Proud to be a Tsukuban
Okay, so a guy emails me yesterday. He and his wife are in a bind because she has just been diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer. She is 34. He doesn't have a car, so he can't take her to the hospital. He lives about 30 minutes away from Tsukuba. We have good hospitals here, so she has to come here for chemotherapy. (At least I assume that is why they have to come here for treatment.) So, I write up a letter to send to a local mailing list that i belong to (TAIRA) and send it out. I sent it after 1am last night. It is now 6:45am. I have already received replies from 7 people who have volunteered to drive them. I have had a "somewhat challenging" week and have been depressed about the state of humanity, what with all the bad news lately. But this is helping to cheer me up immensely.
I am so proud of my fellow Tsukubans today.
There is a second "moral" to this story. If you are a woman, find a way to get tested for breast cancer. Here is an excerpt from his letter to me.
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Even if no one is able to help, there is message worth reading. My partner has breast cancer, and we discovered it a little too late. She is in an advanced stage because it went undetected for about 7 years and has spread to her lymphatic system and sternum. She just turned 34 years old this month. What woman in her twenties thinks she should have breast cancer screening? Every woman should. Early detection is treatable and curable. Treatment for stages III and IV are just life-prolonging measures.
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I believe that Tsukuba City Hall offers a women's health checkup once a year, but I am not sure of the content of the checkup exactly. The next time I get a notice in the mail, I will check the contents of the checkup and post the information here.
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Oh, yeah, “that” festival!
Am I the only one who’s annoyed with the name of an upcoming festival, or no one really cares?
“Tsukuba Festival” or better known to us as the “Tsukuba International Exchange Fair(国際交流フェア),” or Tsukuba International Festival for short, will be held during the second weekend of May. The science festival, kid’s zone (festival), and local produce fair will also be held at the same time, so this isn’t just an international event.
OK, I understand that part...., but why on earth did the city name the event “つくばフェスティバル(Tsukuba Festival)” when there’s already a bigger, more famous and popular event called “まつりつくば(Matsuri Tsukuba)” in late summer which is often…, or more like almost always, translated as “Tsukuba Festival”? It just makes me wonder why the city didn’t come up with a better or less confusing name to promote this less known event next month.
When I talk to my friends and other people, Japanese or non-Japanese, about the festival that’s coming up, I often get responses like
“wasn’t there a festival like that recently
(or isn’t that festival already over)?,”
“I didn’t know the city holds that festival twice a year!,”
and
“uh, which one? Oh, yeah, the one in spring!”
I often end up explaining that the "Tsukuba Festival" and "Matsuri Tsukuba" are completely different events.
Matsuri Tsukuba is a distinctive name, and the festival has many features like Nebuta parade, concerts by big name artists, street performances, and bazaars. A lot of people, young and old, are looking forward to this event. Tsukuba Festival next month, however, hasn’t received that kind of attention. I’ve met so many Tsukuba residents who have never even heard of or been to the international exchange fair!
The first day of the festival last year was nightmarish because so few people showed up at the festival due to the cold and rainy weather, so some vendors left even before the lunch time. I hope more people will become interested in this international event, and visit the festival this year, rain or shine.
I hope the city will promote this event more in the future because there isn't even a decent website for this event! How are people supposed to find out about the festival when the city hasn't even updated the festival's official website since last year? I really hope that Tsukuba Festival, a.k.a., Tsukuba International Exchange Fair won't forever remain as "the other festival."
Tsukuba Festival (International Exchange Fair) 2007
May 12(sat) 12pm to 6pm
May 13(sun) 10am to 5pm
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Farmer’s Market in Namiki
Vivian's post "local produce" reminded me to write about another farmer's market in Tsukuba. This one is held on Saturday mornings in Namiki Kinrin Park (並木近隣公園/Namiki Kinrin Koen), which is across the street from Namiki Kouminkan (community hall) by the Namiki Shopping Center. It's officially from 10am to Noon, but the farmers get there before 9am.
This farmer's market has a long history, and the farmers told me that they've started selling their veggies at this park when Tsukuba was still a quiet country town!
Like the farmer's market Vivian mentioned, you can buy various vegetables for very low prices, so it gets extremely crowded especially when vegetable price hikes occur in "regular market." A couple of years ago, price of lettuce went up to 300-500yen each, but you could still get it for 100yen at this farmer's market. Naturally, a lot of people found out about it through word of mouth, and simple task like buying veggies became such a hassle!
What I like about this farmer's market is that the vegetables sold there are organic. The farmers explained to me that they occasionally have to use minimum amount of agrochemicals, however. You'll notice wormholes and some other damages to the vegetables you buy from these farmers, but you'll know why their veggies don't look as good as the ones you see in the grocery stores.
The sign in the picture is asking the customers to bring the 生ごみ(nama-gomi or raw garbage), so the farmers can use them as fertilizers. I always keep banana peels and other "veggie-gomi" in a different bag when I know I'll be visiting this farmer's market. I'm a "eco-minded" person, and since I grew up watching farmers in my neighborhood use raw garbage as fertilizers, it just makes me happy to bring veggie garbage to this place.
The farmers will be there every week, even during major holidays like Golden Week holidays and Obon holidays, and even during severe weather (I'm not kidding about this!).
A fish shop's truck also comes every Saturday mornings, and you can have the fish cut in the way you like. I hear that you can buy the kind of fish you don't see often in the grocery stores.
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What’s it Like in Japan?
This is a video that was shot in Kumamoto City. I thought it really captured the essence of what it is like in a Japanese city.
I thought that this would serve as a nice reminder to people who have left Tsukuba and a good introduction to people who are thinking of moving here.
Kumamoto seems like a very "typical" Japanese city. (Despite the fact that I have never been there, it seems strangely familiar.) Tsukuba is not at all typical. I wish someone would make a video like this about Tsukuba. (Hint, hint!)
Thanks to Blizzard Boy for pointing out this video in his post, "Adventures in Japan - Musical Wonderland".
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Tsukuba Walk Rally
Enjoy a day of walking with your friends and family.
Date: Saturday, May 19 (may be postponed to May 20)
Time: Opening Ceremony starts at 9:30am, Rally starts at 10am
Course: Tsukuba Capio will serve as the start and finish
Fee: 100 yen per person (for insurance)
Fill out an application form (available at community centers and major sports facilities throughout the city). You can see the schedule and course on the application form. Apply as a group (up to 5 people).
Deadline: April 27
More information: Sports Section of City Hall: 029-847-0951
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