The Akitan
Winter 2014
The Akitan Team Randy Umetsu Hi Akitans. My name is Randy Umetsu. I work at the prefecture’s International Affairs Division as a Coordinator for International Relations. When I am not busy coordinating Akita’s international relations I enjoy lifting heavy things and putting them back down, drinking craft beer, making gains, taking photos, avoiding the cold, complaining about the yen to dollar exchange rate, gchatting, and counting my macros.
Disclaimer: I have zero experience editing for a publication and I may or may not check the things you submit. Please think of me as a content collector and contributor. I am really excited to have Stephanie aboard the team to help turn The Akitan into a visually pleasing resource!
Taylor Fustin
Hey Everyone! My name is Taylor Fustin. This is my fourth year on JET and I am the Education Center ALT/PA. I enjoy staring out the window near my desk and reading books. I have been working on The Akitan for the past few years and really enjoy it. We are always looking for new content, so please don’t hesitate to send us some. Email me at Taylor.Fustin@gmail.com.
S. A. Broder
ALT by day, artist by night- S.A.Broder is the graphic designer for The Akitan. She currently works in Odate as a Senior High School ALT. In her spare time, she likes painting self-indulgent portraits and making comics. You can see more of her art via her DeviantArt profile here.
Interested in joining our team? Email Taylor at taylor.fustin@gmail.com 2
In This Issue... The AAJ Report... Page 4
Akita’s Winter Pastime: Hitting the Slopes in Tohoku... Page 5 Akita’s Winter Festivals: A Cheat Sheet... Page 8
Bonus: Printable Festival Calendar... Page 10
The Little New Year... Page 11
The Naked Man Festival... Page 14 English Camp Report... Page 15
Food For Thought: “Wow! You use chopsticks so well!”... Page 17 Reading for Vocabulary... Page 18 Reviews:
Heaven’s Dragon... Page 20
Get a Moo-ve on and Grab Some Ramen!... Page 21 Kami no Yu Onsen... Page 23
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Cover photo courtesy of Michael Aubrey
The AAJ Report Greetings to all,
maracas, then come and join us for a delightful sing-song as we share a special cultural winter feature with the local people of Akita.
We hope you are all prepared for the winter months and that the sudden drop in temperature hasn’t yet dampened your winter cheer.
This event really is made by the support of the ALTs who join, and for those who may be thinking of coming for the first time it is truly a wonderful way to spend a chilly Saturday afternoon (and I’ll even bring along my trumpet for a little tootle too!!)
The past couple of months have been very busy but exciting for the AAJ group, with the Halloween party a great success and the launch of a new Soup-Curry-Quiz-Night event, conceived by Alana and made possible by the support of all you fine individuals and the rest of the organization team.
Here is the event page for Caroling, so have a look and sign up for any information notifications and to check out the song list.
Firstly, it is with pleasure that we are able to announce we have managed to locate a worthy charitable cause to support within the Tohoku region, especially during this cold hard winter. With the funds raised from the two events mentioned above, we hope to send 350,000 yen in order to support the Japan Cat Foundation, which is a charity that runs a shelter for animals in need or without a loving home. They are a comparatively small organization, however, the work they are doing is valiant and their passion and hopes to do good for the welfare of animals in need, we feel, deserves our support. Please take a look at their efforts by checking out their site: http://japancatnetwork.org/ Winter is in fact, one of my personal favorite seasons for the AAJ event calendar. Coming up in only a short time is our annual Caroling-get-together in front of Akita train station. From 10:00 until 14:00 on Saturday December 13th we will be filling the west side promenade of Akita station with sweet, sweet Christmas melody. Please, please, please, wrap up warm, don your festivy-est, glittery-est Christmas attire, jingle your tambourines, shake your
Lastly, for fans of winter sports, we have reserved out our regular pension cabin at the Appi Ski Resort in Iwaki Prefecture for the 24th of January 2015. This is a wonderful weekend trip with amazing powder snow conditions and a glorious European style guesthouse for us all to stay including an incredible course dinner with enough delicious food to satisfy the bellies of a thousand warriors.
