Akitan winter 2015

1The Akitan Winter 2015

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The Akitan Team Jonathon MorrisHi everyone! My name is Jonathon Morris. This is my third year on JET, and this is my first year as the Education Center ALT/PA. I enjoy watching the footy, skiing, cycling, on-sens, reading the news, and day dreaming.

We are always looking for new content and ideas for The Akitan, so don’t hesitate to contact us. Email me at [email protected]

S.A.BroderI’m the graphic designer for The Akitan but I spend most days being an Illustration stu-dent at Emily Carr University of Art and De-sign in Vancouver, BC. I miss Japan greatly and try to fill that hole with Japan inspired art and newsletters.

Cover photograph courtesy of Jaimee Rice

Tara ScottHello everyone! My name is Tara and I am a 1st year UK JET living in Daisen. I love tak-ing photos and exploring new places, espe-cially outdoors! I also have a real passion for history and look forward to getting stuck in to Japanese history and culture. I hope you all enjoy reading the Akitan!

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Wanna Be Published?

Join The Akitan Team!We are looking for a designer to take over assembly and design of The Akitan. It’s a couple hours of work every season but looks great on a resume. It’s also just a fun way to see the amazing content your fellow JETs are making and take part in sharing it with the community!

We are also always looking for content contributors, editors, photogra-phers, etc.

Contact Johnny at [email protected]

Photo coutrtesy of Tara Scott

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In This Issue

Winter Is Coming..................................................City of Ice and Snow............................................Ravenous Rick’s Raving Ramen Reviews...Attempting to Use 100% English in Class..International Food in Akita.............................Festival Fever Round 2.......................................Akita Association of JETs...................................Getting Into Winter Sports...............................

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Photo coutrtesy of Tara ScottPhoto coutrtesy of Tara Scott

Photo courtesy of Jaimee Rice

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Winter is ComingStory and Photos by Tara Scott

Thankfully all we have to worry about is copious amounts of snow and not the walking dead of the icy variety. Many JETs have come from countries with little to no snow, or from homes with central heating and all that good stuff. Unfortunately many houses and apart-ments in Japan have no central heating or proper insulation - but fear not! Here are some ways you can keep toasty warm this season and beat back the winter blues.

Kerosene HeatersFor many of us the main source of heat this winter will be a kerosene heater. They come in two main designs - freestanding and fixed. The fixed types are usually attached to the wall with plumbed in ventilation. If you have a free standing kerosene heater then you will need to open the window a little to keep your house ventilated. Kero-sene produces toxic fumes so make sure you get clean air into the apartment. If you have an old heater or you think it might not be working properly, ask your BoE or landlord to check it. To get kerosene for your heater just take the tank to your local petrol station and ask for touyo 灯油 and an attendant will fill it up for you.

KotatsuA kotatsu is a essentially low table with a heating unit underneath the top, and a blan-ket which drapes over the sides to keep the warmth in. You can buy the heaters, cables, table and blankets all separately, and they come in a variety of sizes and types. You can adjust the setting to change the tempera-ture and there are whole matching blanket and pillow sets which you can spend your money on. Many JETs have kotatsu inherited from their predecessors, but if you do not have one yet I highly recommend investing in one. The only downside is that they are so unbelievably warm and comfortable that it is almost impossible to get out once you’re snuggled up underneath.

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Wall and fan heatersOther types of appliances which you will all be used to are standing fans and wall units. The standing fans work much the same as their summertime counterparts but you can adjust the temperature they emit as well as the power of the fan. They can be good for providing instant heat but may not be effective at keeping your whole apartment warm in the depths of winter. Wall units can either be all-in-one air conditioners which heat and cool, or you can get units which just provide heat. The upside of these is that they don’t take up valuable floor space. The downside is that they use a lot of electricity and can push your bills up a fair bit.

