Borderlink Newsletter #4

Issue 4 | December 6th, 2021

Culture Corner
Winter is almost here in Japan, which brings some unique and interesting holiday experiences! Although New Year is
the traditional winter holiday, Japanese have adopted some of the warm and lighthearted traditions of Christmas. One
of these is the use of peppermint in different types of desserts and drinks. Oddly, for Japanese people, the image that
comes to mind from peppermint is toothpaste! But Japanese seem to enjoy peppermint hot chocolate.
With the recent popularity in wine here in Japan over the last 5 years, spiced wines
such as virgin Mulled wine is now trending in convenience stores, and other large grocery
chains.
Another popular trend many Japanese families have adopted is the use of decoration
lights. Generally, decoration lights are used for illumination art displays. But when Christmas
comes around, people now have been decorating their houses and front yard with these lights
and accompanying ornaments.

What’s next? New Year : お正月

Holiday Notice New Year, called oshougatsu in Japanese, is an
Our Borderlink offices will be closed for the winter important traditional holiday spent with family. The
holidays on the following dates: night before, during New Year’s Eve, families will eat
December 29th – 31st soba noodles and watch the annual “Kohaku Uta
January 1st – 3th Gassen” where famous singers compete in teams on
Our office will open again on January 4th (Tuesday). TV. At New Year, families eat mochi rice cakes send
CoE Documents greeting cards to friends and relatives. Children
As you have been noticing the many emails and receive money presents called “otoshidama”
reminders over the last month an a half, we are now and people will travel to shrines to
ramping up to send in your documents to the make their first wishes for the new
immigration to begin the CoE application. To remind you, year to bring in good fortune.
the primary documents we have collected from you are:
End Year Tea Time
-Diploma -GoE -Passport sized Photo Did you know of the end year tea ceremony
If you have not-Entry
-Passport sent these necessary
and Exit history documents,
from Japan tradition? Theres no cake but there are special
please submit them to your HR contact. Once approved, brewed tea and served with special themed daifuku,
we will be sending your CoE to your recorded address. or the hanahira mochi. The
If there are any changes in your mailing address, please Hanahira is meant for the end
make sure to notify us. year then followed by
the Wakamizu tea and Daifuku,
from 4 am in the morning.
Borderlink Friendship Campaign
As a reminder, our campaign is still ongoing! This is a Toshikoshi Soba(年越しそば)
great chance to earn extra cash, while in Japan! Ever wonder why Japanese people ate soba
How it works noodles at the end of the year? The tradition started
All you need is to refer an excellent from the Edo Period and was believed to elongate a
candidate, like yourself, to us. If the person’s life.
candidate should begin working Soba is usually cut
with us for a minimum of 1 month. long and thin. So you can
You will then receive ¥10,000 think of life being long but
added to your paycheck! also thin, so best to enjoy
To get started invite someone to become an Assistant to the fullest!
Language Teacher with you at Borderlink! Please
provide them with our QR Code

Kibune Shrine in Kyoto

 Issue 4 | December 6th, 2021

Historical
Unusual Festivals Hot Travel Spots

Zao Juhyo Festival Ginzan Onsen

Also known as the Snow Monster If you have always wanted to try out
Festival in Yamagata Prefecture. What the hot springs in Japan, try the winter
makes this unusual is that the monsters season at Ginzan hot springs. The town is
are actually trees heavily covered in snow noted to be near a silver mine and has a
within the Zao Onsen Ski Resort. During long history with some buildings and
the day you can enjoy the resort skiing structures from the Taisho Period. While
through the monsters. At night you can soaking in the hot spring full of different
view the snow monsters illuminated with minerals, you get beautiful scenery to
lights and enjoy in awe of the lit up trees. look at, too!

