Hello everyone. I’m James Taylor, one of the English teachers at ICT’s Hakusanroku Campus.

On Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025, I went to the Oguchi Community Centre to lead the annual English Café Christmas Party for local residents. This time, we had 17 children and 5 adults from the Yoshino, Oguchi, and Shiramine areas. With almost perfect timing, we had our first proper snowfall about an hour before the party began!

Just like every year, we started by decorating the Christmas tree. Since the older primary school children finished school a bit later than the younger ones, the younger children were able to finish decorating the tree in time for their older friends to see it when they arrived.

After that, everyone got the chance to make their own advent calendar. An advent calendar is a calendar with 24 or 25 doors, one for each day from the start of December to Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Behind each door, there is usually some chocolate shaped like something Christmassy. The children at English Café were able to choose what small snacks or sweets they wanted to put behind the doors of their calendar. The advent calendars were make-it-yourself kits that the Community Centre staff bought especially for the event.

Once everyone had made their advent calendars and washed their hands, it was time to decorate some pancakes. The Community Centre staff used a British recipe and spent several hours making thin pancakes in preparation for the party, so guests were able to choose from a variety of toppings. They looked and tasted really good!

While they were eating, I read a story that was very popular when I read it to children at the Shiramine English Café in September: “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” by Eileen Christelow.

Finally, we played Christmas-themed bingo, with prizes for everyone. Just before it was time to go home, Father Christmas came to say “merry Christmas” to everyone!

Once again, the English Café Christmas Party was an enjoyable event for children and adults, thanks mainly to the hard work and careful preparation of the Oguchi Community Centre staff, Mr. Yamashita and Ms. Nakada. I’m already looking forward to the next English Café.

James Taylor

Hello everyone. I’m James Taylor, one of the English teachers at ICT’s Hakusanroku Campus.

One of the best things about living and working at Hakusanroku Campus is the abundance of nature that surrounds us. We get to see a wide variety of interesting creatures up close. An example of this is the Chestnut tiger butterflies that appear in the Seto area at the end of every September.

Chestnut tiger butterflies are known in Japanese as “Asagimadara”. They are an interesting type of butterfly because they migrate very long distances, and one of the places they stop en route is just a few dozen metres down the road from our school. To encourage the butterflies, local residents and community groups plant Boneset (“Fujibakama” in Japanese) in disused allotments – like those near the Roadside Station Sena opposite ICT -- and call it the “ASAGIMADARA SORANOEKI (Sky Station)・HAKUSAN”. The Asagimadara Fan Club Hakusan conducts a marking survey here every year. On Saturday, September 27th, 2025, my son and I participated in a butterfly marking event organised by the Asagimadara Fan Club, Oguchi Community Centre, and the Hakusanroku Satoyama Revitalisation Council.

First, we listened to a lecture by Mr. Nakamura of the Asagimadara Fan Club Hakusan, who told us about the butterflies’ life cycle and migratory behaviour. Mr. Nakamura showed us examples of Chestnut tiger butterflies that he’d caught and marked, then gave an explanation and demonstration of how to mark them. Once they’ve been caught, the butterflies play dead,  so it’s easy to write on the white part of their wings. Using a felt tip pen, you have to carefully write the location (Hakusan or 白山 for us), the date (9/27), then our name or initials and a number to denote the order in which we caught and marked the butterfly. We also had to write all this information on a paper so that Mr. Nakamura could enter it online and share it with other Asagimadara Fan Clubs in other regions of Japan. We also had to write our contact details, so that if someone catches a butterfly we’ve marked, we can be contacted and told where it got to.

In previous years, Chestnut tiger butterflies that have been marked in Seto have later been found in places like Shikoku, Kyushu, Okinawa, and even Taiwan – that’s over 2,000 kilometres from Seto. The changes in the weather have meant that last year and this year there weren’t so many butterflies, but my son managed to catch and mark three.

I wonder how far they’ll travel.

James Taylor

Related Articles on Last Year’s ICT Chestnut Tiger Butterfly Marking Event

 Hello. I am Masaaki Shikada, ICT President.
 On Thursday, April 24th, 2025, I helped plant Engineering Design II's "Kosen Beniharuka" seedlings for the third time. This time, I had a meeting at Kanazawa Campus, so I couldn’t travel to Hakusanroku Campus until after the meeting ended. By the time I arrived, the ridges had already been prepared and the planting had begun. This year I planted the second row from the west side. The soil was quite wet this winter due to the heavy snowfall, but I felt this made the work easier.
 This is the third time I have planted seedlings, and although I am getting used to it, I still worry about whether the seedlings I planted will grow well. The year before last, the potatoes did not grow very large, probably because it rained a lot. Last year, good weather and moderate rainfall resulted in large potatoes. We expect this year's crop to be as good as last years.
 All 2nd year students, Engineering Design II teachers, and Learning Mentors Domyson Abuan sensei and Sharmee Abuan sensei joined us to complete the seedling planting before 16:00. Then electric fences were installed and measures were taken to prevent damage from animals. We hope for another good harvest this year, following on from last year.
 Our school will hold an open campus on Saturday, November 1st and Sunday, November 2nd. In conjunction with this event, the annual baked sweet potato sale will be held at the Sena Road Station. If you have time, please visit the Sena Road Station and try some potatoes!
Click here for more details about Open Campus

