Author: miyazakiajet

Dancing All Night: Takachiho’s Yokagura Festival

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Miyazaki’s own Takachiho-cho is the birthplace of many Japanese myths and legends. These events are recreated in the form of yokagura (夜神楽), a traditional Shinto dance. The full traditional yokagura is comprised of 33 dances. Every night at 8pm, Takachiho Shrine (map) hosts an abbreviated version of yokagura which you can see for around 700円.

From November to February, however, each shrine in the village takes turns hosting all-night performances of the full yokagura! The revelry starts around sundown and doesn’t stop until the next morning, but the audience is free to wander in and out and drink shochu to stay warm (lots of layers are recommended).

To give you an inside look at this annual festival, former Takachiho JET Ellen Freeman has graciously allowed us to repost an article she wrote for the Kyushu Article Contest last year. Enjoy! Continue reading →

Volunteer at the 2016 International Christmas Market!

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Christmas time is here! It’s the most wonderful time of the year and we need all the help we can get to spread a little Christmas cheer. Fight the year-end blues by joining us on 23 December (also a National Holiday) from 13:00 – 17:00 for a wonderful Christmas volunteer opportunity.

This year, MAJET is teaming up with Rika hyuna_xmasvolunteer(Kiyotake International Association) and Sascha (former CIR) to join the Christmas Market at Ichibangai (map) in Miyazaki City. This is a typical Christmas Market and so there will be plenty of other stalls too. In order to have a successful stall, we need your help! We’re looking for people to dress up as Santa/Santarina and take some snaps with kids or make their day by giving them candy. We also need workshop assistants and carolers/ performers.

If any of these tickle your fancy then sign up today! Continue reading →

Calling all Volunteers!

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As the days are getting shorter and cooler, it’s time to spread a little love and warmth where we can. Do you feel an urge to give back to the community but need a change from the usual English volunteer activities? Fear not! MAJET is excited to bring you a new volunteer opportunity where you can showcase your musical talents. Even if you feel like you are lacking in this area, join us anyway. The residents at Tano Care Home would love to meet you. Continue reading →

Join us for the 2016 Welcome Party!

Can you believe that August is soon upon us?  Neither can we!  But with summer vacation just around the corner, that means it’s time to meet a new batch of Miyazaki JETs! Please join us for one of the biggest events of the year—the Welcome Party!

This year, we are giving the new JETs a crash course on Japanese cuisine by having our welcome party at Kurogiya, a cozy izakaya on Tachibana-dori.  After we have enjoyed their delicious set menu and taken full advantage of their 3 hour nomihodai (all you can drink), we will continue to party the night away by hopping over to K-Bar, a popular nightspot within the JET community. Continue reading →

Volunteer at this year’s Sea Festa in Miyazaki!

*For information in Japanese, please click here

Sea Day (海の日) is coming, that lone public holiday in the long, hot month of July. It’s a day this island nation sets aside to show its gratitude and respect for the sea, and lots of people go to the beach. Why not join us there the day before?

On Sunday, July 17th, a group of friendly MAJETers are going to Sun Beach Hitotsuba (map) in Miyazaki City to volunteer at an event called Sea Festa (海フェスタ). This event started years ago to help encourage people with muscular dystrophy.  This year, event coordinators are expecting over 120 people to come—some are blind, some have brain injuries, and some have physical impairments. Our job is to help them enjoy the sea as much as we do! Continue reading →

MAJET 2016 Needs YOU!

Is there an unknown events coordinator hidden inside that ALT exterior?  Or are you a connector, eager to bring the local community and the foreign community together? Maybe you’re super creative, full of ideas for events, blog content, or helpful tips for people living in Miyazaki, but there’s not much of an outlet for your creativity at work? Or, maybe you just want to work on your management skills and build up your resume?

Let’s just be real: we need you! Continue reading →

12 Delicious Reasons to Move to Japan

Today we share a guest post from Nobeoka ALT Makaya. You can read the original post in her and her husband Jon’s blog, Moore Gaijin, here.

Japanese food is crazy good. And here in Miyazaki, famous for its progressive culinary scene, we eat like kings and queens. We have had the pleasure of enjoying the local flavors along with some good ol’ traditional dishes. This is also why we have joined the local gym… (eeek)! Here is a list of our favorites. We have also included some recipe links to the ones we like to make at home. Itadakimasu! Continue reading →

Paparazzi at the ready…

 

Merry Christmas Miyazaki! We hope you’re all having a fantastic last few days at work and are all ready and packed for whatever seasonal adventures you have planned! Meanwhile, in the MAJET world, plans for our annual Mid-Year Party are well underway and we would like to take this opportunity to extend to all of you an official invitation to… Continue reading →

Sumo Grand Tournament 2015- Cancelled

10/4/15  UPDATE:

We’re very sorry, but due to immense holiday crowds, MAJET was unable to obtain tickets for the tournament as planned. Because of this, we’ve been forced to cancel the Sumo event. However, we are working on arranging an alternative November event, so please keep an eye out for future announcements. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact MAJET at miyazakiajet@gmail.com.

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Ladies and Gentlemen get excited because it’s time for MAJET’s much loved Fukuoka Sumo event! Sumo is one of the most popular sports in Japan with many tournaments being held around the country throughout the year. This year MAJET is hoping to source tickets for Final Day of Fukuoka’s Grand Tournament and we want YOU to join us!! Continue reading →

Dragon Boats – Whose side are you on?

8/31/15: Please note the change of date in the details below!

Dig out that super suit and summon your minions because it’s time for the most exciting boating event to hit the MAJET calendar this year! That’s right! It’s time for the Kagoshima Nejime Dragon Boats Competition, and this year we are looking for our most heroic (and villainous) members of MAJET to join our teams! Continue reading →