International Affairs Center (IAC)Mail Magazine

Vol. 7

A new member of AIMR in August:

SAMUKAWA Lab.Dr. Firman Mangasa Simanjuntak

Research Associate

◆ Research FieldProgrammable metallization cells, valence change memories, synthesis and characterization of nanostructured oxide-materials.

◆ HometownMedan, North Sumatera, Indonesia (latitude/longitude: 98 40' 00''/3 35' 00'').

◆What is your hobby?Play guitar, listen to music, watch movie, trade forex.

◆What is your impression of Sendai and Tohoku University?The people are very kind, polite and always eager to help.

◆MessageHello! Nice to meet you!

◆Aomori Nebuta Festival: Aug 2 (Wed) － 7 (Mon)◆Nebuta Maritime Operation・Firework:

Aug 7 (Mon) 19:15－21：00 ＠Aomori Harbor★Details: ➡ http://www.nebuta.or.jp/

◆ Sendai Tanabata Fireworks Festival：Aug 5 (Sat) 19：00～20：30Location: around Sendai Nishi-park◆ Sendai Tanabata Festival：Aug 6 (Sun) – Aug 8 (Tue)Decoration available: 10:00 – 22:00 ( only the last day : - 21:00)Omatsuri Hiroba: @ Kotodai-park (10:00-21:00)★Details: ➡ http://www.sendaitanabata.com/about

◆ Yamagata Hanagasa Festival: Aug 5 (Sat) – 7 (Mon) 18:00-21:45(map) http://www.hanagasa.jp/download/h29_map_course.pdf★Details:➡ http://www.hanagasa.jp/en/

◆Akita Kanto Festival: Aug 3 (Thu) – 6 (Sun)Location : @ Kanton Odori(map) http://www.kantou.gr.jp/guidemap/pdf/map_2017.pdf

★Details: ➡ http://www.kantou.gr.jp/index.htm

◆ Iwate Morioka Sansa Odori Festival: Aug 1 (Tue) － 4 (Fri)Location: @ Chuodori Street ★Details: ➡ http://www.sansaodori.jp/pdf/pamphlet_english.pdf

◆Fukushima Waraji Festival: Aug 4 (Fri) – 5 (Sat)(map) http://www.fmcnet.co.jp/waraji/2017/pic/map-b.jpg★Details: ➡ http://www.fmcnet.co.jp/waraji/

Month Event Place Period

Au

gust

Hachinohe Sansha Grand Festival Hachinohe, Aomori 7/31-8/4

Goshogawara Tachi-neputa Festival Goshogawara, Aomori 8/4-8/8

Iwaki Port Festival Iwaki, Fukushima 8/4

Iwaki Fireworks Festival Iwaki, Fukushima 8/ 5

Kitakami Michinoku Performing Arts Festival

Kitakami, Iwate 8/4-8/6

Matsushima Lantern Floating and Fireworks Festival

Matsushima, Miyagi 8/15-8/16

Izunuma Marsh Lotus Flower Festival Tome&Kurihara, Miyagi Early to late Aug

Nishimonai Bon Odori (Dance) Ugo, Akita 8/16-8/18

Hanawa Bayashi (Music Festival) Kazuno, Akita 8/19-8/20

Murayama Tokunai Festival Murayama, Yamagata 8/18-8/20

Shinjo Festival Shinjo, Yamagata 8/24-8/26

Omagari National Fireworks Competition

Daisen, Akita 8/26

Sep

tem

ber Japan's Largest "Imonikai" Festival Yamagata, Yamagata 9/17

Hanamaki Festival Hanamaki, Iwate 9/8-9/10

Johzenji Street Jazz Festival Sendai, Miyagi 9/9-9/10

Aizu Fall Festival Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima 9/21-9/23

Date Topics

8 August (Tue) KANJI and SHUJI (Calligraphy)

12 September (Tue) Exchange of travel information(Local attractions / a day trip)

17 October (Tue) Short Speech (Express your feelings and impressions)

Japanese Traditional Culture

～ OBON ～Obon is a Japanese traditional summer eventfor Buddhist to commemorating our ancestors.At Obon period (usually from 8/13-15), webelieve that our ancestors’ spirits return to thisworld to visit their family and relatives. Tocommemorate this special occasion, wewelcome our ancestors with Bon odori (folkdance) which is usually held at parks, shrines ortemples on Obon night. There is also a traditionto make objects “Cucumber horse” and Eggplantcows” during Obon. This represent the family’sdesire: the horse mean “We would like ourancestors to come fast ” and the cow, “ Wewould like our ancestors to go back slowly”.

～KIMONO & YUKATA～Kimono is a Japanese traditional cloth. These days onlya small number of Japanese people wear Kimonoevery day, however, they are still in common use forspecial formal occasions. It is beautiful, but gettingdressed in Kimono without specialist’s help is almostimpossible due to its complicated process.Meanwhile, Yukata is simpler and more casual thanKimono. Especially during summer, it would be goodidea to relax at home wearing Yukata, or go to thesummer festival and bon-odori. When you stay atRyokan (Japanese traditional hotel with onsen), youwill be able to wear Yukata as pajamas and sleep withFuton.A midsummer is coming very soon, so why don’t youtry on Yukata and go to the festivals?!

Bon-Odori

Objects: Cucmber& Eggplant

Yukata

Kimono for Wedding

～ Let’s discover the interesting spots in Sendai! ～

【Contact】IAC (International Affairs Center)E-mail: iac@grp.tohoku.ac.jp | Tel: 022-217-5971Address: 2-1-1 Katahira Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577Website: http://www.wpi-aimr.tohoku.ac.jp/iac/indexE.html

If you have any problem regarding procedures in the university and something else, please feel free to contact IAC. We would be happy to help you.

Contact

Agent

IAC holds Japanese Class for international researchers and their families. Let’s enjoy Japanese with us!For detailed information, please visit our website.

IAC

JapaneseClass

IAC Support Information

～A lovely and unique market ～ IROHA Yokocho～

Just for 10 minutes on foot from Katahira campus Tohoku University, thereis a lovely and unique market called “ Iroha Yokocho”. Once you enter there,you will be able to feel the atmosphere of “Showa-era” which is a periodfrom 1926 to 1989 in Japan. There are total 109 shops in this area,including shops for clothes, foods, souvenirs and restaurants. Probably,there might be someone who don’t know about Showa, so please just visitthere and feel the old style environment and find your favorite one (ormore)!

Sun-mall

Aro

un

dH

ere

Dru

g st

ore

To

mo

ds’

To KatahiraCampus TU

Minamimachi street