Here is the link. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/8340128.stm It’s the 5th photo. :)

Here is the link. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/8340128.stm It’s the 5th photo. :)

Nagasaki can be a real pain to get out of.  If you are going to Saga (or by extension, Tosu, Karatsu…)  your last local train to get out is 7:30 pm.  The last White Kamome Limited Express leaves around 9:30.  You came to Nagasaki for the Lanterns / o-bon / fireworks / (maybe even the nightlife, though I am not sure why) so why not enjoy it by staying the night?

Hostel Akari, newly remodeled in 2008, is the answer. I have stayed at this hotel twice and it’s quite cozy.   The location is easy to find (just a few blocks from the Spectacles Bridge) and the staff are friendly.  They have English speakers, but will of course, be delighted to speak with you in Japanese, if you want to have a chat.

Dormitories are 4 or 8 bed.  I stayed in the 4-bed one on the 4th floor.  It had an aircon and was comfortable.  There were two toilets just across the hall and a small bath with a three showerheads (though, curiously, only one stool and basin!)  The bath looked nice: big enough for a couple of folks to enjoy, though I sense that most hostellers would be disinclined to bathe naked together.  Baskets are provided in the small changing area, but  it’s BYOT (bring your own towel + washcloth).  Also, body soap, conditioner, and shampoo are available for 100 yen each.

On other floors they have doubles and twin rooms, as well as singles and three person bunks. The twin I stayed in (on a separate occasion) also had an aircon and had an ensuite toilet and bath…so it was basically like a hotel room, but not as sterile and impersonal.  Twins are 6000 yen (3000 / person)   Dorm bunks are 2500 yen.

There is no curfew:  you let yourself into the lobby via keypad, then use your key to access the stairwells and yet another key for your room.  So pretty secure.

Downstairs, there is a toilet and a den area, where you can use one of the two public computers, watch TV or one of the DVD there, read or learn how to make a paper crane (the hostel collects them for peace ceremonies) .

The lobby has local information, including a bulletin board with things to do on a rainy day.  They also arrange cultural experience (such as an upcoming straw-thatching workshop) and rent bikes (500 yen for the day).   Encrypted Wifi internet access (they provide the key) is available throughout the hostel.

For more information, or to make a reservation,  visit the hostel’s website.  Reception is open from 8 am to 1 pm, then from 3 pm to 8 pm.

Hostel info:

2-2 Kojiyamachi, Nagasaki-city, Nagasaki, 850-0871 Japan
095-801-7900
akari
@nagasaki-hostel.com

• Business hours
  8:00am-8:00pm
  (Closed for lunch 1pm-3pm)
• Check In
  3:00pm-8:00pm
• Check Out
  by 11:00am

BONUS: If you stay on the 8th, the hostel will give you 500 yen off your room to commemorate their 1-year anniversary.  This date falls during the Nagasaki Lantern Festival, so it’s particularly convenient, as the festival sprawls through the same area that the hostel is in.

Planning a trip?  Ryosuke Imai can help!   Imai is the CEO of Wonder Years Co, Ltd.   He studied in California and speaks fluent English.

This year, I wanted to take a long ski trip to a large ski area.  I found an appropriate area, but after thumbing through a half dozen travel brochures, visiting two big-name agencies, and scouring the web, I learned that there are no departures from Fukuoka for my destination!   A few days later, I happened to run into Ryosuke at a festival and remembered his agency.  I emailed him with an inquiry and he gave me a quote and travel options within a day or two–no problem.   So if you are thinking about taking a trip, why not contact Wonder Years?   Their office, located in Hakata-ku, is open M-F  9:00 – 18:00.  They accept payment in cash or via furikomi (bank transfer).

Wonder Years Co. ,Ltd
5th Floor AQUA Hakata
5-3-8 Nakatsu, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi
Fukuoka 810-0801, Japan
TEL:  092-287-9638               M-F 9:00 – 18:00
FAX: 092-287-9501

If you are new to Japan and have a car, one thing that you need to know is that highways (expressways)  are not free to use.  They are all toll roads.  In exchange for your hard-earned yen, you get the privilege of a higher speed limit, two lanes to work with, and no stoplights.  It can cut travel time dramatically–it’s as much as 400% faster.

Generally, tolls are done like parking tickets:  you take a ticket and then pay when you exit.  A few toll roads (for example, the Kyuragi toll road between Taku and Karatsu) require you to pay a fixed toll as you enter. But generally, it is ticket-based.

Nexco (Nippon EXpressway COrp.), the company that  runs the tolls roads, has this website in English that can give you information on using the expressways.

http://global.c-nexco.co.jp/toll/methods.html

Chances are, you recognize the logo for Kuro Neko Yamato.  The black cat carrying its kitten is great branding.  But did you know that the delivery service has an English website that lets you do things like track packages?  Check it out!  http://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/english/index.html

Another helpful thing is an explanation of their attempted delivery notices, which you can find here:

http://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/english/support/attempted_delivery_notice.html

Soejima san passed this link to me:

http://www.qq.pref.saga.jp/qq/qq41gnfrgnsr_2.asp

It’s a search tool to help you locate a medical specialist in the ken based on language.   Two caveats:

1.  Just because a hospital or doctor speaks “English” doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily going to be just like talking to your doctor at home; you might encounter funny pronunciations, etc. So keep that in mind. If you are really worried about your Japanese, take your DR (that’s what they are here for!) or another JET with you.

2.  Soejima san warned that doctors on this list may have since transferred.  The area selection predates the most recent merger– so it was probably updated sometime between 2005 and 2007.

Still, it should give you a place to start.

Here is a basic overview of what you need for your taxes. But first some notes:

A) if you filed form 4868 (application for extension of time to file) last spring, then your extension is almost up.

B) This year, Americans will get a little tax kickback thanks to Uncle Sam. If you file before Oct. 15th, you can still claim your rebate.

C) A disclaimer: Though I am offering tax information, I am not a tax professional and can’t take responsibility if there is a problem with your taxes. You will be preparing your own returns. That said, I am also following my own advice so if you get in trouble with the IRS, I probably will as well.

Let’s get started.

First, you will need to gather your supporting documents. This means proof of your income:

* W-2, if you worked in the US
* H19 Gensenchoshuhyo if you worked in Japan last year.
* special forms (like 1099) that your bank or loan providers mail you– these might show the amount of interest you paid on student loans, any income you received from stock dividends, the interest from your savings account, etc.

It’s helpful, but not necessary, to have a copy of your tax return from last year. Most people don’t see too many changes from year to year, so your old form might remind you of income sources or other special things you’d otherwise forget about.

I also find it helpful to make a Word document each year that lists all of my income sources and how much so that I just have to look at one paper and not a bunch of forms.

Next, you will need forms. Go to the IRS website and find the list of PDF publications. Or just click this link: http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/lists/0,,id=97817,00.html

Assuming you have already filed for your extension (using either form 4868 or form 2350)

You will now need to download AT LEAST these PDFs:

2007 f1040
2007 i1040
2007 i1040gi
2007 f2555ez
2007 i2555ez

The forms should be listed in order of number. The naming convention is simple: the year first, then f (for “form”) or “i” (for “instructions”) then the number.

“gi” refers to “general instructions” and “ez” is the “easy” or simplified version of a form. Because we are excluding foreign income, we have to file the regular 1040 (not 1040ez or 1040A). But we can use the ez version of the 2555.

Summary / Guide to Commonly-Used Forms for JETs

1040 — the basic tax return.
2350 — First years file this form or 4868 in April to get an extension of time to file. You CAN’T file your 1040 in April or you will not have been in Japan long enough to exclude your Japanese income.

2555 — This is the form that lets you exclude your Japanese income.

4868 — This is a form that will give you until mid August to file. File it in or the 2350 in April. It’s really short and easy to complete. The hardest part is that it asks you to estimate how much tax you’ll owe. That’s a bit tough.

8802 — You should already have filed this form when you arrived in Japan or before. When you file it, the IRS will send you a letter which you give to your supervisor. That letter gets you out of paying JP income taxes.

8822 — Change of Address form. You should have changed your address to your Japanese address already. According to the IRS, simply filing a form with your new address is not acceptable. You need to formally fill out the very simple 8822 and mail it in.

You will need to convert your salary to USD. The official way to do this is to find the exchange rate on your payday and then add all of the converted sums up.

Use the exchange rate prevailing when you receive, pay, or accrue the item. If there is more than one exchange rate, use the one that most properly reflects your income. You can generally get exchange rates from banks and U.S. Embassies.  — IRS, “Foreign Currency and Currency Exchange Rates”

This site is useful for that: http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic

However, I’ve already figured this and you are welcome to use my figures, provided the following conditions apply:

1. You got paid 300,000 yen each month from Jan 2007 to Dec 2007.

2. Your C.O. pays you on the 21st of each month OR the earliest prior day in the event that the 21st follows on a non-work day.

If that’s true, you made the equivalent of $30,625.97 in 2007.

The IRS allows you to round figures to the nearest dollar, but you have to do it consistently (i.e. everywhere) on the form.

This page: http://www.geocities.com/myniigatacom/money.htm has some good info on sending money and using banks in Japan.  It’s nothing too special, but a good summary nonetheless.

