The Minami Ashigaran

Odawara`s Sontoku Marathon is a yearly tradition that has many non-Japanese taking part as well.

I am hoping to enter this (half-marathon). Japanese make no distinction about distance, every race of any lenght is a “marathon.” However Sontoku is what we would call in the West, a half-marathon — 21kms.

The Sontoku Marathon takes place on March 11th from 9AM.
It costs 3,000 Yen to enter and you can enter at the Running Homepage.

Local English school owner Conrad Matsumoto, from California is planning to run in this race as well.

Gaming unplugged for almost 20 years.

If you enjoy boardgames and other games, join JIGG. Membership is free and there are branches of our club all over Japan. The JIGG Kanagawa group is very active, and we are a great group of people. We tend to hold game days in each others homes. You can host if you want to, but don`t have to. Some people enjoy hosting and others don`t.

Learn more at Facebook.

The Asia Pacific Hockey League was created to raise the level of ice hockey across Asia by providing a framework for development through a combination or regularly scheduled games and specific hockey training. The games will be played in tournament format in events scheduled across Asia.

Learn more about the Asia Pacific Hockey League

JIGG is Japan`s International Gamers Guild, 20 years old and going strong. JIGG has been
bringing boardgame players, roleplayers, card game lovers and wargame players together since
1991. Free membership. Get in the game!

Don`t give up your hobby if you come to live in Japan!

Camp Zama, Kanagawa
What is going on? Just ask the unstoppable James Keller! Camp Zama game days have been one of the consistent mainstays of JIGG. Plus going to Camp Zama is like going to the USA for the day. Yards, and yards of grass, trees and flowers, plus games of all kinds in a large room with many games. I plan on going with Bruce at some point.
Contact James if interested: – Email James: ngolmo at gmail.com

On Owning a dog in Japan

A Tail (groan…) About a Dog

by Thomas C. Anderson

We’ve been the happy owners of a black Labrador Retriever for the past decade. Audrey’s my childhood dream come true as I wasn’t able to have a dog as a child because of my father’s allergies. In being Audrey’s master (or vice versa), I have come to believe that there’s a strong and almost spiritual connection between people and dogs. Read More

JIGG is the Historical Simulation Boardgamers Society of Japan.

“We play traditional games like chess, shogi, and Go. As well we play boardgames about history, politics and economics. Some of the games we play are known commonly as wargames.”

If you are interested in playing these types of games contact them. Most members speak Japanese and English. If you can’t speak English that’s okay.

Minami Ashigara Sports Centre is only a 25 minute walk from Tsukahara Station and even closer to Wadagahara Station.

It has a small weight room, a running track, a pool, tennis courts, a soccer field, many gyms, aikido, karate, shorenji kempo and judo classes.

There are also many sports clubs in the area. You can check with Odawara City Hall and Minami Ashigara City Hall to obtain a list of all the clubs. There is an extensive magazine in Japanese that lists all the clubs–not only sports clubs but art and everything else in between. There are literally hundreds of clubs.

JIGG`s 20th Anniversary KevCon 2011 – Goldenweek May 3rd-5th

1991-2011

It is hard to believe that KevCon has been going on for 20 years!

Am I that old?

Celebrate with me in a beautiful part of Japan. Make new friends and play some games. If you come to one game event this year, Don`t miss this!

For those who have come before I welcome you back, and for those who have never been to a KevCon, I invite you to experience a little JIGG tradition.

Cost: No entrance fee! Free always!

Pictured: Alhambra

I encourage game lovers from far and wide to attend. It is worth the trip. We have had
people come from Kyushu and Niigata for KevCon.

Play games in a riverside cottage in Minamiashigara City, Kanagawa.
Get away from the city and enjoy fresh air and views of Mount Fuji. We are located 70 metres from the Kari River.

(See KevCon venue – pictured on the right)

People have come from all over Japan to attend KevCon!

Starts:
Noon on May 3rd. Finishes the evening of May 5th.

Where:

Kevin`s English School (Tsukahara School)
Address: 2659-4 Tsukahara,
Minami Ashigara City, Kanagawa
Email: greatpowers at yahoo.com

*Note to people who have come before, KevCon will not be at my home. It will be at our
Tsukahara School.

What to bring?

Any games you`d like to play plus a sleeping bag.

There is one bed available on a first come first served basis.
Email me if you want the bed. If not bring something to sleep on–sleeping
bag etc. We have a lot of room.

Amenities Nearby:
There is a restaurant next door, several more nearby, and there is a large supermarket across the
street. The train station is just a 3 minute walk away!

How to Get There from Tokyo, Fujisawa, Atsugi, Machida, Yokohama:

From Shinjuku Station catch an Odakyu Line train bound for Odawara.

So take the Odakyu Line to Odawara. Take a Kyuko (express
train) it has red kanji on the side usually next to the door up top.
It takes about 90 minutes. Bring a good book! Be sure that your
train goes to Odawara and not Fujisawa.

Get off at Odawara Station and transfer to the Daiyuzan Line. Get off
at Iiwahara Station, it takes 10 minutes from Odawara. Take the only
exit, cross the train tracks, turn left at the first street, walk straight and you will
see a cottage like white and brown, house that looks like it came out of a cowboy movie.
We have our store Merry Lue on the first floor and our school and apartment on the second floor.
Come up to the 2nd floor. That is where we will play and sleep.

How to Get There from: Shizuoka, Nagoya and other points South:

Take the Tokaido line or the Shinkansen and get off at Odawara. Transfer to
the Daiyuzan line and follow the directions above (for Tokyo).

**The Shinkansen also stops at Odawara. You take a Kodama Super
Express. It takes about 39 minutes from Tokyo. Costs a little over
3,000 Yen one way.

Take a break from the city and see some mountain views and breathe some fresh
air.

Feel free to pass this on to interested people. Games of all kinds
welcome. Bring whatever you would like to play, chances are, others
will want to play it too. Bring a sleeping bag if you`d like. It is a nice area as well.
A great break from wherever you live with a great bunch of people!

I have literally hundreds of games. Most of which I have never played.

Kevin Burns

http://kintaro63.wordpress.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HisSimSouthKanagawa