The X-Pat Files -  November 2006

 (Brought to you by H&R Consultants)

  The X-Pat Files Community E-Newsletter provides a forum for the spread of information useful for English speakers living in Aichi.  You can use the newsletter as an informational resource, and of course you can send in information you would like to share.
  This newsletter is a community service from The Japan Real Estate and Relocation company, H&R Consultants (www.japanhomesearch.com), and is edited by counselor and life coach Sue Conolly (www.sueconolly.net).

  Contents for This Edition

  1.  Champagne Ball and Awards Evening
  2.  Yamaya Fujigaoka Shop
  3.  Japan Rail Passes and Train Travel Information
  4.  B Spa Le Soeur (beauty spa)
  5.  Nagoya Computer Club and Mac Club
  6.  Apple Store Sakae
  7.  Natalia Mexican Accessories
  8.  Meet & Greet Lunch
  9.  Ochobo-san Midnight Market
 10. Encounters

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  1. The First Annual Champagne Ball and Awards Evening
 Steve Burson

The stylish precincts of the Hilton Nagoya's Oogi ballroom form the backdrop for the first annual Champagne Ball and Awards Evening being held Friday November 17th by the American Chamber of Commerce Japan Chubu and the Tokai Japan Canada Society.
 
The venue will be specially decorated to suit the occasion featuring comfortable bar pavilions, a cigar room and a red carpet showcasing award-winning members of the community. The awards portion of the event will honor notables who have made their mark through service or for simply being the best dressed of the evening. Additional prizes will note those who show up in the best period costume from recent decades of the last century, while some will be distinguished for arriving in attire that is somewhat more dubious.
 
But whether you come dressed as a disco queen, a black-tied man about town or simply the most elegant person in the room the fun will begin on the dance floor where guests will enjoy superb live music courtesy of "Retro 88"who specialize in dance music from the 50s to the 80s.
 
The highlight of the evening will undoubtedly be the sumptuous all you can eat buffet specially created by the Hilton for this unique event, and then an after party ensues upstairs at Windows on the World where guests may enter at no charge and enjoy the house band which will entertain until midnight.

DATE: Friday, November 17th, 7 to 11 p.m.
VENUE: Hilton Nagoya
COST: Members & Guests 9,500 yen
 
Want to join the party? Then get a ticket soon before they're all gone!
 
~Dinner~

The dinner buffet is all you can eat and includes a champagne welcome drink.

~Drinks~

Additional drinks are available at the cash bar. Guests can also purchase all you can drink vouchers for 3,500 yen.

~Dress~

Guests are encouraged to wear their finest. Among the evening's festivities is a best (and worst!) dressed contest to be decided by the dinner guests.

~Children~

A free professional baby-sitting service is available. Advance registration is required. Please contact the ACCJ for additional information.

~Hotel Accommodation~

Guests are welcome to take advantage of special room rates on the evening of the event courtesy of the Hilton Nagoya. For rates and reservations please contact (052) 212-1111

~Tickets~

Tickets are 9,500 yen per person and can be reserved until November 10th.
 
Please contact H&R Consultants on 052-973-3957 for further information on tickets. We can arrange for you to collect them on the night.


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  2. Yamaya Fujigaoka Shop
Jenny Elsby

There is a new Yamaya Shop in Meito-ku.  Yamaya has been featured in the X-Pat Files before and is a liquor import shop, and also stocks many food items and import goods for reasonable prices. 

Free parking right by Fujigaoka station!
Its just north of the UFJ Bank about 50 meters and is a black and red store
 
Address: Meito-ku, Fujigaoka 128
Click Here for Map
 
Tel: 052-760-4811
Opening hours: 10am -10pm

Other Locations in Aichi Prefecture:

Hashira Shop (Toyohashi) 0532-44-1355   
Kasugai Shop (Kasugai) 0568-35-7778   
Tame Shop (Toyohashi) 0532-65-1582   
Sakae Shop (Nagoya) 052-968-2026   
Shin-Sakura-machi (Toyokawa) 0533-82-0660   
Toyokawa-Inari Shop (Toyokawa) 0533-82-0589   

Click Here for English Website

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  3.  Japan Rail Passes and Train Travel Information

Many people know of the exceptional value that comes in the form of a Japan Rail Pass, allowing tourists to ride the train systems in Japan for a set period without having to cough up for individual ticket prices.  Unfortunately, these tickets are only available to those who are not residents of Japan, so if you're not a tourist, then you're out of luck!