Ed. note: This article has been reposted. The original publication date was July 24, 2007.

So right now you are sitting on your hands, wanting to do something to get ready also and to let you procrastinate from packing, right?

I recommend thinking about the things you will be teaching about in your Self-Intro Lesson; since I had only a vague idea of what I was supposed to be talking about. The two most useful things for me were 1) Sergio’s talk last year at the orientation workshop and 2) seeing another JET’s slideshow.

Here are some topics to think about treating:

* your name, age, country.
* your family
* pets you have
* things you like and dislike : sports, foods–anything concrete, really. “I dislike gratuitous violence” is not a good choice. “I don’t like beets”–with the translation for ‘beets’ in hiragana, is good. (Emphasis on the positive, though!)
* your house
* your friends
* Why you like Saga prefecture (or your town)

TIPS

– Make your lesson interactive. Consider building a mini-quiz into it. Ask the kids questions and let them ask questions, because it’s a lot of sitting for them.
– DON’T make the jiko shoukai the whole period long! Twenty or twenty five minutes is good. If your JTE is good at English, let the kids ask questions in Japanese through him/her. Otherwise, tack a mini-lesson and game onto the end. I did fruits and then played fruitbasket. Today, I taught greetings and we played Duck Duck Goose with “hello” and “goodbye” (these were 6 year olds.)

– Hang onto your self intro lesson. Not only will you be giving it A LOT (I think I counted over 39 times), but each time you get fresh students (i.e. new 1nensei in elementary) you will need to pull it out, dust it off, and give it again. (Which is why I am giving one today, in June)

The good thing about this repetition is that you get REALLY good at:
– timing the lesson
– anticipating questions
– integrating new vocabulary/review material.

It also gives you a break the first term, because really all you will be doing is giving the same self-intro lesson. It’s nice not to have extra lesson planning when you are still figuring out living-in-Japan things.

– the kids seem to be introduced to infinitives WAY later than gerunds. I like swimming = ok. “I like to swim” will confuse.
– Again, CONCRETE things. If you are giving the presentation to really little kids, they won’t have a handle on abstract concepts anyway, even if you gave the lesson all in perfect Japanese.

I teach kids who run from 5 years old to about 15 or 16. It might be good to have a young kids and older kids version, again, with fewer abstract concepts and brighter colors for the younger kids.

I do two versions: The High-Tech version and the Lo-Fi version.

* High Tech is a Powerpoint-style slideshow (done with the free OpenOffice.org Presentations program). It has clearly labeled transition slides, animation effects, embedded video (of my family’s dogs), and maps. There are lots of captions in simple English (not for the kids–for the Homeroom Teachers to read and explain to their kids.) and even katakana for city names and kanji/kana for certain words.

* Lo-fi is basically pictures that I put in the slideshow, but printed in color (use your school’s laser printer or the 7-11 copier) on A4 paper (though bigger is much better), laminated, and with little mini stick-on magnets on the back. You can make this at your school or BOE in August.

I use hi-tech at the schools that can accommodate a projector setup and low-fi when I forgot to ask for a projector or if the school just can’t do it or doesn’t want to.

---

THE JIKO SHOUKAI (Self-Intro) SPEECH

Your jiko shoukai speech is a different thing. Having that ready is actually MORE important than the lesson–especially if you do not speak Japanese. In Japan, establishing relationships is very important, and you can’t really interact with people from your school/town/etc. until they know who you are. So you will HAVE to give this speech when you meet people, from your first day in Saga.

Luckily, the ever-helpful JET Diary comes to the rescue. In the back, they have a fill-in-the-blanks version that will get you started. Feel free to ask your DR or other Saga JETs to help you embellish yours.

I recommend that you at least draft your jiko shoukai to have THREE variations:

1.

Jiko shoukai for staff

. This one is the one you will give when you are introduced to all of the teachers in your school. Typically, you will meet with the principal and vice principal, and possibly the English Department in a little reception room. THEN, you will be marched out into the staffroom and ALL of the teachers will politely stand. One of the administrators will say a couple of words to introduce you. Then, you’re on!

* Basically, I just change the last line of the introduction to say something like “Let’s have a good year together” or “Let’s work well together”

* In a pinch, you can give this self-intro in English. Remember: These people are academics and ALL Japanese people have at least basic English education. I find that the staff–especially the younger teachers– may not talk a lot in English, but they understand most of what I say. If you can, start using your “simple English voice”: Speak slowly and a little more carefully than you speak to native speakers and try to use fewer complex constructions and multisyllabic or Latinate words.

2.

jiko shoukai for Student Bodies

:
At some point after this, you will be marched into a gym or auditorium filled with the school’s students. This is where you get to introduce yourself to the students.

* Same jiko shoukai, but change the last bit to something like “Let’s have fun studying English together”.

3.

jiko shoukai for enkai (work-related banquets/drinking)

:
Another time you might give a jiko shoukai is at your welcome enkai. Bear in mind that you will likely have more than one of these: one with the Saga JETs (no speech involved!), one with your BOE (Board of Education. If your town was merged, you MIGHT even have two BOE enkais–one for the big city that you officially work for, and one for the town that you actually work in.)

* Same jiko shoukai. Change the last bit to something like “Let’s drink beer together!” Obviously, if you don’t drink, you should use something like “Let’s relax together” so people don’t try to give you alcohol.

** Be aware that you might need another speech on hand besides your j.s. For example, I was invited to an enkai about a month after I arrived to celebrate the start of the school year (actually, the fall term). I made a speech (which I begged Nirav to translate into Japanese) about how the people at my base school were all so kind to me and how I would try hard to learn Japanese and do a good job this year.

ed. note: this article is reprinted from a post published on July 13, 2007. Aside from the reference to Man-Yi, the information is still relevant.

You too can ride out the storm with the gusto of Slim Pickens on a warhead!

….okay, bad comparison there…just read the article.

As typhoon Man-Yi rolls up towards Kyushu, it’s a good time to consider your personal emergency plan in the event of a natural disaster.

Before newbies start re-watching all of those awful nat. disas. summer blockbusters for notes (”What would Bruce Willis do?! Why, he’d fly up to the damned asteroid and show that mo-fo who’s boss!”), it’s important to say that Saga prefecture is one of the safest (”Most boring? Hush!”) prefectures in Japan, in terms of natural disasters. Most typhoons have to travel over enough land to considerably weaken before they can hit Saga.

Nevertheless, a good emergency plan never hurts: some things to consider:

I actually HAD this conversation last September:

Me: Good morning.

Coworker: Good morning! Is your house okay?

Me: Yes, but I was REALLY scared this weekend. The power was going off and on every five minutes and I thought the roof was going to come off– the apt. was shaking so much.

Coworker: Yeah! My house STILL doesn’t have power. Lots of your neighborhood was knocked out for more than 24 hours. You’re lucky! In fact, this was the strongest one we’ve gotten in 15 or 20 years!

Interior Monologue: I see. That might have been good to know before I had to weather it.

6.  Finally, keep on top of the weather during typhoon season.  The Japan Meteorological Association publishes information in English on their website: http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html.

With any luck, you will never have to endure a natural disaster while in Japan, but if you should, you can feel more confident and in-control by being prepared.

Other Links
For people who actually get off on disaster planning, jackpot:
http://www.fema.gov/plan/index.shtm

AUSTRALIA
CANADA
INDIA (paper form)
IRELAND: ?
JAMAICA
NEW ZEALAND
SINGAPORE
SOUTH AFRICA (online registration is not up yet)
UNITED KINGDOM*
UNITED STATES

* Oddly, the UK website seems to imply that people living in Japan can’t register (”Japan” is not in the list of countries they specify).

Second-years-to-be: the first step in getting your Japanese driver’s license is to get your existing license translated at JAF (the Japan Auto Federation). It’s basically the counterpart to whichever organization issued your IDP in your own country.

Here are directions to the JAF in Saga City. It’s possible to have you materials mailed there if you can’t get to it, but it seems like more people opt to go there in person.

Also, if your license does NOT say “ISSUED ON: xx/xx/xxxx” then you will need to order a copy of your driving record – or some other proof of when you got your first license. JAF will not translate this. You will have to find a translator, but anyone can do it. Just get your translator to write his/her name, position, contact number, and stamp it with his/her inkan.

Back to JAF’s role: the cost to do the driver’s license translation is about 3000 yen. JAF also sells English copies of “Rules of the Road” which is worth looking through before you take you driving test (and also to bone up on the differences between Japan and your own country so you can drive better). It’s 1000 yen. Check your apt. to see if your predecessor left a copy. Chances are s/he did. While the newest versions will have the newest laws noted, the vast majority of the information doesn’t change from year to year.
Here are the directions, from Saga Station’s North exit. I recommend doing this in a car or possibly a bike. It’s too far to (happily) walk.

Go directly north from the north exit of the station. Pass the Sports Grounds. Instead of turning at the Lawsons for the ken apts, keep going straight. You will pass all kind of stuff. You should pass a car place on your left (I think Suzuki).

