Volume XIV Issue 2 photo by Karisa Whelan
Contents
Editor’s Note
Prez Talk — One Island, Many Peop
New Faces, New Facets — A Burge
Kenashikoruunarupe —Ainu Supern
Seized — Staying Safe in Japan
Seicomart — A History
Events — May & June
4
ple 6
eoning Bachata Scene
8
natural Folktales 10
12
14
16
Editor’s Note
It’s coming up on that time of year, so if you have any good methods for keeping bugs out of your house, let me know. The submission deadline for the next issue is May 26.
photo by Edwin Arce II
Betrice Yambrach President, HAJET
town and prefecture. We especially can’t forget the indigenous Ainu, who hold significant historical and cultural influence on local communities, think we finally made it to Spring. From my traditions, and events. point of view, at least. I’m currently writing What the PC realized in our discussion is that this in the middle of April while typhoon-like Hokkaido has this large, diverse community made winds are blowing outside and it just snowed up of so many peoples and cultures that is rarely last week. While on the other hand, you will all be represented or even considered. With this in mind, reading this in May, when many of you are just “One Island – Many People” was chosen as this getting back from your Golden Week adventures, year’s HAJET theme. This theme allows us to fothe snow is long gone, and the insects are out in cus on and be conscious of the diversity within full force. But either way, while I will be sad to put both the HAJET community and all of Hokkaido. away my kotatsu and turn my heated toilet seat Our goal is to highlight this diversity and spread off for the time being, it’s nice to finally wake up awareness of it throughout the year through to sunlight, leave school while it’s still bright outthings like presentations at seasonal meetings, side, and be able to feel warm again without the holding events and meetings at a variety of lohelp of a puffy coat. cations around the island, HAJET internationWhile April and May seem like slow months for al-funded events*, and even community service. HAJET, there is actually a lot going on behind the Our goal is to actively endorse our own diversity scenes. In early April, we said hello to our new as well as the island’s on both a group and indiApril Arrival JETs, which, being right before Hok- vidual level. kaido’s Cherry Blossom season, is probably the Embracing this diversity will not only make HAbest time to arrive. A few weeks after that, in the JET stronger, but also make our connections to middle of April, the HAJET Prefectural Council the local community stronger. One of HAJET’s held their annual PC Retreat. We discussed our missions, as stated in our Constitution, is interhopes and dreams for HAJET, planned out the nationalization and cultural exchange. Not only HAJET year (including Sapporo Orientation, Weldo we bring our own culture to Japan, but we can come Parties, and Seasonal Meetings), and then also work towards better understanding and rerewarded ourselves with unlimited Costco pizza specting the diversity already here, especially in (it was actually only four boxes of pizza but we Hokkaido. barely made it through three).
I
This year at the PC Retreat, on top of the general and necessary discussions, I chose to hold a “goals” discussion with the intention of deciding on a specific focus or over-arching theme for HAJET for the year. In that discussion, the PC talked about Hokkaido’s diversity. In addition to the various backgrounds that ALTs and CIRs in Hokkaido come from, there are people from so many different countries and cultures around the world who live on this island. At a JLPT exam, for example, I met people who had moved here from China, Korea, Russia, and India. This isn’t even the full extent of all of the countries and cultures represented in Hokkaido. On a smaller scale, there are people living in Hokkaido who have moved here from other areas of Japan and bring with them the traditions and customs from their own home-
HAJET is still looking for people to fill our current open Member-At-Large positions: -HEC Coordinator – Coordinate and oversee the successful execution of the Hokkaido English Challenge. -Project Outreach Coordinator – Find, promote, and coordinate volunteer activities as well as work as a liaison between charities and the HAJET community. If you or anyone you know may be interested in being apart of what keeps HAJET going and “One Island – Many People”, send an email to president@hajet.org for more information. *If you are interested in hosting an international event in your school or community, head on over to hajet.org for more information on how to get funded.
