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2019.3.20 vol.102Nishinomiya Cit y International Association Newslet ter

Fure

ai T

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in

To Know Ourselves Through Cross-Cultural Understandings

公益財団法人 西宮市国際交流協会〒662-0911 西宮市池田町11番1号 （フレンテ西宮4F）TEL（0798）32-8680FAX（0798）32-8678

WEBSITE▶E-mail : nia@nishi.or.jp

Recently, we see foreign tourists everywhere in Japan. We see more and more foreign residents in Nishinomiya, too. Under such circumstances, we may have the impression that “People from that country have bad manners” judging from a tiny example. However, it seems that this is often a misunderstanding that happens due to our ignorance of the other party. That’s the reason why “cross-cultural understanding” is important.

In general, cross-cultural understanding refers to understanding the cultures of foreign countries or of unfamiliar regions. However, it can also mean to obtain some “understanding of our own characteristics as seen from the other person.” That is, we can “understand

ourselves” better by getting to know different cultures. By comparing the culture of our own country with that of other countries, we can understand how we see others and how others see us. The bigger the difference between the two, the more chances we have to understand ourselves. It is another advantage of “cross-cultural understanding.”

NIA holds its “International Exchange Day” every year as a part of our cross-cultural understanding and mult icultural exchange promotion projects. In this fiscal year, it was held on Saturday, March 9th. In the International Café on the 4th floor, foreigners and Japanese people mingled and had fun in friendly conversation. In Frente Hall, on the 5th floor, people enjoyed ethnic music and other performances by foreigners. We are very grateful that so many people

participated in this event this year, too. Throughout the year, we hold other cross-cultural understanding and multicultural exchange promotion events in which everyone can feel free to participate. In addition, we hold café activit ies init iated by a group of v o l u n t ee r f o r e i g ne r s a nd a l s o participate in local events like summer festivals with foreign residents. We appreciate it very much to have your continual participation, cooperation and understanding.

Why is cross-cultural understanding important？

A chance to know ourselves

Colorful events at NIA

On March 9, our 23rd International Exchange Day enjoyed great success. We appreciate all the support we received from our volunteers and other people involved. We had so many visitors and participants that it looked a little overcrowded at times, but ended with good, fun atmosphere owing to your cooperation. Thank you all for your great participation！

Thanks for your support forour International Exchange Day♡

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Sweetsin theWorld19

Food Culture Exchange：Makizushi Roll Making

One of the volunteer groups belonging to NIA “Volunteers for Food Culture Exchange” meets 4 times a year to enjoy international co-mingling through sharing food. Two out of the four times, the program introduces Japanese seasonal cuisines to foreign participants. On the other two occasions, foreign guests are invited to teach their country's cuisine, and half the participants are Japanese and half foreigners. Volunteers cook and test the cuisines before they actually conduct the program each time.

Participants and volunteers gathered in the cooking practice room of a community hall with well-equipped cooking facilities. The menu of the day consisted of “Makizushi and Inarizushi （called Sukeroku）, tempura, clear Japanese soup, and Habutae Mochi”. They are popular Japanese dishes for foreigners. We put on bandanas and aprons, and received the day’s recipe in three languages; Japanese, English and Chinese. We were divided into 4 groups with one or two volunteers in each group. The volunteers

gave a brief explanation in the beginnning and then everyone cooked the already prepared ingredients, following the instructions given in the recipe. Everyone seemed to enjoy cooking together while chatting in Japanese, English and

Chinese. They had great fun laying ingredients on top of the sushi rice and seaweed spread on the special roller called a makisu. The cooking was completed in about 2 hours. Now, it was finally time for the tasting！ Of course, people love to eat delicious, freshly

rolled sushi and freshly fried tempura, but they enjoyed chatting across their table as well. Our volunteers say that this time is the greatest fun. When everyone finished eating, there was an explanation of the origin of “Sukeroku” in Japanese, English and Chinese. After that, the participants introduced themselves. Here we find the meaning of the name, “Food Culture Exchange.” This is not just a cooking class. The event was over after we washed the dishes and cleaned the place up. One participant commented that she was surprised by the elaborate preparation required before cooking Japanese dishes. We had one repeater who cooked the dishes that she had learned to cook here for her parents when she went back to her home country. She said that she was definitely going to do the same thing again！ One of the volunteers said she enjoyed learning a new way of cooking every time she participated. Won’t you join us？ Do you like cooking？ Are you interested in cooking different countries’ cuisines？ Please inquire at NIA. （Y. I）

NIA organizes various events and seminars to promote international exchanges and understanding. Let us introduce one of these programs.

