No.77

Chiba Nanohana News!!
Chiba Prefectural Government
December 2009, Ed.77

Today's Topics:

• I. News
  
  • 1) H1N1 Vaccine Update (as of December 16th, 2009)
    
  • 2) Free Legal/General Consultation for Foreign Residents (1/12, 1/18, 1/31)
    
• II. Festivals and Events
  
  • 1) ECO CAN '09 in Sanmu (12/20)
    
  • 2) Narita Yume Bokujo Events  (～12/25)
    
  • 3) March of the Penguins at Kamogawa Sea World (12/20～28)
    
  • 4) Osame Fudo Otakiage at Narita-san Shinshoji Temple (12/28)

 

• Where to go? - Chiba's Featured Location (Choshi City)
  
• Editor's note
  
• Contact us
  

a note about links:
Links in this magazine are for events and news articles that are only posted for a limited time and therefore may stop working at any time from when this magazine is published.

I.News

1) H1N1 Vaccine Update (as of December 16th, 2009)

The schedule for the distribution of the H1N1 vaccine has been moved up. The change affects junior high school students, high school students, and the those over 65:

• Mid-November: pregnant women and those with underlying medical conditions
  
• Early-December: Children between the Ages of 1 and 6
  
• Mid-December: Elementary School Students up to the third grade
  
• Late-December: Parents of newborns(under 1 year) and elementary students in or above the 4th grade
  
• Early-January: junior high school students
  * only 1 vaccination required
  
• Early-January: high school students
  * only 1 vaccination required
  
• Late-January: those age 65 and over

The vaccination costs ¥3600 for the first time, and if a second time is required it will cost ¥2550 at the same clinic.
If you would like to receive the H1N1 vaccine, please contact a  health professional about when it may be available for you and the  members of your family. This schedule is subject to change, we will keep you updated.

URL:http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/influenza_a/index.html

2) Free Legal/General Consultation for Foreign Residents

The Chiba Convention Bureao and International Center and Chiba City International Association are once again having free legal and general consultations. These include consultations on legal matters, human rights, visa, and labor problems. Consultations are of course free of charge. Interpreters are available, but requests must be made in advance. Reservations will be given in the order taken.

Chiba Convention Bureau and International Center

Free Legal Consultations

• Date: Tuesday, January 12th
• Time: 1:00 pm～4:00 pm
  
• Place: Chiba International Center 14th Fl. Marive East, World Business Garden 2-6, Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba
  
• Access: 3 min walk from Kaihin-makuhari Station
  
• For Reservations:
  Tel: 043-297-0245 (Chiba International Center)
  Fax: 043-297-2753
  e-mail: kudo@ccb.or.jp

Chiba City International Association

Free Legal Consultations

• Date: Mon, January 18th
  
• Time: 1:00 pm～4:00 pm
  
• Place: Meeting room in Chiba City International Plaza 8th Fl, Chiba Chuo Twin Building No.2, 2-5-1 Chuo, Chuo-ku, Chiba City
  
• Access: 10 min walk from JR Chiba Station
  
• For Reservations
  Tel: 043-202-3000
  Fax: 043-202-3111
  e-mail: ccia@ccia-chiba.or.jp

Chiba Convention Bureau and International Center

Free General Consultation (legal issues, visas, labor problems, welfare, mental health and education)

• Date: Sunday, January 31st
  
• Time: 1:00 pm～4:00 pm
  
• Place: Funabashi Chuo Kominkan 2-2-5, Honcho, Funabashi City
  
• Access: 7 min walk from JR Funabashi Station
  5 min walk from Keisei Funabashi Station
• For Reservations call by Jan. 22, 2010
  Tel: 043-297-0245  (Chiba International Center)
  Fax: 043-297-2753
  e-mail: kudo@ccb.or.jp

II.  Festivals and Events

1)  ECO CAN '09 in Sanmu

Eco-candles in Sanmu.  This citizen driven event features candles made of recycled materials in an environment-conscious Christmas Display.

• Date: Sunday, December 20th
  
• Time: 2:00 pm～6:00 pm (candles will be lit at 4:30)
  
• Place: Sanbu-no-Mori Koen 1904-5 Haniya, Sanmu-shi
  
• Access: 2.5 km from Hyuuga Station on the JR Sobu Honsen Line or by car (free parking available) 
  
• Tel: 090-5317-7193 (Eco-candle Executive Committee Chief)
  

2)  Narita Yume Bokujo Events

Narita Yume Bokujo will be having a number of Christmas events up until December 25th, and those who come in a reindeer or Santa costume will receive a special discount from Santa!