However, there are many other forms of special ticket or pass available.  These tickets are all outlined here on japan-guide.com.

The Seishun Juhachi Kippu, meaning something like "Youthful 18 Ticket", is a seasonally available railway ticket, which gives you five days of unlimited, nationwide travel on local and rapid JR (Japan Railways) trains for only 11,500 Yen, or 2,300 Yen per day!  The next season this discount is available is Winter 2006/2007.  Tickets are on sale from December 1 to January 10, and the period of validity for travel is December 10th to January 20th.  For your Christmas and New Year holidays, this is just the ticket!

If you are travelling in the Kansai area for a few days, the Surutto Kansai Ticket is one of the better rail passes available in Japan. One of its advantages is that it does not only cover the train and bus lines between cities, but also most city buses and subways inside the cities.  The Surutto Kansai Two Day Ticket and Surutto Kansai Three Day Ticket are rail passes, providing unlimited usage of trains, subways and buses in the Kansai Region (around Osaka and Kyoto), with the prominent exception of JR trains.

For an absolutely flawless description of riding the train in Japan, please see the related japan-guide.com page, or the JR Group Website. 

For detailed timetable information which includes JR and other trains, and flight information, please see the Hyperdia website.  This not only tells you the fastest and most convenient ways to travel, it also gives detailed fare information, and different travel options.

For those who prefer a voice on the phone, Japan Travel Phone is a nationwide telephone service for those in need of English language assistance and travel information.  Dial 0088-22-4800 (toll-free outside Tokyo and Kyoto).
Service hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.daily.

  
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  4. B Spa La Soeur
(thank you to Christine Watanabe for this submission)

I received information from a Spa and was wondering if it would be something you would want to include in the newsletter.  I have spoken to other Americans who were seeking the same service - Waxing.  I do not know if they are English speaking, however the flyer I received is completely in English.
 
The services they provide are:
Reflexology, Massages, Facials, Spa therapies, and Waxing (leg, arm, back, belly, and most importantly bikini)
 
The contact person is Keiko, who is an qualified international therapist.
The flyer I have stated 30% off your first visit for waxing and 15% off of all other treatments.
 
Tel:  0120-38-8638
Name:  B Spa La Soeur
Location:  Brother sakae building 6th floor, near Matsuzakaya
3-27-18 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya
 
Hours:  Tues-Sat  10-21
Sun/holiday 10-19
Closed on Monday
  
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  5.  NIPCC - Nagoya International PC Club and NMUG - Nagoya Macintosh Users Group
(thank you to Esther Carillo for this submission)

The NIPCC was founded in 1996 by Martin Green, a Canadian computer consultant living in Nagoya. Our members have very varied backgrounds and user levels, from beginners to computer programers but we all share an interest on computers.
We meet at noon on the 3rd Saturday of every month to discuss PCs in English. The Mac User Group meets at the same place an hour earlier, at 11:00am.  Recently we have changed our meeting venue to Shooters Fushimi, which is very centrally located and offers a wide array of American favourites to eat and enjoy while learning more about computers.

A typical schedule for meeting day is:

11:00 Macintosh meeting
12:00 Coffee, goodies, and networking
12:20 Introductions and announcements
12:30 NIPCC Presentation
13:30 Coffee and bathroom break
13:45 Toy time, discussion, networking
 
The next meeting for both groups will be held on Saturday the 18th of November.  Need more information?  Here's our contact details:

NIPCC - Nagoya International PC Club

website: http://www.nipcc.org/
e-mail: mail@nipcc.org
telephone: 090 2924 1455 (please keep in mind that although this is the NIPCC phone, our members have day jobs and it might not be possible to reach someone right away)

NMUG - Nagoya Macintosh Users Group

website: http://www.nipcc.org/mac/index.html
e-mail: nagoyamug@gmail.com

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  6. Apple Store Sakae

I am a Mac user from way back, but sometimes it is hard to convince non-Mac users of the superiority of my religion!  Not anymore!  I have just discovered the Apple Store in Sakae, and the extremely user friendly Genius bar with English speaking geniuses to help me with any problem I might have with my Mac, and to teach me how to make the most of my software.

I discovered the Genius bar when I had to take my computer in for an emergency repair - it was a week before I had to send my mother the completed DVD of family photos she needed for my uncle's seventieth birthday.  Any of you who have had a computer emergency like that will know how that feels! 

