Thursday, December 6, 2018

[EVENT] Christmas Events in Yokohama 2018

 


Motomachi Twinkle Christmas 2018

https://www.motomachi.or.jp/event/twinkle2018.html
Green Charity Santa Claus
(you can donate some money and take a picture with the Green Santa)
December 15th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th at Motomachi 1-chome Plaza
11:30-12:30, 13:30-14:30, 15:00-16:00, 16:30-17:30

Double-Decker tour ride and exhibition
December 21st (FRY)-25th (TUE)
Tickets available for those who have a receipt of the particular shops in Motomachi Shopping Street (purchased in Christmas time) (max 59 people at a time)
ATTENTION! This year they do a tour departing from Motomachi and arriving at Motomachi. And you must show your receipt of your purchase there to get the tickets.

Check their SNS for more details
https://www.facebook.com/motomachiss/

Motopachi photo shoot
December 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th
10:00-18:00

Red Brick Warehouse (Akarenga) Christmas Market 2018


https://www.yokohama-akarenga.jp/christmas/

Meet Santa Claus
December 14th, 18th, 20th, 21st
(time and place unknown, presents are only for kids 12 and under)
https://www.yokohama-akarenga.jp/event/detail/636

World Porters Christmas 2018

https://www.yim.co.jp/christmas/event/index.html

Greeting Santa Claus
December 23rd-25th
1F 11:00-, 13:00-
5F 11:20-, 13:20-

Photo with Santa
12:00-, 15:00-
2F Kishamichi main gate
tickets available on the spot 60 minutes before each time, first 20 groups

And many more events...

Landmark Christmas 2018

https://www.landmark-christmas.jp

Artificial snowing
December 8th, 15th, 22nd, 23rd and 24th  17:00-, 18:30-
9th, 16th and 25th 17:00-

Yokohama Bay Quarter Winter Party

https://www.yokohama-bayquarter.com/event/winterparty/

Snow time (around the Christmas tree)
22nd 13:30-13:50, 15:30-15:40, 17:30-17:40

Outdoor Movie Show (17:00-) opens at 15:00 at 3F Main Square
15th: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (in Japanese)
16th: You've Got Mail (in English with Japanese s

Toysrus Meet Santa


11:30-12:00, 13:00-13:30, 15:00-15:30, 16:00-16:30, 17:00-17:30
Check out the date of his visit at your local store:
https://www.toysrus.co.jp/event/CSfChristmas.jsp

9th: Tama, Odawara, Sagamihara, Atsugi etc..
15th: Yokohama Izumi, Yokosuka etc...
16th: Hadano, Hiratsuka etc...

*Sorry!! Minatomirai store already finished it.

Friday, November 23, 2018

[IMCY ACTIVITY REPORT] IMCY Cooking Party Autumn 2018

It was a Facebook-member-only event but we got together to make some lovely deco-mochi (decorative rice cake) at Furocho Chiiki Care Plaza on November 3rd.


We tried the rose design.

Some kids tried making it with their parents. It was not very easy but a lot of fun especially when we slice it and find the design. 

[IMCY ACTIVITY REPORT] Hodogaya International Festa 2018


We had a booth at Hodogaya International Festa 2018 and a lot of people visited our booth!! 
Many kids enjoyed our bi-color bath bomb workshop, too. Our member sold her beautiful craft projects, which were perfect for a Christmas gift. 

Thank you very much for visiting us and see you again next year!!

Friday, November 2, 2018

[EVENT] Hodogaya International Festa 2018


IMCY team will attend Hodogaya International Festa 2018.

Date: November 18th (SUN) 10:00-15:15 (Our stand starts at 11:00)
Venue: Iwama Shimin Plaza (We'll be on the 4th floor)

We are going to sell some handmade items, imported items etc. This year, we'll have bi-color bath bomb workshop (¥100 /person), too!

Come and join us! There's a lot more fun at the festival, too!

 For more information: http://www.hodogaya-kokusai.com/en/first/page-1361/


Thursday, October 11, 2018

[EVENT] Halloween in Yokohama and Around 2018

Yamate

Yokohama Yamate Halloween Walk 2018
http://www.hama-midorinokyokai.or.jp/yamate-seiyoukan/details/2018-11.php
28th (SUN) 10:00-16:00
Halloween Stamp trail and costume contest etc.