• Dates: through Friday, December 25th
  
• Place: Narita Yume Bokujo 730 Nagi, Narita City
  
• Access: Take the bus from Namegawa Station on the JR Narita Line
  
• Tel. 0476-96-1001 (Narita Yume Bokujo)
  
• URL: http://www.yumebokujo.com/ (Japanese)

3)  March of the Penguins at Kamogawa Sea World

During the holidays the penguins will be on the march at Kamogawa Sea World. Photo opportunities will be available.

• Dates: Sunday, December 20th～Sunday, February 28th
  
• Place: Kamogawa Sea World 1464-18 Higashi-cho, Kamogawa City
• Access: 5 minutes by bus from JR Awa-Kamogawa Station on the JR Sotobo Line
  
• Tel. 04-7093-4803 (Kamogawa Sea World Service Division)
  
• URL: http://kamogawa-seaworld.jp/index.html (Japanese)

4)  Osame Fudo Otakiage at Narita-san Shinshoji Temple

After 20 itinerant monks ritually prepare a big bonfire, they light it up! The bonfire will be made of 50000 goma, which are wooden plaques used as protective charms. About half of the goma are those kept at the Temple itself, and about half are from guests who bring them from home. Burning the fuda at the end of the year signifies returning them in an act of appreciation to Fudo Myoo, one of the 5 wisdom kings in Esoteric Buddhism, of which the Shingon sect is a part. He is also known as Acala, Achala, and Acalanatha in the original Hindu traditions. Fudo Myoo is the most popular of the wisdom kings, and Shinshoji is the center of the Fudo cult in the Shingon Sect.

• Dates: Monday, December 28th
  
• Times: 10:20 am～12:00 noon
  
• Place: Narita-san Shinshoji Temple 1 Narita, Narita City
• Access: 15 minute walk from JR or Keisei Narita Stations
  
• Tel. 0476-22-2111 (Narita-san Shinshoji) 
  
• URL: http://www.naritasan.or.jp/e-index.html

Where to go? - Chiba's Featured Location- Choshi City

"Where to go?" is an introduction of each edition's featured location. We've asked local residents of all areas in Chiba Prefecture to introduce the unique areas of their towns and we'd like to share them with you.  We hope you enjoy exploring every inch of beauty Chiba has to offer.

North of Kujukuri Beach, at the northeast tip of Chiba, lies Choshi. It is in the waters off of the fishing port of Choshi that the warm southern kuroshio current and the cold, nutrient rich northern oyashio current meet to form the north pacific current. These waters are one of the richest fisheries in the world, giving the Choshi fisherman some of the best catches.

But fish aren't the only things in these waters. Besides fishing, whale, porpoise, dolphin and fur seal watching are also popular pastimes for tourists who come to Choshi. What you can see will change by the season, with May, June, November and December having the most variety. For a complete list for each month see the link below:

URL:http://www.irukanet.com/choshi/10_syurui.htm (some English)

If you're not one for boats, Choshi offers incredible views of the ocean and surrounding landscape. Choshi is actually a very small peninsula,and from the Cape of Inubo lighthouse, Choshi Port Tower, or Mt. Ago you get an almost 270 degree view of ocean, including the Byobu-ga-ura cliffs, which are said to rival those of Dover, England.

When you want to come back down and get a bite to eat, make sure to pick a place in town. Being a fishing port, the local restaurants have access to a spectacular variety of the freshest fish, and some of the freshest soy sauce. Soy sauce?  Why yes, Choshi has both Higeta and Yamasa soy sauce plants, both of which offer tours.

Take a trip to Choshi to enjoy the view, have some delicious food, and relax in a warm outdoor bath.

URL:http://www.city.choshi.chiba.jp/english/guide.html

Editor's note

This week we'd like to introduce Chiba Prefecture Board of Education's "School Guide for Foreigners", which has a breakdown of the school system here in Japan, information on enrollment procedures, school life, and more. If you are here working in a Japanese school or will be enrolling your children in a Japanese elementary or junior high school, this is an invaluable resource made free to you by the Prefectural Board of Education.

The information is availabe in Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, English, Thai, and Korean.

http://www.pref.chiba.lg.jp/kyouiku/gaikokujin/index.html

And of course, Happy Holidays!

Contact us

Your feedback, opinions, and requests are essential for us in order to provide a valuable service. Please let us know your thoughts and what information would better suit your needs.

Chiba Prefecture International Affairs Division
Email: kokusai@mz.pref.chiba.lg.jp
TEL: 043-223-2398
FAX: 043-224-2631

If you wish to stop receiving Nanohana News or to instruct a friend how to sign up themselves, please visit the Nanohana News registration page at:
http://www.pref.chiba.lg.jp/syozoku/b_kokusai_e/foreigner/mm_eng.html

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