I took my computer in, and was told at the Genius Bar that it would probably take 3 or 4 days to fix, since there were other repairs that came in before mine.  I sucked air through my teeth - could I really wait that long?  That's when the genius at the bar told me about ProCare, which is a system by which you pay a yearly fee that allows your computer repair to go to the head of the queue, and also entitles you to free private lessons on whichever kind of software you want to use better.  I have never parted with 9800 yen faster in my life!

The very next day I got my computer back, and at the same time I made a reservation for an English speaking Genuis to teach me the finer points of iMovie, so that I could make my presentation with less stress, and more good-looking effects!  I was back the very next day again for my lesson, which taught me so much in one hour that I was able to finish my DVD in record time.  I went back for one final lesson the next Sunday to finish off my project to perfection (you can take one private lesson per week), and the next day it was in the mail.  I was also instructed how to fix the bug that has been hounding my e-mail software, and how to upload my movie to the internet so that my family could see it.

I spend my days now dreaming up ways in which I could use these private lessons - they are making my computer life SO easy!  And THAT'S why I will always be a Mac person.

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  7. Natalia
Thank you to Gaby Oi for this submission

Natalia is a shop that sells unique accessories imported from Mexico. We have necklaces, bracelets, earrings made of silver and power stones. Also, we have scarves, handbags, shawls, and shoes. The prime material for the scarves and shawls is silk and for the bags and for the shoes the materials are silk and leather. If you are looking for something special and unique, definitely you can find it in Natalia. The shop is located at 14 Shinmoricho, Moriyama-ku, Nagoya 463-0071. Our location is just right outside the  JR Chuo line, Shinmoriyama station. If you plan to visit us please take the local train bound to Kozoji, Nakatsugawa or Tajimi. The express train does not stop. Natalia's phone number is 052-795-5922. We are looking forward to seeing you!

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  8.  Meet & Greet Lunch

 Are you new to town?  Do you want to get out and meet new people?  Or do you just want a nice lunch in a quiet, relaxing atmosphere where you can chat with new friends and old friends?  The Meet & Greet lunch is held on the second Tuesday of the month at Shooters Sports Bar and Grill in Fushimi. 

 Date:  Tuesday, 14th of November
 Time: 11:30am -
 Place: http://www.shooters-nagoya.com/
 Price: 1500 yen for buffet lunch and a drink
 RSVP:  Please RSVP by Saturday the 11th of November.  RSVP to Sue Conolly at conolly@p-cafe.net or by phone 090-4186-9459 during office hours.

Shooters has a relaxed atmosphere and is closed during the day except for our event, so we have the run of the place.  This means that it is a VERY easy event for mothers with  babies or small children.  It also means, however, that I must ask for an RSVP so that Shooters can cater for the correct number of people.  Since they are opening the restaurant especially for us, I want to keep these Meet & Greet lunches well attended as they are a valuable resource for newcomers to the area.  Please mark it on your calendar - every month on the second Tuesday, and let me know if you can come.

Note:  The December Meet and Greet will be a special Christmas lunch, to raise money for a local orphanage.  We are planning to have Santa for the kiddies, door prizes, and a charity auction.  We would also like to arrange a group to go carolling at the orphanage to give the kiddies a taste of Christmas Carols in English.  Details of this special Christmas function will be discussed at the Meet and Greet in November, so if you can, please come along!

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  9. Ochobo-san Midnight Market (Ochobo-Inari Shrine)

This shrine, named "The Shrine of Eternity" in English, is dedicated to those who are in business.  During the first three days of the year more than 350,000 people in 80,000 cars flock to the shrine in order to ensure good luck for their business in the following year.  When I went there, the shrine was flooded with business cards that people had left to ensure that the Gods knew who they were. 

Perhaps to demonstrate the spirit of this shrine, the building itself is surrounded by shopping streets.  This area is nicknamed "Ochobo-san" by those who frequent it.  And in good business style, they have dedicated the last day and first day of every month for the shopping district to be open 24 hours for their midnight market.

I could not believe the number of people there - I could have been in a small side street of Akihabara in Tokyo, but I was in fact in the middle of NOWHERE.  It took me a while to find it, but when I did I was not sorry.  There are some good bargains to be had, and not all of them Japanese.  I got a great foot stool from Thailand, and an exquisitely carved wooden basket for a good price (don't be afraid to bargain).  If I hadn't bought anything I would have gone just for the experience!

