Come try on yukata (Japanese summer kimono) and experience Japanese culture (Koto music, Powder Tea Ceremony, and Ikebana) at the Saga International Festival, 2009!!

DATE: Sunday, September 13th

REGISTRATION: From 10:00 to 13:00 (or 1 pm for those of us who do not do 24 hour clocks)

PUT on YUKATA:  in the special meeting room for women, and the Broadcasting room for men on the 2nd floor of AVANCE

*registration will be on a first-come-first-serve basis

*please wear an undershirt (tank top or v-neck shirt) for soaking up sweat under the yukata.

TRY Japanese Culture:  Koto performances, Tea Ceremony, and Ikebana (which I believe you will be able to try for yourself, very fun!) will be held in the 3rd floor tatami/traditional room from 10:00 to 13:00

Host organization: Saga Seikatsu Bunka Kouryuukai

For more information contact:  Yuriko Shirahama Tel&Fax 0952-24-6990

Saga Prefecture International Relations Association (SPIRA) Tel: (0952) 25-7921 Fax: (0952) 25-7417 e-mail spira@po.saganet.ne.jp

This seems like a fun event, so if you have time, please do attend! Even if you do not want to wear a yukata, the cultural events sound really neat, so you could just go to do that. It is  not every day that you get to see a koto performance or arrange flowers!

This past Saturday I went to Hita City in Oita to see their hina matsuri (aka girl’s day aka doll festival) dolls. it was pretty sweet! there is a nice old part of town (a little touristy but meh) where all of the cute shops have their dolls displayed as well as private residences/museums that have displays as well. some are free, some are 200~400yen. the nicest, most famous one, Kusano Honkei (Kusano family manion) was 550yen but totally worth it. they have over 150 dolls, a number of them are around 300 years old.

also in Hita is the Kyushu factory of Sapporo beer. didn’t go to that one but there is a factory tour!

this was a very pleasant day trip and if you have some time in the next couple weeks why no check it out? i believe the dolls have been out since last week and should continue being displayed until mid-march (hina matsuri is march 3rd).

how to get there:
from fukuoka:
i took the bus from the tenjin bus center. there was a special ticket for the hina matsuri that was 3,200yen (round trip ticket) plus a voucher for free rides on the community buses and a few discounts at places around town (the bus goes to the dolls district, the beer factory, bus center, eki, etc). the buses to/from tenjin run every half hour (or more frequently). it’s a 1 hour 20 minute drive

from saga:
buses to hita leave from tenjin, kurume, or 六ツ門(mutumon?)
so, get yourself there and go :D hita shouldn’t take sooo long so you could definitely work in some lunch/dinner in tenjin before/after you go

once in hita i rented a bike at the tourism center near the eki. they were 200yen for the first hour and 100 yen/hour after that. i guess we didn’t really need the bikes but it was nice riding around the traditional streets. we found a few cool places off the beaten path

links!:
http://www.city.hita.oita.jp/　
Hita City website (japanese)

http://iris.hita.net/~city/ht/hina.htm
weird high school computer class version (engrish)

http://www.japan-hopper.com/2007/03/02_09958.php
travel site with pictures (english)

p.s.–
if you get there around lunch time (like i did), you may stumble across a hamburger shop by the station called “OJ” or something. eat at your own risk. the staff was rude, the hamburgers were really just thin hamburg steaks on buns, and they won’t let you order something off the take-out menu if you plan on eating it in the place (???).

The fundamental principle of aikido is to be so “in tune” with the opponent that one can sense his intentions and be able to take advantage of his movement. This principle has given aikido its name: ai means “to meet,” the character ki means “spirit or energy” and do means “the way” in the philosophical sense of Zen Buddhism.

The aikido school in Saga is the Nabeshima Yoshinkan Aikido School, near Nabeshima station, one stop west of Saga. The master, Ishi-sensei, is a great and welcoming person and makes efforts to speak English but expects a lot from his students in return. The class is given in Japanese and it is very important to learn the technical terminology to go along with the movements. You will have to buy your own gi (7000-10,000 yen, depending on size) and pay 5000 yen a month as a subscription fee. Classes are given every day of the week from 7-8:30 p.m. and in the morning on weekends. You can attend as many classes as you want once you’ve paid your monthly fee. I suggest you try to attend at least twice a week for any improvements. It’s hard to learn movements, the technical terminology and fight at the same time, but it is a fascinating Japanese martial art.

Directions to Nabeshima Yoshinkan Aikido School

From Nabeshima station, walk straight out of the small station, turn right at the first main street. Go straight on this road for about 10 minutes. You will cross a wide main road and you should find the school after a few blocks on your right. The sign is small and in Japanese; it’s on the second floor of a tatami maker’s shop. An alternative is to take a taxi and hope the driver knows where the Yoshinkan Aikido School is.

More information

• Visit the Yoshinkan Aikido website
• Read Dynamic Aikido by Gozo Shioda (ISBN4-7700-0578-4 in Japan), a good book with all the basic techniques and movements written by the Yoshikan founder himself

Wadaiko, also known as taiko, is what I would call an ancient art form. It requires strength, stamina and rhythm. Wadaiko started its life as a method of communication, possibly between communities, but reportedly it was used as a method to talk to god(s); the harder you beat, the clearer the god(s) would hear you. Nowadays it is a mezmorizing and awe-inspiring spectacle. If you’ve ever played or seen some professional taiko group play, you will gape at the effort needed to play some pieces.

I’ve been involved in Wadaiko Hagakure (based in Saga City) for almost 10 months now. I don’t know exactly how to categorize the group, but I’d say we’re amateur. However, we perform several times a month and get paid for it (if you attend). It’s fairly young as far as taiko groups go. Apparently the club was set up by the main instructor’s father some years ago, when they broke away from Hagakure Wadaiko (but don’t quote me on that…). Sensei speaks fairly good English, as do his two kids, Kento, 14, and Asuka, 17, who also are part of the group and miles above most of the members as regards talent (I guess they just have the genes).

We practice twice a week in Saga City, on Wednesdays from 7:45-9:30 p.m. at Yamato Wellness and on Sundays from 7:45-9:30pm in a Saga Chugakou. As a non-permanent resident of Japan, you will be treated as a junior member, which means you do not pay the monthly fee of 3000 yen, but get paid half what senior members do for performances.

So, please feel free to contact me (via the contact form) if you’d like more information or to come along for a trial run. I will issue one request: committment means a lot to these people, so no half-hearted attempts to be a part. You are either in heart and soul or out. You do not need any previous experience — just bring along enthusiasm and watch those biceps mould into shape!

Every year during Golden Week, which is from 29 April to 5 May, one of the biggest ceramics fairs in the world takes place in the little porcelain town of Arita in Saga prefecture. In Japanese, it’s called Arita Toukiichi.

There are thousands of shops and stalls full of all kinds of ceramics at all prices. Most ceramics are industrially produced in the area and others handcrafted by local potters. That’s what usually makes the difference in the price. A hand made ceramics vase hand painted by a local potter will be quite expensive as opposed to a mass produced bowl with a design printed on it which might only be 200 yen.

Beware of the Japanese ladies dragging their suitcases on wheels full of ceramics as nothing can stand in their way, and try not to bump into people as everyone is walking around with breakables in their bags.

How to get there

The festival takes place on the main street between Kami-Arita and Arita station (take the Sasebo or the Haiki train line). You can get off at either station and follow the crowds.

A few important advices

• Take the train instead of a car as traffic is heavy and parking is expensive.
• Bring a backpack or a solid bag if you think you’ll buy a lot.
• Bargain away as if you were in a Thai market!