/e2362.html

Other useful rail passes
www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/index.html

February 3: Setsubun Festival

Celebrated all around the country.
Feb. 3rd is the traditional "beginning of Spring" festival (seems a little early, doesn't it?) when a kind of "Jack-and-the-beanstalk" ceremony is performed, with beans being thrown out the door. No mythological giants in the sky await a magical beanstalk to reach them, however, as this tradition is meant to keep the "giants" (that is, demons) from entering into one's home and bringing bad luck. "Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi" (Demons stay outside; happiness come inside) is the phrase chanted as the "setsubun" (literally: dividing of the seasons) beans are tossed out the door. Much pomp and ceremony surround this festival, and various shrines and temples compete with each other to come up with their own innovations. Tsukuba's own Mt. Tsukuba Shrine is a picturesque place to take in this bit of Japanese culture, and you can include a cable car ride to the top for a great view if the weather is good. Being a Tuesday this year (and not an official holiday), it should not be that crowded. Nevertheless, plan to go early if you are driving as parking places are a premium.

Spring Flower Season Gets Underway With Plum Blossom Festival

While the cherry blossoms, azaleas and tulips (along with the hay fever sneezing!) are still sometime off, the first of spring's flower spectacles begins in February with the "ume", or Japanese plum tree. Ibaraki is blessed with several good viewing points, including the nationally famous "Kairakuen" in Mito, which is one of the traditional "big three" gardens in all of Japan. The weather will affect when the "ume" are at their peak, but typically it is during the first or second week of March, though in recent years, it has tended to be significantly earlier than "usual" (global warming?).

If Mito is a bit far for you to go, Tsukuba has several nice displays of "ume" as well. Top on the list are the "bairin" (plum orchard) on Mt. Tsukuba, which has about 3000 trees in some 30 varieties. If you drive up the main road leading up to the resort town halfway up the mountain, several hectares of plum trees are located on the left side of the road a few hundred meters before you reach the town. There is a nice sized parking lot that is free, and it is a short walk up the path from there to the trees. There are also buses from the bus center going up to the Tsukuba San Jinja (Shrine). For details on the buses, see the city's Tsukuba Newsletter.

Mt. Tsukuba hosts the "Ume Matsuri" from Feb. 20 through March 21, with special events on weekends. The following is a list of events scheduled for Mt. Tsukuba on 2/22, 2/29, 3/7, 3/14, and 3/21. On these days, free sweet "sake" (rice wine) and plum tea samples are offered, along with "ohanashi" talks and outdoor tea ceremonies, festival music, monkey shows, etc.

In town, you will find some nice plum trees on the small island in Matsumi Park that are worth a visit. Also, on the grounds of the traditional farmhouse next to the Expo Center are a couple of nice trees that bloom early, usually about mid-February. They are on your left (west side) as you face the planetarium at Expo Park. The farm house display is open every day except Mondays, and is worth a visit anytime just to sip a cup of traditional Japanese tea and see how rural Japanese lived a couple hundred years ago.

February 16 to March 15: Tax Time

The time for filling out residential and income tax forms is February 16 to March 15. Please click on the following links for more information.

General information about the tax system
www.city.tsukuba.ibaraki.jp/hp/e_hp/guide/taxes.html

Dates and times for tax counselling in 2005
www.city.tsukuba.ibaraki.jp/hp/e_hp/guide/taxcounselling.html

Please find the name of the area that you live in and try to go for counselling on that day. If you cannot go on that day, it is possible to go on another day, but it would be very helpful if you could go on your designated day. For example, people who live in "Ninomiya" should go for counselling on March 14 (Monday) at Yatabe City Hall.

Please note that the counsellors will not be able to help you in languages other than Japanese. If you cannot speak Japanese, please bring someone who can translate for you.

Use the "search" or "find" function of your browser to find the name of your area on the counselling schedule page.

March 2005

Cherry Blossoms Are Coming

The "cherry blossom front" is working its way north, and soon the Japanese news reports will include the progress of this "front" up the Japanese archipelago. The front usually arrives in Tsukuba about the end of March, meaning that the blossoms just begin to open at that time. They usually peak a week or so after that. This year, however, it looks to be well ahead of schedule, but the weather still to come will play a big role in when the magical event occurs.

In Tsukuba, there are a number of excellent places to enjoy the cherry blossoms, including:

• the walk along the Kokai River south from Fukuoka-seki (follow Tsuchiura-Noda Sen west towards Yawara and Mitsukaido, about 15 to 20 minutes by car from central Tsukuba)
• Ninomiya and Akatsuka Parks
• the walkway north of the Kenkyu Koryu Center (Center for Institutes--between Daiei and Minami Odori)
• within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (the Norin Danchi off Route 408 in Kannondai)
• Oike Park in Hojo off of Route 125 at the base of Mt. Tsukuba (a nice place to rent a row boat)
• the park next to Takezono Higashi Elementary School
• Ottonuma Park (on Higashi Odori just south of the Joban Expressway)
• Kijo Park and along the Sakura River in Tsuchiura
• anywhere quiet that you can find a cherry tree

The Kokai River walk is especially nice. Weekend evenings tend to be a bit noisy with "hanami" revellers, but other times are usually quiet and peaceful. Dress warmly, bring something to sit on (it is often muddy), and pack a picnic lunch.

The "Amabiki Kannon" Temple (the one advertized on the back of many of the buses in Tsukuba) to the north of Tsukuba is a fascinating place anytime, but as it is surrounded by hundreds of cherry trees, it is a splendid view when they are at their peak. A number of peacocks wander around the grounds to add their color to the scene. To get there, follow route 41 along the west side of Mt. Tsukuba past Makabe to Yamato Mura. A bit to the north of the town, a road leads off to the right and up the mountain to the temple. You should be able to see the cherry trees from a distance, and there are signs pointing to it. If you want to choose one place to go, I would recommend this one.

Another ancient temple a bit closer is Fudoin in Ina Machi, to the south of Tsukuba. It has a few very nice cherry trees that enhance the beautiful architecture of the temple grounds and is well worth a visit. To get there, follow "Science Odori" past the Yatabe Interchange on the Joban Expressway to where the road comes to a T intersection. The 4-lane road narrows to 2 lanes a bit before you get there, but if you simply follow the road until it dead-ends in another road, the temple is just to the right of there.

If you don't mind going farther afield, Shimotsuma, Mito and Hitachi also have excellent trees. Located about 30 minutes to the northwest of Tsukuba on Route 125, Shimotsuma is known for its Sanuma Sun Beach, a great summer fun spot, but the entire Sanuma Lake itself is surrounded by cherry trees, making it a nice spring outing as well. To find it, continue on 125 past the junction with Route 294 for about 2 km., and turn to the right at the corner with all the stone lanterns, etc. It's on the right a few hundred meters from there.

Kairakuen in Mito is one of the most famous gardens in Japan and is especially well-known for its plum blossoms in early to mid March. There are, however, plenty of cherry trees as well. Hitachi's Kamine Park, located just north of Hitachi Station, has a very nice amusement park and a small zoo, all surrounded by about 1000 cherry trees.

Another kind of "hanami" well worth a trip is the daffodil display at the Hitachi Seaside Park on the coast just east of Mito. With 700,000 daffodil bulbs of 102 varieties together with 30,000 hyacinth bulbs and other flowers, it is truly spectacular. The flowers are at their peak in late March or early April. Hitachi Seaside Park also includes an amusement park with 24 different attractions. It's a nice outing for a family affair. Be aware, however, that it is closed on Mondays.

