An away day - Cambridge in Nagoya

I don't recommend insisting on a formal dress code in Aichi/Gifu/Chubu region in the middle of summer - quite likely to have people passing out on parade, even with the air-con turned up...step outside you you melt like a cheap ice cream!

The Chubu SE team with Hyogo assist

Nevertheless, great to see speaking examiner team that has been together for quite some time now, tackling ALL levels between them from Young Learners to C2:Proficiency. Obviously, YLE is close to my heart as we at Luna offered these exams for 20+ years to our students in Matsumoto & around the country to numerous schools & venues; a whole generation of learners across Japan. Sadly no nore.

OK from the boss!

Our team 2025 also briefed on how to potentially deliver & assess exams remotely, in case of emergencies or unavailable local staff. Not easy to achieve, for technical & logistical reasons, but another 'can do' we have made sure we can provide if necessary.

As you can see, Jim's boss at JP026 is pretty happy with things - so let's hope Jim gets asked back to Nagoya next year?! Good news too - looks like candidature will be rebounding 2026, so I hope we will also be recruiting new talent to join the team. Get in touch if you are interested in examining for Cambridge.

Kimi no na wa (Your Name) - a film review

'Your Name' is a film that you must see. It was directed by Matoko Shinkai, a popular animation
movie director. It stars no one because it is an animation film. This film should win the Japanese Academy Prize for Best Animation film.

This contemporary film is set in Tokyo and Hide-Takeyama, in rural Gifu.

The film is about two high school students, a boy called Taki and a girl called Mitsuha. They had never met each other, but they started to reverse roles in their dreams. They come to know each other, and one day Taki decides to see her, but she wasn't there...

I totally recommend 'Your Name'. The animation is spectacular and it makes you laugh a lot. The story is a bit complicated, thus I would recommend you watch it twice. The soundtrack was made by a Japanese popular rock band 'Radwimps', and it is captivating.

Posted for....Yuya

Do you know Mount Ontake ?

Mount Ontake from Kuraiyama  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mt. Ontake is an active volcano which is Japanese 100 famous mountains and is located at the prefectural border of Nagano and Gifu. Although it is a 3,000m class alp, it is relatively easy climbing and it is very popular in a broad generation. It is also known as a showplace of autumn leaves.

11:52 a.m September 27, 2014 steam explosion -type eruption took place for the first time in seven years. Since two or more factors increase damage, the death toll became the worst situation exceeding over 50 persons. It was Saturday and the weather is good from morning, large number of climbers were visiting from the distant place as well. Many people had concentrated near the summit of the mountain to have a lunch looking at magnificent view.

Help and rescue activities formed by the Nagano Prefectural Police and fire company as well as the Ground Self-Defense Force, run into difficulties because of a toxic gas and heavy rain caused by the typhoon.

Some events are cancelled under the influence of an eruption and the tourist is decreasing sharply, while damage does not reach the skiing area near Mt. Ontake. It usually passes, and preparation of commencement of business is advanced towards winter!

Posted for Saki