“One Island— Many People”
New Faces, New Facets The beginnings of a burgeoning bachata scene
S
J.Brad Breiten
apporo, Hokkaido is home to the Sapporo beer factory, the Sapporo winter festival, and any number of other interesting places and things. However, it is much less known for its active Latin dance scene. Nine months ago, when I first arrived in Hokkaido, the Latin dance scene in Sapporo was completely devoid of enthusiasm for bachata. But in this short time I have witnessed one dancer single handedly inspire the Latin dance community to practice, perform, and enjoy bachata. Her name is Mayuka Tamura, and she is a dance instructor, the founder of Bachata of North Land, and a choreographer/dancer for the dance group Bachateras Calientes de Hokkaido. Latin dance is an umbrella term that encompasses a variety of social dance styles that originated in and around Latin American culture. The scene boasts skilled dancers proficient in numerous Latin dance styles, such as Salsa, Cha-Cha, Merengue, and Bachata, which is currently exploding in popularity here in Sapporo. Each individual style possesses its own particular repertoire of rhythm, music, movement, and feel, with bachata being one of the easiest to learn and (in my humble opinion) one of the most fun to dance. Bachata music ranges from smooth, sensual, hold-me-close love ballads to speedy and bouncy songs that make you want to spin and spin, and includes most everything in between. The diversity of the music makes the dance playful, and en-
sures there is an aspect everyone can enjoy. To me, bachata music is electric with emotion, combining guitars, drums, and vocals for a perfect accompaniment to stepping, swaying, spinning, and dipping around a dance floor. “I have been dancing since I was born,” says Ms. Tamura, age 24, “Since I was three or four I have been jumping around to music.” Though I am not one to judge the quality of her earliest dances, it is undeniable that Ms. Tamura has an extensive and varied history with dance. She first began to practice dance seriously in middle school when she started classes in jazz, ballroom dance, and hip-hop. During our conversation she walked me through her rigorous afterschool dance schedule, which included four classes a week, solo practice, and ballroom competition preparation. The harsh schedule eventually started to take its toll on her and in junior high school she decided to stop dance. This decision was short lived, however, as three months later her passion was reignited when, during a dance unit in gym class, she was introduced to street dance. The visiting dance teacher saw Ms. Tamura had a talent for dance and encouraged her to continue dancing. Ms. Tamura continued to hone her dance skills and became interested in cheer dance in college. She worked as a professional cheer dancer for the Hokkaido professional basketball team Levanga. Although she says she felt a little uncomfortable at first when dancing with pom-poms, the other aspects of cheer dance (sharp and intricate choreography, big movements, and stage personality) came to her naturally. “I really like cheer dance,” says Ms. Tamura, “because you aren’t dancing for yourself, you are dancing to energize and encourage others.” After working as a cheer dancer, she met a Japanese woman who worked as a professional cheerleader in the U.S. and was encouraged by her to try out as a professional cheer dancer abroad. She is currently preparing to enter the final round of competition to become a professional cheerleader for the Miami Heat. Despite working towards that, Ms. Tamura takes no time to rest. A little less than a year ago while traveling in the Philippines she was introduced to the social partner dances of Latin ballroom. She
was immediately intrigued and since then has studied, practiced, attended workshops, and developed her Latin dance style. She is the founder of the dance group Bachata of North Land and is both choreographer and lead dancer for her ladies’ bachata performance team, Bachateras Calientes de Hokkaido. In addition to her performance team, she teaches a ladies’ bachata shine class and a pair bachata class, and performs pair dance choreographies. She has performed in a bachata team and pair multiple times in Sapporo, and recently debuted her performances in Tokyo with Salsa Hotline Japan. With all her efforts teaching classes, choreographing, and performing, bachata has exploded onto the Sapporo dance scene. And although she acknowledges that right now “there are not many people who want to dance [bachata], and there are not many people who know the dances in Sapporo, even in just the few months since I started teaching and performing in Sapporo I have seen the number of people that know how to dance and that want to go to parties and see performances has increased a lot.” As a member of the Latin dance scene in Sapporo, I wanted to get an idea of how Ms. Tamura sees the scene evolving with her influence and desire to introduce bachata. She says, “I really want to create a bachata team that is more than just normal…I want to create choreography that no one else can make. I am hoping to really spread the name of Bachateras Calientes de Hokkaido in the next couple of years. Right now Sapporo is well known for Cuban style salsa dancers, but I really want people to think ‘Oh, speaking of Sapporo, have you heard about their bachata dancers.’” She goes on to say, “While teaching is good, I think the real way to spread bachata is through performance. It’s not from taking lessons, but it is from seeing professional performances that makes people start to think ‘I really want to do that.’ So for my ladies’ bachata performances I look for strong women. They can be cool, or sexy, but the image I want my dance to portray is strong women. So I will keep performing, and I am hoping we could be shown on TV sometime this year.” I also look forward to watching the scene expand and evolve with Ms. Tamura’s influence.
