It's a Girl!

 

Congratulations to  Lonnie and Asuka on the  late November arrival of  their daughter,
Lea Sugiura Hamilton

 

New Year's in Japan

by Dave

It’s that time of the season where we can spread our good Xmas cheer here in Japan and abroad in our home countries- ho-ho-ho !!!( no anagrams here to figure out, ha-ha-ha).  I’m heading back to Canada for a probably wet, but possibly white Xmas on the west coast.  As for my fellow colleagues, some I’ve spoken to have plans to travel around this island nation. 

As for celebrating Christmas in Japan the Japanese way, there are two rituals that have been around for a couple of decades or so and you have two options; a ‘must have’ bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken and a cream-covered strawberry ケーキ, or, if you’re with your sweetie, dinner at a 高級レストラン and a stay overnight at a very nice **** hotel.  But I’m digressing. 

For those of you who would like to experience Oomisoka (大晦日), Hatsumode （初詣), or Hatsuhinode (初日の出), or have already and will do so again this upcoming New Year, but have no idea of the origins, well, bear with me for a brief description.  初詣 is  a visit to a shrine or temple (参詣)at the beginning of the year, usually the first 3 days (but that can be stretched to a few more days). This begins from midnight on New Year’s Eve where people can ring in the new year listening to the temples and shrines ringing in the new year literally, which is called joya no kane (除夜の鐘), and getting in touch with one’s ujigami (氏神),secluding oneself in the shrine staying awake all night before the deity, and at the same time celebrate 初詣,　which has its origins in “ehoumode” , the pilgrimage to a shrine or temple that lies in an auspicious direction (ehoumode), which was regarded as a direction based on the zodiac sign of the year (eto) and where no cursed god ( 祟り神)was to come.  So, long story short, Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to all !!!

 Cheers!

 

What's coming up...

 

O-Taiko Matsuri (Big Drum Festival)

January 1-3
Toyotsumi Shrine, Shizuoka City
This festival was designated as an intangible cultural asset by the prefecture in 1998.

Suisen (Narcissus) Festival

At Cape Tsumeki, visitors can enjoy viewing around three million wild narcissuses that bloom from      December to the beginning of February.

 

7 Ideas for Repurposing Offices Faxes

by Sydney

They say messy handwriting is a sign of great genius!

If you’re like me then you’re eagerly awaiting the day when the fax machine gives up its death throes and goes the way of the dinosaur (car phone, answering machine and pager, I’m looking at you). In the meantime, you and I have further things in common if you’re always looking for new ways to repurpose the mountain of non-recyclable hard copy that lives in your office. With that in mind, I’ve listed a few ideas for getting more use out of those faxes on their journey to the incinerator. Enjoy!

1) Note paper
Let’s start with the obvious. Why use a fresh piece of paper to write a memo that’s only tossed out later? Grab a manageable stack of faxes (always from the bottom of the pile – first in, first out) and cut the whole thing into quarters (or eighths if you’re after Post-it sized notes). You can use a staple or a paperclip to hold it all together.

2) All-purpose Rag
If you diligently clean your office with a cloth rag and then bring it home to wash it, good on you! If not, skip the paper towels or anti-bacterial wipes and grab a fax instead. Just crumple it up and use it as you would any cleaning implement. Bonus: it doesn’t leave streaks on glass surfaces.

3) Furniture Level
If your chair or table wobbles, wedge paper under the offending leg to combat uneven surfaces. Fold a fax to the appropriate thickness and there you go.

4) Christmas Decorations
Everyone can use some makeshift Christmas decorations, right? Old faxes can reincarnate as beautiful snowflakes, paper crowns, paper chains…the list goes on and on! It’s a fun activity to do with your members or even at home. Alone. On Christmas Day.

5) Box Stuffing
While we’re on the topic of Christmas, have you sent your gifts yet? I know at least one person who hasn’t, and this individual should leave work today with a generous stack of faxes to crumple up and use as box stuffing. Your gifts will be nicely cushioned and very well informed.

6) Home-use Printer Paper
Now that you’ve decorated your home for the season and sent your gifts, it’s time to go online and find some amazing holiday recipes. I often sit at home during festive times perusing The Food Network website (a potentially hazardous confession?) and when I find something that looks good, I like to print it out. Here’s where the trusty fax comes in. You will likely have a few left over from your crafting spree so load them into the printer and make that thing double-sided.

7) A Shameless Plug
Finally, when you’ve done all that, why not write a chronicle of your adventures for the FIA newsletter? Nothing works better than the reverse side of a fax for drafting your masterpiece. I’ve done just that and attached photo evidence.

Happy Holidays!

 

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The Christmas Spirit has arrived in Daito!