The Shiramine Snowman Festival on Jan. 27 and Feb. 3
Snowmen at the Shiramine Snowman Festival are illuminated by candlelight at night. The process used to keep the snowmen from melting is a town secret.
The annual Shiramine Snowman Festival will be held again on Jan. 27 and Feb. 3. This festival features hundreds of snowmen constructed by the townspeople that are illuminated at night using a special lighting method that is a well-kept town secret. This is a great way to escape the Ishikawa winter blues because no one can possibly be sad when surrounded by hundreds of adorable snowmen. The festival lasts from 3 – 9 p.m.
It’s easiest to get to the festival if you have a car. If you live near Kanazawa or Hakusan, you can make it to the festival with plenty of time if you leave right after work. A Google Map of Shiramine can be found here for those wanting directions. For those interested in attending the Jan. 27 festival, there will be a free shuttle bus from the parking lots to Kuwajima. If you don’t have a car there are shuttle buses leaving from Kanazawa Station at 3 p.m. on both days. A round-trip ticket is ¥2000. Also, see the jump below for an English tour with limited availability.
Charity Caroling at Kanazawa Station
Posted by Joanna in AJET, Events, Kanazawa, Volunteering on December 15, 2011
If you have the voice of an angel, or even if you can’t hold a tune to save your life, come share the holiday spirit with Kanazawa’s many denizens and tourists. Ishikawa AJET is sponsoring charity caroling at the Kanazawa Station East Exit–under the huge torii gate–from 4:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 18. Proceeds will benefit Onagawa, a tsunami-struck town for which Ishikawa JETs have already raised funds and volunteered.
Invite your non-JET friends, co-workers and students to hear some singing (and donate to charity). Everyone is welcome! If you’re interested in singing, don’t forget to contact Kathleen Robertson so there are enough lyric packets to go around.
Joanna Clark is a second year ALT in Kahoku City who will be singing her face off at Kanazawa Station on Sunday.
Holiday Greetings for Children in Tohoku
Posted by Joanna in Disaster Information, Volunteering on December 7, 2011
If you’re filled to the brim with holiday spirit and are looking for an outlet, Mayumi Hoshi, Professor Emeritus of Chuo University, has started a campaign to write holiday greetings to the approximately 400 children and volunteers living in temporary housing in Shichigahama Town in Miyagi Prefecture. She’s soliciting cards from all over the world, so even if you can’t write a greeting in Japanese, the thought will be appreciated by the kids who are experiencing their first holiday season in the tough post-tsunami conditions.
Cards are being accepted with no apparent deadline at the following address:
c/o Mrs. Mayumi Hoshi
Shichigahama-cho Saigai-Volunteer Center
Noyama 5-9, Yoshidahama
Shichigahama-cho, Miyagi
〒985-0802 JAPAN
ATTN: Boys and Girls
〒985-0802
宮城県 七ヶ浜町吉田浜 字野山5‐9
七ヶ浜町 災害ボランティアセンター
星真由美様 宛
少年少女達へ
For more information, check out the JET AA post on their website, http://www.jetaausa.com/2011/11/18/xmas-cards-for-tohoku-kids/.
Joanna Clark is a second-year ALT in Kahoku City. She plans to spread holiday cheer with Christmas cards and nengajō.
Sending Nengajō Overseas
If you’re planning to send winter holiday greetings this year, how about sending your friends and family back home a nengajō, a Japanese new year’s card? Nengajō can be purchased anywhere from conbini to department stores, and you can even make your own. If you are planning to send them via international airmail, the Japan Post has some guidelines to ensure that your greetings get to their destination in a timely manner.
The carbon-offset nengajô from Japan Post.
Read on for detailed instructions on writing and addressing the perfect nengajō.
Support Prostate Cancer Research this November
Posted by Joanna in Uncategorized on November 21, 2011
November’s coming to a close, and if you feel like you’ve been seeing more mustaches around than usual, there’s a reason. In Japan, JETs and friends have been growing out their facial hair not only to show off their style but also to raise awareness for prostate cancer. Those who aren’t mustache growing enabled shouldn’t feel left out, though.