photo by Iba Jun (射場淳)
ケナシコルウナルペ
Kenashikoruunarupe Taking a look at one supernatural creature from Ainu folktales Bree Storey
L
iving in Hokkaido, everyone has probably seen or heard not just the word “Ainu” but also snippets of Ainu culture in a variety of settings: scholarly research, tourism, or even everyday life. A part of any group of people’s worldview and culture, Ainu included, is the stories that get passed down over time and space, and the variations that emerge and evolve with travel over those two dimensions. Stories are how we make sense of the world around us. Those stories share similarities and differences with other stories all across the globe, and sharing them might be one way to understand each other better in a historical sense and even now.
Before the man’s very eyes, the bear cub transformed into a bald-headed young boy who danced in time to the old hag’s clapping. It turned out that Kenashikoru’unarupe had disguised a mintuci, another Ainu monster, as a bear cub in order to invade the Ainu village. To exorcise the evil spirit, the man rushed out and killed the bear cub. The dead body then turned into that of a squirrel, as squirrels in Ainu lore have the magic to shapeshift and disappear (tusunike). This story from Nibutani and countless other tales of Kenashikoru’unarupe are vital to explaining and understanding life in Ainu culture. The wilderness is dangerous. Travelers through Hokkaido have to grapple with steep cliffs, fast currents in rivers that grip you and pull you down, poisonous plants, and animals like the mamushi pit viper or the Hokkaido brown bear. So a way to wrap up all of those fears and keep everyone safe is to warn children and even adults not to visit forest caves or riverside meadows, since that is where the wicked old hag who is the embodiment of danger and the unknown, Kenashikoru’unarupe, lives.
Old woman. Thumb nose. Bear commander.
Many Ainu folktales feature a supernatural creature known by many different names. This article shall use the name Kenashikoru’unarupe, or “old woman of the tree meadow.” The name is notably used in the Iburi and Hidaka subprefectures. Other names include Kenashiunarape (“old woman of the prairie”), Nita’unarabe (“old woman of the wetlands”), and in the Teshio region, Iwameteiepu (“demon of the mountain”). As one could gather from the names, this supernatural being usually takes the form of an old woman that lives in the wilderness, such as a forest cave or riverbank meadow. Her visage is frightening; disheveled hair frames a face with no eyes or mouth while her nose looks like a hand’s thumb. Besides her spooky appearance, she is incredibly dangerous, and one of her most fearsome powers is the ability to possess and command bears to attack those wandering or hunting in the mountains. One cautionary tale from Nibutani in the Saru district of Hidaka subprefecture tells of a man who captured a bear cub separated from its mother. Ainu hunters considered it a blessing and great fortune if they could capture a bear cub and raise it in captivity back in the village, so he brought the bear home and put it in a cage. In the middle of the night, Kenashikoru’unarupe appeared in front of the cage.
Yet in the Ainu worldview, bears are gods and a good, virtuous animal. How then can a good god attack and kill even the most innocent people? Kenashikoru’unarupe’s ability to possess bears for evil purposes of infiltrating villages and killing wanderers can explain the seemingly capricious and nonsensical nature of divine animals. Similarities abound across the world’s folktales: the Japanese yamauba, the English “old hag,” or the Slavic baba yaga. There seems to be a universal wizened crone with a horrifying face who preys on people in the middle of the night by sneaking into their towns and home, or those foolish enough to wander into her dark, wild domain. Yet each story has its own unique characteristics, even within the same area, that point to different ways of understanding how the world works and how we as humans fit into the chaos.
SEIZED What to do in case of emergencies: ➢
Call the Police (110) right away.
