Time Out
On Friday, the 11th March, there was a gathering of 24
Komuso Monks who performed using their Shakuhachi flutes.
This rare gathering of Komuso Monks from across Japan was
part of a memorial ceremony held on Toyoma Port to mark 5
years since the Great East Japan Earthquake.
The ceremony also included a minute silence at the exact
time the earthquake occurred, speeches and a chanting of
sutras before people began laying flowers in memory of those
victims of 3.11. As hundreds of people lay flowers, the Komuso
monks played a calm and solemn song against the backdrop of
a place that suffered one of Japan’s worst disasters.
It was a very sobering experience listening to the
Shakuhachi flutes and I wish for Iwaki and Fukushima’s further
recovery and revitalisation.
Inside this issue…
Time Out is produced by the Tourism Exchange Divison
Iwaki City Hall 21 Aza Umemoto, Taira, Iwaki City
Fukushima Prefecture 970-8686 Tel: 0246-22-1279 Fax: 0246-22-7581
Email: [email protected] [email protected]
The Tourism Exchange Division and the IIA are open to the public. Please feel free to drop by, call, or
e-mail us anytime. Website: http://www.iia-fukushima.or.jp; http://www.city.iwaki.lg.jp/www/index.html
いわき市役所 観光交流課
〒970-8686 福島県いわき市平字梅本21 電話: 0246-22-1279 FAX: 0246-22-7581 E-mail: [email protected]
観光交流課及び公益財団法人いわき市国際交流協会は皆
さ 歓迎します お気軽にお立ち寄り下さい お電話
e-mail お待ちしています
General Notices 2
Information Board 2
Festivals & Events 3 Hospital Information 4, 5 April Events Calendar 6
Notice: The IIA has also relocated as of the 1st of April to the Tourism Exchange Division.
You can find the new contact details on the front page of
this edition of Time Out.
The information board is a bulletin board limited to IIA members. You can post anything as long as it is not associated with any profit organisation, religion or political-based. (does not apply to businesses with IIA membership) Please send us your posts by the 20th of each
month. We look forward to hearing from you.
We are Pavilion, a singing group at the Iwaki City Lifelong Learning Plaza. We mostly sing Enka songs including “Kita e”, “Americabashi”, “Kita no Tabibito”, but also sing new songs such as “365 Days of Paper Planes”. Please come and sing with us.
Practice Days: the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Thursday of every month from 10am-12pm
Venue: Iwaki City Lifelong Learning Plaza Inquiries: Igari
TEL: 090-8585-8895
email: [email protected]
The Spring & Summer term of IIA Japanese language courses will start on the 18th of May. If you are interested, please contact the IIA by the 13th of April.
A. Speaking Course:
May 19th to July 21st– Thursdays, 10am-12pm B. Writing Course:
May 19th to July 21st– Thursdays, 1pm-3pm C. Reading Course:
May 18th to July 20th– Wednesdays, 10am-12pm D. Communication Course:
May 18th to July 20th– Wednesdays, 1pm-3pm
Participants: 15 people per class
Number of Classes: 10 classes per course Class Fee: Free
Course Materials: Textbooks will need to be purchased.
Venue: Lifelong Learning (Shogai Gakushu) Plaza, Level 4, Washington Hotel
Lecturers: Volunteer teachers from IIA members. Please contact the IIA for more information about the classes. The content of the classes will be adjusted to the level of students. If you are a first-timer to the class, please take the placement test to check your Japanese language level.
Placement Test: Wednesday, April 20th 10am-12pm (reservation required) Venue: Lifelong Learning (Shogai Gakushu) Plaza
As of the 1st of April, the Iwaki City Coordinator of International Relations (CIR) has relocated
from the former Coordination and Citizenry Affairs Division (Shiminkyodoka 市民協働課 ) to the
Tourism Exchange Division (Kankokoryuka 観光交流課 ). The Tourism Exchange Division can be
found on the 5
thfloor of Iwaki City Hall.
