A special class “Let’s experience traditional plays in Japan’s New Year Holidays” was held by the Tuesday class members as the year-end combined cession. The class was opened by an explanatory speech by Ms. Y. Watanabe, saying “We celebrate Oshogatsu, New Year, in January in Japan. Today we wish you would enjoy kids’ plays in the Oshogatsu season.” The program proceeded as follows:

The Memorial 25^th Abiko International Festival

The 25^th Abiko International Festival took place at Abiko Civic Plaza on the last Sunday of November. Co-hosted by AIRA and Abiko City, which has been trying to make Abiko a more foreigner-friendly city, the festival was held to provide opportunities for locals and foreigners to communicate each other. There were various events in the festival: Performances in the hall, shops of ethnic folk crafts and foods in the gallery, Japanese tea ceremony in the lobby, Kimono-dressing experience for foreigners in the Japanese room, etc.

On November 21, 1992, Abiko International Relations Association (AIRA) was founded in the light of the importance of “grass-root international exchange in the community”, and it has been trying to promote internationalization of Abiko. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the foundation of AIRA, and the ceremony was held to celebrate the memorial event.

AIRA Dispatches Interpreters for Japan Bird Festival 2016

 Japan Bird Festival 2016 with the common theme “People and birds living in harmony” was held widely at Abista, Bird Museum, Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Teganuma Aquatic Park, etc., in Abiko city where people, birds and cultures are harmonized. For this annual event AIRA dispatched volunteer interpreters to foreign exhibitors’ booths on request from the organizers.

AIRA Bus Tour to Naritasan and its vicinity

 A bus tour named “The tour for experiencing Samurai houses and townscape in Edo era- appreciating autumn at Boso-no-Mura Village” was held on the Culture Day, Nov. 3^rd 2016, as part of “Culture Seminar for foreign residents” organized by the AIRA Culture and Study Section.