Heated blankets and carpetsHeated blankets are a great way to keep toasty, especially if you turn on the blanket a little while before you climb into bed so that it gets nice and warm first. To avoid burning yourself by laying directly on top of it, lay the blanket under a bedsheet. Most depart-ment stores and homeware shops will stock them if you need to get hold of one. Heated

carpets can just be plugged into the wall, but be wary of putting very heavy objects on top of them!

InsulateSo now that you’ve finally warmed up your icebox of a home, you need to keep that heat in! Block up any gaps under and around doors. You can either buy a draught exclud-er which lays across the threshold, or you can buy the type which stick to the door frame and creates a seal around the bottom half of the door. Carpets over hard floors will also help retain heat, and if you lay an aluminium blanket beneath the carpets it will stop the heat escaping below (especially if you use a kotatsu)

One of the main places that heat is going to escape your house is through the win-dows. Even if the windows themselves are not draughty, if you have thin curtains or no curtains at all then all that heat is going to get out! You can buy bubble wrap to stick to the windows (wipe them down with a weak solution of bleach and water first to prevent mould growth over winter), or get some heavy curtains which block the heat from escaping.

Lastly, close off those empty rooms! Heating spaces that you aren’t using will be cost-ly and wasteful. If you don’t have doors to close the rooms off, hang a curtain or blan-ket over the doorframe to help keep some of the heat in.

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Layer UpWearing multiple layers of clothes will keep you much warmer than wearing one big jumper or jacket. Similarly, having several blankets layered up will be far more effec-tive than having one big duvet. Layers trap heat better, so if you want to keep warm this winter start adding t-shirts thermals beneath your usual clothes. You might end up looking like a marshmallow but at least you’ll be a warm marshmallow.

HeatTechUniqlo and GU both stock HeatTech clothing (they are owned by the same company). The clothes are designed to be thin layers which you can wear under your normal everyday clothes. The products come in a range of styles and colours to suit your needs, and it’ll be worth having some to hand when it’s so cold that you can’t feel your toes.

Get OutsideThere are a multitude of festivals around the New Year so get out and enjoy them. Even if you have nowhere in particular to go, get out with friends and just enjoy the scenery and take in some fresh air. There are also many onsen you can visit, and they usually have towels and soaps you can buy if you decide to go spontaneously. Soaking in the hot water is a great way to warm up. Hibernating through the winter may sound appealing but a bad case of cabin fever might make the winter blues far more worse.

And finally, look after yourself! There’s nothing worse than being cold and having a cold at the same time so don’t fret over the costs of heating your home. It’s worth the extra money to stay warm and toasty.

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City of Ice and SnowStory and Photos By Stephanie Broder

When a fellow JET posted on Facebook that they were interested in getting together a team to sculpt in Sapporo’s Yuki Matsuri, I knew I had to get on board. It had been a crazy dream of mine to take part in it somehow and here was the opportunity. An auspicious turn of good fortune I could not ignore.

I flew from Akita City to Sapporo. I love to fly and I love airports. It always means adventure is at hand. It was somewhat surprising when they didn’t even check my passport at security, or even my Gaijin card. A small reminder of the safety and harmony of Japan. One of my favorite reasons to trav-el in this country.

Touching down in Sapporo was thrilling. It was cold but there was significantly less

snow than in Akita. The train from the air-port was cozy and spacious. And arriving at Sapporo Station was impressive. I knew upon seeing it that I would need to spend more time exploring.

But first I had to have a good sleep so that I could have the energy the next day to do what I came to do: build a snow sculpture that would be part of a festival with around two million visitors every year.

I didn’t know what to expect as my host and I took the train to the park where we would be spending the next few days sculpting. What would the space be like? The snow? I had sculpted with everything from plaster to clay but snow was a new area.

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There was already a group of JETs there, working away on what they had started the previous night while I was still in a plane. The block of snow was enormous. The base alone was up to my waist, with the sculp-ture itself towering over me. So far it was a rough, very rough, shape of the two figures we were carving. I was more than a bit in-timidated.

My fellow builders introduced me to the materials we were using. “Did you bring any waterproof gloves?” I looked down at my little mittens, feeling as woefully unprepared as when I climbed a mountain with nothing but my cellphone and a water bottle.

