Field Activity (Japanese language class, Sunday course)

Field Activity (Japanese language class, Sunday course)

Tokyo Metropolitan Government

buildings & Ueno zoo　

We went on a bus trip to Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) buildings and Ueno zoo on Sunday, November 6. The bus left Noda city hall at 8.15. The weather was cloudy. The schedule was: 10.00~11.30 at TMG buildings and 12.00~15.30 at Ueno zoo. Forty-eight people (25 adults, 3 junior high school students, 3 primary school students, 4 infants and 13 NIA staffs) joined.

【Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) buildings】
TMG buildings were completed at the total cost of 156.4 billion yen on December, 1990. The TMG buildings consist of three buildings (main building No.1, main building No.2 and Metropolitan Assembly building). There is Tokyo citizens plaza between main buildings and the assembly building. The main building No.1 is 243 meters (797 ft) high with forty-eight stories above and three stories below ground.

A view of Tokyo from the observatory (45 th floor) was not clear because of cloudy weather, but we could find that Tokyo was great.

In front of the elevator bound for the observatory

【Ueno zoo】

Established in 1882, Ueno Zoo is the oldest zoo in Japan. More than 500 kinds of animals are raised. The number of visitors per year is 3.5 million. It has grown over the years, expanded its area, and been a forerunner in the Japanese zoo world. Located amid the downtown Tokyo, Ueno Zoo not only provides recreation, but also plays an essential role in wildlife conservation and public education.

We arrived at Ueno zoo just at noon and had lunch before looking around.

After lunch we freely looked around in the zoo to see our favorite and interesting animals. We were very pleased to ride on a mono-rail train and take photos.

Although it was cloudy and started to sprinkle, we enjoyed seeing many animals such as panda, lion, giraffe and chimpanzee.
Thank you very　much for joining us.

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.

Field Activity（Japanese language class, Sunday course）

Field Activity（Japanese language class, Sunday course）

Bus Trip to Oarai Aquarium

Japanese language class had the field activity on October 31 (Sun.).
At first we were scheduled to go to Mt. Tsukuba and a footbath, but changed to Oarai aquarium and a fish market. We thought mountain-walking would be unsafe as it had been raining until the day before.
Forty seven people (23 people of students and their family, 11 children and 13 Japanese staffs) joined and had a pleasant time.

The bus left Noda city office at 8:30, went through express way and arrived at Oarai aquarium at about 10:30. Each attendant introduced himself (herself) in the bus.

Now, let’s look around the aquarium.

We took photos in front of a shoal of sardines.

This is a dolphin & seal show.
Both dolphins and seals are smart, aren’t they?

Children are pleasantly looking around the fish

The statues of penguin and seal were waiting for us in the outside of the aquarium.

Commemorative photo of all attendants

We had cloudy skies on that day and it was a little cold all day long. But we could have a pleasant time.
After visiting the aquarium, we went to Nakaminato fish market to buy sea food souvenirs. We could buy fish, crabs, sliced raw fish, dried fish, boiled fish paste, and so on.
In the bus on our way home we all sang Japanese songs and enjoyed harmonica play. It was a very pleasant bus trip.

Field Activity (Japanese Language Class, Monday course)

Field Activity (Japanese Language Class, Monday course)

Barbecue Party and Folk Dance

The field activity of Japanese language class, Monday course was held on Monday, September 20 at the Shimizu Park.
Thirty seven people (learners and their family & friends; 22 persons, staff; 15 persons) attended the activity. Foreign people were from China, Korea, Taiwan, France, Thai, Peru, Philippines and India.

First of all, we started preparing barbecue in the campground. Men made a fire and women prepared materials such as beef, chicken, Wiener sausages, green paprikas, Welsh onions, pumpkins, cabbages, egg plants, etc.

We all together grilled meat and vegetables.
The barbecue food was very delicious when we ate it while chatting.

Not only family attendants but also learners who enjoyed chatting look very happy.

The children also were very delighted with the barbecue.

After eating barbecue, we enjoyed folk dancing in the green field.
We all were fascinated by sweet old melodies and had a pleasant time.

Commemorative photo of all attendants

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.