This Friday, November 25th will see Ishikawa’s first Movember to Remember party, a night of music and mustaches, at Kanazawa Event House APRE (7th floor) in Katamachi. ¥500 buys you entrance and good feelings for helping out a worthy cause.
Everyone is welcome!
Joanna is a second-year ALT in Kahoku City who is considering sporting a fake ‘stache in support of prostate cancer awareness.
Vote for Ishikawa’s Mascots in the Yuru Character Grand Prix 2011
Thanks to Super Awesome Happy Fun Time with Sean and Alice for the tip-off!
Japan is famous for its cute mascots, which represent everything from blood banks to local attractions. The NTT Town Page (タウンページ協賛) is currently running a contest in which you can vote for your favorite town mascot in the Yuru Character Grand Prix 2011.
Wakatama-kun from the Yuru Character Grand Prix 2011 website.
Ishikawa has six entries:
Kappuchi from Komatsu (Entry #41)
Mon-chan from Monzen (Entry #45)
Wakutama-kun from Wakura Onsen (Entry #66)
Basshon, representing Noto Heirloom Vegetables (Entry #132)
Konmaru-kun from Nanao (Entry #156)
Nyantarou from Kahoku (Entry #250)
Voting is available until 26 November. If you click the big orange button on your preferred mascot’s page, it will open your email client and make that mascot’s number the subject line. Or, email req@yurugp.jp with the number of your favorite mascot as the subject line (e.g. 66). You can vote once a day.
Leah Zoller is a former CIR (2009-11) and now works for The Art of Japan: Kanazawa/Discover Kanazawa. She voted for Wakutama-kun.
Hokuriku the happiest region in Japan, study finds
Posted by meranii in Daily Living, News on November 9, 2011
The three Hokuriku prefectures took the top three spots in a study by Hosei University in Tokyo trying to pinpoint the happiest prefectures.
Fukui came in first place followed by Toyama and Ishikawa coming in second and third respectively. The study used 40 socioeconomic indicators such as crime rate and welfare services to determine a numerical “happiness scale” which was measured in all the prefectures. One of the things that propelled Fukui to the top spot was its low crime and accident rate as well as an excellent preschool system.
So what’s the unhappiest prefecture in Japan? Osaka! The study cited Osaka’s high crime rate as a main reason it ranked so low on the list. So what do you think Ishikawa dwellers? Are we living in one of the happiest places in Japan?
Read the article (Japanese only)
Use Technology to Find (More!) Must-See Fall Spots
Posted by Joanna in Daily Living, Day Trips, Technology, Travel on October 14, 2011
You’ve probably found many of Ishikawa’s Must-See Fall Spots, but now iPhone users have a tech-savvy way to find great foliage wherever they may travel with Rurubu (Fall Foliage 2011), a free app designed to help you scope out the best spots around Japan.
Use the Location function to find foliage wherever you are. Clicking on a red pin will give you more info about the spot, including its peak color time–apparently Kenrokuen is best viewed from mid-November to early December–public transit directions, address, contact information and a full description (Japanese only).
This fall, try using technology to guide you into the great outdoors!
Get Rurubu from the iTunes store
Find recommended foliage wherever you go!
Get more info about each spot (Japanese only).
On Japanese Probability
Posted by Joanna in Culture, Daily Living, Work on October 14, 2011
Courtesy of http://thisjapaneselife.org
Ever wondered why your JTEs seem to start every sentence with, “Maybe,” “Probably,” or “I think”?
Eryk over at This Japanese Life has answered your curiosity with an amusing and informative article on the gap between Western and Japanese notions of surety, “On Japanese Probability.”
Check out his article and see if you can’t get a better grasp on communication with your JTEs just in time for 8 hours with them at Skill Development Conference (October 28).
Ishikawa’s Must-See Fall Spots
The fall scenery at Natadera Temple in Komatsu.
Fall is here and Japan – never wanting to miss an opportunity to admire nature – is getting ready for the changing of the leaves. Going to a great 紅葉 spot is THE fall outing. So grab some friends, get a car (most of these locations are only accessible via car), make sure your camera has a fully charged battery and get to admiring those leaves.