“No.”

“That’s ok, we have some here you can bor-row.”

The team took over supplying me with wa-terproof gloves (without which I would have been hooped), grates to scrape away the snow, buckets for mixing snow with water… I was reminded, as I was when I climbed that mountain, that you never really travel alone. There’s always someone with more knowledge than you, more experience, and that’s why I love to travel solo. I get to find those people.

Now properly equipped I dove right in. I usually hate the cold and the snow and the wet. But as soon as I began sculpting, all those things vanished from my thoughts. I became fully immersed. Often I would be working on a small section, no more than a foot square, and it was amazing how much energy I could pour into that section.

My team worked just as diligently around me in companionable silence. We paused

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every now and again to view each other’s sections and make sure everything was har-monizing. It felt so natural.

I took plenty of breaks. I love big cities and Sapporo begged to be explored. It also gave me a chance to see the works-in-progress all around me, including the professional teams working with both snow and ice up high on their scaffolding. I visited Shiroi Koibito Park and saw how candy was made, sampled more than my fair share of it. I explored their quaint, Tudor-inspired house and browsed their collection of antique chocolate-drinking cups. I was both amazed and horrified by the old-fashioned toys in their Children’s Toy Box exhibition.

I finally went back to Sapporo Station and browsed the department stores. I had soft-serve Hokkaido-milk ice cream on more than one occasion. Chocolate every time. I shopped for English books in their mas-sive Kinokuniya. I explored the snow dust-ed streets with the thrill that comes from

buildings towering over me on all sides. Then I do what I like to do best and found the highest point I could to look out over the city.

JR Tower’s T38 Observatory is, as you guessed, 38 floors above Sapporo station. I received the excellent piece of advice from one of my teammates to go just before sun-set. Even with the low hanging grey clouds, watching dusk settle over the city would be an excellent experience.

He wasn’t wrong. The Observatory is mag-ical. The ambient music and white marble halls make you feel like you are in a space station in the future. Your ears pop on the elevator up.

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The view stopped me in my tracks as I got off the elevator. The snow-dusted moun-tains. The buildings. The tiny toy cars on the city streets far below. I walked slow circles around the Observatory, taking in each unique view slowly. I watched a snow storm roll into the city as if in slow motion. I watched it roll back out as darkness be-gan to settle. The streets seemed to fill with molten gold as headlights zipped through the darkening streets below.

We finished our sculpture. And it was pretty good for a team of mostly first time snow sculptors. We went out for Italian food to celebrate. It was so much fun working with those people, getting to know them over snow and ice and Italian. But there was something much deeper about Sapporo, more magical, than just the snow sculpture. Something I saw up there at T38 as the city darkened around me, the lights against the snow with a backdrop of mountain. I knew I would be back to Sapporo again someday.

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Ravenous Rick’s Raving Ramen Reviews

Story and Photos by Ravenous Rick

ラーメン二郎 – Jiro’s Ramen

Jiro’s has somewhat of a cult status, and al-though there are over 40 branches now, the first shop (三田本店) is near Keio Universi-ty in Tokyo. 〒108-0073 東京都港区三田2-16-4

The menu is incredibly simplistic – the broth is a mix of shoyu and tonkotsu. The toppings consist of a heaping portion of veg (mostly moyashi), garlic, and meat. The noodles are very unique, a very thick blunt cut, with most of the branches making their own noodles.

The portions are about 3 times the size of what you would expect, and the price ranges from 600 to 900 yen, so either be prepared to leave some left over, or fast in

anticipation for a bowl.