March 26: Toastmasters Club English Speech Contest

From 1pm to 5:30pm at International Congress Center Epochal Tsukuba, Rm 405, 500 yen
TMC is a worldwide club established in the USA for people who want to enjoy making presentations in English in order to improve their language & communication skills. We will hold on English speech contest (area qualifier tournament) in Tsukuba. Five contestants from various cities will give various speeches based on their experiences in life. The winner will go to another tournament and finally might be able to join the all Japan English speech contest, and then the world contest in Canada. Even native English speakers can participate in these contests. If you are interested in the contest and the club activities, you are welcome to come.
Audience members are requested to be in their seats before 1:30pm. and not to be leave until the speeches are completed so as not to disturb the speech contestants.
www.kit.hi-ho.ne.jp/toastmasters

April 2005

April 1: Car Tax

Billed to the person who owned the car on April 1. Payment deadline is May 31.
Annual car tax payments are due in May. You will get a notice from the Tsuchiura Tax Office at the beginning of May that will detail the amount that you have to pay. The bill will go to the person who owned the car on April 1st of this year. The deadline for payment is May 31. The payment is based on the size of your engine and the prefecture that your car is registered in. If you want to get an idea of how much your bill is going to be, have a look at the following page (in Japanese).

www.pref.ibaraki.jp/bukyoku/soumu/zeimu/siorihtml/jidoushazei.htm

Most cars that are owned by new foreign residents of Tsukuba should fall within the 30,000 yen to 40,000 yen range. (The rates may be different this year, and these rates are only applicable to cars registered in Ibaraki.)

If you owned a car on April 1, you have to pay the car tax on that car. Even if you plan to sell it, you still have to pay the car tax. Here are three possible scenarios:

1. If you sell it to a buyer who lives in Ibaraki, you are responsible for paying the full amount of the tax. You may want to add the amount of the car tax to the price of the car when you sell it.
2. If you sell it to a buyer who lives outside of Ibaraki AND the buyer changes the license plates to that of the new prefecture, you will still have to pay the full amount of the tax, but you will be able to get a refund for the amount of time from when the car was registered in the other prefecture to March 31 (meaning that you will have paid the amount from April 1 to the date the car was registered in another prefecture).
3. If your car is too old to sell and you have decided to de-register it and dispose of it, you will have to pay the full amount of the tax, but you can get a refund for the amount of time from when the car was de-registered to March 31.

People who buy cars after April 1 will receive their first car tax bill in May of the following year. (People will often wait until April 2 to buy new cars for this reason.)

It is possible to pay the tax directly through your bank account. Applications are available at the prefectural tax offices or at your bank.

Please note that keijidosha or "light vehicles" are taxed differently. Regular vehicles are taxed by the prefecture, but light vehicles and motorcycles are taxed by the city. More information on taxes on light vehicles: www.city.tsukuba.ibaraki.jp/hp/e_hp/guide/cartax.html

April 2: Tsukuba Toastmasters Club

From 1:50pm to 4:30pm at Onogawa Kominkan (free, but must RSVP)
Tsukuba Toastmasters club will hold a special speech about the Tsunami disaster on Saturday April 2nd. One of the members of the Tsukuba Toastmasters Club, M. Watanabe, recently visited Phuket, Thailand, as an NPO member to survey the damage of the Dec. 26th tsunami. TM Watanabe will make a short report on the impact and implications of the disaster. Other presentations include an old story of Nara prefecture by Suzuki. Newcomers and non-members welcome.

The Toastmasters Club (TMC) is a world wide club established in the USA for people who enjoy making presentations in English in order to improve their language, communication and leadership skill. We usually meet from 1:50pm to 4:30pm on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month at Onogawa Kominkan.
www.kit.hi-ho.ne.jp/toastmasters

April 12: International Training in Communication

From 1pm to 2pm
The mission of ITC is to provide global opportunities for self-improvement through progressive quality training in communication and leadership skills. We meet from 1pm to 3pm on the second Tuesday of every month (except July and August).
www.kasei.ac.jp/cs/mariko/ITC/Tsukuba.html

April 15: Evening Forum: Converting Food Waste to Biodegradable Material

From 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Ninomiya House Salon, 9th floor, 500 yen
Lecturer: Dr. Seiichiro Isobe (National Food Research Institute)
The recycling of by-products which are produced from agriculture and food industry, such as "okara" (bean-curd (tofu) refuse", starch refuse, fruit juice pulp and stems and leaves of crops, is an issue that needs urgent attention in order to conserve our natural environment. The National Food Research Institute (NFRI) has been working to develop biodegradable materials which can be used in agriculture, such as plant pots, from such by-products. The lecturer will introduce new processes that use an injection molding system to produce high-quality low-cost biodegradable materials.
Please see the website (www.jistec.or.jp/house/news/evening_forum.html) or contact Ninomiya House (029-858-7006) for more information.

April 16: Tsukuba Toastmasters Club

From 1:50pm to 4:30pm at Onogawa Kominkan (free, but must RSVP)
Tsukuba Toastmasters club will hold a special mini workshop about American sign language with an English song on Saturday April 16th. Guest lecturer is Ms. M. Takamura. She is now an NHK TV broadcaster for programs with sign language. She also dances and acts with sign language, she is a university English teacher and has published some books. Other presentations will include a casual short speech contest with the theme of "Show and Tell". Newcomers and non-members welcome.

The Toastmasters Club (TMC) is a world wide club established in the USA for people who enjoy making presentations in English in order to improve their language, communication and leadership skill. We usually meet from 1:50pm to 4:30pm on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month at Onogawa Kominkan.
www.kit.hi-ho.ne.jp/toastmasters

April 16: Tsukuba Walking and Mountaineering Club

Hokyo-san hiking and Sumi-E painting
This hike is aimed at families/children, to let children discover the fun of walking in the nature. Others are also encouraged to join this walk. For this walk we will go to Hokyo-san, the small mountain in 'front' of Tsukuba-san. It is a small mountain with several trails as options, some easier than the easy. We might see the seasonal Katakuri flowers. In this hike we will also introduce Sumi-E painting (Japanese ink painting) and try to sketch katakuri flowers.

More details on TWMC activities can be found at eve.bk.tsukuba.ac.jp/twmc

April 17: English Storytelling

From 3pm at Tsukuba Public Library. FREE.
A volunter (native English speaker) reads English children's stories to (mainly) young non-native English speakers and their parents. All welcome!

April 17: Mimasaka Hanami Odori

From 1pm at Sakura Branch, Tsukuba City Hall
Mimasaka Ryu is one of the schools ("ryuha" in Japanese) of classical Japanese dance ("Nihon Buyo" in Japanese). In celebration of our 5th year anniversary this year, we will be holding a special event, "Mimasaka Hanami Odori" on April 17, 2005 at Sakura branch of Tsukuba City Hall. For this performance, we will be dancing in the open air under the beautiful cherry blossoms on a special stage, "Noubutai" (the stage used for Japanese lyrical Noh drama), which will be kindly lent to us by Akenomachi, Ibaraki. We would like to invite everyone to watch our dance performance.
rin222.hp.infoseek.co.jp/newpage-Englis.htm

April 18 to 24: Science Week

Every year during the middle of April, the various research institutes in Tsukuba open up their facilities to public tours. This year, 46 institutes will be open to the public, some on all of the days and others on only specific days. Most of the institutes are divided up into groupings determined by location in order to facilitate moving from one display to the next. A free shuttle bus service is available from the Kenkyu Koryu Center (Center for Institutes) along a set route to the institutes for that day, with buses running from Wednesday through Sunday. Normally, the shuttle buses run from the Bus Center, but due to the construction going on for the new Tsukuba Station, this year the buses will be originating from the Kenkyu Koryu Center, located on Minami Odori one light east of Nishi Odori. It is about an 8-10 minute walk south along the pedestrian way, or you can take the Tsukutsuku Bus from the bus center. The bus schedule is posted in Japanese at http://www.mexttci.go.jp/tci/kagiweek/2005/bus.html. The Kenkyu Koryu Center website also has an English page with a list of the institute schedules and locations at http://www.mexttci.go.jp/tci/kagiweek/2005/list-e.html#list If you are interested in seeing what kind of research is being done at the various laboratories, this is an excellent chance to have a look. The institutes are open to the public on the respective days from 10 am to 4 pm each day.