Royal Wing DJ Halloween Cruise
27th, 28th and 31st
Dinner cruise 19:30-21:20
Adult 8500/person
Elementary schooler: 4000 yen, preschooler: 2000 yen
(boarding ticket, buffet and welcome drink included)
https://www.royalwing.co.jp/event/halloween.php

Motomachi Halloween 2018

28th Dog Halloween(first 50 groups)

31st Kids Halloween  16:00-
https://www.motomachi.or.jp/event/halloween2018.html

Minatomirai


Minatomirai Takarajima (Treasure Island) Halloween
Stamp Rally 11:00-17:00 (no stamps given after 16:00)

Mitsubishi Minatomirai Museum
http://www.mhi.co.jp/museum/index.html
27th, 28th, 29th and 31st admission free if you are in Halloween costumes



World Porters Halloween 2018
October 27th (SAT)
Costume Parade with Sylvanian Families
Sylvanian Families Kids Show

For more details check the website after mid-October.
https://www.yim.co.jp/halloween/

Halloween Rally
11:00-16:00
Trick or Treating (costumed, under 12 y-olds only)


Around Yokohama Station



Yokohama Bay Quarter Black Cat Halloween

https://www.yokohama-bayquarter.com/event/black_cat/

Kids Halloween Parade

October 20th (SAT)
Come and join the Halloween party in black cat costume on the 4F Kids Station.

Yokohama Disaster Risk Reduction Learning Center 

Bosai Halloween
From 16th to 31st 9:30-17:00 Quiz rally and plastic bag dress contest
*Closed on Mondays
20th (SAT)13:30-14:30  Firefighter marching band Halloween Concert
http://bo-sai.city.yokohama.lg.jp/theme/ydrlc/img/halloween/H30チラシ表面.pdf

Kawasaki Halloween 2018

October 27th
-Halloween Kids Parade (registration required, ¥500)

October 28th
-Halloween Parade (ticket required ¥1000, 2500 people, elementary school and up, 14:30-15:45)
and more!
http://lacittadella.co.jp/halloween/

Saturday, July 28, 2018

[ACTIVITY REPORT] Visit to Yokohama Disaster Risk Reduction Learning Center #1


We visited Yokohama Disaster Risk Reduction Learning Center near Yokohama station with other families including little kids. The standard tour takes about an hour and it started with a movie in the Disaster Education Theater. We were a bit worried about this part but there were only us in the theater at that time and the children were rather calm. The movie came with English subtitles, too.  

Then we moved to the Earthquake Simulator. Moms have to hold a young one in the arms and also hold the safety bar, so it was harder!!! We experienced from level 4 to 7. We still felt shaking after getting off the machine. 


We went up to the second floor to learn how to use the fire extinguisher, then how to escape in the smoke (Fire Simulator). In the end, we entered the Disaster Mitigation Training Room to learn what to do in case of earthquake and rainstorm. 

Japan recently had a big earthquake in Osaka and rainstorm/flood in West Japan. We learned it is important that each family (especially with young children) prepare for disaster. 

We are planning to visit there again. It will be posted on our FB group so please keep an eye on it!

*For the tour, you can make a reservation beforehand. It seems to be possible to join the tour on the spot if there's a room (but reservation is recommended!). The staff on the day didn't speak much English but he tried to speak slowly in Japanese. The booklet they gave us is bilingual (Japanese/English).



Wednesday, June 13, 2018

[LIVING TIPS] How to Call the Ambulance



Hodogaya International Mothers Gathering "Piccolo" held a workshop to learn Child First Aid on June 12th, 2018.  They hold this every year around this time, inviting local fire bureau officers, to learn how to use the AED and how to do the CPR.

When your family member or someone in the street collapses, first thing you do is to see if the person is conscious or not. If not, then you check s/he is breathing or not. If not, you call for an ambulance and start the CPR, and use the AED if necessary.

However, if you don't speak much Japanese, you may not be able to understand what the person on the emergency phone is asking or to tell him/her the situation. 