Masaaki Shikada

 Hello, this is Rikichi Izumiya from Finance Division.
 At 7:00 P.M., on Saturday, March 1st, 2025, people from the villages surrounding Higashi Futakuchi gathered at the Higashi Futakuchi Local History Museum, despite there still being a lot of snow on the ground.
 This annual Higashi Futakuchi Bunya Ningyo Joruri performance has continued for more than 350 years and is a nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, a traditional culture that came to this area from Kyoto. Just hearing that it has been passed down for 350 years makes me appreciate its significance.  What left a strong impression on me was that both the performers of the Deguno Mai and those who watched it all said in unison, "Every year cannot begin without seeing this Deguno Mai."

 This tradition has been passed down to the present day as one of the high points of the cold, agricultural off-season in winter. Unlike Bunraku, however, the story unfolds in a unique narrative style called Bunya bushi.
 For those seeing it for the first time, the story may be difficult to understand. However, before the performance begins, a kamishibai (picture-story show) is presented, carefully explaining the content of the performance. Honestly, I think I would have had a hard time keeping up without it.

 This Bunya Ningyo Joruri, passed down in Higashi Futakuchi, is facing challenges in preservation as the people inheriting it are aging. Currently, a little over ten performers present the Deguno Mai, but I assume that, including backstage roles, each person is taking on multiple responsibilities.
 Amid these challenges, Omihito Matsushita sensei from ICT has been participating as a performer in this Ningyo Joruri for the past five years, taking part in the annual performances. Additionally, faculty members and students from KIT have joined the Deguno Mai preservation society, learning the dance from experienced elder members while striving to inherit the traditions and culture of Higashi Futakuchi.

 The puppets used in Dekunomai consist of four parts: the Kashira (head), Shinbo (central rod), Kataban (shoulder board) and Te (hands). Each puppet is operated by a single performer. Although the puppets used in Deguno Mai are relatively simple in structure, mastering their manipulation demands considerable training.
 Additionally, the performers move in a distinctive manner, taking three steps forward and two steps back, while rhythmically striking the floor with their feet as they dance. This unique footwork creates a dance-like impression, which is why it came to be known as Deguno Mai. Rather than simply controlling the puppet, performers must become one with it—almost as if they are being guided by the puppet itself. This profound technique highlights the depth and artistry of the performance, leaving a lasting impression.

 It is truly moving that this Ningyo Joruri, which has been cherished by people for over 350 years, still remains in Hakusan City. At the same time, I feel that the efforts and dedication of those who continue to uphold this tradition are beyond measure.  The performance took place on the stage of the Higashi Futakuchi Local History Museum. While the space cannot accommodate a large audience, it retains the atmosphere of the past, allowing visitors to experience Ningyo Joruri up close.

 Watching Omihito sensei perform Deguno Mai, I suddenly felt as if I had traveled back in time to the world of 300 years ago. The lingering echoes of the Bunya bushi style, known as the "Naki-bushi" (weeping melody), along with the rhythmic sound of the performers’ footwork striking the floor, still resonate in my mind.

Rikichi Izumiya

Hello everyone. I’m James Taylor, one of the English teachers at Hakusanroku Campus. I’d like to tell you about a couple of Christmas events that took place in the neighbourhood during December, 2024.

 First, on Tuesday, December 10th, the workers from the Oguchi Social Welfare Council – one of whom was dressed as Father Christmas – delivered Christmas cakes to every household with children. This year we got a snowman, a Santa, and a reindeer. My children ate the snowman and reindeer, and I had the Santa.

 Then, on Wednesday, December 18th, I went to Oguchi Community Centre, which is just down the road from ICT, to participate in the annual English Café Christmas party. This year we had 11 children and 4 adults from the Oguchi, Yoshino, and Shiramine areas. We started the party by decorating the tree and taking pictures when it was finished. Earlier in the afternoon, the staff from the Oguchi and Shiramine Community Centres spent hours making pancakes using a British recipe. After we’d finished decorating the tree, everybody was given a pancake and some ingredients to decorate it with, like cream, fruit, and sprinkles. While the guests were eating, I read them a story: ‘The Snowy Day’ by Ezra Jack Keats. When everyone had finished eating, I read ‘Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus’ by Mo Willems, which was as popular this time as it had been in Shiramine in the summer!

 We played bingo and a game called Stick the Nose on Rudolph, where players had to stick a red magnet on a picture of Rudolph without looking. The children got much closer to the right spot than the adults! The party ended with a visit from Father Christmas, who brought a small present for everyone.

 As ever, the staff from the Oguchi and Shiramine Community Centres worked really hard organising the event and preparing bingo prizes, presents, and food and drink for the party. I always appreciate their efforts.

James Taylor