April 19: International Women's Network

From 7pm to 10pm.
The International Women's Network is a group of women who enjoy chatting with people from all over the world. We exchange information about the local community while eating a variety of homemade foods. We meet at one of the member's houses once a month. No reservation is needed. Just bring one dish of food and show up at the meeting. Newcomers are always welcome! Take advantage of this unique opportunity to enjoy the international city of Tsukuba with us!
Join the mailing list at groups.yahoo.co.jp/group/intl-women-network or send an email to intl-women-network-owner at yahoogroups.jp

April 20: Yoga Lecture: Yoga for Physical and Mental Health

From 6:30pm to 8:40pm (including time for questions and answers) at Kasuga Kouminkan. Instead of a fee, the organizer asks the participants for a donation, which -- after deducting some of the expenses -- will support poor people in India.
A famous yoga teacher Swami Satyadharma Saraswati will be visiting Tsukuba and is going to give a public lecture. Swami Satyadharma is a highly experienced practitioner and teacher of the classical yogic sciences within Satyananda Yoga. She has spent many years under the direct tutelage of Paramahamsa Satyananda and his chief disciple Swami Niranjanananda. During this time she has played a key role in the development of Satyananda Yoga's Bihar School of Yoga as well as the Bihar Yoga Bharati, the world's first Yogic University. In 2001 she left her role as head of Department of Undergraduate Studies and now spends part of each year touring overseas delivering workshops and seminars. She has been personally chosen by Swami Niranjanananda as the official ambassador to formally represent Satyananda/Bihar internationally and specifically in South East Asia and Australasia. She has had decades of experience teaching in different cultures to all sections of society and in her role has an official ambassador is considered to be a world class exponent of the Satyananda/Bihar Yoga system. She also plays an integral part in the development of further studies in yoga in accordance with the standards set by BiharYoga Bharati and has spent much time in both Greece and Australia helping with the development of the Yogic Studies courses. The breadth and depth of Swami Satyadharma's experience and detailed knowledge of the subtle aspects of yoga, particularly of meditation and allied yogic philosophies, is a great and rare gift. She shares this knowledge eloquently and with great conviction, giving the student of yoga a deeper and richer experience of what yoga is. Her warmth and accessibility are valued by all who come in contact with her.
zobell.biol.tsukuba.ac.jp/~weisburd/Swami%20Satyadharma%20lecture.htm

For those of you who have interest in yoga, but are not already subscribed, I manage a small and not very active yahoo group listserv (groups.yahoo.com/group/yogatsukuba). Membership is by invitation only, but if you email me to ask, I will invite you to join.

A few months ago I tried a yoga studio in Roppongi (www.studio-yoggy.com/store/roppongi.html). It was pretty good. There are several studios active in Tokyo lately. You can find some more yoga Tokyo information at www.iyc.jp/iyc.

April 22: Islam in Japan - History and Prospects

From 3:30pm to 5pm at University of Tsukuba Main Campus, Master's Programs in Humanities and Social Sciences A409
The Research Project on Religious Movements and Civil Societies in Asia present a public lecture by A.R. Siddiqi of the Japan Muslim Center.

April 24 to 30: Foreign Buyers Club: Tsukuba International School Benefit Order

Foreign Buyers Club (FBC) is a company that sells many foreign foods and other goods in Japan. You can browse their inventory online through their website or you can get them to send you their catalogues. (You can also get the catalogues at Tsukuba International School and Tsukuba Christian Center.) You will be able to find many foods, books, and learning materials that are otherwise hard to find in Tsukuba.
As a member of the international community in Japan, FBC has a policy of helping international schools and other international organizations. Any school can sign up and be given an "Order Week". Any orders that come in during that week with the school's name in the "OTHER NOTES" section of the checkout page will give the school a donation worth 5% of the order. For example, if a person orders something worth 10,000 yen and writes "*** International School" in the "Other Notes" section, the school will get a donation of 500 yen.
The Order Week for Tsukuba International School is April 24 to 30. Please consider placing an FBC order during this week to support your local international elementary school.
www.fbcusa.com
www.tsukubainternationalschool.org

April 24: Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT): Risk Taking, Video Taping

From 1:30pm to 5pm.
(1)Activities to Get Students to Appreciate Mistakes and Risk More in Conversation; (2) Self and Other Modelling by Regular Video Taping. Speaker: Tim Murphey, Dokkyo University.
Everyone is welcome.

April 27: Coffee Hour: Introducing Thai Culture

From 2pm to 4pm at Tsukuba Information Center (1-10-1 Azuma Tsukuba-shi Ibaraki)
Thailand is called the land of smiles. It has many attractions such us beautiful beaches, breath-taking mountains, truly delicious cuisine, an exotic culture of diverse minority groups, and of course the fabulous historic capital city of Bangkok. The Thai people's national character is bright, warm and enterprising, so they do not cling to material things.
By the way, do you know what type of culture and customs the Thai people have incorporated into their lives? In Thailand, the way the Thai people celebrate a wedding or the coming of age day for children are unique characteristics of Thai culture, that I am sure you will find very interesting!
The guest speaker for this month is Ms. Lisa Yago from Thailand. She lives in Tsukuba with seven members of her family. She has lived in Japan for 11 years, so she has experienced two very different cultures in her life and will focus on the interesting similarities and differences. Please come and listen to her, she will help you understand more deeply the aspects of Thai culture that are not well known outside of the land of smiles. Please come and join our Coffee Hour this April. (Language: Japanese)
Contact Tsukuba Information Center 029-852-6789 (open from 10am to 5pm).

April 29 to June 5: Clematis Exhibition

From 9am to 5pm (enter by 4:30pm) at Tsukuba Botanical Garden
www.tbg.kahaku.go.jp/tbg/20050429flower.html

April 29: Tsukuba Walking and Mountaineering Club

Kaba-san (Ibaraki-ken)
Kaba-san (709 m), located just "behind" Tsukuba-san, is famous for its religious status, and is a well known place for monks practicing asceticism. On this trip, you can enjoy cycling to the impressive Rakuhou Temple (Amabiki Kannon), and a relatively easy walk to visit several miniature shrines along the ridge.

More details on TWMC activities can be found at eve.bk.tsukuba.ac.jp/twmc

May 2005

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Well, actually, many of the most spectacular flowers come in April, but certain varieties are at their peak later this month. Two really great poppy displays are coming up near Tsukuba, with the best time being late May. The poppies bloom for quite some time, however, and are still good into early June.

The two displays are at the Kokai River Flower Festival in Shimotsuma just off of Route 125 along the river, and the "Flower Canal" Spring Flower Festival in Fujishiro also along the banks of the Kokai River about 1 km north of the intersection on Route 6 that leads into Fujishiro Station. Both places have several special events on weekends, but the flower fields are open any time and are best viewed in clear weather. Thousands of people come each Spring to view the many acres covered in brilliant red, pink and while poppies.