Eventually, the road (263) will fork off, with one branch going to Mitsuse, I think. You should stay on the left fork. Then, look for a big, gaudy pachinko parlor (”Tiger”) on the right. I think it’s at a big intersection. If you pass the Mc Donald’s you have gone too far. If you get to Jusco, you have REALLY gone too far.

This all happens very quickly. It’s the next left after the split, I think. I had to go back and try again. But maybe you will be okay. Here is a picture of the JAF from the side street that it’s on:

And here is a picture of it from the main road:

Notice the gas station that is in front of it. Turn left into the road JUST before it and you will be okay. It’s pretty nondescript. Finally, here is a Google Maps link to it.  View Larger Map

Good luck, road warrior!

So I learned from experience today that contrary to previous reports, one CANNOT put “as many coins as you like”  in the ATM for a deposit.  The machine freaks out and sort of goes catatonic, shrieking as it shuts down. You have to call a person and they explain to you that if you are going to put over 100 coins in, you should take them to the window.   I suspect that your mileage may vary, since I got 218 in by the machine’s count the first time (it closed its little window before I could finish depositing. Evidently you put coins in first and once you put in bills, it thinks you have finished.)   It also takes FOREVER to count the coins and reject the ones it doesn’t like (it spat out a mangy 1 yen coin, among others).

Do you ever get those blue “notice of redelivery” cards in your mailbox? Here is a blog with step-by-step instructions to get your package redelivered on your terms.

http://melt-in-japan.blogspot.com/2008/02/rescheduling-deliveries-in-japan.html

Happy Chinese New Year!

So here is a quick note for those of you looking for the
脱退一時金裁定請求書 (Pension Lump Sum Withdrawal Form):

There is information about this on the CLAIR website, in addition to the GIH (the General Information Handbook that you have no doubt lost by now ;o)
http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/former/pension.html

For those of you looking to get straight to that delicious government form, you’ll find an English/JP version here:
This was also on the CLAIR website: http://www.sia.go.jp/e/pdf/english.pdf

They also provide the form in a few other languages that are popular in Japan, namely, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Indonesian.

I hope this is helpful.

AEON/Jusco (and possibly MaxValu?) are now selling certified Fair Trade coffee.

At 200g for just under 400 yen, it’s a little more than the bargain basement blends, but it’s still much cheaper than Starbucks and you are doing something good for the coffee growers.

The two blends I saw were Ethiopia and Indonesia, but they may have others.

Read more about Fair Trade here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_trade

So we were offline today because Dreamhost was having problems with their computers in L.A.
The good news is that now (and actually during the problem) you can access SagaJET’s lovely wisdom on your cell phone!

“Where’s that onsen they were talking about?”
“What time does the event start?”
“What kind of restaurants are in Saga?”

Just point your phone to http://www.sagajet.com or scan the barcode below:

A bit late, perhaps, but for the last procrastinators, an extra boost: http://www.freewebs.com/kumamoto_electro/ustaxinfo.htm
The best part is the sample forms they’ve included. I think some of the information is dated, but the pictures help a LOT for the 2555EZ.

For your 2555EZ, a date calculator. Be sure to check the “include the end date” box: http://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html

According to the 2006 instructions, you are supposed to figure your salary in US dollars based on the historic rates for each payday.
You can do that here: http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic

Basics. Good for newbies or potential Saga JETs

http://www.chickobe.com/CultureTips.htm

Bored this week? Wanna see another part of Kyushu?
Fukuoka-Now.com maintains a list of festivals. You can sort by name, by month or by prefecture.
http://www.fukuoka-now.com/kcalendar/index.php?order=month,title&offset=120

Each has a short blurb and often contact info to get in on the action. We’ve linked you to August so you can start the new JET year running.

Not a huge thing, but some people have never taken city buses before. Also, the Saga Buses (and a lot in Japan, actually) charge by distance, not a flat rate, so they might be different from other buses you’ve ridden.

Here is a PDF file to help you figure it out. But it’s not anything to stress about.

The PDF comes from a guide I found on the Saga City Bus site and… well, I didn’t translate it so much as describe the pictures.

If you read Japanese, the PDF contains a link at the end to the original site. Also, the kids’ version is here:

-norikata.html" onclick="javascript:urchinTracker('/outbound/www.bus.saga.saga.jp');">http://www.bus.saga.saga.jp/kids/kids-norikata.html It might be a little easier to read.

The Saga City Bus Guide

By TOMOKO OTAKE
Staff writer, Japan Times. Original here.

Imagine being in a sauna for a few hours. Then imagine getting out of it and walking straight into a giant freezer for another few hours. Do this several times a day and continue the routine for a couple of months. Some people say that’s what spending summer in Japan is like.

Japan’s summer months are notoriously hot and muggy, which can lead to a range of health problems. Natsubate (summer fatigue) leaves people feeling tired, lethargic and/or sleep-deprived. Many people lose their appetite and become irritated, while others suffer digestive problems such as diarrhea, constipation and/or giddiness.

Originally referring to a condition brought on by prolonged exposure to the sweltering summer heat, these days natsubate starts early even in late June for some people, because of sudden changes in the weather and freezerlike air conditioning in trains, buses and buildings.

Dr. Takao Matsumoto, deputy director of Tokyo Rinkai Hospital in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, who occasionally sees patients with heat-related illnesses, says summer fatigue is primarily caused by perspiration problems. Body temperature rises in hot weather, and the body tries to cool itself via perspiration. But when exposed to the heat for too long, some people’s bodies become incapable of making such adjustments.

Matsumoto noted that natsubate should not be taken lightly. If left unattended, it can lead to dehydra- tion, cramps and heat stroke.

“Many people start having problems when the temperature rises to around 25 degrees,” Matsumoto said. “Ideally, the temperature differences between outdoor air and indoor air should be kept within 5 degrees.”

So what can we do to avoid the summer’s perils? Matsumoto and other experts offer the following no-nonsense tips:

Carry clothes that are easy to put on and take off: Many offices are excessively air-conditioned. Bring a cardigan or a long-sleeved shirt to your office and wear it when you feel cold. To counter the air conditioning, some office workers nowadays bring to their offices a yutampo (hot-water bottle), which many Japanese traditionally use to make their futon warm in the winter. You can buy yutampo at a drug store for a few thousand yen apiece. Another tip is to ask your office to turn their air conditioning down (which conserves energy, too.)

Get enough sleep: It might sound elementary, but sleep is indeed essential to avoid and recover from natsubate. If you have problems going to sleep because of the heat, place a bag of ice on your pillow for a few minutes, or turn on an air-conditioner with a timer, making sure that it switches off after several hours. Turning air conditioning on throughout the night is often a cause of natsubate.

Work out regularly: People who can sweat effectively are less likely to suffer from natsubate because their bodies are better conditioned to accommodate temperature changes. Regular exercise can prepare people for that. It also helps them build stamina to survive the summer.

Diet is key

Keiko Kamachi, a registered dietitian and associate professor of nutrition at the Kagawa Nutrition University in Tokyo, meanwhile, says a regular, balanced diet is key to staying healthy through the summer.

“Eat three meals regularly,” she said. “You can also choose to have food that makes you less likely to feel tired.” Summer vegetables such as tomato, eggplant and cucumber contain antioxidants that help protect against ultraviolet light, Kamachi says. Local summer fruits such as suika (watermelon) and nashi (pears) are rich in the minerals that are lost due to perspiration. Natsumikan (summer tangerine), rich in potassium and magnesium, is also good because its citric acid helps people recover from exhaustion, she said. The key, however, is not to gorge on any particular food item but to “eat a little bit of all (of them),” according to Kamachi.

When you are tired, try taking B vitamins, as they help the body convert food into energy, both Matsumoto and Kamachi say. Not that popping a pill is going to work magic.

“Vitamin supplements can irritate the stomach, so it is better to get B vitamins through regular food,” Kamachi says.

Foods rich in B vitamins include pork, soybeans and milk. Soba noodles are also known to be rich in B vitamins, she said, noting that when you have soba, you should also drink the sobayu (the hot water used to boil the noodles) served at most soba restaurants after the meal.

The use of food to ease summer exhaustion dates back to the eighth century in Japan, when the poet Ootomono Yakamochi recommended a suffering friend eat eel to regain his strength, and people in different regions of the country have developed their own particular remedies, often using food locally grown or produced. Junko Yokota, a travel consultant who lives in the Aizu region in western Fukushima Prefecture, says that it has long been a common practice for families in her area to pick ume plums that naturally grow in their gardens and put them in jars with rock sugar. Local plums a brand known as Aizu-takada ume make great plum juice, she says, noting that, when she was a girl, her grandmother would make her drink a glass of the homemade nectar every day during the summer.

“Plums are picked in June and placed in jars, and a year later they are ready to be served,” Yokota said. “You would drink the juice, and then eat the plum as well. It’s probably thanks to those plums that I have never experienced natsubate.”
Stay cool as a cucumber soup

Suffering from the heat? Want to try a Japanese solution to a Japanese problem?

Masahiro Kumamoto, a 46-year-old owner of a seafood-products store in Miyazaki Prefecture, western Japan, says he cannot do without a bowl of hiyajiru (cold miso soup poured over cold rice), to deal with the region’s notoriously hot summer. It has traditionally been a “work-time dish” among farmers and fishermen. A self-confessed hiyajiru otaku (obsessive fan), Kumamoto, whose store is named Kumaya Shokuhin, offers the following recipe for hiyajiru, which he claims, if properly cooked, is a culinary experience as rich as the French soup vichyssoise.

