| Fullness 21 is a volunteer group which has helped foreigners experience Japanese culture since 1994.
They organise an International cultural exchange event or activity every month. Their group is called “Fullness 21”
due to their hope that people who join them will be able to live a fulfilling life during the 21st century.
Teruko Kitajima is the leader of Fullness 21 and by day, an office clerk at an electronics store.
She was born and raised in Tokyo, but has been living in Hiroshima for 22 years since she got married.
In her free time, she likes making chopstick rests and "netsuke" with milk cartons and seashells.
She also regularly gets together with friends to make Japanese paper dolls and bamboo crafts, sometimes she teaches how to do this to others.
She has a hardworking, positive philosophy, proactively challenging herself in everything she does.
Kitajima says she started the group after she met a Filipino man who did a homestay with her in Hiroshima in 1993.
Sadly, his younger brother died in his hometown but to her surprise he did not want to go back home until he finished his job training.
I asked him why he did not return to his hometown at that time.
He explained that if he met his family at home, he would not be able to leave them again because he felt so lonely in his life in Japan.
He also told her that many of his friends felt the same way.
So, she started giving birthday party to them at her house to cheer them up. They were very happy and made some friends at the parties.
When they left, they said they were very pleased to have come to Hiroshima and enjoyed their lives here. She hoped by starting Fullness 21,
that she could help more non-Japanese Hiroshima residents better enjoy their lives here.
Every month, the group organizes an event or activity for foreigners to learn and enjoy Japanese culture.
Events
Jan: Free chance for both men and women to dress in "Kimono" at Hiroshima International house (Ryugakusei-kaikan).
Feb: "Setsubun" Bean-scattering ceremony celebrating the coming of spring
March: "Hina-matsuri" Doll festivals
April: "Hanami" Cherry-blossom viewing party under the trees
May: Making presents for Mother’s day
June: Dressing up in "Yukata", summer "kimono", for free at the International house.
July: "Tanabata" Romantic festival of the stars
Aug: BBQ
Sept: "Tsukimi" Moon viewing festivities
Oct: Dressing up in "Kimono" for free at the International house.(This is in coordination with the International House festival)
Nov: "Koyo" Viewing Autumn leaves
Dec: X-mas party at Hiroshima youth hostel
Other Activities: Making Japanese paper dolls and bamboo crafts at a retirement home.
Fullness 21 has also had a cultural exchange in Indonesia- when they were there, they showed them how to put on kimono, cooked okonomiyaki
and other Japanese foods while the Indonesians
made coconut milk and the dish Gado-Gado. They also made pencil cases together with milk cartons and Japanese paper.
By having experiences with people from other countries, we have become more aware of the differences between Japan and other countries.
They hope that when the readers of Gethiroshima.com read about their group that they contact them and join in one of their activities, everyone is welcome.
We think it is a good way to enjoy your life in Hiroshima. We hope to help you experience anything about Japanese culture that you are curious or interested in.
If you would like more information about this group, please e-mail your requests to Setsuo, a member of the Fullness 21 group.
setsuoyama(atmark)hotmail.com
Setsuo Yamamoto/jjwalsh 2/2007
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