Also worth mentioning are the rose displays at the Flower Park in Yasato, just over the mountain from Tsukuba. The rose is the Ibaraki Prefectural flower and is the main attraction at the Flower Park (though many other varieties are in bloom at various times of the year). The Rose Festival runs from mid May through late June. Admission is 640 yen for adults and 320 yen for children.

Another closer garden you'll want to take a look at is the peony flower garden in Kukizaki. It specializes in "botan" (peony) flowers, which can be as big as 10cm across. They are usually at their peak during Golden Week in early May. To get there, proceed down Science Odori towards the Yatabe interchange, and turn left at the light just before Science Odori crosses over the expressway. There is a gas station on the left-hand corner. Proceed down this road over the expressway and straight on for about 2.2km. (If you come to a fork in the road, you have gone a little too far.) Then, turn right. You will see signs on both sides of the road. The peony gardens are located a couple hundred meters ahead next to a cemetery. If you continue on the main road another couple of kilometers, you'll come to the Takasaki Shizen no Mori poppy fields just past a large hospital on the right in Kukizaki.

The Kasama Azalea festival, held from late April to mid July, features 35,000 red, violet, and white azalea bushes. It is located east of downtown Kasama (famous for its pottery) in "Tsutsuji Koen".

Clubs and Classes at the Community Center

Get a copy of the list of clubs and classes offered at community centers (kominkan) around Tsukuba. The list is usually published in the May 1 edition of the Japanese newsletter "Koukou Tsukuba". The newsletter is published on the 1st and the 15th of every month and includes a large collection of information about living in Tsukuba. You can find copies of the newsletter at the branch offices of city hall and various other places around town. The list of classes and clubs is published in Japanese, but it is worth locating the list and going over it with a Japanese-reading friend to see if any of the programs match your interest. (Portions of the newsletter are translated into English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Thai and distributed throughout the city. The English version is available online at www.city.tsukuba.ibaraki.jp. Click on "English Site".)

May 3: Lectures about Islam

From 9:30am in Tsukuba Mosque (315-10 Kaname, Tsukuba)
The Tsukuba Muslim Residents Association (TSUMRA) invites you to a one-day conference about Islam. Lectures will be delivered on different topics from morning till night by renowned scholars. Refreshments will be served. Please see the website for information about the schedule and directions to the mosque.
www.geocities.com/tsumra

May 14, 15: International Exchange Fair

May 14 (12 noon to 6pm) and 15 (10am to 5pm) around Tsukuba Center
Every year food from all over the world is sold. Folk dancing, singing and a variety of other special performances and events take place for the purpose of increasing cultural awareness.

There was a program called "Kids Cultural Interview" last year. Many children liked it, and we would like this to be held this year again. If you have time, please let the kids ask you a question. This program is to deepen understanding about people from other cultures, and they will enjoy the communication. Please take part in our program. The kids will interview 100 people per day. And ask foreigner "Where are you from?" and "What your name?" The kids will write their answers on their cards.

May 15: Tsukuba Walking and Mountaineering Club

Okutama (Tokyo)
Despite being included in the Tokyo metropolitan area, the Okutama region offers year-round hiking with spectacular views and is a popular destination for day hikes. A great destination to get a taste of the longer walks to come this summer! This walk will take in several peaks, the highest being Mt. Kawanori at 1,364 m, and depending on inclination, time, and weather conditions, may take in a longer route with waterfall. The basic route will be 6+ hours, but there could be an easier option for those who are interested. Difficulty **.

More details on TWMC activities can be found at eve.bk.tsukuba.ac.jp/twmc

May 18: International Women's Network Monthly Potluck

From 7:30pm to 10pm.
The International Women's Network is a group of women who enjoy chatting with people from all over the world. We exchange information about the local community while eating a variety of homemade foods. We meet at one of the member's houses once a month. No reservation is needed. Just bring one dish of food and show up at the meeting. Newcomers are always welcome! Take advantage of this unique opportunity to enjoy the international city of Tsukuba with us!
Join the mailing list at groups.yahoo.co.jp/group/intl-women-network or send an email to intl-women-network-owner at yahoogroups.jp

May 18: John Lennon Museum - Free Entry (Saitama Prefecture)

From 11am to 6pm. Located near Saitama Shintoshin or Kita Yono Station
The John Lennon Museum will be allowing holders of foreign passports free entry (usually 1500yen) on this day. You just have to present your passport or alien registration card.

The John Lennon Museum is the first such museum in the world. It opened on October 9, 2000, the day when John would have celebrated his 60th birthday. His 40-year life is introduced in nine exhibition rooms with his guitars, costumes, handwritten lyrics, image screens, and music.

More info: www.taisei.co.jp/museum/news/news/050411_e.html
Maps: www.taisei.co.jp/museum/access/index_e.html

May 20: Evening Forum: Lebanon - The Sun of the Middle East

From 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Ninomiya House Salon, 9th floor, 500 yen (RSVP by May 18)
Lecturer: Dr. Ali Ayoub (National Food Research Institute)
Lebanon is the mother of Europe. Europa was the daughter of the king of Tyre (Town in South of Lebanon), carried away by the god Zeus who appeared to her under the form of a bull and with her, scoured the continent that now bears her name. The written characters of the Phaenicians were the basis of the Greek alphabet and the four-yearly games were another gift of Lebanon to Greece, to become famous later as the Olympics. One can never be weary of Lebanon because there is so much variety in a country within 10,452 sq km (4,036 sq miles). In less an hour's drive from the coast, one reaches heights of over 2,000 meters (7,000 ft) without leaving the road. While Arabic is the national language, everywhere there are people who speak English and French, while those of Beirut are largely trilingual. On the seaward slopes of the Lebanon range, one is in the world of the Mediterranean, as shown by the traditional architectural forms, the local cuisine and even in some villages the peasant dress. Won't you join me and explore the beauty of Lebanon?

If you wish to bring children, we can provide a babysitter, so be sure to inform the office as well. If you are visiting by car, please refrain from drinking.
Next month: Friday, June 17th, "Introduction of Japanese Food Culture (title to be decided)" by Dr. Isoda (Kagawa Nutrition Univ.)
Please see the website (www.jistec.or.jp/house/news/evening_forum.html) or contact Ninomiya House (029-858-7006) for more information.

May 21: International Students Bazaar

From 10am to 3:30pm at the International Student Center, University of Tsukuba
This bazaar provides an opportunity to interact with international students at Tsukuba University. Bring your family!

May 21: Tsukuba Walking and Mountaineering Club

To be announced

More details on TWMC activities can be found at eve.bk.tsukuba.ac.jp/twmc

May 25: Coffee Hour: Making the Most of Iranian Herbs

From 2pm to 4pm at Tsukuba Information Center (1-10-1 Azuma Tsukuba-shi Ibaraki)

What do you most associate with Iran? Many of you already know about the Islamic religion, the rich history and the famous Persian carpets, truly a beautiful example of Iranian craftsmanship. Then, what do the everyday Iranian people use in order to maintain their good health and longevity?

Mr. Musavi Javad is the guest speaker for this month's coffee hour. He has lived in Japan for 12 years and even he admits that Japan has a rich and diverse culinary tradition. But from his point of view, when compared with Iran, he has the impression that Japanese cuisine uses less grains, greens and herbs in its cooking. In Iran, there are stores called "Attari". In Attari thousands of different kinds of herbs and plants are sold that can be used in a variety of products ranging from perfumes to medicine to cooking all based on knowledge cultivated across time and spread from country to country along the Silk Road. Some of the medicinal purposes the herbs, spices and plants can be used for include skin care and treatment of disease in various internal organs.

