,What's Hap~e~ing ~~ 06ihiro? --========----1lntemational and Domestic Relations Section Newsletter Apr 2009 Issue 193 1----====:=::=- How to receive your Fixed-Sum Benefit money The government of Japan, led by Prime Minister Taro Aso, has decided that all residents of Japan deserve a little extra cash in these harsh economic times. If you haven't received one already, you should receive a pack of papers by mail explaining what this money is and how to apply for it. Make sure to read everything carefully to see if you and your family are eligible for payment. There is also an extra "Special Child Support Benefit" for families with children, so read that carefully as well! :~-----------------------------~ 5 Easy Steps to receive the money : ~.-,1~f.If]lt: -- ----- --- ........ ------ - ~ - 1. First, fill out the application form sent to you by mail, _ or if you can't understand it, ask a friend for help or bring _ - it in with you to Obihiro City Hall. - 2. Make a copy of your Alien Registration Card _ 3. Make a copy of your bankbook or cash card (so that we _ - can confirm your account details) - 4. Put the application form and the 2 copies into the _ return-use envelope the City of Obihiro has provided in - the application pack (no stamp needed!) -- - 5. Send everything to - The International and Domestic Relations Section _ Obihiro City Hall - - West 5 South 7-1 .. Hokkaido 080-8670 _ Oblhlro, _ - _ ,....---- -, - For more information please contact us at: _ TEL: 0155-65-4133 (we speak English) EMAIL: international@city.obihiro.hokkaido.jp Website: www.city.obihiro.hokkaido.jp/ -_._-------------------------_. Pg.l: Fixed-sum stimulus payment Pg.2: Events and Fun in Tokachi Pg.3:Free Japanese Class Pg.4: Movie Schedule 1 SI Obihiro Zoo opens at the end of April April When What Cross Country Skiing on Mountains: Cross-country 4/5 (Sun) 9:30 - 4/12 (Sun) 12:00 4/19 (Sun) 9:00 ski in the Eastern Taisetsu Mountains (near Shintoku). Participants get a free pass into the Tomuraushi Hot Springs. Adults 1500 yen Kids 500 yen Free Taisho Koto Concert: A traditional koto group will be perfonning some traditional Japanese music on kola (at right). Pacchi Championship! : Pacchi is a traditional Japanese game where you slap two pieces of paper on a log and try to flip them over. Sound like fun? Then come on down to Rikubetsu and sign up! Come have a marriage experience at Obihiro's Happy Ceremony (at Kofuku "Happiness" Station) Where? & Contact Info tJT~lBTliljEt--.b.7ry~ t--.b.7ry~;g~ JR:*:~tt Kuttari Tomuraushi, Shintoku Tomuraushi Onsen Higashi Taisetsuso 0156-65-3021 5t!!EBIBTWIII*-jJ., Ikeda Denen Hall (Ikeda) 015-572-4411 1!l~IJIBT9ry/*-jJ., Rikubetsu Town Hall 0156-27-2141 Kofuku Station Happy Ceremony: 4/26-9/30 (Sun-Wed) 10:00 - 16:00 ¥3000/couple Get ready for a "wedding" experience! You can borrow a tuxedo and dress, and be "witnessed" with anyone you want! You ring the station bell while the "witness" takes a perfect picture of you both to finish off the ceremony. Afterwards, you receive a certificate with a message of your choice and that perfect picture on it too. 4/29 (Wed) 9:00-16:30 Obihiro Zoo Opening Day: Visit the zoo to view various vivacious and vibrant vertebrates. Admission is only 450 yen! 4/29 (Wed) 10:00 End of April to mid-May 18:00 - 22:00 2 Satsunai River Park Opening: Come to the Pyotan Waterfall to celebrate the park opening for the season. Watch the river get restocked with fish, and even do a little mountain stream fishing if you want. There will be kids events and some new menu items to try at the new restaurant Pyoro. *~m.mlR Kofuku Station, Obihiro (30 min South on Hwy 236) Call to apply! 090-1646-6318 dStFtJ.~I1J~1II Obihiro Zoo is right next to Green Park (both are in Midorigaoka Park) 0155-24-2437 t:3-1ZJ(1)~t Pyotan Waterfall (In Nakasatsunai) 0155-67-2311 (Nakasatsunai Town Office) Shintoku Nature Park Light-up: During the sakura fJT~LlII3?&~1II (cherry blossom) blooming season, approximately 2,300 sakura trees will be lit up so that everyone can enjoy the beautiful flowers during the daytime and at night. Shintoku Nature Park (45 minutes west ofObihiro on Hwy. 38) 0156-64-0525 Free Japanese Classes Start May 12th! How is your Japanese ability coming along? Many people may say your Japanese is AMAZING!!!!!! after only hearing you say "konnichiwa", but you are probably a better judge of your true ability level The Tokachi International Association, in cooperation with the City of Obihiro, is offering free Japanese classes for people who want to improve their ability to communicate with other Japanese people. Our target students are beginners to intermediate-beginners who want to practice speaking and get a solid foundation of basic grammar and vocabulary. We use this textbook in some of the classes. (Minna no Nihongo) Class Info (details may change) Classes will be Tuesdays