Below is a short excerpt from an interview conducted with the proprietor of Jiro’s. You can find the entire interview here. J: What’s your name?Y: The name’s YamadaJ: So, how long have you been at Jiro’s?Y: Let’s see..since I was 28, it’s been about 15 years since I’ve started. But I did ramen before Jiro’s as well.J: Oh? Where at,Y: Toritsu-Daigaku station (In Meguro). That place is shut down now, but it was a great spot for the Keio students. I worked part time at a ramen-ya after that, which is where I learnt how to make ramen properly.J: So you stole their methods?!Y: I wouldn’t put it that way! I worked there

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for about 3 months and got to see how a proper ramen-ya makes their food. From that, I developed my own style.J: So you make your own noodles here?Y: Yeah, at the first ramen-ya, the guy who made the noodles, Jiro, passed away, and when that happened the shop closed down. His wife gave me Jiro’s noodle maker then, and showed me how to it was done. She didn’t think she would live that much longer after he passed away, so if she taught me what she knew, she believed there would be something of a legacy left over when she passed.Y: She also introduced me to the flour-meal supplier. I haven’t changed a single thing since then, whether or not it means I’m losing profits because nowadays people mix in two to three different types of meal, the amount of people that are lining up here means that I cannot sacrifice my standards.Y: The flour here is different, it all comes from a single meal whereas lower grade stuff will be a blend of 2 to 3 other types of meal.Y: I add salt water, and nothing else – no antiseptic or preservatives to prolong shelf life. Summer might be a bit wasteful due

Photo from Yelp

Photo from Yelp

to this, but if the noodles were to sit on the shelf they would oxidize, and they wouldn’t taste the same the next day.J: I don’t think I’ve had any noodles quite like yours.Y: There isn’t any around like mine. This isn’t me being boastful or anything, I’m just making them the way the old lady taught me, so I have to use that type of flour.J: How often do you eat your own ramen?Y: I always try it at least once a week, I get worried if it doesn’t taste up to standards.J: Jiro’s is open every day isn’t it?Y: Yeah, instead of a day off, I close up shop whenever I get tired.J: You seem to be pretty activeY: Yeah, just like Jiro’s old noodle maker.J: When do you get up?Y: 6 am, then its 1hr to get the machine in order for the noodles.J: It takes you that long to set up the ma-chine?!Y: Yeah, because it’s pretty old now, but the kneading is automated.J: If the machine broke or you made the noodles a different way, I wonder if the taste

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might change…Y: I don’t know about that…J: Kind of scary though, do you think Jiro’s old noodle maker might break?Y: It’s not gonna break. This type of machine is so simple, it is like a rolling pin.

Two ALTs in Kimonos Jasmine Millman and Danelle Acker performed traditional Japanese danc-ing on the stage of Yuzawa Kita JHS's school festival. From the Akita Sakigake newspaper.

J: Thank you so much for your time.Y: I don’t know how useful all this has been, but good luck!

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Attempting to Use 100% English in Class?

This interview with our very own Jonathon Morris was originally published in a newslet-ter from The Akita Association of English Studies at Akita University. It is reprinted here with permission.

Q1. Now, toward the year 2020, English education in Japan is aiming for the princi-ple of teaching English in English. What are the merits of conducting English classes in English?

A1. The role of any language is as a tool to communicate. The idea and aim of teaching English classes in English is that students (and teachers) will use English as a tool to communicate. Unfortunately, in the past many Japanese students have had English classes that did not prepare the students for actually using English. The result is that many students have no experience or con-fidence in using English. By using English as a tool to communicate in class, students can start to replicate real-life situations in a safe environment where mistakes are made naturally and freely. Confidence can be in-creased quickly, and English will become a tool that students will be able to use for the rest of their lives.

Q2. On the other hand, what problems do you see in it based on your teaching experi-ence?

A2. One area that perhaps needs to be changed is that of the tests students must take. If the students must pass an examina-

tion or test that does not test their conver-sational speaking ability, then of coursethis area will be neglected by both the teacher and the students as they focus on what the test requires. Another area to remember is that it may come up against the habits of a lifetime of teachers, students, and even ALTs. Everyone has ideas that have been conceived over many years about the students and about the teachers. I think many of us (teachers, students, ALTs) be-lieve that it is impossible to teach grammar in English, and that students are simply not creative. While it is of course not simple or straightforward, it is it is possible if we can be open to change. For example, a scaffold-ing approach to teaching grammar where the grammar is taught in steps: starting with the basic grammatical structure, and with the final step being the students using the grammar to be create original work can be very effective.