The method

1. Choose the type of fish you want to use. The most common fish used in many households is iriko (dried small fish). Fry the iriko in a pan, then crush them with a mortar. You can also use hiraki (fish cut open and dried), in which case grill them and separate the flesh from the bones.

2. To create a soup, fill a sauce pan with water, add katsuobushi (dried bonito shavings) and kombu seaweed and let the water boil for a few minutes.

3. Spread miso on tin foil and heat it for several minutes, giving it a nice roasted flavor.

4. Put the fish and some mashed-up tofu into the soup and bring it to the boil. Add the miso little by little, using a touch more of the paste than usual, because sliced cucumber (to be added later) thins out the taste.

5. Now the most time-consuming part: Let the soup cool to room temperature. Add the cucumber, chopped oba (Japanese basil) and ground sesame seeds. Prepare a portion of rice as usual.

6. Cool the soup in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Cool your rice to room temperature. Finally, don’t forget to chill your rice bowls in the refrigerator.

The Japan Times: Tuesday, July 17, 2007
(C) All rights reserved

*Thanks to Cheryl of Kitakyushu for authoring this article

Disaster Message Board Services

NTT as well as the three major cell phone providers (Docomo, Vodafone, and AU) each have an emergency message board system. This system allows those who are in a stricken area to leave either a voice (NTT) or text message (cell phones) with a central switchboard in the event of a natural disaster. This message can then be accessed by concerned family members and friends (including employers). Most of these systems are set up so that they are automatically activated during an emergency. Different companies have different guidelines as to what constitutes an emergency, and each has its own procedure and associated costs.

When a disaster occurs the phone lines almost immediately become tied up. It becomes extremely difficult for both people in the affected area and those outside of the area to check on family members and friends. These services have been set up to assist people in finding out the status of loved ones in a disaster stricken area without further overcrowding the phone lines. This leaves the lines open so that those who need immediate assistance can get in touch with emergency personnel.

NTT West Disaster Emergency Dengon Dial 171

Using your NTT phone number you can record a message telling others of your current status after a disaster. The message is then stored amongst the 50 servers that NTT West has throughout the country. This system can be accessed by both land line and cellular phones. Anywhere from 1-10 messages will be stored (the amount will be determined when a disaster occurs) for up to 48 hours after you record it. For more information see http://www.ntt-west.co.jp/index_e2.html

How do I create a message?
1) Dial 171
2) Press 1 to record a message
3) It will then prompt you to enter your home phone number (including area code)
4) Listen to the prompts and record your message (you have about 30 seconds)
5) Follow the prompts to save and/or re-record your message

How do other people listen to the message?
1) Dial 171
2) Press 2 to listen to a message
3) The person must then enter the NTT home phone number of the person they are trying to check on, including the area code
4) The message(s) will be played starting with the newest one

Docomo i-mode Disaster Message Board Service

Short text messages are stored for up to 72 hours after they are registered. You are allowed to register up to 10 messages using either preset phrases or your own personal message (up to 100 Japanese or 200 alphanumeric characters). For more information please see their website at http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/info/disaster/

How do I create a message?
1) Go to iMenu and click on the Disaster Message Board, then select “Register Message”
2) Select or type in your message and click on register after you are finished
3) You should receive a confirmation that your message has been set

How do other people listen to the message?
1) For Docomo users go to iMenu, non Docomo users can access the site using their phone or a PC via http://dengon.docomo.ne.jp/Etop.cgi
2) Click on the Disaster Message Board and select “Confirm Message”
3) The person types in your Docomo cell phone number
4) The person will then be able to choose which message he/she would like to see

Vodafone Disaster Message Board Service

Up to 10 short messages are stored on a server as long as the service is active. Should you enter more than 10 messages in the given time frame, the oldest one will automatically be deleted. You can either use the preset phrases or enter your own message using up to 100 double-byte or 200 single-bye characters. You are allowed to pre-register three email addresses (phone or computer) for automatic notification prior to any disaster, giving you the option to send messages to these people rather than having them check on you. (This is in addition to the regular service.) Vodafone offers a trial service allowing customers to become familiar with the system, free of charge, on the first day of every month, except in January. For more information see http://www.vodafone.jp/scripts/english/disaster_message/index.jsp

How do I create a message?
1) Go to Vodafone Live and click on Disaster Message Board then select “Register”
2) Select or type in your message and click on register after you are finished
3) If you have set up email addresses for automatic notification you will be directed to a page asking you if you would like to send them your message.

How do other people listen to the message?
1) For Vodafone Live users go to Vodafone Live, non users can access the site via http://dengon.vodafone.ne.jp/pc-e1.jsp
2) Vodafone Live users need to click on the Disaster Message Board, non users click on Service Outline, and then choose “Confirm”
3) The person types in your Vodafone number
4) The person then will be able to choose which message he/she would like to see

KDDI au Disaster Message Board Service

KDDI au allows you to store up to 10 messages for up to 72 hours. You can either use preset phrases or up to 100 double-byte characters. You are allowed to pre-register three email addresses (phone or computer) for automatic notification prior to any disaster, giving you the option to send messages to these people rather than having them check on you. (This is in addition to the regular service.)

How do I create a message?
1) Go to EZ Web and click on the Disaster Message Board, then select “Register”
2) Select or type in your message and click on register after you are finished
3) If you have set up email addresses for automatic notification you will be directed to a page asking you if you would like to send them your message.

How do other people listen to the message?
1) For other au users, go to EZ Web and select the Disaster Message Board, non au users will need to visit http://dengon.ezweb.ne.jp/ and then select “Confirm”
2) The person enters your au number
3) The person then will be able to choose which message he/she would like to see

Selling your Japanese car? Surprise, surprise, it involves a lot of paperwork and bureaucracy. Here are two illustrated guides to walk you through the process.

• How to transfer ownership (PDF, 2.5 MB)
• How to register your parking spot (PDF, 2.5 MB)

PowerPoint slides and a handout from the leavers workshop at the 2006 Saga JET conference are available for those getting ready to end their tenure as a JET this summer. Download away if you liked them at the conference and want your very own copy!

• Leaving JET slides (2 MB, Microsoft PowerPoint format)
• Leaving JET handout (115 KB, Microsoft Word format)

Figuring out train routes in Saga can be tricky, even if you’ve been here for a while. To help, here’s a route map (PDF) for all the JR lines in Saga. If you still need more help, you can go to a handy, English train schedule search page.

Introduction

Like many things in Japan, getting your driver’s license is a show, and the speed and ease with which you get your license is directly proportional to how well you play your part. But, like it or not, you are unfortunately expected to play a part and it is easy to play the wrong one. I have no doubt that there are many ways to find success with this process, and what follows is simply one that worked for me. It is a path that emphasizes speed and low levels of stress more than anything else. It is neither the cheapest (or the most expensive) way that someone can take the test. But, for me, the time and aggravation that I saved by passing the test the first time was well worth the marginally higher cost. I hope it is helpful to you.

There are a couple of basic elements that you should know before you begin to take the test. First, the Japanese drivers license center believes that its test is better (and harder) than foreign tests. Therefore, regardless of how long you have been driving, they unfortunately think of you as an inferior driver. You must convince them otherwise. Second, Japanese people routinely spend 200,000 or 300,000 yen specifically to avoid the trouble and learn how to take a test that foreigners have been trying to take cold. The test is difficult, and there are lots of small things to remember. However, if you are patient and do some small, subtle things you can significantly increase your chances of passing. Third, you won’t even get close to taking the test without having your paperwork 100 percent in order. Part of my theory for why I was able to pass the first time is because they simply had no reason to fail me. If your paperwork is out of order and you have return to the driving center a couple of times simply to get through your paper work, you are going to have a hard time passing the driving part of the test the first time. If you have your paperwork together, silly as it sounds, it shows them that you are serious, and that you have thought about what needs to be done.

Paperwork

You will need to get your driver’s license translated at JAF. This will cost some money, but you have no choice. Do it well before you want to start taking the test. They can do it the same day for you, but save yourself the time, aggravation and money of doing it this way and have them mail it to you. It will take about two weeks.

If you have anything paperwork out of the ordinary it will need to be translated, but it doesn’t need to be professionally translated. My drivers license was issued less than 90 days before I left to come to Japan. I avoided any problems with this by going on the Internet and ordering a detailed driving history for my previous driver’s license (this took two weeks). I just asked one of my English teachers to translate it, sign it, date it and clearly write their job title and phone number at the bottom of the paper. This gives the driving center the opportunity to call the person to ask questions and lets them know that someone is confident enough with the translation to put their name on it (which is basically all they want).

