News February 2014

URAYASU FOREIGN RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
FEBRUARY 2014
U.F.R.A. NEWS
Spring Festival
Come celebrate with UFRA as we commemorate the
Lunar New Year. The night’s entertainment will
feature a demonstration by an award-winning Chinese
artist, Xingshi Jin. Originally from Beijing but residing
in Tokyo, Mr. Xingshi Jin has had his work exhibited
at the National Art Center in Tokyo, among other
places. Also performing will be a girls’ dance group
from Urayasu. Following the performances, guests will
partake in the feast prepared by --- the guests
themselves!
Date: Sunday, February 16, 17:30 - 20:00.
Location: Kokusai Center at Ill Mare
Admission: ¥1,000 or one favorite homemade dish.
A wedding couple attired in traditional finery
float along the Sakaigawa River in a
“Yomeiri-Bune” - or wedding boat.
Our World Today: Sudan
Date: Saturday, March 1, from 14:00-16:00
Location: Wave Large Hall
Admission: !ee!
Urayasu City Seeks Wedding
This year's event features a collaboration with members from the
Couples for Yomeiri-Bune
Sudanese community in Japan on the culture and traditions of the Sudan.
Are you planning to get married in 2014? A lecture on Sudan`s history, traditions, festive seasons, and food will be
How would you like to add something followed by a live performance of a jirtig, a traditional wedding ceremony
extra special to your nuptials, namely, the accompanied by unique and exciting songs. I am sure everyone will enjoy
chance to be part of a procession of watching (and perhaps dancing to the beat of) this lively and colorful
wedding couples floating down the wedding ritual.
Sakaigawa River to the cheers of curious
Additionally, the afternoon will offer an exhibition of photos and posters
onlookers?
depicting the country's nature, historical sites, and tourist attractions as
The City of Urayasu is looking for four well as a demonstration of a coffee ceremony. So please come and enjoy
couples willing to take part in the the taste of the unique, spicy-flavored coffee together with some
Yomeiri-bune (wedding boat) procession homemade Sudanese snacks prepared especially for this event.
on the Sakaigawa on the day of the 2014
Cafe Terrace event in the spring. The only If you are a lady or a child, and a fan of body art, then why don`t you try
requirements are that you agree to henna? There will be a catalog listing a selection of simple designs that
participate in a photo session and press can be applied to your hand or arm. Henna is safe, and you can enjoy it
release, hold your wedding ceremony at for a week or so before it gradually fades away.
one of the city's shrines as well as a party We are looking forward to seeing you on that day!
for 50 or more at one of the city's hotels - !
-Sarra M. Eltayeb, UFRA member and secretary of women affairs for
such as Urayasu Brighton Hotel, Oriental the Sudanese Community in Japa#
Hotel Tokyo Bay, Sheraton Grande Tokyo
Afternoon Tea
Bay Hotel, Hilton Tokyo Bay Hotel,
Come
and
enjoy
a
friendly
get-together
with all of our friends at this final
Hotel Okura Tokyo Bay, Tokyo Bay
UFRA
event
of
the
fiscal
year.
Please
join
us for a hot (or cold) beverage
Maihama Hotel Club Resort.
and some home-made treats and enjoy a slide show of the year’s events.
If interested, contact the Commerce, Date: March 8 (Saturday) from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Industry and Tourism Section at Urayasu (following the monthly committee meeting)
City Hall by 17 February, 2014.
Place: Hinode Kominkan - 3rd floor
TEL: 047-351-1111.
UFRA Office: Urayasu City Hall, Local Network Section. 1-1-1 Nekozane, Urayasu-shi, Chiba-ken
279-8501 Tel: (047) 351-1111, ext. 1665 Fax: (047) 351-8600
!
The (NEW!) UFRA Website: http://www.urayasufra.org Email: urayasufra@gmail.com
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URAYASU FOREIGN RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
News to Share
Hi, everyone !
My name is Monika Furuhata and I’m originally from
Indonesia. We moved to Urayasu 34 years ago when our son
entered elementary school. When we came here, there was
literally nothing around the Shin Urayasu area, no
buildings, no train stations and only a few bus lines going
to Urayasu station on the Tozai subway line. Since 2000, I
have been spending half the year in Indonesia to help with
the family business in my hometown.
Some 28 years ago, I was approached by the Urayasu City
Office about starting an organization for and by foreigners
residing in the city. UFRA started out as a small group of
diverse nationalities which grew bigger as more foreigners
joined. We became famous as the first and only
organization of foreigners in Japan, officially supported and
subsidized by the city office. Language classes, cooking,
belly dancing, western calligraphy, table manners, fashion
shows (dresses made from old kimonos), charity concerts,
charity bake sales, culture days, stage performances and
Christmas parties were some of the activities that we
organized over the years. All these events were quite
popular because of UFRA`s unique character and activities
by foreigners were considered rare and exciting!
FEBRUARY 2014
UFRA’s 2013 Year-End Thank You Party
On December 14th, 2013, UFRA held its Year-End Thank
You Party at the Oriental Hotel. More than 80 UFRA
members, friends, and their families joined together for
two plus hours of fun and entertainment. This final event
of the year gave UFRA members, friends, and guests a
chance to reconnect and make new friends, while dining
over a hotel-provided buffet. The highlight of the event
was the entertainment. The Tahitian group, Te Otaha
Nui, put on an upbeat display of Tahitian dancing that
kept everyone spellbound. Not to be outdone, La Tuna de
Japon, provided table by table performances of Latin
music that had guests coming out of their seats to dance.
Both groups received tremendous applause. Additionally,
we held a UFRA Bake Sale, the proceeds of which
benefitted the victims of the Philippines typhoon. Thank
you to everyone who bought baked good or donated to
the Charity Box, as well as to those who made so many
delicious treats. Special thanks must go to the Seaside
Lions for their generous donation of 50,000 yen. In total,
136,000 yen was donated on Christmas Day to the Red
Cross.
Now after almost 3 decades, living conditions and life styles
have greatly changed and with internet and other
conveniences, we may not feel so much the need for
organizations such as UFRA. However, looking back, I
cannot imagine my life in Urayasu without UFRA. I
treasure fond memories of helping to organize countless
events and becoming good friends with many other
foreigners as well as Japanese. Needless to say that we
could not have done those activities without the help,
support and understanding of our spouses.
Last but not least, I would like to wish the incumbent
UFRA Committee success in organizing new events that
are more suitable with the times and to have fun while
doing it.
See you all when I am in Urayasu !
– Monika Furuhata
Charity Donations
By the end of 2013, UFRA was able to make two significant
donations to charity. For victims of the typhoon in the
Philippines, we collected a total of ¥136,000 at the End of
the Year Thank You Party via the bake sale as well as
individual donations (including a generous ¥50,000 from
the Seaside Lions Club). We also raised ¥206,000 at
November’s charity concert and for the restoration of
Tohoku school libraries that were decimated in 2011’s
earthquake and tsunami.
Welcome to UFRA
We welcome ne w members, Da vid f rom Ghana;
Chimeddulam from Mongolia and new friends, Minako
and Teruo.
!
PAGE 2
UFRA’s Year-End-Thank-You Party li&ed spirits with singing,
dancing, and taking the opportunity to help others in need.