The closest interchange on the highway is Gifu Hashima on the Meishin Expressway, or if you prefer Yatomi IC or Kuwana-Higashi IC on the Hiashimeihan Expressway (it is about 20 minutes drive from all these junctions). It is a very tricky place to get to, so please do not leave home without your map. The address is: 1980 Sango Hirata-cho Kaizu-shi Gifu-ken.  The phone number is 0584-66-2613 if you have a navi in your car, but take the map anyway because this might be a number in the public office.  Print the description in this link out too, and take it with you, so that if you get lost you can show it to someone and they will show you the way:

http://www.hirata-sci.com/mapf/fmap.htm

http://www.city.kaizu.lg.jp/english/spotguide/ochoboinarijinja.jsp

The midnight market is ONLY from the last day of the month to the first day of the next month.  That means, go TONIGHT, or Thursday the 30th of November, or the 31st of December when the streets will be packed for New Year with business people who go there to pray for their successful business!

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  10. Encounters

There is a theme on which I would like to write today, but unfortunately it has no really good English translation.  I would like to talk about "Taisetsu na Deai" - the important encounters that we have with people from day to day.

The past few days for me have been very interesting for me.  On Sunday I invited my good Japanese friend to a Halloween party.  I consider her my "taisetsu na deai", a person who I am truly glad that I met.  She and I both have children at school, and we bring important encounters to our children's school by reading them picture books bilingually - me in English and she in Japanese.

It was her first experience to attend a Halloween trick-or-treating, and she told me later that she was very glad to have been included.  Her meeting with me, led to her positive experience.  I was her "taisetsu na deai".

The next day, the same friend called me to invite me to a public lecture being given by local environmentalist and overall amazing guy, John Gathright.  John is a friend of mine and he had attended the Halloween Party in the glittering cloud of enthusiasm that is his nature.  However, I had never seen him speak in public before, so I gladly accepted this coincidental invitation.

The presentation was really wonderful and thought-provoking, and ideas were presented that will be in my mind for a long time.  One part of the slide-show focussed on John's true love - trees, and he expertly outlined many metaphors that can be seen just by observing the way trees grow.  One photo showed a forest of trees, roots intertwined like fingers crossing in an intimate clasp of the hands.  The trees support each other - they strengthen the soil, they stop each other from being blown over by the wind, they cross-pollinate and in these ways they give back to the earth the life-force that they receive.  It is like that with people - we are all supported by those around us.  Our families, our friends, and our important encounters with strangers... it all starts with how we greet the world.

To our great surprise, John also included in his slide-show, the very same Halloween party we had all attended the day before.   John wanted to illustrate, how one bright idea (trick-or-treating to local shops in my neighbourhood) can light up a whole community.  For each and every one of the shops participating in the trick-or-treat, this was a great experience only made possible by their association with me, the foreigner who lives in their midst.  For my friend and I, attending the public lecture that day closed the circle of happy coincidence - our children up there on the screen for all to see.

When I think of important encounters I have had in my life, the list would never end.  My first penpal from Japan who lit the fire under me to learn Japanese and come here, now lives in New York with her family.  My encounter with her has determined where I now call home.  My dear old piano teacher from childhood - the first adult other than my parents to recognise and foster my inner beauty, remains a "taisetsu na deai" long beyound her death.  The actors from the Seto Japan pavilion from the Expo last year - I knew them only for six months when they shared with me their never-ending energy more than 100 times as I dedicated myself to their show, but I remain in contact with several of them until now, and consider them my "taisetsu na deai".

There are many translations for the word "Deai" when you look it up: meeting, serendipitous association, childhood encounter, unexpected encounter, fleeting encounter, matchmaking, fateful encounter or fateful meeting, interpersonal encounter.  However, none of them quite capture the meaning quite as well as that picture of trees swaying in the breeze, living in symbiotic harmony with each other.

That is what I want for my accidental meetings with strangers, and my ongoing relationships with the people that I love.


http://www.sueconolly.net/

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  That`s it for this edition of the newsletter. We hope you found it informative - please let us know what you would like to see in future editions, and we will attempt to address your issues.

  A disclaimer - While we do try to check submissions when they come to me, we do not take responsibility for the accuracy of any donated information.  Nor do we take responsibility if your experience of places and services you find through this newsletter are not as rewarding as they were for the person who originally sent in the information. Obviously everyone`s experience is different.

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