Pre-driving center notes

1. The people who give you the test are actual police officers. They are not happy to be there and they are even less happy dealing with foreigners. Accordingly, it will help you a lot to show a great deal of respect to them.
2. Never show up late. In fact, show up early (refer to the schedule below).
3. Dress up as professionally as possible every time you go to the center. Ties and jackets for guys. Subdued professional for woman.
4. Bring a translator and ask them to dress up too. Specifically, tell them before that you need them to be as “majime” as possible, they will understand.
5. Prepare yourself to have to be as frustrated as you have ever been and not to get upset or show a negative emotion. If you need to, put something in a pocket that you can squeeze, but do not ever get upset or emotional (it is the death kiss of the whole process).
6. Make sure that you will have a translator that you trust go with you and ask them well ahead of time. I had a different person translate for me on the first and second day. One was an older, well-educated, professional woman. The other person was a young, respectful and well-educated woman. The first spoke fluent English, the second not as well. What mattered is that they were both really serious and respectful (to both me and the police officer) and represented me well.

About the test

The absolute minimum amount of days that you must go to the test center is two; the first is to set up the test and give them the paperwork, the second is to review the paperwork and take the tests. You do not need an appointment for the first day. You will need an appointment for the second day, and the appointments for foreigners can only be made in the afternoon at 1 or 3 p.m. What this means is that you may not be able to get an appointment for a few days; be prepared for this.

Suggested schedule

As I said before, passing this test quickly is all about recognizing the part that you have to play and playing it well. Please keep this in mind when you read the schedule below, as there many things that may seem needless or silly, but I really believe made the difference. I chose to begin the process on a Monday for a variety of reasons: you will be rested, they will be rested and it will be less crowded at the center. I also tried to schedule the test for a Friday at 1 p.m. This appointment is nice because you can then take your second driving lesson from 11 a.m. to noon the same day of your test, walk the real course with your driving instructor, rest and then take the test. If you don’t get the 1 p.m. appointment time, then you have to wait around to take the test because you and the driving instructor can only walk the course from noon to one (and this makes a big difference).

Monday

• 10:30 a.m. Arrive at driving center with completed paperwork, gaijin card, international license, passport, native country driver’s license and translator.
• 10:30 to 10:45. Submit your completed paperwork. Schedule your test. You should be able to schedule it the same week (I was able to get an appointment for Friday at 1 p.m.). When you give them your paperwork they will only make sure that everything is there; they won’t review it right away. After you schedule your appointment, have your translator ask the policeman where the driving school is (and have them say that you are planning on taking lessons before the test). The school is pretty obviously right next to the driving center, but the important thing here is that you tell him that you are going there so that he knows that you will have taken lessons.
• 10:45. Walk to the driving school. (hey should be able to fit you in right away. An hour lesson is 5000 yen. Your translator can ride in the car with you and should do so. You can also schedule your second hour lesson for the hour before your test at this time.
• 11 to noon. Driving lesson.
• Noon. Return to the driving center. Request to see the police officer again. Your translator should respectfully tell the officer that you have just taken a driving lesson and that the school suggested that you should walk the actual driving course. Your translator should ask permission if it is ok to walk the course and ask for a map. In fact, what you are doing here is telling the police officer that you have spent the money, done the driving lesson and are serious enough about passing that you are going to go and walk the course. If possible your translator should also mention that you already have an appointment for another lesson before your test. Even if the driving school has given you a map of the course, go and do this and ask for another copy of the map from the police officer. As silly as this sounds, I think that it was important.
• Noon to 12:20 p.m. Walk the course. Walk the whole thing. Get a feel for it, because the driving school one is different, and the actual instructors will watch you as you walk. You can walk this course daily from noon to 1 p.m., but the two times after each lesson was plenty for me.
• 12:20. Go home.

Test day (assuming 1 p.m. test time)

• 10:45 a.m. Arrive.
• 11 to noon. Driving lesson. It was really tempting to save the 5000 yen and skip the second lesson, but there are two reasons why I didn’t. First, I felt really comfortable with the course by the end of the second hour in a way that I didn’t in the first. Second, I asked the driving school instructor to go and walk to the actual test course with me following the lesson and it made a big difference. All the actual driving instructors saw me out there walking around with the driving teacher, the driving teacher talked with the driving center people and the teacher showed me the places to be careful about mistakes. They pretty much hook you up, but I got the impression that it doesn’t happen after just one lesson.
• Noon to 12:30 p.m. Walk the driving center course with the driving instructor. You must request this and is a little unusual, so ask nicely.
• 12:30 to 12:50. Eat lunch/relax/meditate.
• 12:50 to 1. Show up early for appointment and wait.
• 1 to 3. Take the test.

The test

Basically the test is broken into three parts: paperwork, written test and driving test. With patience you should have no problem with the first two. Just don’t get upset. Stay relaxed, helpful and confident, even if you don’t feel that way.

You will have reviewed the driving test at the driving school a lot of times before you actually take the test, but basically, if you follow all of the silly rules that the driving school gives you and make sure to avoid catastrophic mistakes, you will be fine.

Catastrophic mistakes

• No seat belt
• Rolling backward when restarting on the incline
• Rolling through a stop sign or traffic light
• Driving off the road
• Using the brake on the turn
• Driving into oncoming traffic

There are lots of little things that can quickly become catastrophic, and lots of small things that you can do to make it easier on yourself. This is the reason for going to the driving school.

Costs

In total, the cost for issuing the driver’s license, the driving school and tolls to and from the driving center were slightly less than 20,000 yen. Not cheap, but the cost of taking the test four or five times is approximately the same, and that doesn’t include the time missed from work and the frustration of not driving.

Final thoughts

The whole process is silly, expensive, and unnecessary, but if you want to drive, it has to be done. From all the people that I have talked to, and all the things that I have heard, the worst thing that you can do is give the policeman a reason to fail you. If you are professional, thorough, prepared and a little sneaky, you should be able to pass the test the first time. If you don’t, I am certain that you will have set yourself up to pass on the second. I wish you the best of luck with the test!

I’m sure many of you, like me, had a teacher (particularly an English teacher) who, when correcting papers in high school, liked to say, “You have to know the rules before you break them.” While grammatical structure of a report and investing methodology may seem worlds apart, they do share this common wisdom. There are an endless number of books detailing fancy trading techniques, special charting software which promises to give an edge and any number of different products, programs and people all claiming to have the answer. Some are legit, some are not, but if you really want to start investing it’s absolutely necessary to understand the basics first. Please read the disclaimer at the bottom before continuing to read this article.

It’s standard practice when writing these articles to give a little background on the author. Without going into a complete resume, let me just say a couple things. I started studying investments at the age of 12. By 16 I was actively day trading stock options, and since that time have continued to study and practice investing in areas ranging from real estate to forex. I am, however, not a licensed investment advisor. I have no professional background in this area, and anything I say is purely from my own experience, which is limited. Please read this for informational purposes only. Should you find something interesting, feel free to research it yourself. I’ll do my best to be accurate, but I have no experience teaching this and you should verify all statements with your own research. If you have questions, or need clarification on something I write, just shoot me an email at JDNPI@aol.com. So, without further ado:

Investing Basics

So you’ve got a little extra money coming and have decided it’s time to start planning for the future? Excellent, welcome to the exciting world of investing. This is a very broad topic, so I’d like to start off with a personal checklist you can perform to see if you are ready to invest, and what kind of investor you think you are.

Things to consider

First, are all you debts paid off?

If you have credit card, school loan, or any other type of debt, it is probably best to pay that off before you start investing. For example, if you have credit card with, say, $5000 at a 10 percent interest rate and student loans of, say $5000, at a six percent rate, you’re already paying at least $800 a year in interest. Because of taxes on capital gains, you would likely need $10,000 earning around 12 percent to just break even. While this is possible, it’s not guaranteed, whereas paying off your credit cards nets you a guaranteed return of eight percent, which is pretty good. Figure out your debt and how much it’s costing you. If you can’t make a hell of a lot more than the amount of yearly debt payments, then hold off until you’ve paid the debt off, and pay it off as quickly as possible. (These rates are actually a little low, because of compounding of interest) I should make a quick note here that I will be speaking from an American viewpoint, please adjust things based on your own country’s rules.

Second, are you willing to risk your money?

This is the question that sometimes stops people before they get started. “I can`t afford to lose my money.” This is actually dangerous thinking however, because by not investing you are risking your money. Inflation is eating away at the cash under your mattress whether you like it or not.

Investing has inherent risk; there’s not a way around it. The saying, of course, is “no risk, no reward,” but that doesn’t mean we can’t put some controls on our risk. CDs (certificates of deposit), savings accounts, money market accounts and other investments which guarantee a rate of return are available to help hedge some of our risk. The return on these investments typically range from one percent to maybe five percent. They vary in liquidity, risk and return, but generally are the safest investments. Again, “low risk, low return”.

I think I should insert a quick note about the “Rule of 72″ here. Generally, if you divide 72 by an interest rate, it will calculate the length of time an investment will take to double. So if you’re getting a 6 percent return, your money will double once every 12 years or so. (Taxes and fees affect these numbers, so consider all sides before computing.)