While they may answer in Japanese, if you speak in English, they will connect to a translator and begin a three way conversation (dual interpretation.) The police will want to know what happened, what time it happened, where it happened, information about the perpetrator, as well as extent of damage, loss, or injuries. ➢
Take pictures if you are able and it is safe to do so.
➢
Don’t trust your memory--write down whatever details you remember as soon as possible. Pay attention to identifying details.
➢
Don’t let fear of misinterpreting the situation hold you back.
➢
For more information: www.police.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/english/english-top.html
Stella Fronius Sapporo Rep
O
n Thursday April 6th I saw a high school aged girl forcibly pushed into the back of a taxi by an intoxicated middle-aged man. Accompanied by a friend, we stood and watched, doing nothing to stop the man or to help the girl. I don’t think either of us fully registered what was happening until after the cab pulled away. Paralyzed with indecision we watched the scene unfold. It was around 10:30 at night and we had just finished dinner. Chatting about his upcoming trip to Tokyo in the morn, we walked through light rain towards the station, ready to call it a night. In the shadow of Subway entrance 8 stood a man and a young girl. The man, his body crowded so close you could practically feel his breath radiating, whispered cajolingly “大好き, 大好き.” Dressed in a dark tracksuit and sporting a heavy looking black backpack, the girl physically rebuffed with waving arms. She neither screamed nor made a verbal call for help. Stumbling away angrily, the gray and age lined man wrapped his fingers around her arm and sped down the street. Coming to a stop directly across from the station, he pushed her into a white taxi. It was when he nearly fell over backwards on the curb, that we realized just how intoxicated he was. Without ado, the taxi took off down the street, stopped briefly at the light, and disappeared with a left turn. We ran down the street and around the bend. But it was too late by that point. Knowing there had to be something - anything - we could do, we crossed the street and hurried towards the quiet and ever observant glass box. A bell chimed twice, alerting our presence. Police in Japan aren’t required to know English. So in broken Japanese, and with theatrical demonstrations, we attempted to communicate what we witnessed. It wasn’t enough. While we had slowed down to a turtle’s pace when we noticed something was amiss, neither of us had gotten more than a hurried glance at the pair. And we were too occupied staring at the man and at the girl to take note of the cab company or licence plate number. The cops perked momentarily up when we mentioned first seeing the pair in front of subway entrance 8, faces hopeful on the off chance they were caught on camera. Within 15 minutes of entering and reporting what
we had seen, seven or so cops had shown up and were taking down notes. They didn’t waste time and put a call through to several taxi companies that matched our limited description. One of the cops walked with us across the street. He saw where the girl was pressed against the wall and where she was pushed into the cab. They asked for our contact information and that was that. I am thoroughly impressed with the speed and precision that the police reacted with. Despite our language barrier, they did their best to communicate with us. When we first entered the station, I contacted the Hokkaido PA, Emily, to alert her to our situation and in case we needed a translator. We made mistakes that night. We didn’t react in time, and we didn’t make note of crucial details that might have saved the girl from this horrible experience. Japan has a reputation as a relatively safe country to visit and live. In urban centers, the burrs and whirrs of industrialized society mix charmingly with the drone of cicadas, entreating cries from shopkeepers, and the constant moving blur of the working middle class. Moreover, Sapporo, when compared to similarly sized cities in Japan, has an especially low crime rate. However, statistics don’t always convey a clear picture and being labeled with a “low crime rate” does not preclude the fact that crime does happen -- and we should always remain aware. Yet whether visible or not, publicised or buried, violence takes many forms. It is not always easy to recognize, nor is it ever a simple decision to confront. With this in mind, the police are currently taking steps in making themselves more approachable for foreigners. For example, every Koban now has “Police” written in bold across the front. Their website also includes an english section, listing among other safety procedures, steps on how to make an emergency call. I want more than anything to end this article on an upbeat note with reassurances that the girl is safe at home with her parents, that the man is in custody, that the taxi driver caught on before dropping off the pair…but I can’t. I can only pray that future cases are prevented. photo by Stella Fronius
