Other Events

List of Past Activities

Waiwai Study event – Morocco

Date & Time	Saturday, December 7, 2024 / 2：00pm～3：30pm
Venue	Room 204, Yahatanishi General Lifelong Learning Center
Participants	21
Contents	This event features foreign citizens who are fluent in Japanese, using the language to introduce cultures and offer foreign language lessons, with the aim of deepening cultural understanding. This time, the focus was on Morocco. Participants learned French in the mini lesson, which we don’t often have the chance to use. It provided an enjoyable opportunity for interaction, with participants engaging in team-based quizzes about the culture they learned and lively free conversations.

Human Library in Kitakyushu

Multilingual Storytelling Event 5

Multilingual Storytelling Event 4

Date & Time	Wednesday, October 23, 2024 / 2：00pm～3：30pm
Location	Well Tobata 12 H・I room
Number of Participants	11
Event Content	Multilingual Storytelling Event 4 was held to introduce KIA’s volunteer reading activities to citizens. After playing a word quiz using colors, the picture book “Little Blue and Little Yellow” was read. We also set aside time to listen to the experiences of volunteers. During the reading activity, the children had lively conversations while creating their own colors in friendly atmosphere.

Multilingual Storytelling Event 3

Date & Time	Sunday, October 20, 2024 / 1：30pm～3：30pm
Location	Kitakyushu International Association
Number of Participants	20
Event Content	Volunteers from the KIA held a multilingual storytelling event. After playing with words in multiple languages, the picture book “Little Blue and Little Yellow” (author: Leo Lionni, translation: Keio Fujita) was read. After playing the “Word Quiz Using Colors”, we had a fun activity with the theme of “Create your own colors using paints!”

KIA International Friendship Festival 2024

Date & Time	Saturday and Sunday, October 19-20, 2024 / 11：00am～3：30pm
Location	Kitakyushu International Association
Number of Participants	October 19：480 October 20：150
Event Content	World Market – Foreign residents sold small goods and snacks from their home countries. (Oct 19 only) Book Bazaar – Visitors found the books they liked then brought to home happily. Storytelling – Volunteers from the KIA held a multilingual story session. (Oct 20 only)

Introduction to Human Library

Date & Time	Sunday, October 6, 2024 / 1：30pm～3：30pm
Venue	Room 201, Yahatanishi General Lifelong Learning Center
Participants	13
Contents	To promote awareness of multicultural coexistence through interactions between foreign residents and Japanese citizens using the “Human Library” method, we invited instructors from the Tokyo Human Library Association to conduct a course “Introduction to Human Library for Personal Understanding,” which included case studies. Although it was a first-time experience for many participants and some felt unsure at first, the event received positive feedback, with comments such as, “I now understand the activities of the Human Library” and “The simulated experience was very engaging”.

Waiwai Study event – Vietnam

Date & Time	Saturday, October 5, 2024 / 2：00pm～3：30pm
Venue	Room 204, Yahatanishi General Lifelong Learning Center
Participants	9
Contents	This event aimed to deepen cultural understanding by having foreign residents fluent in Japanese introduce different cultures using the Japanese language, followed by mini foreign language lessons. This time, the focus was on Vietnam. It provided an enjoyable opportunity for interaction, with participants engaging in team-based quizzes about the culture they learned and lively free conversations.

Disaster Prevention Simulation & Japanese Culture Study Tour

Date & Time	Sunday, September 29, 2024
Venue	Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine / Fukuoka Citizens’ Disaster Prevention Center
Participants	33
Contents	We conducted disaster preparedness training for foreign residents living in Kitakyushu City. At Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, participants learned about measures for cultural property protection and disaster preparedness while observing traditional wooden architecture. At the Fukuoka Citizen’s Disaster Prevention Center, they gained knowledge about potential disasters that could occur while living in Japan through simulated experiences of fires, storms, floods, and earthquakes. They also received guidance from the center staff on how to respond during disasters and prepare in advance.

Waiwai Study event – Korea

Date & Time	Saturday, August 24, 2024 / 2：00pm～3：30pm
Venue	Room 204, Yahatanishi General Lifelong Learning Center
Participants	15
Contents	This event aimed to deepen cultural understanding by having foreign residents fluent in Japanese introduce different cultures using the Japanese language, followed by mini foreign language lessons. This time, the focus was on Korea. It provided an enjoyable opportunity for interaction, with participants engaging in team-based quizzes about the culture they learned and lively free conversations.

English Fun Time event

Date & Time	Saturday, August 17, 2024 / 1：30pm～3：30pm
Venue	Youth Station
Participants	14
Contents	“English Fun Time” was held by Youth Station and co-sponsored by Kitakyushu International Association. On the day, 4 foreigners and 10 students participated and had a great time. The purpose of this event was to enjoy playing games and having conversations in English with foreigners. It was a valuable opportunity for the participants to deepen their understanding of different cultures and make new friends through communication in English.

“Let’s learn about disaster prevention!’ training course

Date & Time	Friday, August 16, 2024 / 1：30pm～2：30pm
Venue	Kitakyushu Islamic Cultural Center
Participants	19
Contents	Mr. Higashi, the Manager of Crisis Management Division, Crisis Management Department of City of Kitakyushu was invited to hold a disaster prevention training course called “Let’s learn about disaster prevention!” Typhoons occur from June to October every year in Japan. Mr. Higashi taught all participants about what to be careful of and what to prepare for in the event of a typhoon or heavy rain. The participants took the initiative seriously and asked questions such as installing disaster prevention apps and checking evacuation shelters.