Stocks

Stock is a piece, or share(a.k.a. equity), of a company. When you buy stock, you are technically buying a share of ownership in that company’s assets and profits. There are many types of stock. Blue chips are a well known example. Blue chip stocks have generally been around for a long time, are huge companies (AT&T, McDonald’s, IBM, etc.) with consistent earnings and are therefore considered safer than smaller, younger companies with less history of success. They aren’t guaranteed, but they tend to be more reliable then the “XYZ BioTech” firms that make big news, run up way past their value and then crash and burn, taking investors with them. (Please watch the movie Boiler Room some time if you ever feel the urge to invest in something that sounds good, but you don’t know anything about the company; save your money and your nerves and let it go.) Here are some recent blue chip indexes.

There are 1000s of stocks. Trying to decide which ones to choose can be a daunting task. Before you try, I recommend learning how to read financial statements. Get a good understanding of indicators like P/E ratios and basic info that is readily available for most stocks. There are many, many, many ways to pick stocks. If I had to recommend a style, I would suggest following Warren Buffet’s strategy of buying undervalued companies with strong long term potential, not just front-page news potential. One thing Mr. Buffet suggests is that you make a card with 20 squares in it, and punch one out for every investment you make. When the last hole is punched you can’t invest any more. It’s a good idea, but a little too conservative for me.

One more thing: some stocks pay dividends. There is a whole section of investing that deals with “dividend capturing,” but chances are you’ll never need to know it. Point is, if you own a stock that pays dividends of, say, 85 cents, then you’ll get 85 cents for every share you own annually. (There are lots of statistics on dividends as well.) I’m pretty sure most blue chip stocks pay dividends.

Bonds

Bonds are a popular investment as well. So what is a bond? A bond, in a way, turns you into the bank/credit card company. You are lending money in exchange for a specified payment of interest from the borrower (a sort of “IOU”). This may be a company, a municipality or even the federal government (i.e. Treasury Bonds). Again risk equals reward. Government bonds are safer than, say, junk bonds. Bonds are bought based on time. There are three month, six month, one year, three year, 10 year, etc. The longer the term, the better the rate you’ll be offered. Here’s some recent pricing on U.S. Treasuries:

These are very safe, but as you can see, the returns are pretty low too.

The reason bonds are often considered to be a good hedge against risk is because they will respond conversely to market trends. In other words, if the market goes down, bonds will go up.

Mutual Funds

A mutual fund is collection of investments, consisting of stocks, bonds and sometimes money market holdings. Mutual funds allow for diversification, which tends to reduce risk. The “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” rationale drives this argument. Mutual funds allow an investor to buy several different investments at the same time. This could be tech stocks, drug stocks, Asian stocks and just about any mix you can imagine. Many companies sell mutual funds, and within mutual funds you can select a level of risk you’re comfortable with, based on “aggressiveness.” Mutual funds offer a number of advantages and can be an easy way for an investor to diversify their portfolio. Mutual funds are also numerous in type. Some have heavy fees, while others may be “no-load” funds. Be sure to read the fine print and run the numbers before buying anything. Personally, I’ve never owned a mutual fund, so I’m no expert, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. There’s plenty of info on the web, just search “mutual funds” and you should get most of the info you need.

I think that’s enough to get started with. Do some research on your own and get familiar with some of the terms associated with these investments. It will be good knowledge to have and will help you whether you decide to trade on your own, use a broker, or both. It’s always better to know what you’re talking about, especially when money is involved. Never sit down to gamble if you don’t know the rules; the guys you play against will love you for giving them all your money, but chances are you’ll leave broke and broken. Like GI Joe says, “Knowing is half the battle.”

Disclaimer

This is for information and entertainment purposes only! Do not taking anything I say as a basis for investing. I am not a professional financial advisor of any kind. I can not be held responsible for any information within this article or any liability for actions you take. Please do your own research!

During your life in Japan, your body and mind will undergo a series of challenges: a new culture, a foreign language, a new work environment, different weather, new foods, etc. The pressure of adaptation can create a lot of stress on your body and drain your energy. One can prevent many problems just by eating well, sleeping enough and staying physically active.

According to Chinese philosophy, the emotions play a very important role in the maintenance of health and prevention of illness. Traditional Chinese medicine contends that the emotions are linked to the five solid (Yin) organs of the body known as the Zang (the Lungs, Heart, Spleen, Liver and Kidneys), which are thought to be linked to all the fundamental substances of the body and how they are regulated. If the emotions become unbalanced over a period of time, the physical body will degenerate accordingly and create a vicious circle. Any big changes in life greatly affect both the emotional and physical health.

Stress, constipation or headaches are just a few of the many conditions that may manifest themselves due to a new lifestyle. Here are some useful dietary tips that could help prevent or relieve some health problems.

The Brain

Parsley and protein-rich foods have a stimulating effect on brain activity, as they help prevent the buildup of the neurotransmitter serotonin, a sleep-inducing chemical that tends to make you drowsy.

Nuts, leafy vegetables, legumes and apples aid mental alertness.

To lift your mood, eat green, leafy vegetables; seafood; Brazil nuts and carbohydrates.

Headaches

Many foods contain chemicals that trigger headaches in genetically susceptible people by initiating neural and blood vessel changes. The most common triggers are drinks containing caffeine, chocolate, cheese, cured meat, alcohol (especially red wine), monosodium glutamate (Mg), salt and nuts. Foods that will help relieve headaches include oily fish, fish oils and ginger, which act in a similar way to aspirin to combat the inflammation.

Stress and anxiety

Include some complex carbohydrates such as pasta, cereals, legumes and vegetables in your diet. For a faster-acting tranquilizing effect, drink a noncaffeine drink containing honey to induce relaxation. Onions contain a mild sedative called quercetin, which acts on the central nervous system.

The Lungs

Most asthmatics and other people with breathing problems produce excess mucus, and they need to be aware of certain foods that can aggravate or alleviate this. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, butter and chocolate all increase mucus level.

Smoking and drinking alcohol, particularly at night, irritate and swell the mucous membrane lining the throat, which may impair the airflow to the lungs.

Garlic is beneficial to the respiratory tract, aiding bronchial congestion and purifying the blood. Leeks and onions have similar properties and also aid the breakup of phlegm, as do hot spices such as mustard, ginger and chilis.

For viral infections, you need to drink lots of (preferably hot) liquids; a traditional Chinese remedy is hot chicken soup. If you have a tendency toward bronchitis, insure you include plenty of vitamin C in your diet.

The Digestive System

Many foods can aggravate or help digestive disorders.

• Ulcers. Although a bacterial infection is now considered a main cause, foods such as milk, beer and caffeine-containing drinks can be an aggravating factor, while bananas and cabbage juice have beneficial effects.
• Heartburn (or acid indigestion). Cut back on fatty foods and eat more complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables and wholegrain cereals. Chocolate, coffee, alcohol, raw onions, citrus juice or hot spicy foods may be aggravating the problem.
• Flatulence. Cut down on milk, beans, onions. Ginger, garlic, and peppermint help prevent wind.

Other foods with digestive benefits include:

• Ginger is a good dietary aid for nausea.
• Broccoli and celery help maintain a healthy intestinal area and aid elimination.
• Oranges and apples will also help with the bowels by stimulating elimination.
• Bananas are rich in potassium, which helps relieve indigestion and alleviate the effects of diarrhea. This mineral is also an aid in many sporting activities, where excessive sweating takes place. Eating a banana will benefit the muscular system.
• Dandelion tea is an age-old remedy as a liver cleanser and for stimulating bile production.

The Bladder

For cystitis (female bladder infection), cranberry, blueberry or boiled beetroot juice are helpful for preventing bacteria adhering to the bladder wall. Try to increase your general fluid intake, but remember that caffeinated food and drinks appear to irritate urinary tissues. Cut out all refined carbohydrates and eat plenty of garlic, fresh green vegetables, and fruit.

On the web

Here is a site that can help you diagnose yourself.

Check this site for more info on foods and what they’re good for.

Stress is defined as any stimulus or factor that threatens the health of the body or has an adverse effect on its functioning.

Kinds of stress

Extreme stress (for example, wounds from an accident) can cause great changes in the body, such as a drastic drop in blood pressure. In these acute cases, Western medicine can be beneficial. However, medication can help the symptoms of stress, but it will not cure the problem until you remove the causative factors.

Mild stress can be a contributory factor in conditions such as ulcers, migraines, heart attacks, eczema, diabetes, and even cancer.

Effects on the body

People vary in the amount of stress they can tolerate, but eventually stress overstimulates the adrenal gland. This controls the way our physical and mental systems respond to threat or challenge.

Two substances that are produced by the adrenal gland — epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) — are released in response to short bursts of activity or stress, and they prepare the body for “fight or flight,” increasing the heart rate, diverting blood from digestive organs to the muscles increasing alertness and triggering emotional reactions.

However, adrenal stimulation over a long period will deplete the body’s systems. This is often also because of insufficient exercise and relaxation, as the excess amount of epinephrine is not metabolized. Constant stress can also change hormone balance.

Everyday life pressure can cause biochemical changes in the body, introducing such conditions as headaches or lower back pain. Indirectly, this may contribute to high blood pressure, digestive disorders, anxiety and depression. To some degree, everyone feels sad at some time or another, and anyone can suffer from anxiety at one point.

Depression can be a passing phase,but it can also become a long-term burden in which the person is prone to frequent inner despair.