If you would like to hear more about Iranian healthy herbs and plants and how to use them, please join this month's coffee hour. This month's guest speaker is Mr. Musavi Javad and he will introduce us to his culture and tell us how to stay healthy through herbs!

See also: www.geocities.jp/pooyajapan

Contact Tsukuba Information Center 029-852-6789 (open from 10am to 5pm).

May 25: KEK Concert: Aikawa Yumi: Uta-no-Terakoya (Academy of Singing)

From 6pm at KEK Kenkyu Honkan Bldg, 1F Lecture Hall. Free.
The High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) has been hosting internal lecture concerts occasionally for the past few years, but now it has decided to have them on a more regular basis and also make them open to the public. The KEK concert series consists of music concerts accompanied by lectures on the theme related to the music. Classical music is the main focus of the concerts, but at times other types of music, such as folk songs, are also included along with non-musical performances.
music.kek.jp/index-e.html

May 25 to 29: Sumie Exhibit

From 10am to 5:30pm at Tepco Exhibition Hall (behind Q't, near Jusco)
Sumie is Japanese ink painting. This exhibit includes paintings by some Tsukuba Walking and Mountaineering Club (TWMC) members.

May 27: Japanese Cooking Class

From 5:50pm at Cooking Studio Platto, 600 yen (includes coffee and apron to borrow)
Would you like to learn Japanese cooking in a beautiful cooking studio called "PLATTO"? There will be a Japanese cooking class for foreign residents with professional cooking instructors and S Suzuki who will teach you delicious and easy recipes. The class will include yakitori (grilled chicken with Japanese traditional flavor, good with beer), onigiri (rice ball), nimono (boiled Japanese pumpkin and fried tofu), special secret ice cream that might surprise you.

Cooking Studio Platto is two doors down from the Sky Lark-Gusto restaurant at the intersection of Tsuchiura Gakuen-sen and Nishi Odori. Easy to find. Free parking available. Limited to 12 people. Appointment is requested. I will send a map and more info to the applicants.
garden at mail1.accsnet.ne.jp

May 27, 28: Yadokari-sai (Dormitory Festival)

May 27 (Fri) from 5pm to 9pm and May 28 (Sat) from 12noon to 10:30pm at Hirasuna area parking lots
This festival is organized by new students. Many food booths, live performances, parades, yukata (Japanese cotton kimono) contest, etc. Everybody is welcome!
www.yadokarisai.com

May 31: Car Tax Deadline

Billed to the person who owned the car on April 1. Payment deadline is May 31.

June 2005

June 1: Gardens

Hydrangeas peak from the middle to the end of June. Two great places to view these fabulous blossoms are Mito Ajisai Matsuri (in Mito) and Amabiki Kannon Ajisai Matsuri (in Yamato-mura).

The Suigototako Iris Festival is held from the beginning to the end of June. Enjoy the view from a sappabune, the Itako bride's boat, as it passes through 12 bridges.

June 4, 5: Tsukuba Walking and Mountaineering Club

Fly-fishing and hiking at Minami Aizu (Fukushima ken)
In this event we will be introducing fly-fishing to our members. We will also do riverside hiking and experience fly-fishing at one of the beautiful place in Japan, Minami Aizu (Fukushima-ken). In the evening we will be camping in tent and enjoy star watching. (Maximum number of participants is 15, Please reserve your seat in advance if you are interested; Difficulty **).

June 6 to 30: Tsukuba Public Library Closed

The central library and the four branch libraries will be closed from June 6 to 30 in order to upgrade the library's computer system. During this period, it will not be possible to call the library to ask about books and the meeting rooms will not be available. The bookmobile service will also be unavailable from June 15 to 30.

June 8 to 12: Yosakoi Soran Festival (Sapporo, Hokkaido)

Looking for a reason to come visit Hokkaido? Come to the Yosakoi Soran Festival in Sapporo, Hokkaido Wednesday, June 8th through Sunday, June 12th. (Most of the groups perform on Saturday and Sunday and the final is Sunday evening from 6:30 to 9:30) This is a yosakoi dance festival and it is breathtaking! Those who like dance and those who don't will be energized by the spirit and power of yosakoi!

The festival started in 1991, and is Japan's largest festival. 45,000 dancers participate in the Soran Festival watched by 2 million spectators. Dancers have to hold a clapper in their hand and the group must have music based on traditional Hokkaido folk music - each group's music is different, though ranging from techno to rock to traditional.
www.yosanet.com/yosakoi

June 9: Kodo Performance (Hitachinaka-shi)

From 6pm, Hitachinaka-shi Bunka Kaikan in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki
The famous Japanese taiko group KODO will be performing in Hitachinaka (north of Mito) on June 9. If you like Japanese drumming, you will love KODO. Learn more about the group on their website: www.kodo.or.jp
15 min. walk from JR Joban line Katsuta stn.
Open: 18:00, Start: 18:30
Advance: 3,500 yen
At-the-door: 4,000 yen
All seats reserved.
Please refrain from bringing pre-schoolers.
Nursery service available. Reservation necessary. 1,000 yen per child.
Ticket sales start March 9 at Hitachinaka-shi Bunka Kaikan
Tel: 029-275-1122

June 12: Kashima Jingu Martial Arts Festival

Most of you have some familiarity with modern Japanese martial arts like kendo, aikido, karate, and judo. These modern arts have their roots in traditional Japanese warrior traditions, the kobujutsu. Though not well known, these traditional warrior arts still exist, especially here in Ibaraki, which is home to one of the most important warrior shrines in Japan, Kashima Jingu.

Each year on 12 June there is a demonstration by many of these traditional warrior schools at Kashima Jingu, including my own group: Kashima Shinryu. The demonstration, called an embu, begins around 10. If the weather is good, the embu is held on a stage just in front of the main shrine, a beautiful setting. If it rains, then we move to an interesting, but small, yagyu dojo that is behind the shrine museum.

If you want to see this embu, be aware that the drive to Kashima takes 75 to 85 minutes or so. The shrine is well worth a visit.

June 17: Evening Forum: The Heart of Healthy Japanese Foods

From 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Ninomiya House Salon, 9th floor, 500 yen (RSVP by July 20)
Lecturer: Prof. Atsuko Isobe (School of Nutritional Sciences, Kagawa Nutrition University)

If you wish to bring children, we can provide a babysitter, so be sure to inform the office. If you are visiting by car, please refrain from drinking.
Please see the website (www.jistec.or.jp/house/news/evening_forum.html) or contact Ninomiya House (029-858-7006) for more information.

June 28: Japanese Cooking Class

From 10am to 2pm at Onogawa Kominkan, 1000 yen.
The class is open to all foreign residents of Tsukuba. Please apply by calling the Tsukuba Cultural Foundation at 029-856-7007. (Closed Mondays.)

June 22: Coffee Hour: Life at Cambridge

From 2pm to 4pm at Tsukuba Information Center (Azuma 1-10-1)
The University of Cambridge is one of the oldest universities in the world, and one of the largest in the United Kingdom. It was founded in1209 by a group of scholars seeking refuge from the angry townsfolk of Oxford. It has a world-wide reputation for outstanding academic achievement and the high quality of research undertaken in a wide range of science and arts subjects. The University is centered around the beautiful River Cam, where students relax on a sunny summer afternoon, go punting on the river with friends or gather during May week for the somewhat decadent college balls.

