HICE

Event Reports

HICE BUS TOUR TO NINJA MURA

August 19th was one of the hottest days of the year. HICE's 2nd Annual Bus Tour is partially to blame for the heat wave because it was cookin'. The inaugural bus tour took place last fall. A small group of people went to Takane Castle in Hamamatsu and spent the day enjoying the fall foliage while learning about some of the history of this area.

This years bus tour was bigger and better in every way. For starters, the number of participants jumped from around 20 to 80. We also decided to go out of the prefecture, in fact we passed through 3 prefectures.

The morning started with most of the 80 participants who had signed up showing up on time. There were a few no-shows and some last minute sign ups as well. But, it wasn't long before the two jumbo busses were fully loaded and on the road.

The activities began once the busses were on the expressway. Everyone shared a little bit about themselves, where they were from, and what they liked most about living in Japan. Next we all attempted tongue twisters in Japanese, English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Most of us failed horribly but we all had a great time trying. Following a short break, we played 'Name That Tune' with the national anthems of all countries represented on the tour, with many people joining in to sing their own anthems. The final activity of the tour was making origami shuriken, or throwing stars. It ended up being much more difficult than originally thought, though most were able to complete 1-2 before we arrived at the Ninja Village.

Before arriving at the Ninja Village, the busses dropped everyone off at Suzuka Circuit for lunch. Although we weren't able to see the actual race track, the food was flying of the buffet at F-1 speeds. Once everyone had topped off there tanks it was just a short drive to the main attraction.

Once at the Ninja Village, our large group was split into several smaller groups that were guided through the attractions. First up was a replica ninja home. The tour guide demonstrated the various hidden passages, doors, and compartments. Everyone was then free to walk through the 2 museums containing artifacts, interactive displays, videos, and explanations of the weapons, clothing, and techniques ninjas used.

The grand finale was the Ninja Show, where our group was treated to demonstrations of an actual samurai sword, throwing stars, blow guns, and other weapons. Several of the demonstrations included actual fights. The Ninja Show ended with each bus tour participant getting a chance to throw some shuriken.

Most took the chance to take a picture with one of the ninja clad staff members and pick up some ninja related souvenirs, before getting on the bus to head home. The ride back was quite with most people chatting or napping. Everything went so smoothly that the bus arrived back in Hamamatsu 45 minutes earlier than planned.

There will be more bus tours like this in the future. If you were not able to participate this year, then don't miss next years tour. I guarantee you will have a great time.

Piyo Piyo Class -Experiencing Elementary School Life- "I really want to go to school." This spring, the 5-day "Piyo Piyo Class" was launched with the help of the Hamamatsu Board of Education in order to allow foreign children entering the first grade to experience what Japanese schools are like. By introducing school culture before the term actually begins, and by teaching the new students hiragana, katakana, and simple Japanese phrases, the class aimed to ease the anxieties of the children and answer their parents' questions, thus paving the way for a richer, happier school life. Although the class was largely experimental, being the first of its kind, 11 students from Brazil, Peru, and Paraguay were able to participate under the guidance of 5 college volunteers from Shizuoka University and Hamamatsu Gakuin University. The college students encouraged the children in their efforts, helping and guiding them. During the drawing period, one beaming child presented a picture to a male volunteer. "Sensei, for you!" - his portrait. One child who didn't know a word of Japanese before the class hugged her favorite teacher with an expressive "Daijoubu." What could be more important than these words of the heart? Fun and games broke out during lunch, too. Children who took the initiative to clean up afterwards received stickers as rewards. Since there was no bell at the school, everyone also learned that "when the big hand hits the 6, you take your seat." These five days were a continuous challenge and adventure. Both volunteers and children gave it all they had; both learned and grew remarkably as a result. Grass-roots internationalization at its finest. When asked for their opinions at the end of the 5-day class, parents and guardians remarked: "What a valuable experience. I hope you hold this every year"; "My children really benefited"; "5 days is a short time, but they were days filled with activity and warmth"; "My child no longer worries about school" - and so on. The children who participated in this class may have to go their separate ways when the real term starts, but one hopes they won't forget the friends and memories made through this event. They've got a lot of people cheering them on; we all hope they'll succeed.	Were you able to write it?

	With Mom!!
	Closing ceremonies.

Exciting Cross-Cultural Salon: "Enjoying Germany!"

With the entire country tuned in to the World Cup games, it's no wonder that interest in the host country, Germany, has noticeably peaked in recent months. HICE has been doing its share of promoting international understanding by staging a series of events related to this great country and its rich, varied culture. In May, the first Cross-Cultural Salon focused on the World Cup itself, inviting participants to learn more about the event and the teams; in early June, HICE collaborated with the German Tourist Board and Continental Teves in opening a German poster exhibition on the first floor of City Hall.

All these events came to a culmination with the second Cross-Cultural Salon, "Enjoying Germany." The salon focused on a perennial favorite - food. With the promise of taste-testing authentic German sausages and wine, both Japanese and foreign residents of Hamamatsu flocked to the event, filling the 50-person limit to capacity. None of them would be disappointed...

The salon began with a brief introduction to Germany - its culture, its cities, its attractions. Next, the two guest lecturers, Koji Fukukawa and Koji Hirano, discussed some of the unique styles and characteristics of popular German food. The two were more than capable of talking in this vein: Fukukawa is the proprietor of Lecker Land Fukukawa, a store that specializes in European-style ham, sausages, bacon, and the like; Hirano is the Director-General of the Hamamatsu Association for German Wine and Culture. The lecturers also fielded questions from the audience, so that the lecture became an interactive one.

Then came the moment everyone was waiting for: taste-testing! Pounds and pounds (or should I say kilos and kilos?) of meat had been prepared, not to mention the many bottles of alcohol. Participants tasted 4 different types of both sausages and wine, with plenty of helpings of each item. As expected, this was by far the most popular segment of the event ? and everything for only 1,000yen (500yen for members)! Judging by the round of applause that rang out at the end, one could safely say that the event was a resounding success.

HICE has many more exciting activities planned for the 2006 year, so even if you missed out on this month's events, be sure to check out HICE News for the latest information on lectures, salons, classes, festivals, and more!