How was your Winter? Are you sick of it or do you want more? Whatever
floats your boat, here's the latest issue of the newsletter. Read and
enjoy!
This issue's packed and we hope it's got something in it for
everyone--reviews of the winter madness like Yuki Matsuri and Powdertopia as well
as some hiking and biking trips for all you summer fans. If you have any suggestions,
questions, or comments, send them along!
When you think of how long your life is,
your time in Japan is pretty short. So get out there and make the most of the outdoors
--do it up! Do it Outdoors.
Write your own article! Send them in a text format (i.e., pasted directly
to the body text of the email) to: newsletter@outdoorsig.com
Peace,
The Newsletter Guys,
David Maxwell & Ben Matsuda
From the President Mike
Springtime is upon us. Pretty soon we will be putting away the skis and
boards and getting out the camping gear and hiking boots. There is one
other big change that takes place in spring, particularly the end of March
and the beginning of April. The National crew will be stepping down (of
course we will be here to help out until we leave in July). That means that
we have got a lot of positions to fill. Click here for a list of the National
positions and a description.
Upcoming events
UPCOMING EVENTS UPDATE: April 2002 till the summer
(more events to follow in further updates on the email discussion list....if
you are not on it send an email to admin@outdoorsig.com
APRIL:
***ANNUAL OSIG GOLDEN WEEK TRIP TO GASSAN BACKCOUNTRY SPRING SKI/BOARD***
.....sometime between Sat April 27 and Monday May 06 (need only 3 days nenkyuu)
stay tuned to the email list.
Here are a couple of articles on the Ski Japan site about trips to Gassan in the past: Part I Part II
If you are interested contact: events@outdoorsig.com
***SCUBASIG'S GOLDEN WEEK TRIP to Micronesa???***
sometime between April 27 and May 06
Interested? Contact Karen at: scuba_sig@hotmail.com
MAY:
***EARTH CELEBRATION 2002 ON SADO ISLAND***
Fri May 10-Mon May 13
NOT TO BE MISSED!!!......join OSIGers from all over Japan on Sado Island.
See the world famous taiko group (and most travelled Japanese performing
group) KODO perform with internationally acclaimed artists.
Camp on Sobama beach (for free) and come early to get in on some alpine
hiking along the northern ridge of the island. (See the article on the hike
in the upcoming newsletter)
You are on your own for tickets, transport etc......ALL THE INFO YOU'LL
NEED CAN BE FOUND (in English) on the KODO website:
KODO`s Earth Celebration
As taken from the EC website:
"This year EC will feature outdoor concerts, a variety of workshops and
events. The creators of EC envisioned not just a weekend of concerts and
activities but rather a space where the bonds of friendship in our new global
community could be strengthened through an exchange of music, culture and
people from around the world. In recognition of the common pulse we all
share as the children of Mother Earth, the theme of this year's EC is again
"Tataku" (to beat a rhythm)".
Past OutdoorSIG Articles on the Earth Celebration Map of Sado Island
***RENEWERS CONFERENCES***
Kobe portion May 27-29 (Mon-Wed)
Tokyo portion June 03-05 (Mon-Wed)
First off.....DON'T FORGET to sign up for OutdoorSIG for another year at
the AJET desk......
ONLY 500yen!!....so get your outdoor friends from your ken interested too.
We are looking for anyone going to the conferences to help us in staffing
the OSIG display table at the AJET fair....if you are going please contact
Jen at: signup@outdoorsig.com
AT BOTH THE TOKYO AND KOBE CONF.... 'NEW BALANCE MORNINGS'
we had some people last year interested in going jogging in the mornings!!
(if you aren't hung over that is).....if you are into this drop us a line
and we'll get you in touch with other OSIGers....to decide on the where/when
to meet each morning.
IN KOBE
Tag on a hike/camp on Rokko-san (on the outskirts of Kobe)....
Lots of info on hiking Rokko-san
....if you want to help organize this please contact us.
JUNE:
***OSIG's FIRST ANNUAL WHITEWATER WEEKEND** *
Sat June 8-Sun June 09(Tentative)
We'll be starting with one event in the Kanto region (Tochigi-ken) and will
are hoping to build whitewater events on this weekend all over Japan.