We’ll be putting out an event page for the ski trip following Caroling, so for now, make a note of the date and for those who would like to join, think about including it in your monthly budget for the new year! That’s all for now, Thanks to you all as always for your support - These events would not be possible without you guys!
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All the best, Your AAJ team.
Akita’s Winter Pastime
Hitting the Slopes in Tohoku
Photos and Story by Patrick Poelsma
Apparently, winter in and around Akita prefecture is really snowy. I don’t like snow all that much…unless I’m skiing on it. Then, I love it. So here’s a few words about riding snow around our area.
ski. There’s a lot of it. Resorts get crushed by snow and as a result, on any given day during the season, you’re likely to find some deep, white, fluffiness. The trees are usually a haven for it and are well spaced for skiing/riding. If you’re not experienced in riding powder, then the sides of runs are a great place to learn. From there, head to the trees! There are some resorts which specialise in providing powder skiing experiences. I’ll mention more further down.
Ski Conditions around Akita
If you like riding on smooth, groomed ‘corduroy’ snow, Japan has the terrain for you. The majority of Japanese skiers love hitting the groomers and laying out race like carve turns, so most of the resorts cater to this. You’ll find open, immaculately groomed runs that are generally none too crowded. Japanese skiers also love skiing zipper line bumps. They’re pretty rad at it too. So if you like getting rad in the bumps, keep an eye out and you’re guaranteed to spot a line. If you like riding the pow, Japan is the place to
Where to go?
Appi kogen (Iwate)
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Appi provides the complete resort experience. There’s plenty of infrastructure including two gondolas and 16 other lifts, a large food court, and a large ski/board hire shop located in the main building. There’s even an Indian curry restaurant that dishes up some pretty good fare. You can find all types of terrain here, in-
some good menu options on offer. Rental: There is a rental shop in the main building offering a selection of gear that can fit most of us big-sized foreign people. ¥3,500 is the rate for skis, boots and poles. Snowboard and boots are the same price. There is also a back country ski shop upstairs in the same building that offers some powder skis, guided tours, and cat skiing. ATM: NO ATM. BYO CASH Season: Mid December to late April Suggested ski/board level: All levels. *If approaching from the north, some of the roads are seasonal, including the 341 from Kazuno. The 105 can also close after heavy snowfalls. Try to ask someone in the know for more details before committing to a trip.
cluding smooth groomed runs, bumpy as hell ungroomed runs, fast runs, slow runs and a smallish terrain park. Skiing through the trees (always with a buddy and hopefully with a helmet) on a powder day can also be a load of fun. Appi boasts one of the largest ski areas that’s accessible for a day trip from Akita. It is definitely worth checking out more than once.
Lift ticket cost: ¥ 5,400 for a day pass (8 hours). Rental: There is a rental shop in the Appi plaza that has a good selection of ski/board rentals at ¥4,400 for 5 hours or ¥5,200 for 8 hours. They also offer a package deal that includes ski wear for ¥6,700, or ¥7,800 for 8 hours. ATM: NO ATM. BYO CASH. There is a Lawsons when you turn off from the Tohoku expressway (about 3 minutes from the resort) where you can hit up an ATM Season: Early December to Early May Suggested ski/board level: All levels.
Hakkoda (Aomori)
Hakkoda is the wilderness of skiing. There is one large cable car (ropeway) that carries around 100 people to a height. Getting to the bottom involves taking one of either the Forest Course or the Direct Course. The terrain is entirely ungroomed and you navigate your way down by following a line of orange poles. If you get your timing right and happen to get Hakko-
Check out Appi’s promo video in English!
Tazawako (Akita)
Tazawako has 6 lifts which service a sizeable area. The runs are nice and open and there are some well-spaced trees near the top of the lifted area. There is a good mix of groomers (on piste), ungroomed powder (off piste), and tree skiing. Tazawako has a very good mix of beginner, intermediate, and more advanced skiing. Tazawako also provides scenery that will take your breath away – provided the weather allows. The surrounding mountains are steep and spectacular and Lake Tazawako deep and blue. If you stay until last run, the setting sun lights up the peaks and bathes everything in a beautiful orange glow. Try your best to time your trip for some good weather to make the most of the Tazawako skiing experience.
