Aomori in Japan

I would like to introduce about my hometown “Aomori” which is located on the top of the main island of Japan.  I’m from west part of Aomori.  There are lots of  green, clean air, and beautiful view. Also, many tourists come to visit enjoy them every year.  I will write about some famous tourist spots.

Nebuta

At first, My most favorite thing in Aomori is Nebuta Festival.  This is one of the three biggest festival in Northeast Japan. It’s held in all over the Aomori and over 3 million tourists come to see this event every summer. It's held around 8/3~8/8. There are many big human shaped floats parade through the streets.  People enjoy the festival music, people dancing(actually they are jumping), and the enthusiasm. We call people who join dancing “Haneto”.  This means jumping people.  

Haneto

When I participate to “Haneto”, It was really fun and I felt this moment would not finish forever.  I didn’t feel tired during I was jumping, but after finish festival my feet were really sore! It was heavy muscular pain. Next day, I also didn’t feel my feet sore during participating because of Adrenalin, but after finishing that, my feet were sore again.  That was funny thing I experienced.

Originally,  aomori citizens began this festival in 300 years ago.  Many of them were farmer, and they tried to sweep out their sleepiness through this kind of really small events.  Since then, that event had changed its form, and now Nebuta is famous big festival in Japan.
There are some performance teams during festival, they are separated dancing group and music group. They practice really hard before summer and finally they perform in front of huge audience. Do you want to join them? Of course you can!  In the biggest Nebuta festival, you have to wear standard uniform which is like straw hat and casual kimono. you can get them at shopping mall.  It’s free to join their dancing, but  you have to join a team and practice with them if you want to play music with them.
Also, there are standing Nebuta in Goshogawara city! The floats standing and look down at us.  Their height is around 72 feet and the weight is about 17 tons.  You might get your neck hurt if you look up at Nebuta face from its feet.  
I believe that you can release your stress and enjoy it from your heart. Please join it!

Standing Nebuta                                                                                                


Blue Pond: Second, this is also my favorite fantastic view.  Can you imagine a pond which has blue color? and Do you think is it exist in real world? Yes it is. It’s in a mountain in Aomori. The name is Aoike(blue pond), and it creates fantasy scene. The reason why it is blue has still not been elucidated.  You can also enjoy autumn leaves in autumn.  I hope you will refresh and feel mystic atmosphere.

Blue Pond

Sea:
Aomori is surrounded by ocean on three sides. I can go to a fishing port and beach by a car. it takes 10 minutes from my house. Very small beach. I sometimes go there during summer and enjoy the view. Time passes slowly there.  However, there is also a big event in summer! many people come gather from all over Japan(some people come from overseas), and hold swimming competition. The name of the competition is CHESEBOROUGH CUP.  People not only compete their swimming time, but actually they contribute for my hometown and its sister city. Our sister city is Bath city, maine state in the U.S. these two cities has been trying to swim long way as same distance as between two cities. It’s 10,200km.   This kind of event is also held in Bath city.  These events will last until we swim 10,200km.  

Cheseboroh Cup

There are many spots to see.  I know big city is exciting, but I really recommend you to enjoy countryside in Aomori.

Curry shop in Kawagoe

Curry Shop in Kawagoe

I’d like to introduce about my favorite curry restaurant. It’s located around Kawagoe station. The Restaurant’s name is “KAMANA”. 　KAMANA　means “Wishes come true” in Nepali.　All KAMANA's staff are very nice people. They always have smiles and always talk friendly, it makes us relaxed.  There are no Japanese staff, but they can speak Japanese.  Their food is really good! You will be amazed once you eat their food.  It has been 5 years since KAMANA opened business.  

Garlic Nan

First of all, They have many kinds of food. there are more than20 kinds of curry,
9 kinds of Nan and rice,18 kinds of Asian food,Lunch/ Dinner set menus,
12 kinds of other food, about 20 kinds of side menus,56 kinds of drink menus, and dessert.  

Wow.. so many choices there are.  Do you think it’s difficult to pick one for you? The easy way to decide your order is choose your favorite curry at first and then choose your favorite nan.  Or, you can choose a set menu. It’s easy for you to pick up curry because the number of curry that you can choose is limited in a set menu. KAMANA has 5 levels for curry spice.  If you like spicy food, You can challenge hot or very hot.  If you don’t like spicy food, you can choose sweet, mild, or medium.

Daily curry set

Spinach and　Indian cheese curry

   Second, I will show you some price examples.

Curry ￥1000~, 
Soft Drink ￥350~, Cocktail ￥420~,

Lunch set ￥800~￥1380 (service price for dessert and soft drink during lunch time), 

Dinner set ￥1390~￥2500,  

Coupon

My favorite curry is Mix seafood curry.  

Third, I have some more good information about their shop.  Some people (especially for students) feels these are little expensive, however, KAMANA has some coupons! you can bring it and get discount! Sometimes staff pass out their coupons or you can print out from their website. 

Party menu

In addition, you can have a party there! Asian food party! It cost ￥2000~￥3500, and if you add ￥1500, you can drink what ever you want.

Three colors curry

Tandoori Chicken

Lastly, they opened 2nd restaurant near by Honkawagoe recently.  Therefore, you can choose which restaurant you may go.  I’m sure you can enjoy their food and services both stores.  I recommend you to go there to have some lunch or dinner with coupons.  

Butter Rice

Nasi goreng

www.e-kamana.com

Building2, 2nd Floor

This article will introduce our school, especially Building2. There are lounge on 2nd floor building2 that students and teachers can hang out, and there are always many people chatting, hanging out, or studying all the time. We have unique system which is called LEAP and English Lounge which is nice system for students to learn English. Especially for freshmen, they must go to English lounge to practice speaking English with native English speaker teacher. I will research about the number of teachers and students related to LEAP and English ounge.

There were 11 teachers who have worked on English Lounge. With my department “SLC(Study of Language Communication)” was established 8 years ago, English Lounge was created. 4 teachers worked English Lounge full-time part, but 7 teachers worked as part-time. These teachers are always kind and friendly, so they are easy for students to talk even in English. They are always popular people, and students speak to them besides English Lounge.
You have to reserve each time if you want to join the English Lounge. There are 8 sessions a day, and 4 spots each times this semester. It was difficult to find out the number of the students who have used LEAP and English Lounge until now. However, I counted this week’s students list.  There were already more than 120 students this week! That’s great. They are good students. In the opposite, you do not have to reserve for the LEAP. Unfortunately, teacher do not appears LEAP all the time because they have office hours for the LEAP. Students can talk or ask him their questions between his office hours. Also you can rend a English book to read it and solve some questions about the article.

As I mentioned before, the LEAP and English Lounge are in the lounge building 2, 2nd floor.  There are always some international students or foreign teachers. I thought I would research and show how many foreigners (including teachers and students) can we find a day? However I couldn’t stay in the lounge all day. Therefore I counted the number of them after-school hours. The number of people depends on each time, but at least there are 3~5 foreigners. At one time there are more than 20 foreigners. It is fun to become friends with them. We can help our homework each other or just talking is also nice! You should go to there and go hang out with them!

In conclusion, the 2nd floor, building 2 is the place that students can study and enjoy with their friends. 11 teachers have worked for the English Lounge until now, and more than 120 students use it every week. Also you can go to the LEAP to lend a book and get some efficient advice from your teachers. Additionally, when you go to the lounge, you would make friends with international students or native speaker teachers. What a nice place the Lounge is!