Lifestyle Consultations Case ① - Secret Recording

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   A few days ago a woman from Southeast Asia living in Kochi City visited KIA to inform us that her domestic problem with his husband had solved after about an hour talk in their house on the previous day.

   I was very surprised that she had recorded all the conversations they made on her mobile phone. Most of the sounds in it were his voice in a broad tosa dialect accent and a disgruntled tone. She was still poor at arguing in Japanese and was scared of his angry voice. 

Shimanto Taisho ‘Ayu’ Festival

fishing with flaming torches

   This festival is locally run by townspeople, featuring the fish ‘ayu’ – one of the natural blessing provided by the Shimanto River. So come along and experience delectable Ayu-based cuisine. Plus, you can’t miss the nearby demonstration of traditional fishing methods – including fishing with flaming torches!

Nagashi Sōmen

   Nagashi Sōmen, “flowing noodles,” is a summer favorite in Japan. Sōmen are very thin, white noodles made from wheat flour. They are usually served cold during the summer months.

Daimonji-no-Okuribi (Great Bonfire Event), Shimanto City

   An annual Obon event representative of the summer in the Masaki area of Shimanto City. This is an event unusual in the whole of Japan, where giant, burning 大 kanji can be seen and enjoyed by everyone.

Yosakoi Festival － A secret of a happy married life

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   The season of the Yosakoi Festival this year is just around the corner, which is held from 9 to 12 in every August in Kochi City. This year 191 teams are participating in the festival.

NIA NIHONGO SHABERIBA !! (Learn Japanese)

   The second season will start on 7th Septenber.

   Let’s speak in Japanese with us !!

   You can enjoy talking and Japanese cultural activities.

Date and Time: every Wednesday 19:00～21:00

Place: NISSYO FUKUSHI KOORYUU CENTER (2207 Tamura Nankoku city)

Expenses: 100yen per 1 time

Application and Questions: 090-4332-7652 Tomonaga

   Please see NIA (Nankoku International Association) Blog

Otsuna Festival

   This is a tug-of-war festival that sees a giant rope 80m in length, weighing 1t and with a circumference of 1.8m, tugged East-West across the city. There will be various events like a Yosakoi dance, mochi throwing, a beer garden, and a tug-of-war tournament.

Ice Cream and Ice Crin

   Talking of summer, everyone loves to have a cooling ice cream, don’t they? Have you ever heard of “ICE CRIN”? It is one of the local specialties in Kochi. However, what is the difference between “ice cream” and “ice crin”? “Ice crin” looks similar to “ice cream”…so I looked it up.

One-Coin Lunch Heaven: the Lunch Passport

If you’re like me and eat out for lunch often, you have probably fallen into a routine and go to the same places everyday, thinking the whole time, there’s gotta be some cool new places to check out. My lunch hour world was turned upside down when I found this:

the Lunch Passport.

Manga Koshien

   Koshien is a baseball stadium situated in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Pref, and is holy ground for all Japan’s high school baseball players. Schools compete twice annually at regional preliminary games for the privilege to play at this hallowed stadium. The word has been co-opted by Kochi for the Manga Koshien – which is a competition for high school cartoonists. Teams compete for the national manga championship once a year. 

Campsite ⑥－Kinone Fureai no Mori

This campsite is in a virgin forest, which is unusual in Japan. There are mountains of 1800m in height like West Japan’s highest peak, Mt. Ishizuchi surrounding the campsite. So if you like mountain climbing, this location will be excellent for you.

Campsite ⑤－Yasuda River Campsite

This campsite is located on the banks of the Yasuda River. If you like fishing and cycling, this is the one for you! Of course, you can also swim in the river.

Campsite ④－Yutorisuto Park Otoyo

This is good for people who prefer a cooler summer. When it is a fine day, you can see very beautiful scenery, but the mountain weather can be very changeable. There is also a herb garden.

Campsite ③－Kawarakko

This campsite is located by the crystal clear Shimanto River, on which you can canoe. You can rent mountain bike and camping equipment, so it is no problem if you forget something.

Campsite ②－Tomarotto

This is an auto-campsite located on a hill overlooking the Pacific. You can swim, snorkel, fish and surf in the Pacific Ocean and canoe in the Shimanto River.