July I visited the Kanagawa Ward International Exchange Association (KANAK)

　In this month's exploration of people and towns in Director General, we introduce the activities of the volunteer group KANAK (Kanagawa Ward International Exchange Association), which offers Japanese language classes for foreigners.
At KANAK, about 30 foreigners from various nationalities are learning Japanese from 18 volunteers.
　I also saw a little bit of the classroom. From those who have just started studying to those who are aiming for the certification qualification, there are various stages of learning Japanese, so volunteers are politely taught almost one-on-one using textbooks tailored to the participants' situation. You were teaching.
　The first thing that impressed me was that you are studying very seriously and having fun. In addition, there were some people with children, and I felt that it was a classroom unique to the local community. Before Corona, there was also an exchange meeting through experiences of Japanese culture such as tea ceremonies and cherry-blossom viewing. A participant said, "I was able to make a lot of friends at KANAK. It's like a big family." It's not just about learning Japanese, but it's also a place where you can communicate with each other.
　In addition, the people who supported the activities as volunteers were also active and thought that it was really wonderful and thanked.
Kanagawa Ward is the fourth most foreigner among the 18 wards of the city. There are different aspects such as language, culture and lifestyle, but I hope to be a town where you can feel good to live in Kanagawa Ward.

July, 2022

Mayor of Kanagawa Masayoshi Hibino