Thai ethnic dancing class

Event Dept.

Thai ethnic dancing class

Time: July 10 (Sat.) 13.30 ~ 15.30
Place: Meeting room No.1 on 2F, Central public hall
Instructor: Ms. Somsee Mochida (she is from Thailand and now lives in Noda)
Attendance: Eight people (4 citizens, one observer and 3 staff) 　

Thai ethnic dancing class, one of the annual events, was held as mentioned above.
Ms. Somsee Mochida talked about Thai classical dance and Thai ethnic dance showing lots of photographs and pictures.
The rhythm, the choreography and the costume of Thai dance vary from area to area what we call northern, central, north-eastern or southern part of Thailand.
Listening to each area’s dance music, attendants got explanations about differences between the areas.

First of all, let’s practice the characteristic movements of hands and fingers

This shows a practice scene of northern mountainous area’s dance.
The dancer uses hand-made props which represent a twig.

Thai dance has a wide variety of motions of arms, legs, waist and fingers.
There are many ways to use props. It was fun to practice dancing.

After finishing the practice, attendants introduced themselves and
asked Ms. Somsee Mochida various questions about Thai.

She gave explanations about culture and life in Thailand, including her experiences in her childhood and the local life.
It was a very useful and pleasant lesson to learn Thai culture and to experience Thai ethnic dance.

Nasu Karasuyama

Event Dept.

Nasu Karasuyama 　

(A trip to experence Japanese traditional arts & crafts)

　
We went on a bus trip to Nasu Karasuyama city (Tochigi pref.) where is famous for the production of washi (Japanese paper)on Sunday, June 13.
Twenty-eight people (23 NIA members including 9 NIA staffchildren, 2 childen and 3 non-members ) joined.
Foreign members were from Thai (1), China (3), Philippines (6) and Korea (1).
The bus left Noda city hall at 8:25, and went on Route 294.
We took a rest at Mouka (a strawberry-growing district) and then arrived at Nasu Karasuyama "Washi no Sato”(a village of Japanese paper) at 11:30.
On our way to Nasu, we had a good time making self-introduction and speech and singing songs in the bus.
At “Washi no Sato”, we visited a paper-making factory.
We got explanations of traditional Japanese paper and made two sheets of postcard- sized paper under the guidance of the instructor
Our works will be delivered to each of us later on. We are looking forward to it.
After having lunch at a hand-made soba shop, Shogetu, near Karasuyama station, we visited "Washi Kaikan” (Japanese paper museum) in which paper manufactures made of Karasuyama hand-made paper were exhibited and sold.
The paper manufactures here have been taken over for 780 years.
Next, we enjoyed the view of the Ryumon Falls which is 65m wide and 20m high. We returned to Noda city hall at 17:30.

Throughout this bus trip, we could promote mutual friendship and experience one of the Japanese traditional arts & crafts.

All the members in a commemorative photo・・We enjoyed very much.
At the entrance of the Ryumon Falls

Songs in our home country were introduced in the bus.

Behind the "Washi no Sato” sign is a paper-making factory.

We were given explanations how to make Japanese paper by the instructor.

Our finished works

Lunch at a hand-made soba shop, Shogetu, near Karasuyama station
(Hand-made soba, chestnuts & rice, and tempura of vegetables)

The Ryumon Falls (65m in width, 20m in height)

Field Activity (Japanese language class , Monday course)

Field Activity (Japanese language class , Monday course)　

～Beautiful Riverside on Itako and Iris Garden～

We went on a bus trip to Itako( Ibaraki pref.) where is famous for Beautiful Riverside and Iris Garden　on June 7(Mon).
Twenty-eight people (16 NIA members including 7 children,5 non-members and 7 NIA staff) joined.
Foreign members were from Thai(4),Taiwan(4),China(3),France(7) and Australia(2).
It was occasionally cloudy, but mostly sunny throughout the day.
The Bus left Noda city hall for Itako at 9:00 a.m.and arrived at Itako at 10:45 as scheduled without being involved in a traffic jam.
We had a good time making self-introduction and speech in the bus.