For more information about the emergency call system etc., you can read the guide for ambulance services by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.  

So, here are some basic questions/answers in Japanese you may need to remember when you call an ambulance. 

The emergency number in Japan is 119. 

Then you will be asked if it's a fire or medical emergency.
Officer: 火事ですか、救急ですか?Kaji desuka? Kyukyu desuka?
You: 火事です。Kaji desu.(There is a fire.)  or  救急です。Kyukyu desu. (It's a medical emergency).

Remember your Jyusyo (address) in Japanese.

Officer: どこですか?Doko desuka? (Where is it?)  
住所を教えてください。Jyusyo wo oshiete kudasai. (Please give me your address.)

You: (when you are at home) 住所は横浜市XXXX区XXX123です。Jyusyo ha Yokohama shi, XXXX -ku, XXX 123 desu. (My address is ...). 
In case you are somewhere else and you don't know the exact address, you can give them some landmarks around you. 
XXの近くにいます。XX no chikaku ni imasu. (I am near XX.)

*ATTENTION: In Japanese, we start from the prefecture or the city and end with the street/land number etc. Prefecture=県Ken Ward= 区Ku, City=市Shi, Town=町Cho/Machi

Explain what has happened.

Officer: どうしましたか?Dou shimashita ka? (What has happened?)
You: 
(My husband is unconscious.)
私の夫の意識がありません。Watashi no otto no ishiki ga arimasen.
(My child is choked with something.)
私の子供が何かのどにつまらせました。Watashi no kodomo ga nanika nodo ni tsumarasemashita.
(XX is not breathing.)
XXは息をしていません。XX ha iki wo shite imasen.
(XX has gone into spasm.)
XXはけいれんしています。XX ha keiren shite imasu.
(XX is injured.)
XXはけがをしました。ZZ ha kega wo shimashita.

Give your name and number.

Officer: あなたの名前を教えてください。Anata no o namae wo oshiete kudasai. (Please give me your name.) 
You: 私の名前はXXXです。Watashi no namae ha XXX desu. (My name is XXX.)

Officer: 電話番号を教えてください。Den bangou wo oshiete kudasai. (Please give me your phone number.)





Thursday, June 7, 2018

[WELFARE] Child Allowance Present Condition Form 2018

The yellow envelop from the city of Yokohama arrived! We need to turn in Jido Teate, Genkyo Todoke (児童手当・特例給付現況届) , Child Allowance Present Condition form by the end of June, to continue to receive the allowance for another year. 



In the envelop, you find:
1) A green sheet (the announcement of the present condition form)
2) A blue-green sheet (how to apply over the Internet using your "My Number" card)
3) A white one-sided sheet (how to fill in the form)
4) A white sheet (the child allowance present condition form)
5) A green envelop (to send it by post)



*in this context, "you" refers to the recipient of the envelop, usually one of the caretakers who earns more than the other(s).
*"My Number" is a nickname for the social security and tax number system.


1) SUMMERY OF THE GREEN SHEET



[IMPORTANT]You need to turn in the present condition form: in case it wasn't submitted, you will not receive the allowance in June and after.

What To Submit
-A present condition form
-A photocopy of your health insurance card or pension certificate etc.

-For those who became a citizen of Yokohama after January 2nd, 2018, we will confirm the income information of you and your spouse using the social security and tax number system. 

*Those who have been living in Yokoahama since before January 1st, 2018 don't need this.
*In case we can't identify the necessary information, you may be asked to turn in your income certificate.

-In case you need another document to turn in, you will be notified of it later.

Deadline
Saturday, 30th June, 2018
*ATTENTION: your local ward office may not be open on this day, if you turn it in at the counter.

How to Submit
1) By Post: Use the green envelop enclosed in the letter. Please put the right amount of postal stamp. You can also make use of registered mail system of the Japan Post if you wish.

2) At the Counter: You can bring it to your ward office, こども家庭支援課 (kodomo katei shien ka/the department of Child and Family Support).
*Be careful of their business hours.

