Japanese language class,Monday couse

Field Activity
(Japanese language class, Monday course)

Bus Trip to new Haneda international

airport and the Imperial Palace Plaza

We went on a bus trip to new Haneda international airport and the Imperial Palace Plaza on September 19 (Monday). The bus left Noda city hall at nine and headed for Haneda via Hakozaki. On the left hand side of our way, we could see the Sky Tree which would open next spring. The weather was fine. We smoothly arrived at Haneda in an hour and a half.

The participants were 42 persons (31 adults and 11 children) from 9 countries. (8 Chinese, 4 Filipina, 3 Koreans, 2 Thai, 2 Pakistanis, a Vietnamese, a Taiwanese, a Peruvian, 18 NIA members and 2 citizens)

We all were impressed with an appearance of the Sky Tree seen from a bus window.

[ Haneda international airport ]
Haneda international airport started business on October 21, 2010. The airplanes make a flight to Asian cities such as Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong which were from Narita before. In addition to this, we can fly direct to Western cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Paris.

It has a terminal building with 5 stories above ground and the gross area of 159,000 square meters. There are a large variety of restaurants, Planetarium Starry Café, and shopping street named Edo Alley on the fourth floor of the building. They are useful to know Japanese cultures and traditions.

【The Imperial Palace】

The Imperial Palace is the residence of the Emperor. The address is 1-Chiyoda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. It has an area of 1.95 square kilometers (42 times as big as the Tokyo Dome) and is about 15.5 km around. The length of the marathon course is about 5 km.

Commemorative photo of all participants
It was a pleasant day of field activity.

Together with people in the world,
let’s do what we can and support people in trouble.

Tanabata Dancing Parade in Noda

Event Dept.

Tanabata Dancing Parade in Noda

The 60th summer festival in Noda was held on Aug.6 and 7.
We participated in Tanabata dancing parade in the evening of Aug.6.
Staff of NIA, students of Japanese language class, foreign exchange students and their host families of our home stay program enjoyed dancing in the parade.

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A student of Japanese language class and a guest of home stay program were delighted to parade with holding a traditional hand-carry lantern.

Foreign exchange students are dressed well in Yukata
(simple summer kimono).

Students of Japanese language class are delighted to dance.

Staff of NIA enjoyed parading, too.

After the parade, we took a picture of all of us together.

The Tanabata dancing parade in summer festival in Noda was very fun.
This will remain with us a nice memory.

Welcome Party

International Friendship Dept.

Overnight Home Stay Program in 2011

Welcome Party

Noda International Association carried out the overnight home stay program this year too. Seven foreign exchange students, who are studying at universities or colleges in Chiba prefecture, stayed at ordinary homes in Noda city from August 6 to 7.
They experienced a Japanese home life and enjoyed participating in Tanabata dancing parade in Noda summer festival in the evening of August 6.
They had a good time to interchange with their host families.


Prior to the program, NIA invited the students and their host families to the welcome party. We did welcoming addresses from Mr. Morimoto (GM of International Friendship Dept.), Mr. Higashihara (President of NIA), Mr. Nemoto (Mayor of Noda City), and Mr. Miyauchi (Chairman of Noda Educational Board).

Seven students attended the home stay program.

Students with their host families

All attendants had a pleasant time at a buffet style lunch party.

Guest: 7 persons from 5 countries (Thailand, China, Cambodia, Malaysia and Bhutan)
Host: 7 families

Owing to the nuclear power plant accident, many foreign students returned to their countries in this summer holidays. At first we were worried about the enforcement of the program, but consequently we could receive 7 students.

new Haneda international airport

Event Dept.

Bus trip to new Haneda

international airport

We went on a bus trip to new Haneda international airport on June 12(Sunday). Fifty two people joined. The bus left Noda city hall at 8.30. We had slightly cloudy skies with weak sunshine on that day. On the right hand side of our way to Haneda via the coast of a bay, we could see the Sky Tree which would open next spring.

Mr. Shu and his wife Mrs. Go, they are from Taiwan, stated their impressions of Haneda airport as follows.
We thought an airport is an only takeoff and landing field, but in Haneda we found some spots where we wanted to stop by. The discovery museum and the shopping street like Edo alley were good to see. We were happy to be with many friends joined in this bus trip.

Mr. Okada gave his thoughts on the discoveries of Haneda airport.
First, he discovered no-check-in airport travel which means how to spend at airport without flight. It includes walking in the facilities, moving around Edo alley, shopping street and restaurants, chatting on an observation deck, and so on. Second, he discovered Wabi-sabi travel in the Sen Rikyu exhibition. It was the discoveries of the beauty to be found in quiet simplicity beyond the popular taste and of hospitality. Finally, he wrote about the importance to be in harmony with each other in the group tour.

tea ceremony, the Sen Rikyu exhibition

Edo alley

It was a very pleasant bus trip.

The number of participants to be admitted was 30, but 102 people applied for the trip. As a result, 52 people could join. The new international terminal seemed to have an appeal for many people.

Yamazaki elementary school

International Friendship Dept.

Yamazaki elementary school

International Education Program

Theme : Look at the world

The international education program in Yamazaki elementary school was held on Tuesday, February 22 in 2011, to have a new look at Japanese cultures, to understand foreign cultures, and to exchange with foreign lecturers.
Three foreign lecturers from three countries were invited and four NIA staffs joined.
Yamazaki elementary school was founded in 1980. It has 12 classes, 377 pupils in total, and 2 classes, 70 fifth-grader pupils attended the program.

The lecturers introduced themselves to attended pupils.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka (former Ceylon, named Sri Lanka from 1972) gained independence from UK in 1948.
The lecturer, Ms. Nadeeka Basnayake, gave explanations of Sri Lanka (the national flag, geography, population, history, cultures, education system, elementary school, food, animals, customs, simple words, children’s play, etc.) with her voice full of life and in full of humor.
In Q&A time, Ms. Nadeeka was confused by the question “How old are you?”
The pupils seemed to be surprised to hear that more than 70% of people were Buddhist.
Ms. Nadeeka answered “nadasousou” when she was asked what her favorite Japanese songs were?” Most of the pupils were impressed to hear that and seemed to have a friendly feeling toward her.

Malaysia

Showing the map, the lecturer, Ms. Akiho Suzuki, introduced Malaysian culture, language, and industry. She explained that the weather of Malaysia was mild all the year, and there were a lot of Japan’s overseas enterprises in Malaysia.
There are more than 230 nameless islands in Malaysia.
The state religion is Islam. Islam spreads mostly in native Malaysians. Most of Chinese Malaysians are Buddhist and most of Indian Malaysians are Hindu.
The school education consists of elementary school (6 years), junior high school (3 years), high school (2 years), preparatory school (2 years) and university (3~6 years).
Finally, the pupils sang a familiar song in chorus in Malaysian language, tried on a native costume, and enjoyed playing game. They surely deepened their understanding of Malaysia.

China (Hong Kong)

The lecturer was Ms. Lilly Chong. She took charge of the same program in Kawama elementary school on February 10.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and its view at night is very famous.
The pupils got explanations that 1) Hong Kong was returned from UK to China fourteen years ago, 2) it has a population of seven million, and 3) it has a structure of “one country, two systems”.
They sang a song “the song of numbers” in Cantonese.
They practiced speaking some simple greeting words (good morning, good afternoon, good bye, thank you, etc.) in Cantonese.
Some pupils were taking notes on the lecture. It was admirable.

The lecturers, the principal, and NIA staffs

This program would be fruitful if the pupils would find that there are a lot of countries which have their own climate and cultures, and that mutual understanding is possible.