Teaching useful expressions and question forms can also be a very useful communi-cation strategy that can make it easy and simple for students to communicate. For this to be a reality, English education needs to change and everyone in the education system must be constantly open to new ideas and methods that we are willing to try

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to the fullest extent.

Q3. What do you/would you like to pay at-tention to as an ALT when you teach English in English with a JTE?

A3. I aim to create an atmosphere in which the students are relaxed, interested, and where the students want to participate in class. If the students are interested in class, and feel as if it is worthwhile, they have control over their own learning. When a student has the combination of a feeling of self-control over their own learning togeth-er with an interest in the topic, the results and progress can be surprising.

Q4. How can ALTs contribute to the realiza-tion of the principle of teaching English in English?

A4. Having an ALT in the classroom is a fantastic resource for both the students and the Japanese teachers. An ALT with a Japa-nese teacher brings the language alive, and shows the students that English is a tool for communication and an opening to the exciting world we all live in. It is also the opportunity for the students to see and hear a model of English in the classroom. Cru-

cially, this model of English is from neither the ALT, nor is it from the Japanese teacher. The model for the students is the interac-tion and communication between the ALT and the Japanese teacher together. In every team taught class there is a natural interac-tion that is part of the lesson, but also a part often totally unplanned or accidental.Students learn from both about how to use English.

Q5. Lastly, what would you like to attempt to do for a better team teaching in 100% English?

A5. I would like to encourage everyone to be enthusiastic and try some of the techniques that are suggested, with a lot of patience! The methods that are required and recom-mended to teach classes entirely in English may not create instant results and improve-ments. Teachers and students may get con-fused or frustrated with new teaching meth-ods, and decide to revert to older, tried and tested techniques that they are confident in. However, 2020 is fast approaching, as is the future world in which the students of today will inherit. We owe it to the students to try and give them the best possible start in the ever more globalized world.

International Food in AkitaBy Keith IkomaWith winter approaching, you may be miss-

ing food from “home.” While Akita has some great Japanese food, if you are looking for something different, it can be difficult to know what’s out there - and whether it’s actually good. If you’re visiting Akita City, here are some places that might satisfy you needs.

StoresBesides the Kaldi at the Goshono Aeon Mall and Yamaya (various locations throughout the prefecture), some of Aeon’s supermar-kets often have a wide variety of foreign

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foods and drinks. For some reason, my local Aeon started stocking beer from Portland, Oregon. Of course, right in Akita Station is Jupiter, which is small, but has good stuff.

If you are missing non-Japanese bread, there are places to find the good stuff, but here are my two recommendations:

Bekkaraibandeburoto. German-style bread. Not completely German, but pretty close.

Deux Feuilles. French-style bakery with breads and pastries. They also have lunch, but I’ve never done it (I hear it’s good).

RestaurantsThere actually are some foreign food restau-rants in Akita City. There are a variety of Chinese restaurants around, and a few Korean places as well. Here are some of my personal recommendations.

Satisfaction Burger. These are good burgers, and not only by Japanese standards. I’ve forced countless people to go there with me. Apparently a favourite hangout of some of the Happinets.

Namaste. This is the best curry in Akita, but they often change chefs, so it is possible that Lakshmi is now better. But, I will never admit it. Namaste got me through my first Akita winter.

Fermé. French crêpes. Like in France. Don’t let the name deceive you - it actually is open.

Cosi Cosi. They have a proper pizza oven, so good Italian pizza, and tasty pasta options as well. There are also locations near the station and in Jumonji. If you want Amer-

ican pizza, you can always go down the street to Pizza Hut.

Gado Gado. For something like Southeast Asia cuisine, this place is great. I’ve actu-ally never been, but it comes highly recom-mended - especially for the atmosphere.