[on the BACK]
Income Check of the Recipient's Spouse
To confirm who is the main supporter of your household (=who earns more), the income of the recipient's spouse must be checked and the accordance is needed.

Prescription of Child Allowance
You will no longer have right to receive Child Allowance in two years without submitting the present condition form. You will have to re-apply at your ward office in that case.

How much Child Allowance you will receive
The amount changes according to your income.
The monthly amount per child
Child Allowance (under the income limit):
under 3 y-old 15000 yen
3-12 (elementary school), 1st &2nd child 10000 yen, after 3rd child 15000 yen
12-15 (junior high school) 10,000 yen
Special Benefit (over the income limit): 5000 yen regardless of age
Point: Income Limit 
If your income is over the income limit, you will receive Special Benefit (5000 yen/child/month) regardless of the age and the number of children.
The recipient is a caretaker who support most of the expense of the child (basically the one who earns more). If your spouse earns more etc. you need to change the recipient (the department of Child and Adolescent will let you know).

The income limit differs according to the number of dependent family members and the deduction.
*Let me skip the income limit system!*



2) SUMMERY OF THE BLUE-GREEN SHEET 






Now you can apply the form by the e-apply system.
In the city of Yokohama, you can turn it in over Myna Portal from the 1st to 30th June.
You need the "My Number" card and IC card reader/writer. Please visit the website below for more information.

Myna Portal URL: https://myna.go.jp/SCK0101_01_001/SCK0101_01_001_InitDiscsys.form

If you use the e-apply system, you can finish all the procedure at home (you need a scanner and to attach the necessary document).

[on the Back]

The merits of the e-apply system: SKIP
Numbers for questions on the My Number system and Child Allowance: SKIP

The Changes in the income calculation (for single parent etc.): SKIP

3) SUMMERY OF THE WHITE ONE-SIDED SHEET



How to fill in the form

Date of application  ex) June 15th, 2018 = 平成 30   6 月 15 日
Always in  yy-mm-dd order in Japan. The year 2018 is Heisei 30.
Recipient information area
The recipient's name (who earns the most in your household)
Family name stamp if you have, or the recipient's signature.
Sex: Male 男 Female
Birthdate (may already be printed)
Address (may be already printed), if the current address isn't what is printed here, erase with two parallel lines and fill in the correct address
Telephone numbers (upper line: home, lower line: mobile phone number)
Address on January 1st, 2018: Circle and if outside Yokohama, write the address in the ( )  (横浜市内 inside Yokohama, 横浜市街 outside Yokohama, 国外 overseas)
*If outside Yokohama, fill in the city of ward name of your previous residence
Occupation: Circle  会社員 employee 自営業 self-employed 公務員 civil servant 無職unemployed その他 others (  )
Office name and number
Do you have a spouse? Circle Yes: 有 No:
If no, you don't have to fill in the Spouse area.
⑬ Pension Type: (1) Employee's Pension (2) Mutual Aid Pension (3) National Pension (including no.3) (4) No Pension
Those with (1) and (2) are required to photocopy the health insurance card and attach it on the back of the form.
Employee or not: 被用者=Employee
When filling in the information of your spouse below, you need his/her accordance as in Convenant clauses and agreement.
Spouse's information area
Name of the spouse
Birthdate of the spouse
Address: Do you live together with your spouse? Circle Yes:同居 No:別居 If No, fill in the address in the [ ].
Occupation: Circle  会社員 employee 自営業 self-employed 公務員 civil servant 無職 unemployed その他 others
Address on January 1st 2018. Circle 横浜市 inside Yokohama 横浜市外 outside Yokohama 国外 overseas
Office name and number
Children information area
㉔Children whom the recipient takes care of (guard) and who were born after April 2nd, 2000
(write the full names of your children)
Relationship (child  grandchild etc.)
㉖Birthdate
㉗Residence(同居 together 別居 separated)
Living (must be 同一same if it's your child. In case of caretakers other than the parents, 維持maintaining)

*Please fill in all your children from 0 year old to 18 years old (considered as 18 years old till March 31st after turning 18).
*Need another document if you live separately with your children. 
*In case your children are studying abroad, write down the date of departure. Need another document to submit, too.