Lift ticket cost: ¥4,000 for a day pass. Add another 1,000 yen to include a lunch ticket with
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da on a nice, sunny day, then prepare for some amazing tree skiing, some deep pow, and very few people on the hill. However, because there is only the one cable car leaving every 20 minutes, you may have a bit of a wait for a ride up, particularly on weekends.
ski school, and some of the back country guide companies offer some good powder skis. Fat powder skis/boards are highly recommended. BYO gear is also highly recommended. ATM: NO ATM. BYO CASH Season: Late November to Early May Suggested ski/board level: Advanced
If weather permits, there are some nice views from the top of the cable car. The mountains are majestic (particularly Iwakisan), Aomori city is in view, and you can gaze over the Tsugaru Straight and spot Hokkaido. Closer by, the fierce winter conditions of Hakkoda give rise to an army of spectacular snow monsters – brave trees covered by thick layers of ice and rime, forming gnarled and twisted shapes. The building that receives the cable car at the top of the mountain also becomes encased entirely in ice and snow, creating a cold, twisted ice palace for villains and their henchmen to reside. You can also get a beer or a hot coffee from the vending machines there. Most people who ride Hakkoda carry all of the back country gear: avalanche beacons, shovels and probes. Tree wells can be deeper than most people are tall so it is wise to take it easy here, particularly when the visibility is poor, which is often. Always ski with a buddy and try to get it on a sunny day.
Other resorts
There are over 500 ski resorts in Japan. The US has about 450. Many of these resorts are tiny, but if your goal is to get on snow and explore parts of Japan that aren’t regularly visited by foreigners, then try some of the little guys that are close by. There is definitely some small town charm to be found and enjoyed.
If you’re keen to do some research, http:// www.snowjapan.com has some really good info on most of the resorts that can be found, including a somewhat reliable snow forecast. Also, http://www.powderhounds.com has some in depth reviews of Japan’s larger resorts.
Lift ticket cost: ¥1,150 for one ride up the ropeway or ¥4,900 for five rides. Rental: Very limited. There is some gear at the
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Akita’s Winter Festivals:
A Cheat Sheet
By Lynne Francis
Some people say February is the hardest month in Akita. However, it’s really the most fun, packed with lots of winter festivals! Use this guide for information on dates, activities, and tips for some of Akita’s most famous festivals! (Find a colour coded calendar of this guide on the Wiki!)
Namahage Seto Festival February 13- 15
Lake Towada Winter Festival February 6- March 1
From 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM for 3 nights, Shinto rituals and Oga’s beloved Namahage combine in this festival with taiko drums, dance, and goma-mochi, which tradition says those who eat it won’t catch a cold in winter! Friday is supposedly the best night to go.
Akitan and Aomori culture mix with food and performances from both places. Every night has fireworks, snow sculptures, and all-you-can-drink spiced wine for 500 yen!
Location: 十和田湖冬物語特設イベント会 場 Towadako, Aomori
Location: 北浦真山, Kitaura, Oga
Kamifusen Festival February 10th
Hiburi Kamakura February 13-14
From 6 PM - 8:30 PM, over 100 paper lanterns made by locals are sent up into the snowy winter sky, featuring beautiful designs that shine light through the dark. Arrive early, parking is free but at the cost of walking!
Participants hold onto rope about 1 m in length attached to a sack of fiery charcoal and spin it around, in hopes of bringing good fortune for the year. The 13th is for viewing only; the 14th has 30+ locations around Kakunodateto try. Night-time event.
Location: 西木町紙風船広場 Nishicho, Senboku
Location: (2/13) 市営桜並木駐車場 Kakunodate, Senboku
Kariwano Tsunahiki (Tug-of-War) February 10th
Amekko February 14-15
This is the biggest tug-of-war event in Japan, with a rope over 200 m in length and 67 cm in diameter. The war starts at 9 PM, with both sides pull hard since the winning side determines the outcome of the harvest that year. Location: 大町通り, 3 minutes from Kariwano Station, Daisen
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This festival to the north features dozens of stalls selling candy of many flavors. If you eat it, you won’t get a cold this winter! Dog parades, peformances, and lots of delicious food, this festival is too sweet to miss. The easiest way there is to take the 150 yen bus from Odate Station. Location: ハチ公通りOmachi, Odate
Inukko February 14-15
Bonden February 16-17
Location: City-wide, main area near Yuzawa Station, Yuzawa
Location: 横手地域局 Chuomachi, Yokote
A festival founded in the tradition of using charms made of mochi to ward off evil, this festival features hundreds of dog and shrines statues made of snow. Shinto practices, fireworks, taiko performances, local shops and people bringing their dogs make this event a hit!