Joyo-Manju from Japan is a steamed cake made of wheat flour or rice flour wrapped around sweet bean paste. It has attracted widespread popularity since the middle of the Edo Era from its episode in a “Rakugo” （comic story telling） titled “I’m afraid of Manju”. To trace its history, the root comes from “Manto”, China. There is a description that a Zen-Buddhist named Enni brought back its recipe from So （China） in 1242. However, 100 years later, the person who started to make sweet Manju for the first known time was Mr. Rin-Join, a Chinese who came to Japan with a Japanese Zen-Buddhist, who had then studied in Gen （China）.* He invented sweet bean paste Manto for Zen-Buddhists for whom eating meat was forbidden. It was hard to get sugar in those days, he boiled red beans and used valuable “Amazura” for sweetener. Red bean Manju marked “Rin” was made in this way, and he received a good reputation after bringing it to market. After that, Mr. Rin moved to Nara from Kyoto, and married a Japanese woman, changed his name. He was later given the title “Okashi-shi” （Sweets’ Master）, and is now enshrined at Rin Shrine, so-called Manju Shrine, in Nara. （Y. U）

Ingredients （for 8 pieces）・Powdered Yam …………… 8 g・Sugar……………………… 50 g・Water………………………25 cc・Joyo-powder …………… 50 g・Sweet bean paste ………160 gPreparation・Divide sweet bean paste into 8 pieces （20g each） and roll them into a small ball shape.・Set steamer on a stove and heat it until it’s steamed up.How to make them①Put the powdered yam into a bowl and pour in the water little by little to mix them. Add sugar when it becomes mushy. Then mix them completely.②Put Joyo-powder in a different bowl and pour ① into it. Mix them quickly from the inside

walls of the bowl. Roll it up into 1 lump when it becomes earlobe like in toughness. Leave the leftover powder for your hands’③Divide the dough ② into 8 pieces and wrap them around the bean paste, then fix them into a good shape.④Line them up on a bed of a cooking sheet in the prepared steamer, mist with water, and steam for 10 min. with medium to high heat.⑤Take them out quickly from the steamer when they’re done.

“Manju” (steamed cake)from Japan

Sweets have a way of melting people’s hearts with both the young and adults. This column will introduce you to various sweets from around the globe, and are associated with seasonal events.

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NIA Information Box INFORMATION

2020

The interviewee in this issue is Ms. Gi Rai , who is a student at Kwansei Gakuin University. Ms. Gi is a member of “Fudebako” （Support group for children who are coming from outside of Japan）, the voluntary activity that NIA has been providing in cooperation with Kwansei Gakuin University and Mukogawa Women’s College.

With nice mid-length hair and keeping her back straight, Ms. Gi looks like a daughter of a decent family. She is in her senior year of Kwansei Gakuin University. Her relationship with NIA started when she joined NIA’s supporting project “Fudebako”, a group that helps non-Japanese children’s education. She also participated in the big event “Niji-iro Festival” that was held by the University and NIA last November. She was highly impressed by the various global cultures and back-grounds and was inspired to work at an event reference job. Ms. Gi was born and raised in the military base of Hebei, China. In the years during the middle of significant

economic development and growth of population, China had a one-child family policy. She is a child of a wealthy family and has been loved by her highly educated guardians as their precious daughter. A turning point in her life came to her just before graduation from her local high-school. One of her uncles

who had achieved a successful business with Japanese links visited her when she had been enduring boring days as a rebellious teen-ager. He strongly recommended that she go to Japan if she had no plan for the future. “You should go to Japan if you want to get success in your life”, he said. She started to study hard after hearing this and convinced her parents to allow her

to go to Japan. In April of 2013 she came to Japan and enrolled in a language school to study for 2 years. Although, it’s harder for her to work part-time to pay for her living expenses, compared to staying home under the protection of her parents, she’s enjoying a fulfilling life. Since April of 2015, in addition to being a student of Kwansei Gakuin University she has been working and participating in volunteer activities in her spare time. She is impressed by the Japanese living environment such as having clean air, a clear blue sky, and dust-free streets. “I want to live in Japan unless any severe natural disasters happen. However, I feel a little inconvenienced from the strict living rules, like how to take out household garbage. I have never experienced that in my country,” she said. She already found a job before graduation, where she hopes to organize events. As a representative of the younger generation who experiences both cultures and sees the bright sides of both China and Japan, she could be widely expected to continue to strengthen the relationship of both countries. （M. M）