4) SUMMERY OF THE WHITE SHEET (FORM)
What is written on the bottom

*You cannot change the recipient with this form. 

*If you have more than six children, you have two sheets of this form. Please submit both.


Convenant clauses and agreement
(1) I agree with that the city of Yokohama searches the recipient and his/her spouse's income information for official records or documents at other executive agencies or using My Number system in order to judge the necessary conditions to provide Child Allowance. 
(2) In case the necessary information cannot be confirmed by official records, I will turn in necessary documents.

Caution: To continue to receive Child Allowance, you need to turn in this Present Condition form.
In two years without turning in the form, you will lose the right to receive the allowance.

The backside
Please attach a copy of your health insurance on this side.

@Why a copy of our health insurance card is necessary?
We need to confirm that the recipient of the allowance is "employed" or not and we use the copy of the health insurance card of the recipient as an easy way to check it (If the recipient is a member of National Pension or s/he is not a member of any, the photocopy of the health insurance card is not necessary).
 You may need to turn in the pension certificate depending on your pension, so please read the following statements and submit what is necessary.

1. The recipient is a member of
-Employees Pension (so-called Kosei Nenkin pension or Kyosai Nenkin pension)
If the recipient had an issuance card of one of below or don't know whats:
 (a) Health Insurance Membership Card (Japan Health Insurance Association/ Health Insurance Associations)
 (b) Japan Doboku Kenchiku (public engineering) Health Insurance Association Card
 (c) Private School Teachers mutual-aid Association Card
 (d) Japan Post mutual-aid Association Card
(e) Sailor Health Insurance Card
(f) Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology mutual-aid Membership Card (limited to branches like universities)
 (g) Among mutual-aid membership cards, the one that it is clear the employer is an independent administrative institution or a local independent administrative institution.
 
Please attach the photocopy of the recipient's card. *Not the one of your children.

2. The recipient is a member of (1) Employees Pension or (2) Mutual Aid Pension (as declared on the surface) but the health insurance is National Health Insurance.
Please receive a certificate from your office.
*Your office (company) will fill in the form on the bottom.














Sunday, March 11, 2018

[EVENT] IMCY Cooking Party Spring 2018

For IMCY cooking/eating lovers!!
We are going to have another cooking party in April, 2018!!



WHEN: Saturday, April 7th, 2018 (12:00-14:30) *the room is reserved a bit longer  
WHERE: Furocho Chiiki Care Plaza 3F Cooking room and Mutli Purpose room
(about 10 minutes from JR/Blue Line Kannai station or 5 minutes from Blue Line Isezaki Chojamachi station)

WHAT TO COOK: TBD Any ideas?

WHAT TO BRING: Towels, an apron (not obligatory), ziploc container or something in case we bring some food home, your kids and your husband if necessary (both are welcome).




CHARGE: We'll split the material cost. 

PLEASE SIGN UP!
Send e-mail to us (imcy.info*gmail.com) (please replace * with @) 
with your name, the number of your company (the number of children and their ages), and your contact (cell phone number). 

Sign-up will be closed on April 4th. 

You can also click "join" to our FB event page but don't forget to leave a comment (sometimes your kids might click "join" by mistake ;)
*Our FB group is a closed group, so please join the group first. 

FACILITY INFORMATION:
Please take off your shoes and use the slippers at the entrance. Strollers can enter. There's an elevator as well. 
The cooking room and the Multiple Purpose room are on the same floor and next to each other. And the cooking room is not very large, so we may not be able to have everyone cook at the same time. 





Tuesday, February 6, 2018

[EVENT] YCC Temporary Jun Kitazawa "Neighbor's Land"

YCC (Yokohama CreativeCity Center) is looking for members who can take part in their art project "Neighbor's Land".

Here's the information:

YCC Temporary JUN KITAZAWA
“NEIGHBOR’S LAND”
WE ARE LOOKING FOR NEIGHBORS !!
PLEASE JOIN PROJECT MEMBERS FOR “NEIGHBOR’S LAND”

Website:            http://yokohamacc.org/jk/
Facebook:            https://www.facebook.com/events/147143402756215/

YCC Yokohama CreativeCity Center (YCC) is pleased to announce “YCC Temporary JUN KITAZAWA”, an art project and exhibition by a young emerging artist, Jun Kitazawa. This art exhibition will be the 5th time of “YCC Temporary”, the YCC’s original art program that focuses on “Contemporary” and consists from art exhibition, performance and researching project, etc.