Bonden, giant, 30 kg poles decorated with Shinto-style pieces are the symbols of this festival. On the first day, there is a contest judging the bonden. The next day around 1 PM, people travel 4 km parading their bonden to Asahiokayama Shrine while trying to arrive first.
Tazawako Snow Festival February 21-22
Kamakura February 15-16
Can’t make it to them all? This festival combines parts of several Akitan festivals including Amekko, Kamifusen, Hiburi Kamakura, and more! There’s also a local character meet & greet. Don’t miss the night-time fireworks!
One of Akita’s most famous festivals celebrates kamakura, huts made from snow. Local children call guests inside for mochi & amazake. By the river, hundreds of mini kamakura can be seen and guests can light a candle inside them while making a wish. Don’t forget to try Yokote’s famous yakisoba!
Location: Tazawako Ski Area, Tazawako Obonai, Senboku
Location: Doro Koen Park by City Hall, Yokote
Bonus Tips! Plan early! If you’re traveling far, reserve your accommodations NOW. They’ll fill fast! Arrive early! Important for parking & getTakeuchi ting good spot at events. February 15th Perhaps the most dangerous of Akita’s win- Carpool! Saves times on trying to find parkter festivals, this event consists of two teams ing for everyone and space is limited! Plus festivals are more fun with friends. (North and South) made up of men (sorCharge It! Buy a portable charger since your ry, ladies!). In three rounds, giant bamboo battery will drain FAST in the cold. poles are used to hit opponents. In the last Go Local! Check out this issues articles on round, parts of the field are set on fire. It’s Little New Years and The Naked Man festigreat to watch or take part in. BYOHelmet! val! Ask your JTE’s about what festivals they attend. Location: Rokugo, Misato 9
Akita’s Winter Festivals A Printable Calendar 1
Sunday
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February 2015 Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 3 4 5
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Friday
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Saturday
-Lake Towada Winter Festival
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-Amekko -Inukko -Namahage -Kamakura -Takeuchi
-Tazawako Snow Festival
-Bonden -Kamakura
-Kamifusen -Kariwano Tug-of-War
-Bonden
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-Namahage Seto Festival -Hiburi Kamakura
-Amekko -Inukko -Namahage -Hiburi Kamakura -Tazawako Snow Festival
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The Little New Year
Photos and Story by Josh Drewry
The Little New Year, or koshougatsu (小正月), is celebrated in Japan on or around January 15th. This tradition hearkens back to the old lunar calendar, when it celebrated the first full moon of the New Year. While New Year’s traditions such as hatsumoude (初詣), the first shrine visit, and osechi (お節), New Year’s food, are well known to most foreign residents, it is easy for koshougatsu to get overshadowed. These events take place well after the official holidays of January 1st to 3rd, and a week after even the more traditional matsunouchi (松の内), or week of New Year’s festivities. This is because it marks the official transition back to normal life after the New Year’s celebration.
Year’s decorations are made from natural materials and paper. The charms are burned to purify the bad luck and thank them for their hard work. Many people also use the chance to burn their old calendars. People then offer a prayer for the New Year. Many small, neighborhood festivals revolve around this activity, which is usually held at a local temple or large public area. In Mitane-chou, this is when Namahage visit houses before the community gathers to burn charms and roast mochi. In the Niida neighborhood of Akita City, the bonfire is built from an elaborate straw house and used to practice hiburi, or fire-spinning, once the charms are burned.
Ask around and see if there are any special The main event of most of these celebrations involves burning the charms displayed events in your neighborhood. What you find at the New Year, such as the pine kadomatsu might surprise you! (門松). This is one reason that many New
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Keith Ikoma
Dream of Being Published?
Jonathan Stimmer
The Akitan can help you out!