Relaxing

Relaxing gives an inner tranquility, which helps you cope better with stressful situations. It also helps many of the physical symptoms that may have arisen, balancing the whole biological system on which our health depends.

It is important to learn how to relax properly. It is not enough to sit in front of the television after work, as this does not completely relax you. There are many different methods of relaxation available: yoga, Tai Chi, qigong, meditation, Reiki, accupressure and many more.

It is worthwhile putting in time and practice to become a calm and collected person, as relaxation is a prerequisite to achieving health.

Links

Check WholeHealthMD.com for alternative methods of relaxation and therapy ideas.

Foreign residents in Japan must be in possession of a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in Japan. Whilst rules vary from country to country, generally speaking, the IDP must be applied for in your home country and will be valid for one year. Some countries allow postal applications with photocopies of the supporting documents.

Once the IDP expires, it is essential that you change to a regular Japanese driving license. Everyone, regardless of their home country, must get their current driver’s license translated. You can do this through Japan Automobile Federation (JAF). It costs 3,000 yen and you must submit to JAF a photocopy of your home country’s license (front and back). The translation will take about a week and you can have it mailed to your home address. JAF’s address is 佐賀支部 849-0921 佐賀市高木瀬西 6-1149-5 (JAF Saga, 6-1149-5 Takagisenishi, Saga-shi, Saga-ken, 849-0921, tel. 0952-30-7000).

Once the license is translated, you must make an appointment at the driving license center. The center’s address is 849-0901 849-0901 佐賀市久保泉大字川久保2121－26 (Saga-ken Driving License Center, 2121-26 Oaza Kawakuho, Kubota, Saga City, 849-0901, tel. 0952-98-2220). Here you must submit the following documents:

1. Your original driver’s license from your home country
2. Passport
3. Alien resident card
4. One photo (3 cm x 2.4 cm)
5. The Japanese translation of your home country driver’s license

You will have two meetings to go over your paperwork, after which you will proceed to the test if you are American or South African. It seems that everyone is exempt from taking the test except for Americans and South Africans (according to the JET Manual; see page 173 for the list of exempt countries). Citizens from certain countries are exempt because a Japanese government enquiry apparently determined these countries’ domestic traffic safety record to be at least as good as Japan’s.

For those who are not exempt, you will also need to take an eye test and a 10 question written test (true/false). As long as you are not blind, you will pass the eye test. And as long as you have common sense, you will pass the written test.

These tests will be taken on appointment number two. If you pass them, you will then take the driving test. Here are some tips form a ALT who’s been already been through the process.

When you schedule the driving test, you will be given a map of the course. Yes, the course is over-the-top and does not represent real life, but it’s the game you have to play. It is best to memorize this course, although you are permitted to ask questions during the exam (although I don’t recommend it).

You can walk the course Sunday-Friday from noon-1 p.m. for free. I recommend doing this at least once in order to memorize. There are loads of people there walking it as well.

You can schedule an hour block on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (?) to drive the course in your own car. The cost of this is 2500 yen (I believe). You will need to be with a person who already carries a Japan license (plus, it is good to get tips/advice from him/her).

You will fail the driving test on the first attempt. Don’t worry! It’s just the reality.

Some tips for the test:

• When you get in the driver’s seat, say “onegaishimasu” and bow (while sitting).
• Drive slowly–no matter how ridiculous and unnatural it may seem.
• Hug the left side of the road–stay as close to the line on the left as possible.
• Over emphasize all movements. When you look left and look right, do it twice on each side while extending your head from your neck in a completely absurd manner. And letting out an “okay, okay” here and there doesn’t hurt either!! (I know–no one drives like this!!!! But for some reason, it’s required in order to pass).
• Whenever you turn, always look over your left shoulder, like you are looking behind you. This is to check for any pedestrians or bikers alongside you.

An officer from the driving school will sit next to you, and there will be a woman from the center as well in the back seat. Your JTE (or other) will be invited to sit in your test as well. Make sure that all passengers are wearing their seatbelts.

If you are anything like me, arriving in Japan with no previous immersion language experience, you are probably thinking that Saga prefecture presents an ideal situation in which to learn Japanese (an expectation that your family and friends have probably also expressed, including their parting farewell, "you’ll be fluent in no time"). Well, shit happens! Getting a good grasp on Japanese no matter how smart you are is really hard; just hearing it constantly is not going to set up you up to be able to understand it, speak it or read it without lots of regular practice and study (I thought I’d start with the bad news).

There are some mythic ALTs who came here with no Japanese and passed level 2 of the Japanese Proficiency Exam after two or three years. For most students of nihongo, finding native speakers who are patient enough to listen to and correct our fledgling efforts is the most difficult part of building good communication skills. Some places which have served previous ALTs well in their quest for conversation buddies and incidental learning opportunities include bars, churches, Buddhist lay organizations, selling Amway door-to-door and partaking in various recreational activities. The turning point in my language-learning motivation was finding some people who I would want as friends even if I were in my home country. They are out there, but finding them takes time and perseverance.

Be aware that what can sound like awesome Japanese being spoken by some longer term foreign residents may have all the nuance and flair of a native three year old’s conversation (I admit it). Informal Japanese learned in social situations is not the same as that spoken between colleagues in a work situation. Learning when and with whom to use different politeness levels is one of the big challenges of learning to speak good Japanese. To claim proficiency you need to be able to do this. It is also worth mentioning at this point that there is a tendency among some Japanese people to extravagantly praise the language ability of previous ALTs to incoming ALTs. The most kindly rationale for this is that they are trying to motivate you. Know that in actual fact, most likely your processor’s Japanese (unless they were already immediate/advanced speakers before they arrived) never came within the realm of fluency. Don’t let any stories of your predecessor’s supposed linguistic brilliance intimidate you.

For the purposes of setting your own goals, it might be helpful to know that CLAIR has apparently done research, which found that the ALTs who make the most gains in their Japanese study are those who arrive with immediate ability. On average, absolute beginners are well into their third year before the basics start to gel, while advanced students tend to fall into complacency because their Japanese is already good enough for them to be able to get around okay.

Starting as an absolute beginner, after three years here and regular study, I managed to learn most of the Joyo 1006 kanji that Japanese school children learn before they enter junior high school (in practical terms I can figure out the basic gist of most general reading material). My speaking ability is good enough that I can get around and have “daily conversations.” I am lost once the conversation turns to the philosophical. It is still quite possible for me not to be able to figure out what topic is under discussion in the staff room (this can be disconcerting when it includes gestures and eye movement in my direction — you learn to get used to it).

Where to start

Japanese Proficiency Exam (nihongo nouryoku shiken)

This is an internationally recognized exam, held annually throughout Japan in early December. You can buy the application form from any of the major bookshops in Fukuoka. Your application needs to be in by the end of September. Ask at the counter for the nihongo nouryoku shiken no moshikomusho onegaishimasu. If you are a total beginner but study consistently over the next five months, you should be able to pass level four (yon kyuu). The application form will cost around 500 yen; submitting the application in order to sit the exam will cost around 5000 yen.

Study material

Japanese study material, including the preparatory books for the proficiency exam, are stocked in Junkudo’s Tenjin book store around aisle 50 on level four. You can also buy books over the net from Amazon Japan. Even if you plan to use the correspondence course provided by CLAIR as your main textbook, you will need a few reference books. These would include, if you’re serious about learning kanji, the Compact Nelson Japanese-English Character Dictionary. You will also need a good grammar reference like Seiichi Makino & Michio Tsutsui’s A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar (yellow book) and A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar (pale green book).

I personally found the CLAIR language course frustrating because of it’s lack of clear explanation and tendency to move too fast without focusing on essential vocabulary for everyday situations. You may want to pick out another textbook to base your study around. Both the Japanese For Busy People and the Minna no Nihongo series have their loyal supporters. The Japanese Language Proficiency Exam preparation books are good for structuring study as well. Richard Graham (the guy who started Genki English) recommends the Pimsleur series set of tapes and gives his tips at Genki Japan.

Dictionaries

Unfortunately there are not many good dictionaries published for foreign students of Japanese. Kodansha’s Furigana English-Japanese/ Japanese-English Dictionary (an enlarged version of their romanji dictionary with hiragana script above the kanji) is probably your best option (especially as it has example sentences following most of its word entries).

No electronic dictionaries are made specifically for foreigners, although the Canon Wordtank series have a reputation for being somewhat foreigner user-friendly. From the point of view of portability, electronic dictionaries are good. They usually also have a history function, which enables you to look back over the words that you recently looked up. You can find a good English language comparison guide to electronic dictionaries at Wordtank Central.

You probably want to shop for electronic dictionaries around in Fukuoka (Best Denki and Yobahashi electronics shops would be good hunting grounds). I first bought the Casio XD-470, which enables you to write unknown kanji on it’s screen and look them up this way. It made understanding written Japanese a whole lot easier. I also finally broke down and bought a Canon Wordtank so that I wouldn’t have to lug the furigana dictionary around when I wanted to study at school.

If you don’t have some Japanese language background already you will need someone to step you through how to use these dictionaries. The Wordtank site above has a link that explains how to use one Wordtank model, otherwise see if you can get someone knowledgeable to go shopping with you.