Aqula / Platz. Until recently, the best option for good beer in the city, but with the open-ing of Beer Flight, there is now more choice; Aqula is an actual craft beer producer with German-style food, while Beer Flight serves a variety of craft beers (mostly American) with traditional pub foods.

Nagahama Coffee. Although arguably “not foreign”, they have nice pastries and great latté art. It’s an alternative to Starbucks near the station or in any of the other loca-tions throughout Akita City. Good lunch or breakfast sets, too.

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Festival Fever Round 2Photos and Story by Chey Parlato

February can be one of the hardest months in Akita, well that is what many people say. You may have also been told that you need to get out and about over the winter months so why not check out some festivals. I tried to attend most of the festivals last year but it is impossible especially if you really want to enjoy them. This is because they all fall around the same time however you can attend a couple of festivals in a day. It can be tiring but defiantly worth it. Here is a guide of Akita winter festivals with information on dates and locations plus a cheat sheet.

The festivals tend to fall around the same time so if you can’t get to all of them this year then you can go to the rest next year (if you are still around). If you are unsure on what festivals to go to, I’m pretty sure there is a sempai out there that can give you the low down of most of these festivals. They all have their own uniqueness so try to enjoy them and most important enjoy the festival food (it’s the plus side to going out in the cold). Here is the link for last year’s winter edition of the Akitan. PA Lynne did an article on the winter festivals and it contains a small write up about what you can expect to see at each festival.

Kamifusen10th FebruaryStart 6pm and last launch is 8.30pm. Location: 西木町紙風船広場 (Nishicho, Senboku). It is a 7 minute walk from Ka-mi-Hinokinai Station

Website: http://www.city.semboku.akita.jp/event/event.php?id=676

Kariwano (Tug of War)10th FebruaryThe Tug of War starts at 9pm.Location: 5 minute walk from Kariwano StationWebsite: http://www.jalan.net/event/evt_178791/?af-Cd=&rootCd=&screenId=OUW1223

Namahage Sedo Festival12th – 14th FebruaryStart 6pm to 8.30pmLocation: Shinzan Shrine, Oga (Mizukuisa-wa-97 Kitaurashinzan, Oga, Akita Prefecture 010-0685)Website: http://www.oganavi.com/sedo/en/

Amekko (Candy Festival)13th – 14th February13th Feb from 10am – 6pm & 14th Feb from 9am – 3.30pmLocation: 大館市　おおまちハチ公通り (Omachi, Odate)Website: http://www.city.odate.akita.jp/dcity/sitem-anager.nsf/doc/amekkoichi.html

Innukko (Dog Festival)13th – 14th FebruaryLocation: Around Yuzawa City HallWebsite: http://www.city-yuzawa.jp/kanko01/686.html

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Hiburi Kamakura13th – 14th FebruaryFrom 5pmLocation: 13th is Kamisugasawa Kakuno-datemachi, Senboku, Akita Prefecture (Park-ing area of for the cherry trees) & 14th is at different locations around the city.Website: http://kakunodate-kanko.jp/

Takeuchi (Bamboo fighting)15th February is the final night and the best night to attend.From 8pm to 9pmLocation: Across the road from Akitasuwa Shrine in Misato. Website: http://www.jalan.net/event/evt_178774/

Kamakura Festival 15th – 16th FebruaryYou can see the Kamakura at any time during the day but there will be students serving grilled mocha and hot amezake in the evening (around 6pm – 9pm). Location: around Yokote City Hall and Yo-kote castleWebsite: http://www.yokotekamakura.com/01_event/04_winter/kamakura_kai-sai_h28.html

Yokote Bonden16th – 17th February16th is 9.30am – 1pm and the 17th is 10am – 1pmLocation: Near Yokote City HallWebsite: http://www.yokotekamakura.com/01_event/04_winter/kamakura_kai-sai_h28.html

Lake Towada’s Winter taleStarts 5th February and finishes at the end of the month. Weekday times is 3pm – 9pm and weekend and public holiday times is

11am – 9pmLocation: 〒018-5501 青森県十和田市, 奥瀬十和田湖畔休屋486(Near Towada elementary school)Website: http://towadako.or.jp/event-info/