Send us your photos, stories, comics, art, events, ANYTHING! Send to Taylor.Fustin@gmail.com or Randy.Umetsu@gmail.com
Randy Umetsu
Jordan Oxborough
Michael Aubrey
The Naked Man Festival
Photos and Story by Stephanie Hupp ings for the “gods.” Running past the well, they continue up the hill to the shrine on the mountain top.
After reaching the top of the hill, the same groups come back down to the well. One at a time, they kneel on tatami mats, only to have freezing water dumped on them. Shouts of, “Ganbatte!” fill the air. Their muscles shaking from the cold, boys fight their hardest to hide the obvious discomfort. After being bathed with the blessed water, the boys once again return up the hill to the shrine.
While not featuring actual naked men (sorry ladies), Yurihonjo’s own 裸まいり, hadakamairi, is a sacred festival for boys of nearly all ages. Held on the 3rd Sunday of January, participants, dressed in a headband and shorts, and onlookers alike gather at 新 山神社裸 , Shinsan Jinja, located in Honjo. The festival begins at the bottom of a hill around a small well. Onlookers chat and drink amazake while participants make their way from their offsite point. A priest comes to bless the water, and the town’s people gather, patiently waiting for the groups of “naked” men to arrive. Coming in groups by age, men run past with poles balanced on their shoulders, carrying huge vats of sake, gigantic fish, and other offer-
After several groups finish, viewers climb the icy stairs making their own journey to the shrine. Throughout the climb, people from around the neighborhood throw mikan and bags of bite-sized mochi to the crowd. Catching a bag is considered a sign of good luck.
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The crowd then gathers in the halls of the shrine, the men sitting seiza and singing. In perfect harmony, they chant an old song, as did their fathers and possibly their fathers before them. After chanting, a “leader” from each age group shouts a wish on the group’s behalf. Younger children wish to do well in upcoming sports tournaments, while junior high students pray to pass their looming entrance examinations. The groups cycle in and out, returning to the well after their prayers. Finishing such arduous tasks, the men are treated to an enkai and onsen. The neighbors are welcome to join the feast, but the onsen is especially for participants to warm their frozen bones. While the festival may not have giant fights with bamboo poles or swinging ropes on fire, it still has a special charm that can’t be replaced. The festival works to remind us of the rewards for hard work and perseverance.
The English Camp Report
By Naomi Vogt
Thank you! to the 69 ALTs and 2 CIRs who participated in this year’s English Camps, Super English Camps and Global Summer School (special thanks to some of you who participated in 2 or 3)! We had an overwhelmingly positive response with 1,145 signing up for camps but unfortunately, due to cancellations and venue capacity we could not accommodate them all. The final number of participants was 781 Students (278 ES, 299 JHS, 204 SHS).
The main curriculum for this year’s camp was: Improvisation for senior high school students, Invention Projects/Cultural Discussion for junior high school students and Introduction Skits for elementary school students. But by far the most popular activities were Various Cultures where the JETs introduced their countries through fun activities, Skype/Mystery Skype where students had the opportunity to talk to students abroad and Recreation where both JETs and students enjoyed an active sport together.
Looking for a great experience leading lessons with other ALTs around the Prefecture? Or looking to teach motivated students in a non-classroom environment? Then you are in for a blast. Camps run from late May to November and ALT registration info will be going out mid-April. For questions: vogt-naomi@pref.akita.lg.jp Naomi Vogt
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ENGLISH CAMP
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NEED SOME CHANGE?
Food For Thought:
“Wow! You use chopsticks so well!”