The guest speaker of this month is Ms. Rosalind Tendler from the United Kingdom. She is a graduate of Cambridge University, St. John's College. Would you like to find out more about what it is like to study at the University and live in the historic college buildings? To hear about the unusual and often dangerous 'bumps' boat races, the ancient and secretive drinking societies and the University's unique teaching methods? If so please come to the coffee hour!

Contact Tsukuba Information Center 029-852-6789 (open from 10am to 5pm).

July 2005

July: Gion Matsuris Galore

There are numerous "Gion Matsuri" scheduled for late July. "Gion Matsuri" are Shinto festivals usually taking place in the evening hours and centering around the portable shrines carried of rolled along the street. Information as to exact times and locations are not given in the Japanese listings, and so you may want to have a Japanese speaking friend call ahead for details. Foreigners who have not seen these celebrations find them an interesting bit of Japanese culture, and you have plenty to choose from. Other festivals are also included here.

• "Ninniku (Garlic) Matsuri", Ichinoya Yasaka Jinja in Tsukuba (just east of Higashi Odori, 2 lights north of Hiratsuka Odori). Tel. 029-864-1132
• Edosaki Gion Matsuri, central shopping district (evening), tel. 029-892-2221
• July 20-21, Ishige Gion Matsuri, through the center of town, with the main events being in the evening from around 6 pm to 10 pm. tel. 029-742-3111
• Mitsukaido Gion Matsuri, central plaza area near station. Tel 029-723-2111
• Shimodate Gion Matsuri, in front of the station. Early Sunday morning (around 6 am) , the "omikoshi" is carried through the river. tel. 029-624-2111
• Tsuchiura Gion Matsuri through the "Menuki Dori" shopping area (route 125 between the west side of the station and Kijo Park). The parades and festivities focus mainly on the late afternoon and evening hours, but last all day. The main event will be on Saturday evening, beginning around 7 pm. A good opportunity to see traditional Japan. tel. 029-824-2810
• Ryugasaki Tsukumai Matsuri, traditional "dare-devil" type stunts on a 17 m. pole, from 6 pm. tel. 029-764-1111

July 10: Gift from Beate: Movie and Lecture

From 1:30 pm and 6pm (movie is 92 minutes) at Tsukuba Gakuin University, 1500 yen (1200 yen in advance), Students 1200 yen (1000 yen in advance)
Beate Sirota Gordon is an Austrian who grew up in pre-war Japan. A review of her autobiography "The Only Woman in the Room" can be found on www.amazon.com.
www.tsukuba-g.ac.jp

July 16, 23: Thai Language Classes

From 1pm to 2:30pm, 2000 yen, limited to 10 students, apply by July 6
Thai classes for absolute beginners. Simple greetings, hotel procedures, shopping terms, etc.
www.tsukuba-g.ac.jp/koza/koza2005K.htm

July 22: Evening Forum: Australia's Sporting Culture

From 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Ninomiya House Salon, 9th floor, 500 yen (RSVP by July 20)
Lecturer: Mr. Sven Holcombe (Japan Automobile Research Institute)
Australia's unique background and culture has a major influence on the sports that its people play. With one of the highest participation rates in the world, Australia is also unique in the way that these sports have become part of the country's culture itself. The temperate climate and wide-open spaces encourage Australians to take up outdoor activities as part of their lifestyle, and with the vast distances across the country, different sports have gained popularity in different parts of the nation. So join in this month's evening forum and find out why Australia has so many different types of football, how on earth they can have a boat race in the desert, how exactly a horse race "stops the nation", and plenty more about the important role of sport in Australian culture.

If you wish to bring children, we can provide a babysitter, so be sure to inform the office. If you are visiting by car, please refrain from drinking.
Please see the website (www.jistec.or.jp/house/news/evening_forum.html) or contact Ninomiya House (029-858-7006) for more information.

July 22 to 24: Tajima Gion Festival (Tajima-machi, Fukushima Prefecture)

If you can't make it down to Kyoto for the big Gion-sai down there, you might want to try to make the trip to Tajima in the south west area of Fukushima Prefecture. There is a parade of traditionally clad women and men early in the morning on the 23rd. Lots of stalls line the main street during the day and night, and huge floats are pushed through the streets at night in between rounds of Kabuki plays being performed by children. Worth the trip to Tajima!

July 23 to 25: Soma Nomaoi (Haramachi-shi, Fukushima Prefecture)

Over 600 mounted samurai, clad in armor and helmet, riding wild horses and carrying a family banner and a long sword.
See: www.city.haramachi.fukushima.jp/english/nomaoi/nomaoi.html

July 23: 2005 Summer Festival at Tsukuba Botanical Garden

Tsukuba Botanical Garden will be holding a Summer Festa between July 23 and August 7. This will be a chance for children to come into contact with living plants, make observations, and create crafts, etc. We hope to improve children's awareness and understanding of plants. They will be able to participate in various activities such as a walk rally and making a specimen book. Please come and bring your children!

Elementary and junior high school kids can participate in the following events. It is necessary to apply for these events ahead of time.

1. ES/JHS child and parent plant drawing class (July 23: 10am to 3pm)
2. ES/JHS child and parent plant observation class (July 24 and July 31: 10am to 12noon)
3. ES/JHS child and parent astronomical lecture and stargazing (July 30: 6pm to 9pm)
4. ES/JHS child and parent soil class (August 6: 10am to 12noon, 2pm to 4pm)

1. Walk Rally - July 23 to August 7
2. Making pressed-leaf postcards - July 23 to July 28
3. Leaf observation and making leaf cards - July 29 to July 31
4. Making bookmarks from leaf vein specimen - August 2 to 4
5. Making postcards from banana leaves - August 5 to 7

Call 029-851-5159 to apply.

See: www.tbg.kahaku.go.jp/tbg/20050723summervac.html (in Japanese)

July 30 to 31: Ushiku Kappa Matsuri

This festival focuses on the mythical character "kappa" (river monster). Thousands of people dancing to the "Kappa Bayashi" song, stalls on the sides of the road, various events on the stages. Held on the east side of Ushiku Station.

August 2005

August 1 to 7: Tanabata Festival

See: www.kanko-tkb.net/tanabatamaturi (in Japanese)

August 5 to 8: Mito Komon Matsuri

Named after the famous ruler who dressed as a commoner to go out and help his people, this festival is the main one held in Mito near the station. There is a fireworks display and traditional dancing.
See: www.mitokoumon.com/maturi/koumon/koumon.htm (in Japanese)

August 7: Tsukuba Gama Festival

Festival celebrating toad oil, if you can believe it. Said to be good for the skin.
See: www.kanko-tkb.net/hp/gama/ (in Japanese)

August 13 to 17: O-bon

This is a major Japanese holiday (Buddhist). Dates vary around the country, but center around the 13th to the 17th (although it is held in July in some areas). During the time of O-bon, a family's ancestors come back home for a visit. This means that all family members are generally obliged to make the trip back to their hometowns in order to participate in various family functions. Because so many people who live in Tsukuba actually come from other parts of Japan, O-bon can be fairly quiet around these parts. You will probably find that most of your Japanese friends have either left town or are extremely busy with family commitments. Many stores and services are unavailable during this time, especially smaller businesses.

August 24 to 27: Matsuri Tsukuba

Tsukuba has two major festivals each year, the International Fair in May, and Matsuri Tsukuba, usually held on the first weekend in September. This year Matsuri Tsukuba is being held early to coincide with the opening of the Tsukuba Express train line.

