1. Gifu Bulletin
After-JET Conference
For those of you still on the fence about re-contracting, the deadline to
apply for the After JET Conference has been extended to the 16th of
January. The conference will be held in Chiba, at the Tokyo Bay Makuhari
Hotel and is runs for one and a half days from Monday the 9th until
Tuesday the 10th of February.
A number of companies from Japan and abroad will be in attendance with
lectures and speeches from JET alumni and business professionals.
More info about those in attendance at the career fair portion of the
conference can be found here: http://www.ac-lab.jp/2015/jet-careerfair/
Teaching
Resource
of the
Month
Eager to gain more professional development as teachers?
English Teachers in Japan (ETJ) is a free association you can
join, attend various teaching workshops, and meet new
people. Some events may have a fee, but membership is free.
Here’s the list of chapters: http://ltprofessionals.com/ETJ/list.html
The Nagoya Chapter (http://etjaichi.kweto.com/) has an event on
1/18 entitled, “English Unplugged - Generating energy in the
classroom /Extensions of Extensive Reading”
Vol. I No. 5 January 2015
›‹ From your PAs ›‹
Featuring News, Events, and Updates Around the Geefs
Upcoming Events
Handmade Candle
Lighting
and 3 Temple
Pilgrimage
Janauary 15th
Hida-Furukawa
(Kimono rental 2000
yen)
Gifu Star Watching
Group
Gifu Station
24th of January
18:00-20:00
Free
Inaba Shrine Bonfire
Bonfire of charms and
artifacts from last year
January 17th
Daruma Burning
Festival
Dairyuji temple
18th of January
(beginning at 1pm)
http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Dairyū-ji_(Gifu)

2. From your Teacher Consultant! | Hiroki Hayano
Gifu Board of Education Teacher Training Division
Uncommon Hatsumode
Did you have a good Oshogatsu-holiday? I hope you had a wonderful time with your family or friends. I
will introduce a traditional temple with peculiar features to you. If you haven’t had a chance to make a
Hatsumode (a visit to shrine or a temple and you pray for the first time in the new year, a new year’s
prayer), how about going there and experiencing an uncommon Hatsumode?
Kegonji-temple| The temple is located in Seino region. You
can get there by Tarumi-tetsudo from Ogaki Station; it should
take about one and half hours. You can enjoy a day-trip
using the cute tram-car.
Now I will explain why the temple is so special. The name of
the temple is Kegonji-temple, but more commonly known as
“Tanigumisan”. Inside the temple, it has a thick-dark route
underneath the statue of Buddha. You cannot see anything
even during the daytime. So you must walk slowly relying on
your hands. Coming back from the dark-tour, please touch a
carp carved on the pillar of the temple. Then your dream will
come true. The temple itself is very famous, but even some Japanese people don’t know about the
dark-tour and carved carp. (Another information: near Kegonji-temple, there is another temple worth
visiting. Yokokuraji-temple has a mummy(wow!) inside.) Why don’t you visit there and start a bright
new year with an uncommon Hatusmode?
Restaurant Review! | Izakaya Yamato
Gifu-shi, Yabutanishi 1-22-17, Tel.: (058) 273-6365
Izakaya Yamato is not your typical
izakaya. It is a quaint mom-pop Japanese
restaurant and is open every day from
6-11pm, except Sundays and every 3rd
Monday of the month. Although their
menu is handwritten, the best thing to do
is to just say “omakase onegaishimasu”
(basically, let the chef take care of me). At
a total of 2500 Yen/person, you get 6-7
delicious specially made dishes. This is my
go-to place for friends and family who
visit! 
Review by Tammy Lin (Share what
places you really like
with your fellow
ALTs too! Submit by January 26th to
gifupas@gmail.com)
Japanese
phrase
of the
month
For those of you heading to the JET
Conference be optimistic
馬子 に も 衣装
Mago ni mo ishou
Even a pack horse driver looks fine in
proper dress (Anyone can look the part)
成人の日―Coming of Age Day- January 12th
In Japan adulthood begins at 20. From this age
you are allowed to drink, purchase and smoke
cigarettes as well vote. This makes 20 a pretty
important birthday. January 12th is a national
holiday on which all of those who have reached
adulthood are celebrated. Across the country, at
local government offices/BOEs lectures are given
and ceremonies are held with those who have
turned 20 or will turn 20 in the fiscal year
invited to attend. Often small gifts are given to
attendees (last year one of the gifts offered in
Takayama was an apple picked by local middle
school students) with most women opting for
kimono and men wearing suits. Last year in Gifu
over 21,000 people came of age with 20 of these
attending the ceremony held in Shirakawa Go
and over 4,000 in spread across 50 sites in Gifu
City.