Samantha Peterson Editor, Polestar
Y
ou’ve been driving for hours. You’ve long since depleted your box of pocky and your can of coffee. Surrounding you is empty farmland stretched in all directions towards the towering mountains. Your stomach is growling, your throat is parched. You’re weakening. All seems lost. But then, buildings begin to appear, dotted across the barren landscape. You realize it can’t be long now. In the distance you finally see it: an orange beacon of hope. A sign bearing a white bird and the words “Hot Chef” climbs above the horizon. You’ve made it. Seicomart. Everyone seems to have their own firm conviction when it comes to the question of “Best Conbini Chain.” Even if you wouldn’t say it’s Seicomart, if you’re living in Hokkaido you have to at least consider it as a contender. 39% of all conbini in Hokkaido are, in fact, Seicomarts. And who wouldn’t want to consider a store whose name comes from the word for “success” (and has the dopest fried chicken ever to boot). Although sometimes it’s easy to believe that these havens of cheap food and drink are as natural to the Hokkaido landscape as its snow-covered mountains and evergreen forests, Seicomart was actually founded in 1971. Its first iteration in Sapporo as a liquor store was a hit, and new locations quickly bloomed all over Hokkaido and even beyond. As of January 2016 there are 1,183
Seicomart locations, mostly in Hokkaido, but also way down near Tokyo in Ibaraki and Saitama Prefectures. If you’re reading this you’re likely already intimately acquainted with the general qualities of a Seicomart. You may have been impressed by their selection of wine, a trait hailing back to their liquor store days. Or perhaps you like how you don’t have to make the trek all the way out to the grocery store when you run out of cabbage, as Seicomart keeps its fresh produce section well-stocked. These two things in particular are what Seicomart prides itself on, so it’s good to keep that in mind the next time you’re deciding between Lawson or the Seicomart across the street. And who doesn’t like a good Hot Chef meal? More than half of Seicomart locations are home to this yummy feature. (If your local conbini is part of that half, I’m very jealous.) I know we all love it when conbini cashiers asks us something in rapid-fire Japanese about a point card. We can thank Seicomart for that, as the first conbini chain to introduce a frequent shopper program to their customers. Now that you know these fun facts about Hokkaido’s very own convenience store, maybe you can impress all your friends with your Seicomart knowledge next time you stop off on a long road trip or during your lunch break. Or maybe instead you’ll choose to walk to the Seven-Eleven down the road because you like their candy selection better. Up to you.
Events May Sapporo Lilac Festival May 17-28 Kawashimo and Odori Park Visitors can participate in various events such as wine tasting, an openair tea ceremony, arts and crafts, and music concerts. The festival runs from May 17th to the 28th. Ticket prices may vary. For more information: hwww.sapporo. travel/event/spring/sapporo_lilac_festival/?lang=en
Spring Flowers in Full Bloom May 21,11 am Imakane, De Moren Meeting Place A family-oriented festival hosted by the women of the local Chamber of Commerce. 5th Annual Shikabe Spring Prawn and Whelk Festival May 21, 10 am Shikabe, Shikabe Park Fresh-caught Hokkaido prawns and whelk are sold at special prices along with many other food stalls.
23rd Annual Kuroishi Abalone Festival May 21 9:30 am Yakumo, Kuroishi Seishonen Ryoko Hakodate Goryokaku Festival Mura May 20-21 Eat abalone raised in the Kuroishi reHakodate, Goryokaku A festival celebrating the history of gion underneath blooming cherry blossom trees! Hakodate’s famous Goryokaku Park. 49th Annual Mt. Esan Azalea Festival May 20-June 4 Nanae Town, Base of Mt. Esan Over 600,000 azalea plants paint the area bright pink.
June
Ningen Banba Festival June 24 Oketo Oketo’s biggest festival. The main event features teams of people pulling Toyako Marathon logs of wood over hills on a course. This May 21 festival happens over the course of two Lake Toya days. Here is the flyer from last year: There’s a marathon, a 10k, a 5k, and www.town.oketo.hokkaido.jp/files/人 a 2k. 間ばん馬01.pdf www.toyako-marathon.jp
photo by Matthew Jones
in praise of sake a priceless treasure it may be but how can it be better than a bowl of raw sake? - Otomo no Tabito
photo by Matthew Jones