Matsuri Tsukuba centers around a major parade on Saturday evening along Tsuchiura-Gakuen Sen in the center of town between Nishi Odori and Higashi Odori. A number of spectacular "Nebuta" floats will be paraded along the route first towards the west and then back along the other side of the road to the East and back again. The "Nebuta" floats are brought out after it has gotten dark so that the internal lights glow brightly. Basically made of thin strips of wood covered with colorful paper, lights inside the floats shine through to make a spectacular impression.

In order to get a good view, you should try to pick out a spot fairly early, around 5 pm or so. A number of interesting groups proceed along the parade route as a preliminary to the unveiling of the Nebuta floats at dusk. Along the bicycle path between the Expo Center and Takezono Park, numerous vendors sell the typical carnival items, and so you can even get your dinner before the main event.

A number of interesting booths are set up and various cultural events take place over the 4 days. Art Town Tsukuba, the annual street performers festival, is being held on the 27th and 28th and shouldn't be missed. A highlight is Tsukuba's own "Seshami Street" a rogue pair of shamisen players who will delight you with their skills and capers. Most events take place along the central bicycle path and adjacent parks.

See: www.kanko-tkb.net/hp/tf/ (in Japanese)
www.tsukuba-cci.or.jp/arttown

September 2005

September 17: Ishioka Matsuri

October 2005

Giant Fireworks Display To Light Up The Tsuchiura Sky

Kasama Chrysanthemum Festival

October 18 (??) to November 24 (??) at Kasama Inari Jinja.
Amazing displays of chrysanthemum bushes bent and formed into fantastic displays of flowers. Every year, incredible floral displays reminiscent of flower covered floats in the Rose Parade are on display. But these are not flowers that have been glued on. They were grown that way! Prizes are awarded for the best, biggest and most beautiful chrysanthemums, and with some individual flowers being 30 cm across, some are really huge.

Kasama is located about an hour's drive north of Tsukuba and is well worth the trip anytime of the year. Famous for its pottery, you can enjoy the pottery theme park just to the east of Kasama while you are there. The best way to go by car is to go over the mountain ridge to Yasato, along what is called the "Fruit Line" Road, running along the east side of the ridge of mountains just north of Mount Tsukuba. You'll come to another mountain pass to go over on what has now become route 42, which drops down into Kasama. That road dead-ends just after crossing the railroad tracks just to the east of Kasama Station. Turn right and go a few hundred meters to the end of that road. Turning to the right and proceeding east for a kilometer or so will bring you to the "Geijutsu no Mori" Pottery Park (on the left), while turning to the left and proceeding north for about 1km will take you to the park (on the right) where the chrysanthemums are. Some information can be seen on this site: www.kasama.or.jp/english/gyoji

Local Displays
If going to Kasama is a bit far, you can find interesting displays at several places in the Tsukuba area. The Mt. Tsukuba Shrine has always had some very nice chrysanthemum displays during November, and in past years, local flower enthusiasts have shown their works of floral art at Matsumi Park, near the city hall in Yatabe and other such locations.

Tsukuba University: Sohosai (Student Festival)

November 2005

Chateau Kamiya Wine Festival

November ?? 10am to 5pm at Chateau Kamiya in Ushiku.
Chateau Kamiya began producing wine in 1901 and is a pioneer of wine production in Japan. At the festival, there will be events such as a jazz concert, a wine auction, and an exhibition of local products. In addition, there will be a Cake Festival every Wednesday in November from 10am to 11:30am. The first 30 people to arrive will get three pieces of cake and tea/coffee for 500 yen. Free refills of tea and coffee. To get to Chateau Kamiya, follow Route 408 toward Ushiku. Turn right at the Sakaecho 5-chome intersection. Continue driving for about 200m and you will find Chateau Kamiya on the right hand side. The parking lot is on the opposite side of the Chateau. It takes about 20 minutes from Tsukuba Center.

November 13: Ibaraki Prefectural Day

In addition to the regular national holidays, prefectures have begun having their own special holiday. For a number of years, now, Ibaraki schools and local government offices have taken the day off on November 13. For the private sector, however, it is generally business as usual.
One popular event held on this day is a special day at Tokyo Disneyland for residents of Ibaraki. If you buy your tickets locally (at train stations, travel agents and even Hot Spar markets), the 4800 yen regular passbook ticket is reduced to 3700 yen (2800 yen for children). If you can afford the time off, it's a great time to go. Be forewarned, however, that it tends to be very crowded, and so you can't expect to get on many rides. The "Fantillusion" show and other features of the park, however, are worth it even if you don't get into many rides. (Christmas celebrations start on Nov 4.)

Tsukuba Marathon - Expect Delays!

The marathon course continues up Higashi Odori past KEK and takes a left towards the Northern Industrial Park. After looping around that, the course then proceeds south along the Yatabe-Akeno Bypass until it comes to Tsuchiura-Gakuen Sen (called Expo Odori along this part of the road). From there, it proceeds back to downtown Tsukuba and turns north again on Nishi Odori, where it proceeds up past Hiratsuka Odori to the road with the overpass just north of the Tsukuba Kinen Hospital. From there is goes west back to the university loop and then back down and around into the athletic field where it ends.

Every year, hundreds of athletes vie for the winner's wreath, with the times ranging from around 2 and a half hours on up to 4 or more. With a little calculation, you can figure out just about when to expect the runners to go by. For instance, the lead runner should turn the corner onto Nishi Odori (just west of Seibu) at about 12:15.

December 2005

Stores Close! Be Prepared!

For those of you who have not experienced a Japanese style New Year, you need to be prepared for the closing down of practically everything for at least 2 days. Most stores close down early on New Year's Eve and don't reopen until the 2nd or later. This is much shorter than "in the good old days" when stores were closed down until the 3rd or 4th, but one still needs to be sure to stock up on the basics, such as bread and milk. Of perhaps greater significance in this "cash society" is that many banks will be closed from December 31st to January 3rd. The "cash card" (ATM) machines will not be operational on Jan. 1, 2 and 3, and so you need to have enough cash on hand for your expected expenses (plus some for the spur-of-the-moment purchases at the various New Year's sales you'll run across).

Christmas Party at Tsukuba Women's University

December ?? (Sunday), 2pm to 5:30pm
No reason to feel blue! Come and join our yearly, traditional, Xmas party at Tsukuba Women`s University. Sponsored by students of International Studies, this Xmas celebration hosts lots of international friends from all over the world in a truly festive mood of carols, games, quizzes, food and an enchanting time to talk with foreign residents in Tsukuba Science City. Come along, bring your family and friends and enjoy Xmas away from home! Send enquiries to cbi AT mue.biglobe.ne.jp. For a map of the place, please go to www.kasei.ac.jp/annai/koutu_fra.html

December 25: Christmas in Tsukuba

Assuming you're one of the many foreigners who will be spending Christmas at your home away from home during the holidays, please read on. If you are one of the "lucky" ones to have your pricey reservations for a trip home, then Bon Voyage!

Imagine that you're pushing your shopping cart down the aisle at Seibu, humming along with the "Muzak-to-shop-by" wafting down at you from the PA system: "I'll be home for Christmas," when the depressing thought hits you that this year, you won't be home!!! Before you slide over the edge into a "Blue Christmas", consider some opportunities which may help to make the season bright.

In addition to various public concerts and exhibits, churches in Tsukuba are hosting special celebrations.

