TsukuBlog

The community centers in Tsukuba hold courses that start in May of every year. The course calendar is only available in Japanese, but if you are thinking about learning a new craft, doing some exercise, or brushing up on your language skills, you might want to have a look at the list. Registration runs from May 1 to 15 and the classes all have limits on the number of students who can participate, so apply soon!

Tsukuba Cultural Foundation is organizing an I.T. (Information Technology) training seminar for foreign residents. You can learn how to input hiragana or katakana into a personal computer and send email in Japanese. Also learn the best way to find useful Japanese web sites from search engines. Everyone is welcome. (Sorry, no small children, please.)

* The seminar will be in easy Japanese. English interpreter is available.

Date & time: February 4th (Sun.) 10:00a.m. to 12:00
Place: International Network Center
Member: 15 foreigners who live or work in Tsukuba
Lecturer: Mr. Kazuhiro Yamashima
Fee: 100 yen (text fee)
Application: By telephone or email
Registration & more information:

Tsukuba Cultural Foundation Tel.029-856-7007
Email class[AT]tsukubacity.or.jp

Message from Geni Carmen Zanol

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Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to make ikebana arrangements!

The variety of beautiful flowers is outstanding in Japan. We are inviting all foreigners who are interested in learning how to create flower arrangements based on Ikebana ideas adapted to modern interiors. You will make special arrangements for holidays that are ideal as seasonal gifts or party table accents. Come and learn an art you can share with others on special occasions!

Wednesdays from 9:30 to 12:00 (basically 3 times a month)
Tsukuba Information Center, Tsukuba Center Building (Next to Nova Hall, Azuma 1-10-1)
Open to foreign residents living in or near Tsukuba

INSTRUCTOR: Ms. Mitsuho UNNO, llicensed teacher of Kyoto Koryu School

FLOWER FEE: ￥1,500 x 3 classes = ￥ 4,500 per month
Payment is due at the beginning of each month

BRING: Flower scissors, towel, small bowl, and plastic bag

REGISTER: Send a note to irma.k[AT]m6.dion.ne.jp expressing your interest in joining the class.

I attended the first lesson of the Beginner Square Dance Classes (April to July) in Tsukuba last night. The Tsukuba Square Dance Club has been in existence for more than 25 years and it shows! They are an extremely well-organized group with a very large number of members (almost 70).

I went last night with the intention of just watching, but that was really not an option! As soon as I arrived, one of the members took my hand and led me onto the dance floor. Many people made a special effort to come and talk to me and ask me where I was from and how long I had lived in Tsukuba. Everyone made an attempt to speak to me in English, even if it was not perfect English.

Some of you may not be familiar with square dancing, but you really don’t need to know anything to join these classes. The lessons start from the absolute beginning and don’t assume that you have any knowledge of square dancing. Also, square dancing involves a “caller” who tells everyone what to do during the dances, and all of the “calls” are in English. The instructions are often in Japanese, but the Japanese members of the group offered to translate for the foreign people. It is also easy just to watch what other people are doing.

I can’t say enough about how friendly the people were and how well-organized this group is. If you are having trouble finding ways to make friends with local Japanese people, I strongly recommend that you get involved with some sort of group or club that will effectively “force” people to interact with you. The Tsukuba Square Dance Club has a long history of welcoming foreign residents and I don’t think you could find a more friendly club to join. The next round of 15 lessons started yesterday, but they might still allow people to join from the second class (Saturday, April 14).

I am a bit busy these days, so I don’t know if I will be able to continue to attend every lesson, but I definitely want to try. Hope to see you there!

See: Tsukuba Square Dance Club

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February 2008 Update: I did end up continuing with the classes and have thoroughly enjoyed myself since that day back in April 2007 when I thought I would just show up, take a few pictures, and leave. I highly recommend this activity to anyone who thinks they might enjoy some good, clean fun with some lovely, warm-hearted people. Tsukuba Square Dance Club is one of the most welcoming groups of people I have ever met, and they are always happy to accept new foreign members. If you are thinking about joining, but you are not sure, just come for the first class and see if you like it.

Tsukuba Square Dance Club will conduct an American Square Dance beginner class. Square dancing is a lot of fun, involving both rhythmic movement and a bit of puzzle-like brain work. It was originally an American folk dance, but in the last 30 years has been considerably altered to its modern form, which is now quite popular all over Japan, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia.

Come on and join the class!!

Period: April 7 to mid-July, 2007
Time: 19:00 to 21:00 ; every Saturday evening
Place: Takezono Kominkan (Takezono Public Hall)
Fee: 2,000yen (single), 3,000yen (couple) for 4months
Bring: Indoor-only shoes
Contact: HANDA: hank[AT]olive.ocn.ne.jp, KUDO: kkudo[AT]sannet.ne.jp

I joined the Tsukuba Square Dance Club last April and found it to be really fun. The club is going to start its beginner class again in April of this year and they have asked me to announce the class to the foreign members of the community. The Tsukuba Square Dance Club has been in existence since 1981 and it is an extremely well-organized group.

I can personally vouch for the classes being a lot of fun. The members are extremely kind-hearted and welcoming, and they are always delighted when a member of Tsukuba’s foreign community joins. Most of the current members are Japanese, but the square dancing calls are all in English, and some of the members have excellent English and will offer to help you if you can’t understand what is happening. I think that most people have the impression that square dancing can only be done to country and western music, but that is not the case. The callers can choose whatever kind of music they like, so we get a range of music styles including oldies, dance music, celtic music, and even enka!

If you don’t have any plans on April 5th, please come and join us for your first square dance lesson in Japan!

Here is the information on the classes.

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Tsukuba Square Dance Club offers an American Square Dance beginners’ class every April. Square dancing is a lot of fun, involving both rhythmic movement and a bit of puzzle-like brain work. It was originally an American folk dance, but in the last 30 years it has been considerably altered to its modern form, which is now quite popular all over Japan, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia.

Come on and join the class!!

* Period: April 5 to mid-July, 2008
* Time: Saturday evenings from 7pm to 9pm
* Place: Takezono Kominkan (Takezono Public Hall)
* Fee: 2,000yen (single), 3,000yen (couple) for 4 months
* Bring: Indoor-only shoes
* Contact: HANDA: hank[AT]olive.ocn.ne.jp, KUDO: kkudo[AT]sannet.ne.jp

See also:
Tsukuba Square Dance Club website
My impressions from the first time I attended a square dance class in Tsukuba