Miyazaki can be surprisingly cold considering where we are on the globe. Our houses aren’t built for such cold weather, and many of us spend the winters huddled at the kotatsu and eating nabe. But sometimes you just need to get out of the house and do something despite the cold. Continue reading
The time has finally come for the Sixth Annual Amazing Race Miyazaki! This is one of our biggest events of the year. Some of you may already be familiar with the American TV show, The Amazing Race. The Amazing Race Miyazaki is loosely based around this televised competition. In this event, teams race to solve clues, complete challenges, and earn points!
Each year, MAJET chooses a new theme and different locations around Miyazaki City for their challenges to take place, giving participants the chance to discover new secrets about the city. This year, the race will be based in Aoshima, and each challenge and their clues will take you on a journey through the animated worlds of Studio Ghibli and Disney! Continue reading
Spring has sprung, and soon the cherry blossoms will be in full bloom! Sakura blossoms symbolize many things, especially for students and teachers. The bittersweet ending of a school year when graduates move on, students change classrooms, and teachers are transferred to new schools. The excitement of a new beginning or a fresh start in a new place. All overshadowed by the fleetingness of the sakura blossoms, reminding us to enjoy things while we can, for nothing lasts forever. Continue reading
The time has finally come for everyone to enjoy perhaps Japan’s most popular season: Spring! And what’s the best way to do that? By coming to Sake and Sakura, MAJET’s hanami (花見) event!
For those wondering what hanami is, first of all… Continue reading
Art by Alex Boake
As the holiday season is in full swing, some of us are heading home to be with family or going on tropical vacations. And some of us will stay here in Miyazaki to watch the red leaves fall off the branches and warm up with a hot bowl of ramen. There is a chance it won’t be as nostalgic as your hometown traditions, but Miyazaki and the surrounding areas have a lot to offer during this season! So, we have compiled a list of ideas to battle those Japanese-shocked holiday blues. And hey, you might even discover a new tradition of your own! Continue reading
Miyazaki may be known as the surf and sun capital of Japan, but our prefecture has much more to offer than summer fun. 😉 As part of our Fawning Over Fall event, MAJET took advantage of one of Miyazaki’s many other outdoor pursuits–river kayaking! Continue reading
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
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 
(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
miyazakiajet.org 