.
EntranceTourism Exchange Division
Elevators Stairs
New CIR and IIA office
Festivals & Events
Festivals & Events
Your guide to what’s happening around Iwaki City and beyond this month
10th April: Alios Park Festival @ Taira Central Park (in front of Alios). From 11am-4pm. This is the first Alios Park Festival for 2016! The festival is held every second Saturday on every month from April to November. There will be stalls selling food and drinks, works of art and handicrafts. There is a live stage with various performances by local DJs and dance groups. The first festival for 2016 will also have street basketball and a one-minute performance contest. For inquiries, please email [email protected]. Website: http://ameblo.jp/parkfes-iwaki/
16th April: Social Square Uchigo Town Beautification Project @ area around Uchigo Station. From 10-11am. On the third Saturday of every month, people are encouraged to volunteer in picking up litter around Uchigo and help keep the town tidy. For inquiries, please contact Social Square Uchigo: TEL 0246-84-8301.
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/greenbird.iwaki
23rd-24th April: Iwaki Balloon Festival @ Wanpaku Open Space, 21st Century Forest Park, Joban. See hot air balloons ascending into the sky. This event aims to show children their own reconstructed city. For inquiries, please contact FSK Public: TEL 024-533-4711
23rd-24th April: Spring Festival @ Iwaki City Flower Centre, Taira. From 10am-4pm. There will be a large variety of events on offer for the festival, including exhibitions, hands-on events and direct markets. Entry is free. For inquiries, please contact the Iwaki City Flower Centre: TEL 0246-22-5667. Email: [email protected]
29th April-5th May: Special Night Viewing of Shiramizu Amidado @ Shiramizu Amidado, Uchigo. For a limited time only, see inside the Shiramizu Amidado temple, national treasure of Iwaki, at night and view the Buddhist statues illuminated in gold whilst listening to the chief priest’s sermons. Entry into the temple grounds is ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for children. For inquiries, please contact the Shiramizu Amidado temple: TEL 0246-26-7008
From the Editor
At this time of year, you should be able to enjoy viewing the cherry blossoms around Iwaki, signalling the middle of spring. However, just before the ski season has ended, I was fortunate to try out some skiing for the first time at Minowa Ski Resort in Fukushima Prefecture as part of the recent JET study tour in late-February. I received some lessons from the local instructors before hitting the slopes. Being my first time skiing, I fell over many times and my arms and legs were pretty sore the next day, but it was incredibly fun and I want to go again – if not this year then next ski season.
With April also comes the start of the new fiscal year where students enter the next grade of school, graduates enter into various companies and people shift around to different sections of their offices. All the best for a fresh new start this fiscal year!
Ben 弁
Counselling Service for Foreigners
Yorisoi Hotline (Helpline for Foreigners): Consultation service available in Japanese, English, Korean, Tagalog, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese and Thai. Available languages vary depending on time. Are you having a problem with your visa, nationality, family, work, everyday living, discrimination, domestic violence, confinement or human trafficking? Please call us about any problem you may have. Your privacy will be protected.
Free. TEL: 0120-279-226. Mon-Fri, 10am-10pm.
TELL Lifeline: TELL is a professional non-profit organisation that provides counselling to English-speaking foreigners all over Japan. The lifeline is staffed by highly trained volunteer phone counsellors and provides free, non-judgemental and confidential phone counselling and information 365 days a year from 9am - 11pm.
TEL: 03-5774-0992. For more information, check out their website at http://www.telljp.com or e-mail them at [email protected]. Safety and Consultation Centre for Women (Police Box in front of Iwaki Station): For consultations related to women's safety. Free. Can only speak Japanese. 10am-6pm daily.
TEL: 0246-25-9344.
Emergency Dental Care
All emergency dental care will be provided at the General Health and Welfare Centre (Sogo Hoken Fukushi Senta) in Uchigo.