Shopping in Winter Season

Lucky Bags
Have you seen these two Japanese Characters: “福袋”?
It’s literal translation means “Lucky Bags” or “fukubukuro”,
these bags are the hot buys after Christmas and New Year.
These are basically lottery bags filled with random items.
Generally the bags contain about five items inside with one
item that usually has a value higher than what you have paid for
the bag.
In the other retail stores such as electronics, they also have
“福箱” or “fukubako” which is a “Lucky Box”. These are a bit
more pricey but the prize on the inside is definitely a surprise.
Some have received brand new items such as phones, tablets,
and laptops.
If you want to try out the more exciting raffle, electronics
stores usually sell raffle tickets for the biggest TV sets, or
computers. Of course if you buy one of these tickets you
definitely will get something back if you don’t win the bigger
prizes.
Yuki-tsuri in Kenrokuen, Ishikawa Prefecture
 Issue 4 | December 6th, 2021

Getting your own apartment

A private apartment is the recommendation Finances and
housing option for new arrivals in Japan. Expenses
However, there are several things to be aware • Two months of rent • Housing insurance
of during the process of applying for and • Key money • Guarantor fee
qualifying to rent an apartment in Japan. • Cleaning fees • Real estate agent
Paperwork • Deposit
“Guarantor”
fee

・Residence Card must have an address ・Your guarantor can be held accountable for any
on the backside Japanese bank account missed payments.
・Needs to be a Japanese national or a company that
・Stamp (hanko/inkan)
offers guarantor services in exchange for monthly
・Domestic phone number fees
・Emergency contact in Japan (Japanese ★In Japan, most people will only agree to be a
guarantor for someone in their immediate family.
citizen or permanent resident)
・Guarantor form Inspection
・After applying, your qualifications as a resident in
Japanese Skills their building will be “inspected”, and you must pay a
fee for this
・Application forms and contract terms will
・Your credit history in Japan is an important factor
only be written in Japanese
・Your emergency contact needs to verify your
・Real estate agents and landlords will need information
to communicate in Japanese during the ・Failing this stage means your application will be
application process. rejected
・Landlords and real estate agents are not required to
provide a reason for a failed result

Japan’s Housing Options

As you prepare for your move to Japan, we understand that many of the primary concerns
you have is how your housing will be secured. We hope this gives you a greater idea of what
to expect, but we would like to start helping you become familiar with the process in
general. So what housing options are available for new foreign residents in Japan?

Private Apartment Living with a friend “Share House”

• Most common type of housing ・Your school placement may • Fewer options outside
available in Japan not be within commuting of central areas
• Will allow you to get the best distance from their home • Your school placement
commute possible for your school ★Most apartments have may not be within
placement occupancy rules on their commuting distance
• Private space to rest and relax lease contracts, and do not • Limited availability
allow additional residents to • Waiting periods to get
Recommended live in a unit if their names a room
option were not on the original
lease.

Shirakawago, Gifu Prefecture

 Issue 4 | December 6th, 2021

Language Time
From the School Nurse’s
Office
ほけんだより
For those looking for a bit
more of a challenge, we invite
you take a crack at hand
written Japanese.

Let’s take a look at a poster

from a school nurse giving
advice for staying healthy and
enjoying winter break.

Can you catch any of it?

(From the top-left) Get enough sleep / Eat a hearty breakfast / Wash your hands & gargle
Maintain humidity inside / Don’t “dilly-dally” your break away / Make plans for the break

School Item Vocabulary Self Introductions

It is very important to make a good impression
Can you match the Japanese word to the
when introducing yourself for the first time in
correct picture?
Japan. Here are five essential components to a
1. good self introduction in Japanese that will
えんぴつ impress your future friends and coworkers :

1) Greetings 2) My name is ___ .

2.
ノート はじめまして。 わたし の
(or) なまえ は
おはようございます ______です。
(or)
こんにちは
3.
はさみ
4) Explaining
3) I’m from ___ . (likes/hobbies)
Likes:
4. わたし は _____ がすきです。
______ から
ホッチキス Hobbies:
きました。
しゅみは___です。

5.
のり 5.) I’m looking forward to working with you!

よろしくおねがいします。
2. notebook 3. scissors 4. stapler 5. glue 1. pencil

Icicles of Misotsuchi in Chichibu, Saitama