Tazawako Snow Festival20th – 21st FebruaryLocation: Tazawako ski areaWebsite: http://www.tazawako-ski.com/event/index.html

Sapporo Snow Festival5th – 11th FebruaryLocation: Odori Park, SapporoWebsite: http://www.welcome.city.sappo-ro.jp/event/winter/sapporo_snow_festi-val/?lang=en

Hirosaki Snow Lanterns11th – 14th FebruaryLocation: Hirosaki CastleWebsite: http://www.hirosaki-kanko.or.jp/web/edit.html?id=cat02_winter_yuki

If you are traveling around Japan during the winter and want to see what festivals are on around the country then you should check out this site. You can select the prefecture that you are going to and then narrow it down by date.

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Lake Towada’s winter Story (Start)

Sapporo Snow Festival

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Kamifusen

Kariwano Tug of War

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Namahage Sedo Festival

13Namahage Sedo

Amekko

Hiburi Ka-makura

Innuko

14Namahage Sedo Amekko

Hiburi ka-makura

Innuko

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Kamakura

Takeuchi

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Kamakura

Yokote Bon-den

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Yokote Bon-den

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Tazawako Snow Fest

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Tazawako Snow Fest

February 2016Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

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Akita Association of JETs (AAJ)From Autumn to Winter….This autumn was a spectacular season for everyone in Akita! The leaves changed to a beautiful golden red, showing Akita’s signa-ture natural beauty. Pumpkins, mittens and hot coffees made their rounds as the wind turned crisp. Most importantly, this year’s Halloween Party was one of the biggest and best on record! With an attendance topping 3oo hundred, the Akita community was able to raise 615,973 in proceeds for BLUE FOR TOHOKU, a Tohoku organization dedicated to helping those still in need following the 2011 East Japan Earthquake. This donation is one of the largest ever raised by the Akita community! AAJ is incredibly thankful to ev-eryone who offered their time and support. It was an amazing event thanks to everyone involved, and we hope that everyone en-joyed a great night of spookiness, dancing and friends.

What to Look Forward to….We hope that everyone is staying warm as the weather gets even chillier! Luckily, as the snow rolls in there are many things to look forward to. More snow means the be-ginning of the skiing and snowboarding sea-son, cups of hot chocolate and cider, vaca-tion, wishes of Christmas cheer and ringing in the New Year! It’s also the start of winter festivals and some great AAJ events.

In February, the annual AAJ Appi Ski & Snowboarding Trip is taking place on the 27th and 28th. This is a non-charity event, purely for adventure and fun. We’ll be trav-eling to Iwate Prefecture and hitting the slopes at the famous AppiKogen Resort, then staying for a night of snowy onsen, food and friends.

We can’t wait to see everyone out and about this winter season! Akita’s winter can be long and cold, just don’t forget there’re so many events and festivals to participate in and enjoy. We’d like to wish everyone safe travels, Happy Holidays & a Happy New Year!

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Getting Into Winter SportsStory and Photos by Jonathon Morris

Preparing for Winter SportsFor better or worse, I am sure you have heard the news: winter is here. Akita is blessed with being a white winter wonder-land from January until March/April time. As well as being a great way to get out from under your kotatsu, winter sports are fan-tastic fun, and are not to be missed while you are in Akita. Winter sports in Japan are generally much more affordable and acces-sible than in many other parts of the world, and there are dozens of ski hills and resorts in and around Akita, with some fantastic quality snow. So if you haven’t tried winter sports yet, here are a few tips to get started.

Getting StartedFirstly, you will need winter clothing. Sim-

ple advice is to layer up, starting with (of course) the Uniqlo HeatTech or Under Armour type base layers. You will need a jacket and pants that are waterproof and windproof with a few layers underneath. Mountain winds have you praise the lords of HeatTech. You can rent the outer layers at some ski resorts, but not all. You can defi-nitely get by with mixing and matching your general winter clothes, but if you find your-self hitting the slopes regularly, a ski jacket and pants is worth the investment.