By Randy Umetsu
If I got a 100 yen for every time someone has commented on my exceptional chopstick skills, I would be rich (but not really since the exchange rate has been so terrible lately). Many of my friends have expressed the frustration they feel with such offhand, and seemingly ignorant, comments. A friend once commented that it’s as if everyone in Japan got together and wrote the national handbook on what to say when meeting foreigners. When you meet a foreigner, you must positively comment on his/her exceptional use of chopsticks. It’s in the book guys. They have to say it. Debito Arudou, an activist for the fair treatment of non-Japanese citizens in Japan, highlights this frustration in his article “Yes, I can use chopsticks: the everyday ‘microagressions’ that grind us down.” He proposes that comments about chopsticks and the like are microagressions, or microinsults, that have a compounding effect that lead to a “perpetual subordinate status” of non-Japanese citizens. Others argue he is blowing a small issue out of proportion. Whatever subliminal messages you believe Japanese people send you with this comment or whatever ignorance you may feel drives this, I ask you to ponder this question: Why might Japanese people care in the first place? A few recent events got me thinking about this. I attended an English Camp a few weeks
back and lead a group of elementary school students in their activities. My group was especially talkative during meals and was always looking for topics to talk about at lunch. At one meal a student commented on my awesome chopstick skills. But rather than leave it at that, he followed up his exclamation of surprise with, “I stink at using chopsticks.” This sparked the next ten minutes of conversation in which all the students of my group compared chopstick skills. The girl sitting next to me appeared to experience exceptional difficulty as she often dropped food she attempted to shovel in her mouth with improperly held chopsticks.
The chopsticks woes of this dinner table mimicked the same difficulties I witnessed as an ALT when I interned at an elementary school in Yamagata long before the JET Programme. Diagrams on how to properly hold chopsticks decorated the halls along with little stations equipped with chopsticks and little beans for kids to practice. I was king of the bean moving contests with the kids. Needless to say, everyone was really impressed.
The obsession with chopsticks seems to come back to the theme of difficulty of learning as a child. Born and raised in the United States I am inclined to say “Who cares?” Chopsticks sometime accompany store-bought bento or plate lunches in Hawaii, but you either use them or you do 17
not. However, the omnipresent chopstick in Japan follows one from childhood to adulthood and does not allow that option; you eat Japanese food with chopsticks–end of story.
The Yomiuri Shimbun reported in its recent article “Worried about using chopstick? Join a seminar” that a number of organizations and chopstick specialty stores offer seminars about proper chopstick holding technique. According to a 2009 Cabinet Survey (as cited in Yako, 2014), only 54 percent of 1,820 respondents 18 years of age and older knew how to properly hold chopsticks. Interviewees express embarrassment at their improper chopstick use, and one woman even goes to the extent of ordering Western dishes to avoid using them in public. “Some adults struggle to learn how to hold chopsticks because of bad habits picked up from childhood. Some may manage to hold chopsticks properly yet still have difficulty using them.” (Yako, 2014) Finding this article highly amusing, I asked my coworker about her own experience with chopsticks. She said her parents were very strict with her using chopsticks as
she had difficulty holding them properly. She also explained to me the association in Japan between poor chopstick use and poor upbringing. While this idea seems quite outdated, I thought back to my roommate in college and how I was appalled when he held his fork with a closed, caveman-like fist to eat.
Perhaps comments about chopsticks have less do with us foreigners than the experiences Japanese people hold regarding the two evil sticks of wood. Perhaps witnessing a person of different upbringing handle the bane of their childhood existence incites them to voice praise no matter the relative skill level of the chopstick handler. Perhaps they empathize with the struggle of learning and make the comments as a way to pass on a positivity they never received as children. Perhaps nothing has invaded the Japanese psyche more than chopsticks. Whatever the case, I invite you to ask about other people’s own journey with chopsticks the next time you can. If it turns out they still have difficulty, feel free to let them know there are many chopstick seminars available!
Reading for Vocabulary
By Keith Ikoma
Recently, a student came to me and complained about studying vocabulary. As you might have noticed, students in Japan do not have a large number of opportunities to use vocabulary once it has been studied. His frustration lead me to repeat what has now become a conversation piece between me and this student: reading. 18
When I had the opportunity to teach ESL in Canada, I would simply bring in a free print daily for students to use as practice. Or refer them to a library or bookstore. Here in Akita, we are far from the English-speaking world, and although there are English resources available, students usually need some help. Of course I want the students to learn, but it also has to be interesting, easy to access, low-cost or free, and provide something other than simply English practice for English practice’s sake. Here are a few options:
English Language News News is great. With our gnat-like attention spans, online news articles have become easy to read and filled with contextual helps like video, pictures, and other graphics. My go-to sites are BBC (http://www.bbc. com/news/) and CBC (http://www.cbc.ca/ news). The reason for BBC is that it generally has world news articles. CBC is based in Canada, and heavily Canada-centric, but I’ve heard that Canadian English is relatively easy to understand for second-language learners. Both sites have great news apps for iPhone (and I would assume Android). Added feature: if you use BBC, for example, on your iPhone, you can select a word and if you hold it down, you can choose between “copy” and “define.” Instant dictionary. For more advanced students, you can access newspapers around the world at www. world-newspapers.com. Graded Readers A graded reader is a book or article that uses easier (“graded”) language, including a more limited vocabulary. Series’ often have helpful charts, too. You can buy them at a bookstore or online, and they can come with or without an audio CD. There are
also websites dedicated to this stuff such as Extensive Reading Central (http://www. er-central.com).