Big Mike is a rafting guide and will be explaining this further on the email
discussion list.
***OSIG's ROLL YOUR OWN BLACKOUT***
June 21
One of the ECO-PROJECTS that OSIG takes part in....
What better way to help the earth (and consequently the outdoors) than to
not use any energy. On June 21st turn off all your lights and electricity.........and
roll your own blackout.
***OSIG'S ANNUAL PRE-SEASON FUJI CLIMB***
June 22-23 OR June 29-30 (dependent on weather conditions)
In order to miss the crowds on the "most climbed mountain in the world"
OSIG's trip to Fuji-san is PRE-SEASON (How DO you close a mt. anyway?)
No holiday necessary as we climb on a Sat night......to see the surreal
sunrise on the Sunday morning.
Interested? Drop us a line. Check out the pictures on the Interactive site
JULY:
***MOUNTAIN TO SEA (M2S) BIKE TOUR (HOKKAIDO)***
(early July)
An original OSIG event....bike from the mountain to the sea with other OSIGers.
Check out the info in this newsletter and the article from last year (in the articles section of the
Fall 2001 newsletter)
AUGUST:
***HOKKAIDO PEAKS TOUR***
(August)
Leaving JET??? Or just have a bunch of time off in late July and August??
Join other OSIGers as we trek around the hyakumeizan in Hokkaido....Niseko,
Daisetsuzan range, Shiretoko peninsula etc
Interested email: events@outdoorsig.com
FALL PREVIEW............
SEPTEMBER:
***BUILD YOUR EVENT HERE!***
***WANNA GET INVOLVED WITH OSIG email: pres@outdoorsig.com***
***contact your prefectural rep: yourkenname@outdoorsig.com (eg.
iwate@outdoorsig.com)***
OCTOBER:
THE ANNUAL NISEKO ADVENTURE TRIATHALON:
Oct 5-7 (Taiku no hi long weekend)
Get in shape now! OSIG puts a team in every year.
10km raft, 20km Mt bike, 10km run .....hosted by the Niseko Adventure Centre.
Check out their website.
Contact us if interested.
NOVEMBER:
INTERNATIONAL BUY NOTHING DAY
Nov 23 (every year)
It's one of the ECO projects that OSIG has decided to support....Nov 23
every year....reminds us that
the easiest way to reduce out collective environmental impact is to buy
fewer things....a simple message. SO....on Nov 23rd try to buy nothing.
More information
**** WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO BE ON THE EVENTS STAFF FOR THE
COMING YEAR.....IF YOU ARE INTERESTED CONTACT US at:
events@outdoorsig.com
Do it Outdoors!
BEE: Bicycle For Everyone's Earth
Cool air heavy with the smell of forests. A stream so cold it stings your hands when
you bend to get a drink. The sound of the wind in the mountains when only you can hear it.
You know you love it. Now, help Bicycle for Everyone's Earth protect it!
You have read about Bicycle for Everyone's Earth, the annual Hokkaido to Okinawa
bike-a-thon to raise awareness of environmental issues both in Japan and abroad.
You know that the 2002 BEE Ride will hold more than 50 events across Japan to
promote conservation of our shared natural heritage. And, you know that the
BEE Ride cannot be a success without your help.
The 2002 BEE Ride needs your help in the following areas:
Event Planning: Between August 1st and October 31st, the BEE Ride will bring its
conservationist message to your town. The BEE Team has one chance to get our message
out, and we need your help to make it count! Help us plan a school visit or community event.
Administration: If you can write, in English or Japanese, the BEE Team needs you!
We need people to help us contact potential sponsors, event coordinators, and media
organizations and convince them that conservation is worth their time and their effort.
Do you have the magic words?
Accommodation: Are you willing to host the BEE Team for one night as we ride from
Hokkaido to Okinawa?
Riding: Would you like to ride with the BEE Team for all or part of the 2002 BEE Ride?
You would rather be outdoors than sitting in that chair staring at a computer.
Now is your chance to help Bicycle for Everyone's Earth make sure that the outdoors
remains a place you would like to be.
Email Tucker at info@beejapan.org
right now and volunteer.
