CITY INFORMATION（English Ver.）（April 1,2020 ）

Announcement

Use fee of Green Oasis revised

As of 1 April (Wed), the use fee of Green Oasis will be revised. Please check the fee for coupon ticket or commutation ticket with the Home Page of Green Oasis. Please be aware that Green Oasis resumes its service starting from 7 April (Tue) because of the closure until 6 April (Mon).

※ A shoe locker has become free.

Use fee of Green Oasis effective 1 April

Category	Fee	Usable facilities
		Pool	Bath/Sauna
Adult　( HS student & above)	400yen	×	〇
	800yen	〇	〇
Child　(ES/JHS student)	400yen	〇	〇
Toddleｒ　(1 year & older)	200yen	〇	〇

Inquiries: Green Oasis

Tel: 0827-82-0230

 

City Policy Pick up

City’s response to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection

By standing with and for citizens

COVID-19 broke out in China last year. The first infection case in Japan was confirmed on Jan. 15 and the one in Yamaguchi prefecture on March 3. Now, a global infection and nation-wide infection in Japan seem to be inevitable.

Since January, City has provided alcohol-based disinfectants at the reception counters and public facilities and continued to keep the citizens informed of update by leaflets, Home Page and city mail service. To battle the spread of infection, various preventive measures have been promptly implemented by the city, e.g., cancellation of events, closure of libraries, child care and elderly welfare facilities and shutdown of elementary and junior high schools.

In addition, after school classes for children have been increased to ensure the safety of children and to relieve the burden of parents. Reserved masks have been partially distributed to pregnant women, also. City continues to put the health and safety of the people first and keep the citizens informed of the necessary information as soon as possible and implement appropriate counter measures against infection coordinating with the prefecture and national government.

● Please contact Iwakuni Health and Welfare center at 0827-29-1523 for any questions regarding COVID-19.

※ City’s response as of March 16

Command Post to counter COVID-19 has been established with mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda as the commanding officer.

Graduation ceremony was scaled down but performed solemnly with thorough infection preventive measures in place including provision of hand sanitizers.

 

Smile  Vol. 132

To be a bridge between US and Japan through Music

Mr. Christopher Kimmey　( a resident in Muronoki-machi)

Profile

Born in Pennsylvania state, U.S.A., and came to Japan in September 2011 as a music teacher of Iwakuni Elementary School. Married to a Japanese local last year after going steady with her for 5 years and loves Iwakuni Renkon.

Story

As pictured, Christopher Kimmey plays a Japanese drum called taiko. He is a member of “Marifu-daiko”, a local taiko club, while working as a music teacher at Iwakuni Elementary School aboard MCAS Iwakuni. Kimmey was born and grew up in America surrounded by the vast nature. He was a dedicated boy and played a leadership role in volunteer activities during holidays.

He first met with music when he was a fourth grader. It was so much fun playing the clarinet for the very first time and he developed a strong liking of the clarinet as days went by.  At the same time, his mother being a teacher, Kimmey started to think of following her path to become a teacher himself in the future. Kimmey graduated a college and obtained a license of music teacher. He, then, was hired by DODEA and assigned a job of music teacher at a military base in Iwakuni. He said,” Iwakuni is a beautiful city just like my hometown, rich in nature. I took a liking to Iwakuni soon after arrival.”

Two weeks later after arrival in Iwakuni, a co-worker took him to go see a practice session of Marifu-daiko where he was taken with the charm of powerful but delicate performance of Japanese drums and decided to join the club right on the spot.

 “ Playing the taiko was harder than I had expected but you get a sense of excitement and togetherness when all the sounds from taikos finally come to one as a complete piece of music,” he said. Kimmey was able to develop a wide circle of friends and learn a lot about Japanese culture through participating in local festivals and events on base as a member of Marifu-daiko club.

 “Having come to Iwakuni, I ran into a music that I had never known before. I am grateful to taiko for giving me a chance to know more about Iwakuni.” Thanks to Kimmey’s effort for reaching out, more taiko performances have been seen on base and more Americans are gradually getting interested in Japanese taiko drums. Kimmey is committed to continuing to perform as a taiko player and to be a bridge of friendship between U.S. and Japan through music.

Kimmey’s been playing taiko since his arrival in Japan. The charm of taiko is that depending on the way you beat the drum, you can create a whole different music.

Kimmey’s been playing taiko since his arrival in Japan. The charm of taiko is that depending on the way you beat the drum, you can create a whole different music.

Photo of Kimmey when he started playing the clarinet. It was such a fun that he would practice every day.

 

Downｌoad

City Information March 15, 2020 (PDFファイル)(448KB) （English & Easy Japanese Ver.)