Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011

Attend Japanese conversation classes in Osaka

Osaka International House is seeking participants for a Japanese-language class to be held from January through April.

The Tanoshii Nihongo class is aimed at foreign residents interested in learning everyday conversation in Japanese. There class will be divided into four levels of ability, and will be held weekly from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on either Tuesdays or Wednesdays. The instructors are volunteers certified to teach Japanese.

Those wishing to attend the class must undergo a placement interview in advance. The interviews will be held between 7 and 8:30 p.m. Dec. 13 and 14, and will be conducted entirely in Japanese. Reservations must be made by phone.

The participation fee for the class is ¥5,000, which includes a Minna no Nihongo 1 textbook priced at ¥2,500. The venue is a six-minute walk from Uehonmachi Station on the Kintetsu Line, or a 10-minute walk from Tanimachi 9-chome Station on the Tanimachi or Sennichimae subway lines.

To book a placement interview, please call (06) 6773-8989. For further details and an access map, visit the organizer's website at www.ih-osaka.or.jp/english/ (in Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish).

Kyoto to hold traditional Korean dance event

Kyoto Performing Arts Center in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, is staging a performance of traditional Korean dancing and holding a symposium on the dances Dec. 10 and 11.

The event will feature Kim Maeja, an acclaimed Korean dancer and choreographer. On Dec. 10, she will perform traditional Korean dances from 2 p.m.

The next day, also starting at 2 p.m., Maeja will talk about the process of choreography and a symposium on Korean dancing will take place. A Korean-Japanese simultaneous interpretation service will be provided at the symposium.

Tickets for the Dec. 10 performance cost ¥3,000 for adults and are available at ticket agency Pia (P-code: 415-733) or at the arts center. The symposium on Dec. 11 is free of charge, but advance applications are required by email.

The center is a 10-minute walk from Chayama Station on the Eizan railway's Eizan Honsen Line.

To apply to attend the symposium or for further information, please contact the center at k-pac@kuad.kyoto-art.ac.jp or visit the center's website at www.k-pac.org (in Japanese).

City in Kyoto to feature British 'rakugo' performer

Kizugawa International Exchange Association is holding an English-language "rakugo" comic storytelling event featuring British rakugo performer Diane Kichijitsu from 2 p.m. Saturday in the city of Kizugawa, Kyoto Prefecture.

Admission is free, and there are 150 seats. Advance applications by phone are required by Wednesday. A reception will be held from 1:30 p.m. on the day of the event.

The venue is Central Community Center Izumi Hall, which is a 20-minute walk from Kizu Station on the JR Kansai Honsen Line. For applications and more details, please get in touch with the social education section (Shakai Kyoiku-ka) at Kizugawa City Hall, which can be contacted at (0774) 75-1233 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. on weekdays.

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