Keitai

Once you know hiragana and katakana scripts (and some basic kanji), you are set to send and receive text messages in Japanese. Good fun!

Manga

Comic books are another good way of practicing your reading skills. Look out for the bilingual copies of Sazae san, Doraemon, Inuyasha, Kitaro no Ge Ge Ge, etc.

Kanji

In my first year, I was introduced to kanji through the same workbooks as those used by Japanese elementary school kids. If you ask your school librarian they can probably order these workbooks for you (there are three for each grade and they cost around 400 yen each). If you type "kanji" into Google, a whole lot of websites will come up with online learning aids. The Japanese Page is a site that I have found useful.

Otherwise, pick out a kanji workbook from those on sale at Junkudo. If this is your first introduction to kanji, you need someone to explain on/kun readings, stroke order, stroke number and the radical system to you. Things like grid paper for kanji practice, mechanical pencils, lead fillings, etc., can be bought in the stationary sections of most of the department stores.

Some people studying kanji really enjoy shodo, and others don’t. From the point of view of study, calligraphy is encouraged because it shows all the flaws in your writing form. If you buy a beginner’s shodo set (100 yen stores sell the essentials cheaply), the Japanese teachers at your school will be able to show you how to get started. There are also some English language books on calligraphy in the Japanese culture section at Junkudo. There are shodo classes offered through Avance as well.

Who can help you

When you have your week of Japanese lessons as a new JET in Saga City, the course instructors will probably mention the language classes held at Avance (Saga’s international center building). You can sign up for these. The cost is minimal and it’s a good opportunity to see other ALTs. On the other hand, the time in travel could probably be more productively used to study one-on-one with a local teacher of Japanese.

There are also some private language schools that offer intensive courses that coincide with Japanese school holidays. AJET often circulates information about these. One school in Okinawa offers courses specifically designed for ALTs.

Features of Saga-ben (hyogen, or local dialect)

The Japanese being spoken around you is often going to bear only a passing resemblance to the text book Japanese that you are learning. To assist your comprehension here are some examples of how central Saga-ben diverges from standard Japanese. The dialect also changes in form across Saga-ken.

Often the “i” at the end of “i” adjectives is dropped and replaced with “ka”; for example, samui becomes samuka.

The textbook verses informal spoken Japanese

Probably the best book to help you get a handle on slang and informal Japanese is Making Out in Japanese by Todd and Erika Geers. Its probably best to avoid using most of the listed expressions until you understand enough Japanese to be able to grasp their nuance (most Japanese people are not as free and playful with their insults as English speakers). Nevertheless, this book can help you understand what is really going on in the school playground and on Japanese TV.

One final avenue I would suggest are the scripts of popular Hollywood films published with English and Japanese script side-by-side on the page (books of these sell for around 1200 yen at Junkudo). These are good study companions to the DVD of the movie (DVDs enable you to switch between languages as you watch).

Gambatte ne!

1. Buy (yep, you have to pay for it, 476 yen) the application at any major bookstore that has an English section. Probably at the counter (green envelope wrapped in plastic).
   • kinokuniya–hakata, 6th floor of daimaru dept. store (above hakata bus terminal)
   • kinokuniya–tenjin, 8th floor of tenjin core bldg.) maruzen–tenjin, fukuoka bldg. 2nd & 3rd floor, on the corner w/the subway “tenjin” station jukundo–tenjin, media mall, behind tenjin core
2. fill in the application (this year the application & explanatory booklet included in the packet are in english!)
3. attach (3cm x 4cm), b & w or color, taken w/in the last 6 months. (more info in the packet!) *write your name & d.o.b. on the back!
4. photocopy your application.
5. take application to the post office!
6. pay the fee (5300 yen) w/the postal payment form @ the post office (most close by 4:00!) or @ the postal ATM
7. send by delivery-certified mail (haitatsu kiroku yuubin)!

this is just for quick reference, please follow the instructions in the packet! GOOD LUCK!

As Prefectural Advisor, my primary role is to support you confidentially and emotionally when you are going through a rough time. However, I understand that in some situations, you might feel more comfortable consulting a licensed counsellor. So I have information on that too!

The one recommended most by ALT’s is Ms. Yuriko Yanaga, an English speaking clinical psychologist in Fukuoka. Her phone number is (092) 733-2220 and you can find her office in the Rainbow Plaza. Most costs are covered by the Rainbow Plaza.

8 fl IMS Building, Tenjin 1-7-11, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka-Ken

Hours: Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 1-6.

Other resources you might try are as follows:

Dr. Satoshi Fukui (psychiatrist)
(092) 801-1011
7-45-1 Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka
Accepts National Health Insurance
Speaks Japanese, English
9-5PM

Dr. Masahisa Nishozono (psychiatrist)
(092) 474-4383
7th floor of the Yuhu Building 6, 3-16-13-1 Hakataekimae, Hakata-ku
Fukuoka
Accepts National Health Insurance
Japanese, English
Weds, Fri 9-12

This is from the Hokkaido JETs listserve: info on special train discounts at certain times of the year. Discounts & night trains. Check it out & tell your friends!

Application for Lump-sum withdrawal must be made within 2 years of you leaving Japan, and it will be sent to an account you designate in your home country. It is not clear in the General Information Handbook if you can designate an account in 3rd country that you intend to go to but from what I hear, the CIR/PA from 2 years ago has not yet claimed his back because he has not yet gone back to his home country.

Your lump-sum payment WILL be taxed, and this will be refunded but to a Japanese “Tax-representative’s” account in Japan. Refund of this must be applied for within 5 years.

For those staying a fourth year and beyond

As for what would happen with your 4th year pension contributions and if you could get pay-back for 4 years rolled into one; I ain’t got a clue I’m afraid. What is important though is that your tax representative is clued up on your intentions and maybe even your local tax office. (It is recommended that your tax-representative is your supervisor or BOE.) Being Japan, they are likely to have a fit of confusion if they were to realize that you were back in the country and also there may well be some restrictions as they want to be absolutely certain that you are out of the country before they pay. CLAIR will actually answer questions about the refund etc. in general so I recommend that you ring them and ask to speak to a JET PC if you have any queries:03-3591-5350

Santa Claus
North Pole
HOHOHO
Canada

Check out this link for more info.

The very generous Canadian Postal Service even post replies to all students — tell them and even the kids who hate English will be writing away into the next lesson.

I thought some people out there in Saga might be interested in taking a distance learning course in TESL or TOEFL. There are two schools that I am aware of up in the Tokyo area. They are Lambert University and Tokyo College (or University — I can’t remember) and they offer distance programs. All you need is some cash, access to the internet, and some time.

The JET Peer Support Group is a Volunteer Listening Line here to help.

Dial: 0120-837-725

The line is available from 8pm-8am everyday

What is it? The PSG is a night time listening line that is a useful resource for JET specific issues, more general Japan related questions or just to vent or work through some personal issues with the help of a listening ear.

This time of year can get really busy for a lot of JETs with summer festivals, work, returning home, summer travel, saying good-bye to friends, leaving JET as well as day to day survival in the summer months. We just want to remind you that the Peer Support Group is available should you start to feel overwhelmed (or underwhelmed for that matter).

If you ever go to elementary schools, you should really, really! Check out the book:

English for Primary Teachers: A handbook of activities & classroom language by Mary Slattery & Jane Willis. This book is a clear, easy to use introduction to teaching English to children in elementary grades. It contains advice and practical teaching tips. It also builds teachers’ confidence in their ability to use classroom English effectively. A free audio CD gives examples of language from actual classrooms.

Read more about it.

It’s won all sorts of awards, and the best thing is that there is a Japanese version! Oxford had the book translated! So you can hopefully get your JTE to read it too. If you leaving and looking for a goodbye gift to give a JTE…

You can find it at Amazon Japan.

Edward Crandall of the Saga Shimbun has just launched his homepage.     UPDATE ( 2009-02-09) :  The page is now located here.

It is a bilingual page. Click on the English table of contents to access the various sections. Note that the “update” section, which contains an English translation of his weekly column (originally appearing in Japanese in the Saga Shimbun), will be updated every Thursday with new material.

Free to send him an email. Enjoy!

Dear JETs

Akita International University AIU as you may or may not have heard is Japan newest university located in Yuwa Machi Akita Prefecture. AIU is a unique university in that it is the first in Japan to offer all its courses and lectures (except some Japanese language classes for International students) in English.

AIU offers a chance to study more about Japan in Akita prefecture famous for is natural beauty and traditional way of life.

AIU is keen to attract International students to its regular and summer programs. We are particularly keen to appeal to former JETs that may be interested in staying in Japan to study after they finish their contracts.

At present AIU is currently recruiting students for 2004 Summer Program at six week intensive Japanese Course (Elementary-Advanced). Tuition is only 10000Yen (Residential Option Available) and for its Autumn Semester.

The deadline for Applications is May 14th and 21st respectively.

If you are interested about learning more information about AIU please visit http://www.aiu.ac.jp.

Finally if know anyone that might be interested in AIU friends colleagues former professors. We would appreciate it if you would pass this information on to them in due course

Yours Sincerely

Masaki Nakatsu
Student Affairs AIU

• Democrats abroad
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• Through the U.S. embassy