An only child took offfrom her parents

Interview ～Ms. Gi Rai（from Hebei, China）～

Date & Time

May. 19 （Sun.）, 2019 13：00～16：00

Legal Problems

NIA Conference Room

Subject Place

Free Consultation for Non-Japanese residents

For foreign residents interested in learning Japanese and making friends with Japanese people in an informal setting：Basic: ① For people who have never studied Japanese （limited to 10 people）.Elementary:　② For people who understand hiragana and kataka-

na, and basic communication in Japanese （limited to 10 people）.

Dates and Time: 　Every Thurs. from April.11～Jul. 11（13 lessons）10：30～12：00Textbook: “Minna no Nihongo ShokyuuⅠ”Fee: ￥2,000 （plus textbook fee）

Japanese Language Chat Square for Foreigners

For foreign residents working during the daytime:①Basic: For people who have never studied Jap-

anese （limited to 15 people）.②Elementary: For people who understand simple everyday conver-sation, basic Japanese greetings. （limited to 15 people）.③Intermediate: For people who have an intermediate understand-ing of Japanese and want to continue to develop. （limited to 15 people）.Dates and Time: 　Every Wed. from May. 8～Jul. 10（10 lessons）18：30～20：00Instructor: Japanese instructor Fee: ￥ 5,000 （Including course materials）

Fee:Free

Japanese Language Course for Foreigners

A judicial scrivener and an administrative scriv-ener will provide consultations free of charge （under seal of secrecy）. An applicant who needs interpreter, please make reservation.

April 6（Sat）11:00～13:00（Meet at 11:00 at NIA）

Date/Time

cherry blossom viewing

IKEDA Park

Contents Venue

International Kids Club :fun-sharing events free of charge for pre-school children with multi-cultural backgrounds and their parents

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N I A I n f o r m a t i o n B o x

Keep buildings in good condition.

NIPPON KANZAI Co., Ltd.

Headquarters:2-1-10 Nipponbashi Chuo-ku Tokyo-to 〒103-0027 JapanMain Shop: 9-16 Rokutanji-cho Nishinomiya-shi Hyogo-ken 〒662-8588

Luxury housekeeping services

SearchSunny Maid ServiceFor more info

Helpers are wanted

NPO Company Main Stream Organization〒662-08449-3 Nishifuku-cho, Nishinomiya City, HyogoTEL 0798-66-5122FAX 0798-66-5133URL https：//www.cilmsa.com/

● Hourly wage　1,100 yen or more, travel cost maximum 1,000 yen per 1 time

● Description of job　Assist of daily life for a physically challenged person living in a neighborhood (same gender assistant)

● Date & Time　Work in shifts & flexible like as 1 day per week

● Work location　At a client’s house in Nishinomiya City

※Japanese language ability (daily conversation) is required.

　 Women are welcome

Inexperienced peopleare welcome

◇Volunteers Wanted◇NIA is seeking volunteers for the following works: ● Newsletter volunteers A: Preparation work before shipping （4 times a year）

● Newsletter volunteers B: Delivery to near-by institutions （4 times a year）

● Volunteer interpreters and translators（Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Portuguese etc.）: We are seeking volunteers with different levels of ability. The work ranges from simple interpre-tation of daily conversation to translation of the NIA newsletter.

◇Sponsor Members Wanted◇To promote activities of the international exchange program, we need your support. ● Annual membership fee: Group : ￥20,000　Individual: ￥3,000Volunteer: ￥ 2,000

● Privileges: Books can be borrowed for free. Conference rooms and the exhibi-tion corner can be rented at a discout price. Other privileges include invitations to events run by NIA and discount tickets to Nishinomiya based facilities.

Events and disaster information etc.are provided in multiple languages.

Nishinomiya CityInternational Association （NIA）

We recommend that you to registerfor our Facebook page.

Facebook

11-1, Ikeda-cho, Nishinomiya City

Worth morethan the price

Specialty Shopsof Frente Nishinomiya

Frente Nishinomiya

Official Facebook Information are now distributed

Official Application Information is now distributed

The gourmet street on the1st floor is open after 20:00.