and Thursdays starting May 12th Class times will either be 10:30 to 12:00 or 19:00 to 21:00 The teachers are wonderful Japanese volunteers who have a wealth of experience teaching the Japanese language to foreigners. The classes are taught almost exclusively in Japanese, with only a small bit of English from time to time. Locations: Obihiro City Hall (10 th floor) West 5 South 7, in downtown Obihiro TIRC (library room) Each class generally has 10 people or less and students come from all over the world. Last year we had over 30 people from 25 different countries! And that was just the Fall session. This year's summer session will run from mid-May to mid July. We will meet once every week (time, day and location varies from class to class) for 10 weeks total. We also plan to have another session in the Fall from September to November. Come join us to make friends and improve your ability to live and communicate smoothly in Japanese society! :Japan pfas/i West 20 South 6, next to JICA Sign up: The Tokachi International Association Email: international@city.obihiro.hokkaido.jp At City Hall (address above) TEL: 0155-65-4133 At the TIRC (address above) TEL: 0155-34-0122 A small insight into any and all aspects oflife in Japan The School Entrance Ceremony Many Japanese people anxiously await the arrival of April because it is the start of spring when the cherry blossoms bloom, April starts the Japanese fiscal year, etc. Many promotions and personnel changes also occur in April. The new school year also begins this month after a short spring break. In each level: kindergarten (yochien), elementary school (shogakko), junior·high school (chugakko) and high school (koko) schools hold a special ceremony for new students called "the school entrance ceremony" (nyugakushiki). This ceremony is primarily for children entering kindergarten or elementary school, and stores and tv commercials will bombard us with commercials about special backpacks called "landoseru". All children entering first grade are required to buy one, and they are not cheap! For those of you who don't have children, you have never given a second look to "landoseru". The prices on those things are shocking! I was amazed to find that the cheapest ones on the shelf cost more than 10,000 yen and the higher end landoseru were higher than 50,000 yen in price! The entrance ceremony is a special event for families with children because they have to prepare special clothing, for children and parents, to wear to the ceremony and get permission from their employer to attend the first day of class with their kid. Overall it sounds like a very friendly (yet expensive) way to weh::ome new students to school. (Article by: Rocio Ushijima, Obihiro's CIR from Peru) 3 Times are subject to change. To confinn, call or check online at: http://www.taiyogroup.jplcinemaltheaterCobihiro/movie.shtml Language Title (about banks that don't care) English Apr 4 - May (Clint Eastwood mocie about racism) English Apr 25 - May (Will Smith brings people together) English Mar 1-Apr3 (Tom Cruise is a Nazi colonel) English Mar 20 - Apr 24 Rainfall Japanese Apr 25 - May Crayon Shinchan Movie Japanese Apr 18 - May Japanese Apr 11 - May Japanese Apr 1-Apr 24 The International Gran Torino Seven Pounds Valkyrie Crows ZERO II (about delinquent youth) Bedtime Story O\., .... c;: o .... eN . NAO ...... "kAT·"'. '~«NT£RNAT(ONAL. ~ Dragonball: Evolution Japanese Mar 13 - Apr 24 Tsurikichi Sanpei Japanese Mar 20 - Apr 17 Vatter-Man Japanese Mar 7 -Apr 24 Japanese Mar7 May (from the manga) The of Return of General Rouge Movies Ending This Month! International and Domestic Relations Section Obihiro City Hall Nishi 5, Minami 7-1 Obihiro, Japan, 080-0867 Phone: (0155) 65-4133 Fax: (0155) 23-0171 E-mail: intemational@city.obihiro.hokkaido.jp {" Greg Hertel -Editor, Events, Movies, Web manager Naoko Yamada, Kotomi Torimoto- General Advisory Intemational and Domestic Relations Section- Articles What's Happening in Obihiro? can be found at the following locations: Obihiro City Hall, Tokachi Intemational Relations Center, Obihiro University Intemational Center, Obihiro Tourism and Convention Center inside the Obihiro JR Station, Obihiro Public Library, Cinema Taiyo, Joy English Academy and online at www.city.obihiro.hokkaido.jp . ... .. "WHIO?" Is a newsletter published monthly by the Obihiro International and Domestic RelationsSecqon for residents ofthe Tokachi Qistriet and related parties. The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily represent the official views oropinionsofthelrtiernationlil and'Domestic Ret~o!1S Section or the City ofObihiro. Questions? Tel (0155) 65-4133 or send e-mail to WHIO EqitingTeantatipt<;:ml\lional@city.obihiro.hokkaidojp. 4 ....- - -............---..;",..--.....- . . ; . . . . - - - - - - - -.......;..---...............-";;;....;",..---.....;,;,,,.....