The International (English) Christmas Worship Service at Tsukuba Gakuen Church (behind the gas station a half block up from the Epochal Convention Center) will be held on Sunday afternoon, Dec. ??th at 2:00 pm., followed by refreshments in the Christian Center next door. On Christmas Sunday, the ??, the 10:30 a.m. Japanese service (which is translated into English over earphones every Sunday) will be followed by a Christmas luncheon with lots of good food. Visitors are welcome. Also, there will be a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Dec. 24th at 7:00 p.m. featuring a well-trained choir. It will be followed by Christmas caroling at several locations. Another event of interest to parents of younger children will be a church school Christmas party with Santa on Saturday, Dec. ?? at 2 pm. The Tsukuba Gakuen Church has one of the finest pipe organs around, and regularly hosts top organists for concerts. The Christmas Concert is on Sunday, Dec. ?? at 4 pm, with Yasuko Hirai playing. Admission is free. For more information, call 029-855-1907.

If you are a bit homesick for Christmas lights (or if you come from a country where that isn't such a tradition, and just want to see them), the Tsukuba Christian Center/YMCA and Gakuen Church are decorated with thousands of colored bulbs. The annual Christmas dinner for the international community will be on Dec. ?? at 6 pm. Turkey is provided, but you are asked to bring a dish or drink to share. There will also be an "open house" every evening from Dec. 20th through 24th from 6 to 9 pm with various goodies and drinks prepared for those who would like to come and experience a little of the Christmas spirit. On Christmas Eve, the open house will begin immediately following the candlelight service at the Gakuen Church.

The Tsukuba Catholic Church in Matsushiro has the following Christmas/New Year's season schedule for the international community: Sunday, Dec. ??, the regular 8 am English mass (same as every Sunday); Thursday, Dec. ?? at 10 am, Children's International Christmas Mass and party; Christmas Eve English Mass at 10:00 pm. On Christmas Day, there is a Japanese Mass at 10:00 am. A New Year's Eve International Mass begins at midnight, and a New Year's Day Mass in Japanese begins at 10 am. For information, call 029-836-1723.

The Nozomi Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tsuchiura (Komatsu 3-23-27) also has special holiday programs, including the following: Christmas Sunday will be held Dec. ?? at 10:30, with a children's Christmas program on the ?? at 4 pm. There will be a Christmas Eve service at 7:00 pm followed by a potluck. The New Year's Day service is at 2:00 pm. All activities are bilingual, English and Japanese. The church is also beautifully decorated with lights and a nativity scene that is well worth seeing. It is located a little over 1 km south of Tsuchiura Station on the edge of a steep hill overlooking the city. For further information, call Glenn Hieb at 029-821-3578.

The Tsuchiura Christian Church has the following activities: A bilingual Christmas service will be held on Dec. ?? at 10:30 am followed by a pot luck dinner at 12:00. For more information, contact Paul or Faith Axton at 029-856-2167. Tsuchiura Megumi Church, located near the junction of Tsuchiura-Gakuen Sen and the 6-go Bypass will have two Christmas services on Dec. 19 at 9 am, 10:45 am, with an evening service at 6 pm The Christmas Eve candlelight service on the 24th begins at 7 pm. For further information, call 029-822-2244. There is also a special Christmas concert on Dec. 19 at 6:00 pm featuring singer Yurie Kokubu.

The Assemblies of God church will feature a Christmas program on the ?? at 10:30 am. Activities at this church are mostly in English (with Japanese translation over headphones). For further information, call 029-857-9006. If it's the secular shopping hoopla that you miss, you'll love getting yourself trampled while checking out the seasonal offerings at the department stores. The real stampede, however, is in Tokyo, and for merry masochistic madness, a day at Akihabara or Harajuku is unsurpassed as pure holiday in"SANTA"ty!

Christmas cakes have become a Japanese tradition as well established as New Year's "omochi". Our advice, however, is to go easy on these white, strawberry-topped concoctions, sweet enough to give Santa diabetes. You may well be invited to one or more "bonenkai" (forget-the-year parties), where you will be enticed to down enough beer and "sake" to make you forget not only the year but your name and how to get home. While we naively hope for sobriety in this season, we realize that there will be some plastered gaijin here and there. If you end up being one, don't drive! The police are lurking in wait to lift your driver's license.

December 28: Doro Ichi

"Doro Ichi" is the name given to a special outdoor market specializing in "daruma" New Year's dolls and other New Year's decorations. This special one-day market will be held in front of the Yatabe branch office of city hall beginning about 3 pm and going late into the evening, and should be an interesting sight even if you are not interested in actually buying any decorations for your home or apartment. If, however, you would like to pick up some unusual souvenirs to take back with you, this should be a good opportunity.

The term "Doro Ichi" literally means "mud market" and has two possible linguistic origins. One is that traditionally December was the month when "dorobo" (thieves - literally "mud sticks") were most active. The other theory is that it had to do with the muddy roads of December and that when people went shopping on such roads, they tended to get muddy.

December 31 to January 1: New Years Celebrations

A popular tradition in Japan is "hatsu moode", the first visit to a shrine to pray to the local gods for good luck in the New Year. Many try to combine this with a sunrise vigil on New Year's Day. One popular place to do this is on Mt. Tsukuba. Sunrise is at 6:49 am, and the cable railway from Tsukuba Shrine and ropeway from the Tsukuba San Keisei Hotel going to the top of the mountain begin operating at 4:30 and 5:30 am respectively. The Mt. Tsukuba Shrine provides Ama-zake (sweet alcoholic drink made from fermented rice) free of charge to all visitors beginning at 6 am on the first of January and continuing to the third. If you really want to go "gung ho" on the Japanese experience, you can even fork over 3000 yen for a "go-kitou" Shinto New Year's prayer for success in business, health, a passing grade in school or whatever your heart desires! (No guarantees!)

Another popular excursion is to visit Kashima Shrine, located about 75 min. by car east of Tsukuba in the coastal town of Kashima (home of the champion Kashima Antlers of the J-League professional soccer league). Purported to have been founded in 660 AD, it is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in all of Japan. The grounds of the shrine are spacious, with many interesting buildings and other points of interest, and is worth a visit any time of year. If you go on New Year's Day, be prepared for huge crowds! The Narita Temple is another very popular destination for Japanese wishing for a heavenly blessing, and well worth a trip for those wishing to experience the spectacle.

Another interesting New Year's outing that lets you experience a Japanese tradition is to visit the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to see the emperor and empress (from a distance, of course). The main gate of the palace will open to the public from 9:30 am to 3 pm on the second of January. The emperor, empress and his family will greet the crowds 7 times during the day. And when we say "crowds", we mean just that; so if you're interested, go early! This is just about the only day you can actually get inside the Imperial Palace grounds.

There are plenty of other interesting places within walking distance of the Imperial Palace if you still have time after your royal greetings. And since businesses are generally shut down for the day, the streets (and of course, the trains) are empty. If you've ever thought about driving around in Tokyo in your car, this is the time to do it -- no traffic and easy parking.

Another popular New Year's custom in Japan is the flying of kites. The stiff breezes make this time of year good for getting some really big and heavy kites airborne, with the bigger ones taking many people to control. One good place to see them is at the Toride Kite Festival on January 12 (or following day in case of rain) between 10 am and 2 pm. The event takes place on the Tonegawa River bank away from any power lines. Another festival worth seeing that is also in Toride is the Tonegawa Dondo Matsuri, which centers around the burning in a giant bonfire the various New Year's decorations (such as "kadomatstu", the bamboo and pine branch decorations used to welcome the New Year) on Jan. 15 at 5 pm. In the coals of the bonfire, people roast senbei (and perhaps even marshmallows these days) on long sticks. For further info, call 0297-74-2141.