Nepal & Vietnam Cultural Courses

Date & Time	18 November 2023 (Sat) 14：00～16：00
Venue	No.3 Meeting Room, Kokura Chuo Community Center
Participants	21
Contents	We invited foreign citizens of a Nepalese and a Vietnamese living in Kitakyushu City to hold cultural lectures. The lecturer from Nepal talked about the unique diversity of this multi-ethnic country and its colorful and vivid culture. And the Vietnamese lecturer talked about the daily life that we could not find in the guidebooks, such as Vietnamese quizzes and hand games in Vietnamese.

“Easy Japanese” and Workshop

Date & Time	11 November 2023 (Sat) 14：00～16：00
Venue	No.3 Meeting Room, Kokura Chuo Community Center
Participants	14
Contents	A “Easy Japanese” lecture and a workshop with foreign citizens have been held. Japanese citizens learned many perspectives. For examples, “I feel that the Japanese I use everyday is difficult for foreigners”, “How can I convey important information?”, “How to be kind when communicating with foreigners?”. Afterwards, they practiced what they learned with foreign citizens studying Japanese at the YMCA! It was an enjoyable exchange gathering with lots of laughter and cheers.

KIA International Friendship Festival 2023

Date & Time	14 – 15 October 2023 (Sat – Sun) 11：00～15：00 ※”World picture books & Cultural experiences” :October 15（Sun）14：00～16：00
Location	Kitakyushu International Association
Number of Participants	350
Event Content	World Bazaar – Foreign residents sold goods and sweets from their home countries. World Folk Costumes & Photo Zone – From children to adults, all enjoyed fork costumes and photo shooting. All had fun! Bazaar of Books Corner – Visitors found some books they like and happily take them home. World picture books & Cultural experiences – For all the visitors, it was a fun and enjoyable cross-cultural experience.

18 February (Sat) Online Japanese Chat Session <<Registrations Open>>

Inviting Japanese and foreign residents to join us for a casual dialogue session.

Online Japanese Chat Session

Japanese residents that want to make conversation with foreigners but feel discouraged due to not being able to speak a foreign language, this is the platform for you!

Foreign residents that want to speak about various topics outside of their work and social circles, do join us and enjoy a session interacting with various people in Japanese.

Date & Time	18 February 2023 (Sat), 2pm – 3.30pm
Location	Online (ZOOM) *ZOOM details to be sent on 16 February (Thu).
Participation Fee	FREE
Registrations Open to	・10 Foreign Residents of Kitakyushu City that want to speak with Japanese residents in Japanese ・10 Japanese Residents of Kitakyushu City that want to speak with foreign residents in Japanese *Registrations will be accepted on a first-come basis.

Register here↓
https://forms.gle/zJHiF6Eb9SGvS5RT7

Enquiries
Kitakyushu International Association (Staff in charge: Ms. Ishii)
Tel：093-643-5931

List of Past Activities (FY 2022)

Exchange Session for Japanese and Foreign Residents (November)

Date & Time	26 November 2022 (Sat), 2pm – 3.30pm
Location	Kitakyushu International Association
Number of Participants	23
Event Content	Group games and exchanges conducted in Japanese, with a focus on foreign laborers that have limited opportunities to converse with locals. Participants were able to identify common topics to talk about during the games, and displayed great team work.

International Exchange Festival

Date & Time	15 – 16 October 2022 (Sat – Sun) World Bazaar – 15 October 11am-2pm Mini Concert & Talk – 16 October 11am – 1pm Photo Contest (Held for the duration of the International Exchange Festival)
Location	Kitakyushu International Association
Number of Participants	369
Event Content	World Bazaar – Foreign residents sold food and small items from their home countries. Mini Concert & Talk – Performances using traditional instruments, dances, and songs by foreign residents. Photo Contest – 2-day exhibition of photos taken by foreign residents. Visitors, vendors, and performers had lively interactions. Some visitors even started dancing during the Mini Concert, creating a truly lively atmosphere.

Recipes from Around the World – Vietnam Edition

Date & Time	3 September 2022 (Sat)
Location	Online (ZOOM)
Number of Participants	15
Event Content	Online cooking class conducted by a Vietnamese resident of Kitakyushu City on making chicken pho and Vietnamese spring rolls, with a quiz on places in Vietnam and ingredients used for Vietnamese food. As the ingredients used and preparations methods for Vietnamese food are different from Japanese food, some participants followed the instructions to detail and prepared the dishes in their own kitchens while participating online.

Let us tell you about our countries…

Date & Time	20 August 2022 (Sat)
Location	Kodomo no Yakata (Kodomo Hall)
Number of Participants	40
Event Content	Moroccan and Thai residents of Kitakyushu City took us on a virtual trip to their respective countries through their presentations. Participants had a look at famous tourist spots in the featured countries, and also learned about their unique cultures and traditions. Our presenters even invited their friends from their respective countries to help demonstrate real world conversations and also to help the presenters conduct realistic dialogue lessons with the participants in their native languages.

Exchange Session for Japanese and Foreign Residents (July)

Date & Time	2 July 2022 (Sat), 2pm – 3.30pm
Location	Kitakyushu International Association
Number of Participants	28
Event Content	Foreign residents and Japanese residents devised various communication strategies during the various games, and enjoyed creating and putting up Tanabata decorations. Our participants also had a great time during the “Picture Relay Telephone Game” where instead of passing a message through their group, they had to draw a picture to relay the message to the next person.