This centre is open on Sundays and all national holidays from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm. The reception closes at 3:30pm.
For more information please contact the centre on 27-8620.
After Hours and Holiday Emergency Treatment Centre (Located in Iwaki Kyoritsu Hospital) If you need to see a doctor urgently in the evening or on a weekend or public holiday, the After Hours and Holiday Emergency Treatment Centre is open at the following times:
Weekdays: 8pm - 12am
Saturdays: 8pm - 7am (next day) Sundays: 1pm - 12am.
Public Holidays: 9am - 12am.
Please make sure whenever possible to bring a Japanese- speaker with you when visiting the hospital in Iwaki.
Emergency Contact Numbers Police: 110
Fire & Ambulance: 119 Children Emergency, First-Aid Telephone
Consultations
The Fukushima Prefecture Children Emergency, First-Aid Telephone Consultation Centre (Fukushima- ken Kodomo Kyukyu Denwa Sodan) is a free telephone service that provides professional advice when your child has become sick during the night. This telephone service is available in Japanese only.
TEL: 024-521-3790 or #8000 From 7pm to 8am.
The following is a guide to hospitals open on Sundays and public holidays in Iwaki City during April and early May
April Guide
Sunday 3 April
Taira Area Yamaguchi Iin 9-5 24-1811
Onahama Area Kashimura Fujinka Clinic (gynaecology) 9-5 56-2289
Nakoso Area Kureha General Hospital 9-5 63-2181
Joban Area Tokiwakai Joban Hospital 9-5 43-4175
Taira Area Wakamatsu Iin (paediatrics) 9-12 22-3838
Sunday 10 April
Taira Area Takahashi Clinic 9-5 46-1231
Onahama Area Kashima Hospital 9-5 58-8010
Nakoso Area Kushida Hospital 9-5 63-3202
Joban Area Iwaki Yumoto Hospital 9-5 42-3188
Taira Area Nagai Shonika (paediatrics) 9-12 28-2535
Sunday 17 April
Taira Area Yamaguchi Iin 9-5 24-1811
Onahama Area Takagi Naika Iin (internal) 9-5 92-3435
Nakoso Area Kojima Jiai Hospital 9-5 63-5141
Joban Area Yoshinari Naika (internal) 9-5 42-2220
Taira Area Fukuda Shonika Iin (paediatrics) 9-12 22-4272 Sunday 24 April
Uchigo Area Suda Iin 8:30-12 27-6060
Taira Area Sakamoto Seikeigeka Iin (orthopaedic surgery) 9-5 38-2830 Onahama Area Suminoya Riumachi Seikeigeka Iin (rheumatology & orthopaedics) 9-5 58-1154
Nakoso Area Nakoso Hospital 9-5 65-7755
Joban Area Kazawa Icho Seikeigeka (gastroenterology and orthopaedics) 9-5 42-2198 Joban Area Muramatsu Shonika (paediatrics) 9-12 72-0707 Friday 29 April
Taira Area Endo Clinic 9-5 35-3533
Onahama Area Nakamura Hospital 9-5 53-3141
Nakoso Area Hanada Naika Clinic (internal) 9-5 62-5000 Joban Area Iwaki Kusakidai General Clinic (paediatrics) 9-5 28-1145
Legal Consultations:
Iwaki City Hall provides free general legal consultations. Scheduled days are as listed on the calendar; however these are
subject to change. Please contact City Hall (Hometown Revitalisation Division TEL 0246-22-7438) and confirm the date,
time and place. Reservations are required for consultations.
For Iwaki City Council of Social Welfare consultations (held at the Social Welfare Centre), please contact 0246-23-3320.