As for equipment, you will definitely need goggles and gloves. Goggles can be rented, but they are well worth the investment as older/cheaper goggles can steam up and get scratched. Travelling downhill whilst effec-

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tively blind is not as fun as it sounds! Also be aware that there are “Asian Fit” goggles that are a little smaller, so of course try on before you buy.

For affordable winter clothes and ski/snowboard equipment just try your nearest used store such as Second Street or Hard Off. They will have a random selection of ski/snowboard jackets and pants in a wide selection of crazy designs and colours. Don’t worry about looking ridiculous; the name of the game is warm and dry when you are up a mountain, and it is always good to be recognizable in the snow. Helmets are defi-nitely recommended, but they are not com-pulsory. If you choose to go without a hel-met, a warm hat is absolutely necessary. Of course, new gear is also an option too, but it can get expensive very quickly. All the ma-jor sports stores such as Takeda Sports and Xebio will have a wide selection of new and branded gear. Speaking from experience, a

good pair of gloves is well worth the invest-ment, and of course can be used throughout the rest of winter in daily life.Throughly recommended is the annual AAJ ski trip to Appi ski resort. No matter what level you are at you will find friends at a similar level to learn with at one of the best resorts around.

Bro-ScienceTo get started, try what your friends are doing. They will give you priceless advice, and you will have people to ride with who will soon introduce you to the key snow vocabulary such as carving, edging, pizza, traversing, grooming, and will help you tell the mashed potatoes from the powder in no time. As well as introducing you to moun-tain etiquette they can give you tips for gear and where to go as well as tips for improv-ing your technique.

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To Ski or not to Ski (or snowboard)For those that are new to the game, this is the big decision. All of the major ski resorts will have rental equipment available for both skiing and snowboarding.

The general consensus is that skiing is eas-ier to pick up but harder to master, while the opposite is true for snowboarding. Ei-ther way day one is going to leave you sore and aching! If you are still not sure, toss a coin and try one. You can always try the other later. The larger ski resorts will have instructors that can give lessons either one on one or in a small group. Prices will vary, and only the larger ski resorts will advertise English speaking instructors.Renting a ski or snowboard set will cost around 3-4000 yen for a day at most ski re-sorts. The condition of the gear may vary. A ski set includes skis, boots and poles. Snow-board sets consist of a snowboard (duh) and boots.

If at some point you decide to buy gear, re-member that both ski and snowboard boots should be a very snug fit. Both skis and snowboards should be around chin to nose height when stood up. Shorter gear can be easier for beginners. Bindings (the part on the ski or snowboard that secures your boots) are fairly simple for snowboarding and can be done with a few pointers from friends or YouTube. Ski bindings are a bit more complicated, so it is recommended that you get a professional or trustworthy ski veteran to help set them up for you. Bindings have different settings for the level of skier. The settings alter how easily your skis come off. A ski binding that is not set up to the right level of the skier may come free too easily, or not come free at all when you need it to in a fall, which can hurt!

Where to Ski (or snowboard)The first thing to note for the inexperienced is that there are generally three levels of ski run, starting with beginner, intermediate and advanced. Check the map at each resort carefully!

For a more complete source of ski resorts to check out, see the Winter 2014 Akitan article by the wise snow warrior known as Patrick Poelsma: “Akita’s Winter Pastime, hitting the Slopes in Tohoku”

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There are many small ski hills convenient-ly dotted Akita around that can be good to practice on, while there are also some of the bigger resorts around too. Prices vary for a day pass. By far the biggest and most expen-sive in the region is Appi Kogen at around 5000yen for a day pass, but the smaller ski hills will be a fraction of that. The largest resort in Akita is Tazawako Ski Jo which is 4000yen for a day pass. A bonus is that

there are some breathtaking views on clear sunny days which makes for a wonderful experience.

Fear Nothing But FearFinally, don’t be afraid! It is something you will not regret trying, and chances are you might not have an opportunity like this ever again.

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Akitan winter 2015

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