Business hoursof the

Specialty Shops

Nitori

Nationality Number Percent

Total Nishinomiya population 487,798The percentage of foreign residents in Nishinomiya 1.36％

South and North KoreaChinaVietnamU.S.A.The PhilippinesTaiwanNepalBrazil74 Other countries

Total

※as of Feb, 2019

Current Number of Foreign Residentsin Nishinomiya

Current Number of Foreign Residentsin Nishinomiya

3,3341,1656182242061301251147396,655

50.1%17.5%9.3%3.4%3.1%2.0%1.9%1.7%11.1％100％

May 1st／“Nishinomiya City News” No. 155,156 pub-lished7th／International Kids Club： Let’s enjoy Japa-nese games ！8th／Board of Education sends instructors to Japanese classes

（once a week through March）9th & 23rd／Fudebako class to help children of multicultural background with their studies in Takasu12th & 26th／Fudebako class in Nishinomiya Kitaguchi 12th／Chikyukko Club： orientation 20th／Free Consultation Service for Foreigners on legal and other issues

June1st／“Nishinomiya City News” No. 157,158 pub-

lished2nd／Cultural Exchange： Learn about Australia

*Spanish Chatting Club： about Spain *The 1st homestay/home-visit program for foreign students （～24th） conducted on every weekend in June

3rd／IFC （a volunteer group of foreigners） participates in a neighborhood clean-up campaign *Food Culture Exchange

Children choosing their prizes seriously at the local summer festival▶

▲IFC members in the Big Neighborhood Clean-Up Day

▲Kids enjoying Irish dance！

April1st／One-on-one Japanese lessons by the Nishinomiya

Volunteer Japanese Teaching Group （90 minutes; once a week; through the end of March）*“Nishi-

nomiya City News” No.153,154 published by the Nishinomiya English Interpretation & Translation Volunteer Group

6th／“Disaster Prevention Class for Foreign Students” at Kwansei Gakuin University

Fureai TsushinNishinomiya City International Association Newsletter／ふれあい通信　第１０２号

▲The students getting the emergency contact training

July1st／“Nishinomiya C

ity News” No.159,160 pub-

lished9th／First Aid Work

shop for Foreigners

14th／Participation in a local event, Somen-nagashi *International

Kids Club *Chikyukko Club： “Singapore

15th／Free Consultation Service on the

Residential Status for

Foreigners

August 1st／“Nishinomiya City News” No.161, 162 pub-lished 4th & 5th／Participation in Takasu Festival

25th／Enjoy talking in Korean *Enjoy talking in English *Partici-pation in the “Koto Fureai Summer Festival”

4th／International Kids Club： Let’s make hydrangeas ！9th／One day bus tour around the city for homestay students

*Chikyukko Club： Ireland

23rd／International Café 30th／Cultural exchange： Yukata Day

7th／International Kids Club： cherry blossom viewing *Sakura FM program “Bridges across Communities” starts. （Chinese, 1st Sat.; English, 2nd & 4th Sat.; Portuguese, 3rd Sat.; all from 12：00 p.m.～12：15p.m.）

10th／English classes by a native English teacher （beginners, intermediates, and kids’ courses; Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays through January 27）

11th／Fudebako, class to help children with multicultural backgrounds with their school studies in Takasu on 2nd & 4th Wednesdays （Every Wednesday from September through March） *The same class held in Nishinomiya Kitaguchi on 2nd & 4th Saturdays

12th／Japanese Language Chat Square for Foreigners （Thurs-days, 10：30～12：00 through July 12th; 13th classes in all）*The first term of “Nihongo Nakayoshi Hiroba” （The Japa-nese language class for foreign children and their parents after school） （Thursdays,16：00～17：30, through March 14）

12th～22nd／Lot-et-Garrone & Agen Week15th／Enjoy Talking in French21st／Sakura FM program “Genki Jirushi Kokusai Koryu” starts.

（3rd & 4th Saturdays every month, 11：30～11：50）23rd／Manabo, Hanaso Nihongo （Let’s learn and speak Japanese

Course）（Mondays, 10：00～12：00, 10 classes in all through July 2）25th／The first term of “Japanese Language Course for Foreigners” starts.

