TOKUTOKUYA News Vol.8 [March, 2018]

Topic 1 Record snowfall

Japan had heavy snowfall this year. Though Japan experience winter every year this year it was amazingly high enough to be featured in the news as record-breaking snowfall.

Due to the influence of this snow, many people were hit by the damage such as being unable to return home. It even affected delivery and caused many troubles. On the other hand, a lot of people including local residents also helped over this heavy snowfall.

Although the damage was great, it brought people together through the experience of helping each other.

Topic 2 Cherry-blossom viewing / HANAMI

Cherry blossoms are one of the symbolic flowers to represent Japanese culture. In Japan, when the cherry blossom season comes we enjoy beauty of cherry blossoms and meals, so-called “cherry blossom viewing”.

It is said that the cherry blossom viewing originated from the Heian period (from the 800 AD) when the Japanese nobleman saw the cherry blossoms and wrote a song and started a tea party. From that period the time has changed and gradually spread from the nobility to the citizens from the Edo period (from the 1700 ‘s) gradually became one of the common spring events in the modern era. In the past main purpose was to enjoy the view of beautiful cherry blossoms, but now there is a saying “dumplings more than flowers”, which describe how people enjoy eating and drinking than watching cherry blossoms.

There are cherry blossoms in every part of Japan, so you can fully enjoy cherry blossoms.

Topic 3

Nice to meet you, I am Huang (Ann) in charge of overseas affairs.
I’d like to introduce myself briefly.
I’m a 24-year-old female from Taiwan (a small island close to Japan).

I came to Japan around April 2016, so it will be almost two years. It is still difficult to accustom myself to Japan’s cold weather. In my hometown Taiwan, the lowest temperature is 13 degrees in winter, and it is melting hot in the summer, so Osaka, which had been zero degrees almost everyday until recently, is a little too cold for me.
Despite the cold weather, I am traveling abroad Japan for pleasure, so I often go on a trip using Saturday and Sunday.
Japan has distinct four seasons and you can enjoy different sceneries.
This is the picture of sunset on Engetsuto Island. I captured it while trembling in a cold sea breeze the other day.

When the weather gets warmer, I’d like to climb the Kumano-Kodo of World Heritage.

So, this is all for my introduction.
I am looking forward to receiving mail from you.