Here is the link. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/8340128.stm It’s the 5th photo. :)
Browsing Posts in briefs
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.
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.
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
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.
- 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
- fill in the application (this year the application & explanatory booklet included in the packet are in english!)
- 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!
- photocopy your application.
- take application to the post office!
- pay the fee (5300 yen) w/the postal payment form @ the post office (most close by 4:00!) or @ the postal ATM
- 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.
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