We took “the 12 bridges of Kato states” course in the tours of Beautiful Riverside on Itako.
We went aboard a Japanese-style boat driven by scull,and enjoyed the charm of tasteful Suigo-Itako while having lunch on board.
Next, we visited the Maekawa Iris Garden in which multicolored (purple, white and yellow) irises are in bloom.After that we visited the Katori shrine which has an old history, and Sawara which is called small-Edo and famous for the home town of Ino Tadataka (the first Japan’s map builder).

All the members in a commemorative photo・・We enjoyed very much.

A Japanese-style boat tour of Beautiful Riverside.

Enjoying the beautiful scenery , we had lunch in the boat.

As the boat is equipped with an engine, the boatman did not often work a scull.

Maekawa iris garden

There are 500 kinds of irises in this garden. We hear one million stocks of irises

will be in full bloom in season.

In the future,I will be a photographer！

We wonder if she can tell Ayame from Hanashoubu or Kakitubata.

In front of the bronze statue of “Itaro Itako”

Katori-jingu

The head shrine of about 400 Katori shrines which are located all over the country.

Snap shot in the cedar tree which is 800 years old

The canal in Sawara

Troughout this field activity, we could promote mutual friendship and touch Japanese traditional culture and nature.

Field Activity (Japanese language class, Monday course)

Field Activity (Japanese language class, Monday course)

～　Kasai Sea Life Park　～

Japanese language class had the field activity on March 29 (Mon.).
Forty-five people (40 people of students and
their related persons, 5 Japanese staff) joined.

We had cloudy skies with intermittent rain on that day. It was cold all day long.
We arrived at the Kasai Sea Life Park about one hour behind schedule because of traffic jam.
However, we could spend a pleasant time in the bus making 30-second speech and singing songs of Philippines, France, Thai, Korea, and Japan.
At the Kasai Sea Life Park, we visited an aquarium, had delightful lunch, and we went on a mini circular tour of the park by park-train

Doves welcomed us when we arrived at the Kasai Sea Life Park.

On a spring holiday, the aquarium was very crowded with many families.
Children were watching fishes and other oceanic animals
hand in hand not to be lost.

A snapshot of young ladies in front of the aquarium

The Miyauchi family and her friend’s family
Behind them, the beach directly overlooks the horizon of Tokyo Bay.

After the mini circular tour of the park by park-train,
we took a commemorative photo.

We had a good time today. Some people bought souvenirs.
We were on the way to the bus parking.

Kawama Elementary School

Kawama Elementary School

International Education Program

The 2nd international education program in Kawama elementary school was held on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.
Forty eight 5th graders were separated into 4 classes, and 4 lecturers (a Korean, a Peruvian, an Englishman, and a Chinese) took charge of one class each.

Prior to the teaching, 4 lecturers introduced themselves.
From right to left, lecturers from UK, China, Peru, and Korea

Korea

The lecturer told, “Korea is colder country than Japan.
We take the winter holidays in all January.”
The schoolchildren said, “We wish we could have such holidays.”
They got much knowledge of Korean culture.

Peru

The beautiful Peruvian costumes, game properties and musical instruments were introduced and the schoolchildren showed an interest in each.
Peru is on the opposite side of the earth from Japan.
They got used to singing a song in Spanish
that may be the first experience for them.
It was a pleasant time.

The United Kingdom (UK)

Showing the map, the lecturer gently introduced
the national flag of UK and English language.
“English language also has many regional dialects
just as Japanese one has.”　

China

Do you know the meaning of “one country, two systems”?
Hong Kong was returned from UK to China 13 years ago.
People speak Cantonese while
the standard language of China is Pekingese.
“I don’t know why”, the schoolchildren were confused for a while.
They learnt much from the history of Hong Kong.