Miscellaneous Recently, a student showed me a resource published by アルク called English Journal (http://www.alc.co.jp/ej/). He said it was a more interesting way to practice for TOEIC than just studying. I would agree. It’s basically a teen magazine, but in English, with many Japanese helps. Want to know what Daniel Radcliffe (ダニエル・ラドクリフ) is up to AND study for your test? I thought so.
If students are particularly interested in foreign cultures, you could always bring in children’s literature from your home country or from your childhood. They are naturally graded and can be interesting.
BBC has a great English learning resource on its website at http://www.bbc.co.uk/ learningenglish/english/. This is best for intermediate to advanced learners, but it’s interactive and has an extremely diverse set of topics. 19
A few final words While I can’t say that the aforementioned opportunities come up very often, it’s certainly nice to be able to provide students with chances to use English for something beyond tests and also to help expose them to the great big world out there. And it’s nice to have a few really solid resources available to share with them, too.
The bar does not have a seating fee or table charge. They have draft beers and a nomihoudai option. They also stock Samuel Adams, Brewdog 5AM, and Blue Moon, if you’d like to escape Japanese beer for a change. If you’re ever in Yurihonjo, be sure to stop into Heaven’s Dragon for a drink!
Heaven’s Dragon
Address: 秋田県由利本荘市東町５５ By Taylor Fustin Check out their Facebook site!
For this edition of the Akitan I have the honor of reviewing Heaven’s Dragon in Yurihonjo City. It officially opened on November 19. This bar is owned by former Yurihonjo ALT, Todd Horner, and his wife, Michiko Horner.
The bar is spacious and Todd has put a great deal of time and effort into making it beautiful. You won’t find any karaoke, which is a relief for anyone hoping to have a conversation. The bar is conveniently located a short walk from Ugo-Honjo station near Kadare, the large community center. There is an excellent selection of food that you won’t find anywhere else in Akita. The current menu includes poutine (a delicious Canadian meal), fried potato, garlic edamame, pizza, and buffalo wings.
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Photos by Todd Horner
Reviews In this issue of The Akitan we have three reviews to look forward to: A Ramen Review courtesy of Josh Drewry, a much-anticipated Onsen Review courtesy of Owen Cunningham, and a Bar Review from our very own Taylor Fustin. As we all know, our fellow JETs/ALTs are often the best source of information on where to go, what to do, and what to eat in and around Akita. Unless you speak Japanese, you aren’t going to find a lot of tourist information for this region on the web. Speaking of which, do you happen to travel? Do you eat food? Do you sometimes see interesting things? Listen to good music? If you said “Yes!” to any of the above, you are fully qualified to contribute a review to The Akitan. Wow! Interested? Send us your reviews to randy.umetsu@gmail.com or taylor.fustin@gmail.com
Get a Moo-ve on and Grab Some Ramen!
Photos and Story by Joshua Drewry If the name doesn’t give it away, the distinct “cow and crossbones” logo will. Moo (モー) is a ramen shop on the west side of Akita City specializing in gyuu-kotsu ramen made from beef tendon. The prices are fairly standard for a ramen place, with a bowl of ramen costing between 650 and 750 yen. Oomori helpings can be had for another 100 yen, and extra noodles can be ordered at 100 yen per helping beyond that. Why order extra noodles? It comes down to the same reason people go to Moo in the first place: the soup is amazing. Every bowl of ramen is overflowing with flavor and incredibly aromatic. It is perfectly possible to smell the saliva inducing scent of Moo’s kitchens for a block in any direction. The meat is tender to the point of falling apart and the noodles are both firm and
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flavorful. There are a few variations available on the menu, but you can’t go wrong with the house specialty Aka Moo-men (赤 モー麺) and a healthy dash of black pepper. Other menu items include additional toppings and delicious, reasonably priced donburi sides.