Jun Kitazawa has kept making unique art projects with his consistent theme “Community Specific” not only in Japan but also foreign countries. He was listed on the Forbes magazine “30 Under 30 Asia ? The Arts” in 2016.

This art project and exhibition by Jun Kitazawa focuses on various “foreign nationals” who live right next to Japanese people as true “Neighbors” in same Yokohama. Although we live in the same city, Yokohama, there is no many chances to know about neighbor’s country, culture and custom. In this exhibition, “NEIGHBOR'S LAND” is created by diverse neighbor’s country background and culture at YCC’s exhibition space. “NEIGHBOR'S LAND”, which looks like somewhere’s “Town” not like town in Japan but actually located in Japan, consists from various foreign national’s activity, people, cultural things and daily goods. “NEIGHBOR'S LAND” is going to be where you can meet diverse foreign nationals and also you can find out foreign country’s culture, sense of values, traditional customs and daily life. Through a research by the artist himself and meetings and discussions with foreign nationals living in Yokohama, “NEIGHBOR'S LAND” is created by collaboration with foreign nationals and the artist.

PLEASE JOIN PROJECT MEMBERS FOR “NEIGHBOR’S LAND”
If you are interested in this project, please participate in the 1st MEMBERS MEETING for creating “NEIGHBOR’S LAND”.

SCHEDULE
1)1st NEIGHBORS MEETING
DATE: February 10th, 2018
(1) PM1:00-PM3:00 (Day Time)
(2) PM6:00-PM8:00 (Night Time)
PLACE: YCC Yokohama Creativecity Center, Basement Floor

2)NEIGHBORS MEETING
DATE: Every Wednesday and Saturday between February and April, 2018
*Detailed date and time will be announced later on.
PLACE: YCC Yokohama Creativecity Center, Basement Floor

3)EXHIBITION
DATE: Mid-April to Mid-June, 2018
PLACE: YCC Yokohama Creativecity Center, 3rd Floor

If you can join the 1st NEIGHBORS MEETING, please mail to apply@yokohamacc.org with the followings.
1) NAME
2) AGE
3) WHICH TIME YOU CAN JOIN ? (1) or (2)
4) LANGUAGE

YCC ヨコハマ創造都市センター
YCC Yokohama Creativecity Center

〒231-8315 横浜市中区本町6-50-1
6-50-1 Honcho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, 231-8315, Japan
TEL : 045-307-5305
URL : http://yokohamacc.org

アクセス
Access

■みなとみらい線 馬車道駅 1b出口(野毛・桜木町口・アイランドタワー連絡口直結)
Minato Mirai Line, Bashamichi Station, Exit 1b Connected directly to the Noge/Sakuragicho exit (Island Tower passage)
■JR・市営地下鉄線 桜木町駅 徒歩5分
Five minutes’ walk from JR and subway Sakuragicho Station
■JR・市営地下鉄線 関内駅 徒歩7分
Seven minutes from Kannai Station

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

[LIFE] WaNavi Japan

Let us introduce a great NPO, WaNavi Japan. They have been providing workshops mainly about Bosai (防災 :disaster preparedness) and Japanese culture for non-Japanese speaking people. Please read their brief introduction and visit their sites for more information.


WaNavi Japan is a non profit organisation, empowering International residents and visitors to live comfortably and confidently in Japan through various services including Earthquake Preparedness Workshops, Life-skills workshops, navigations, networking, research and consulting.

The inspiration for WaNavi’s work comes from the events that deeply affected Japan on March 11, 2011 and the dislocation and concern experienced by international residents in Japan. We continue to support families who have been directly affected by earthquake disasters in Japan.

Please contact us for more information, to get involved or to organize a workshop.

Website: http://www.wanavi.org/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/wanavi.japan1
Email: wanavi.japan@gmail.com