（Wednesdays, 18：30～20：00, through June 27; 10 classes in all）

27th／Accepted an intern of international exchange programs, Ms. Go Ensei from Shaoxing, China （who stayed in Nishinomiya until Dec. 21）

NIA Activity Digest for theFiscal Year, 2018

Report of the Variety of Projects That NIA Carried Out

In the year of 2018, NIA has carried out various kinds of projects:

November1st／“Nishinomiya City News” No.167 & 168 published4th／The 2nd homestay and home-visit program

for foreign students （every weekend through November 26th ）

5th／Participation in the Nishinomiya Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Drill *International Kids Club： Parent-child exercise

Fureai TsushinNishinomiya City International Association Newsletter／ふれあい通信　第１０２号

２０１９～

January1st／“Nishinomiya City News” No.171,172 published12th／Chikyukko Club19th／Cultural Exchange： Kimono Day

20th／“Get Connected to Local Community Project” participates in a mochi pounding party *Free Consultation Service on the Residential Status for Foreigners

21st／International Kids Club ： Setsubun 25th／Chinese New Year’s ornament making with Chinese beads26th／Accept Ms. Jo John Un （Kwansei Gakuin Univ. exchange

student） as a social experience intern （through March 11th） *“Get Connected to Local Community Project”： Yaki-yaki making

27th／Food Culture Exchange： Sushi and Tempura 31st／Sends a foreigner guest to Higashiyamadai Elementary

School International Understanding Class

December1st／“Nishinomiya C

ity News” No.169 & 170

published. *Enjoy Talking in Chinese

8th／Chikyukko Club： Russia

9th／International Café *IFC members

participate in a “Big

Clean-up Campaign”

14th／10 foreigners participate in the

International Culture

Course offered by Miyamizu Gakuen Sch

ool

15th／“Get Connected to Local Community P

roject” participates in a New

Year’s wreath making *International Kids Club

： Christmas party

16th／Spanish Chatting Club： on Spain

September1st／“Nishinomiya City News” No.163,164 pub-

lished3rd／International Kids Club： Let’s play at the

Jido-Kan children’s hall6th／Japanese Language Chat Square for Foreigners （Thurs-

days, 10：30～12：00, through Dec. 7; 13 classes in all）9th／Free Consultation Service on the Residential Status for Foreigners10th／“Manabo, Hanaso Nihongo” （Let’s learn and speak Japanese

Course）（Mondays, 10：00～12：00, 10 classes in all through Nov 26）13th／The second term of “Nihongo Nakayoshi Hiroba” （Thurs-

days, 16：00～17：30 through March）16th／Spanish Chatting Club20th／Disaster Prevention Class for Foreign Students at Kwan-

sei Gakuin University23rd／Participation in the Nishinomiya Matsuri （at Nishinomiya

Shrine） as a foreigners’ group

February9th／Chikyukko Club： Making wall newspaper 15th／*Enjoy Talking in English for Mamas and Babies23rd／Spanish Chatting Club： on Spain

24th／Food Culture Exchange： Korean CuisineMochi pounding party

25th／Special lecture： Dreaming in Japan： Vietnamese Ideals and Reality *Hyogo International association liaison council opinion exchange meeting

▲in the event carrying the sacred shrine on the special boat

▲Foreigner volunteers translating disaster information

▲Volunteer interpreters help out at quiz rally

March 4th／International Kids Club： Hina-Matsuri 9th／The 23rd Nishinomiya International Exchange Day17th／Free Consultation Service on the Residential Status for Foreigners25th／International Understanding Course： “People called “Half” in Japan

26th／The second term of “Japanese Language Course for Foreigners” （Wednesdays, 18：30～20：00, through Nov 28; 10 classes in all）

7th～14th／Spokane Week10th／Participation in the Nishinomiya Furusato Walk （12 foreigners and 2

volunteers） *World Rainbow Color Festival （collaboration by 6 organi-zations including Gwansei Gakuin, Prefectural Board of Education） *A homestay program： one day city bus tour *Chikyukko Club： Brazil

11th／Enjoy Talking in English 17th／Easy Japanese for disaster times *Helping each other with

foreigners： Experience-type disaster prevention drill *Cul-tural Exchange： Try maccha green tea

18th／Free Consultation Service for Foreigners on legal and other issues *Food Culture Exchange：

26th～December 3rd／Shaoxing Week

October 1st／“Nishinomiya City News” No.165 & 166 published. *The introductory Chinese class （Mondays, 18：00～19：30, 10 classes in all through December 8）6th／International Kids Club： Let’s go on a picnic13th／“Fudebako” class in Nishinomiya Kitaguchi （2 Saturdays

every month） *Chikyukko Club： China15th～22nd／Londrina Week 20th／Ordinary First Aid Workshop for foreigners *Enjoy Talking in Portuguese 27th／Participation in the 43rd Nishinomiya Citizens’ Festival with a booth

▲Interacting with citizens through quizzes