The restaurant is always very clean and service is incredibly prompt. Even in large groups and during heavy business hours, my wait time has never been more than about 3 minutes. Business hours are convenient as well, as Moo is open every day from 11 am to 9 pm. If you are in Akita City and hankering for ramen, go strap a feedbag on at Moo.
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Kami no Yu Onsen
By Owen Cunningham your ¥360. The two sides to the onsen rotate daily. On the left as you enter is Genki no Yu and on the right is Chōju no Yu. The onsen water is the same in both sides. This water is slightly alkaline, with a pH of 8.0. It comes out of the ground at 19.5°C and is a reddish-brown colored water, that some say resembles cola! During a renewal in 2001, a denki-buro was added.
Owen Cunningham
In the 1930s oil was struck in Akita. The prefecture’s oil fields became the most productive in Japan, producing 73% of the country’s total annual production. This led to many companies exploring for oil. During such an exploration in Nikaho, water started to emerge instead of oil. When someone noticed that the water had killed the rice it had come in contact with, the water was sent off for analysis. The water was identified as a cold mineral spring (冷鉱泉; reikōsen) and this onsen was subsequently opened in June 1935. Kami no Yu Onsen is located on a small back street in Nikaho. Despite being in a pink building it is quite easy to miss. A tiny carpark to the left of the building is usually full, so cars are often parked along the side of the street. Upon entering this onsen you will be greeted by a lady who will accept
Genki no Yu (元気の湯) In the vitality side there is one large bath with three specific sections; a power jet massager, where you lay down, a point massager, where you sit, and a denki-buro (electric bath), where you can allow the current to relax your muscles. Towards the back of the room there is a spacious sauna, and there is also a cold bath.
Chōju no Yu (長寿の湯) In the longevity side there are two main baths. One is a hinoki wood bath, and another odd shaped bath, which has various sections, similar to Genki no Yu above. Located at the back of this room is a door which leads outside to a rotemburo or outdoor bath. It’s a square stone bath with
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surrounding walls but with no roof. There is a switch on the right side of the back wall that turns one corner of the rotemburo into a denki (electric) rotemburo. The electric bath is only in the left corner of the bath, so you can move slowly into the area to experience the tingling effects. Just remember to flick off the switch after you are finished using it.
It’s closed on Friday so Saturday is probably the best day to go. And if you have any laundry to do, there is a coin laundry and dryer in the changing room!
☎ 0184-35-3178. 〒018-0402 秋田県にか ほ市平沢字家の後2
What is a denki-buro (電気風呂)? A bath that has a low-voltage (usually 3V~5V) electric current (~20mA) passing through it. Now obviously most people don’t like the idea of an electric current running through their bath, and I have to admit that I was a little skeptical myself, too. But whatever way these denki-buro’s work the current only travels between the electrode plates (or anodes). The current is felt the strongest close to the plates. One meter away from the plates you won’t feel the current at all. You can sit by the plates allowing the electricity to pass through your body, for as long or as short as you please. It is claimed that the current stimulates faster healing in human cells and induces muscular relaxation. People with pacemakers, heart murmurs or other heart problems should avoid these electric baths. Funaoka Onsen in Kyoto had the first denki-buro in Japan back in 1933. Currently they are more popular in the Osaka/Kansai region of Japan, where stronger voltage is used (~10V). There are only 2 onsens in Akita, that I am aware of, that offer these baths today. This onsen is open daily from 13:00-22:00. No body wash or shampoo is provided, so remember to bring your own. The water is exchanged and the plumbing is cleaned every Thursday evening.
Don’t forget to send YOUR submissions for The Akitan to Taylor.Fustin@gmail.com or Randy.Umetsu@gmail.com Anywhere. Anytime.
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The Akitan, Winter 2014 All works copyright to their respective owners