May Guide
Sunday 1 May
Taira Area Shirai Geka Ichoka Iin (surgery & gastroenterology) 9:30-12 25-3788 Taira Area Yoshida Seikeigeka Iin (orthopaedic surgery) 9-5 22-6030 Onahama Area Iwaki Central Hospital Fuzoku Shinryojo 9-5 53-3511
Nakoso Area Kushida Hospital 9-5 63-3202
Tono Area Kojima Naika (internal) 9-5 74-1500
Joban Area Hatano Ganka (opthamology) 9-5 42-2040
Taira Area Nagai Shonika (paediatrics) 9-12 28-2535
Tuesday 3 May
Taira Area New Town Jin-Naika Clinic (internal & nephrology) 9-12 46-0606
Onahama Area Onahama Seikyo Hospital 9-5 53-4374
Nakoso Area Kojima Jiai Hospital 9-5 63-5141
Nakoso Area Matsuzaki Naika (internal medicine) 9-5 63-3358
Joban Area Tokiwakai Joban Hospital 9-5 43-4175
Wednesday 4 May
Onahama Area Ishii Noshinkei Geka Ganka Hospital (neurosurgery and opthamology) 9-5 58-3121
Nakoso Area Nakoso Hospital 9-5 65-7755
Nakoso Area Yokogi Naika Ichoka Clinic (internal medicine and gastrology) 9-5 65-1111 Joban Area Watanabe Sanka Fujinka (obstetrics and gynaecology) 9-5 42-4567 Thursday 5 May
Onahama Area Kashima Hospital 9-5 58-8010
Nakoso Area Kureha General Hospital 9-5 63-2181
Nakoso Area Sato Maternity Clinic (obstetrics) 9-5 65-6900 Joban Area Joban Jin Hinyoki Clinic (nephrology & urology) 9-5 43-1200 Sunday 8 May
Uchigo Area Suda Iin 8:30-12 27-6060
Taira Area Shiga Seikeigeka-Geka (orthopaedics & surgery) 9-12 23-5050 Onahama Area Nagai Seikeigeka (orthopaedic surgery) 9-5 54-7722
Nakoso Area Yabuki Hospital 9-5 63-1818
Joban Area Iwaki Yumoto Hospital 9-5 42-3188
Nakoso Area Mori no Kodomo Clinic (paediatrics) 9-12 38-7227 Sunday 15 May
Taira Area Chuodai Tanaka Ganka (opthamology) 9-2 29-1722
Taira Area Yamaguchi Iin 9-5 24-1811
Onahama Area Fujii Iin 9-5 56-2288
Nakoso Area Kushida Hospital 9-5 63-3202
Joban Area Kamome Clinic 9-5 28-1010
Joban Area Muramatsu Shonika (paediatrics) 9-12 72-0707
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
27 Mar 28 Mar 29 Mar 30 Mar 31 Mar 1 2
3 4 5 6
Primary and JHS Entrance Ceremonies
Free Legal Consultations ( Social Welfare Centre)
7
Yu no Hanakai
8 9
Iwaki Taira Castle Cherry Blossom Festival
10
Iwaki Taira Castle Cherry Blossom Festival
11 12 13
Free Legal Consultations (City Hall)
14
Yu no Hanakai
15 16
Iwaki Taira Castle Cherry Blossom Festival
17
Iwaki Taira Castle Cherry Blossom Festival
18 19 20
IIA Japanese Classes Placement
Test
Free Legal Consultations (City Hall)
21
Yu no Hanakai
Lac lảm Thai
22 23
24 25 26 27
Free Legal Consultations (City Hall)
Très bien
28
Yu no Hanakai
Lac lảm Thai
29
Showa Day
30
IIA Custom-made Plans
Très bien – Inquiries to Yamazaki-san 090-1934-0506
Yu no Hanakai – Inquiries to Ohba-san 0246-42-2135
Nihongo no Kai – Inquiries to Suzuki-san 0246-62-3218
Lac lảm Thai - Inquiries to Nakano-san 090-2881-4433
Please confirm the event date with the relevant representative if you’re participating for the first time
