Glossary

"English Camp in Kande" for elementary school students in the Ibukidai area, hosted at Kobe City Kande Nature Education Garden (神戸市立神出自然教育園).

Also referred to as Kanken, this exam is designed for native speakers of Japanese, as opposed to the JLPT, which is primarily for people who are studying Japanese as a foreign language.

As its name implies, the Kanken tests various aspects of kanji, their readings, stroke order, radicals, etc.

There are twelve levels; 10 is the lowest and 1 is the highest. Levels 10 through 5 cover the kanji learned in elementary school grades 1 through 6, respectively. Levels 4 and 3 are roughly equivalent to junior high school material. Levels Pre-2 and 2 include the kanji learned in high school and are often taken by adults seeking college admission or employment. Levels Pre-1 and 1 cover more complex characters and compounds that only a scholar (or at least avid reader?) would be expected to know.

In Japan, the Kanken is offered in paper form three times per year, and as a computer-based test (CBT) even more frequently depending on location and availability of testing locations.

Kobe Assistant Teacher of English - participants in the former English teaching program in Kobe before the city adopted the JET Program.

History: KATEs won a suit against the city following the great earthquake of 1995, which allowed them to extend their contracts indefinitely. 

The Kobe Education Center that hosts many important JET-related events, including new ALT/CIR welcome orientations and exit interviews, Spring Seminars, SDC, and Job Training among others.

A warning, usually used in the context of extreme weather conditions or natural disasters. Due to keihou, schools may experience closings or delays.

Note: Be sure to call your school, and they will tell you what you need to do.

You can sign up for email alerts from bosai.net.

The English version can be found at bosai.net/e/en/index.do.

See Kobe International Caravan Program

The train company that operates mainly in Kita Ward. Consists of the following lines:

• Arima Line (Minatogawa - Arima Onsen)
• Sanda Line (Arimaguchi - Sanda)
• Kōen-Toshi Line (Yokoyama - Woody Town Chuo)
• Ao Line (Suzurandai - Ao)
• Kobe Kosoku Line (Shinkaichi - Minatogawa)

Thanks, Wikipedia.

Also nicknamed Shintetsu (神鉄) or referred to as the "Kobe Dentist Line" by the automated announcements at Tanigami Station.

Kobe International Caravan Program (KICP) - a program through which various Junior High or Senior High schools around Kobe City host activities that focus on English communication and/or cultural exchange, in place of regular classes.

How to - KICP

Held almost every year in the fall/winter, Kobe JET(s) of the artistic persuasion submit t-shirt designs pertaining to living in Kobe (as a JET). In the spring, the Kobe JET community votes on the best design, and the winning design is used as the official design for t-shirts, polos, and hoodies!

Sample winners and entries from past years:

Held almost every year in the fall/winter, Kobe JET(s) of the artistic persuasion submit t-shirt designs pertaining to living in Kobe (as a JET). In the spring, the Kobe JET community votes on the best design, and the winning design is used as the official design for t-shirts, polos, and hoodies!

Sample winners and entries from past years:

Held almost every year in the fall/winter, Kobe JET(s) of the artistic persuasion submit t-shirt designs pertaining to living in Kobe (as a JET). In the spring, the Kobe JET community votes on the best design, and the winning design is used as the official design for t-shirts, polos, and hoodies!

Sample winners and entries from past years:

Held almost every year in the fall/winter, Kobe JET(s) of the artistic persuasion submit t-shirt designs pertaining to living in Kobe (as a JET). In the spring, the Kobe JET community votes on the best design, and the winning design is used as the official design for t-shirts, polos, and hoodies!

Sample winners and entries from past years:

Held almost every year in the fall/winter, Kobe JET(s) of the artistic persuasion submit t-shirt designs pertaining to living in Kobe (as a JET). In the spring, the Kobe JET community votes on the best design, and the winning design is used as the official design for t-shirts, polos, and hoodies!

Sample winners and entries from past years:

Held almost every year in the fall/winter, Kobe JET(s) of the artistic persuasion submit t-shirt designs pertaining to living in Kobe (as a JET). In the spring, the Kobe JET community votes on the best design, and the winning design is used as the official design for t-shirts, polos, and hoodies!

Sample winners and entries from past years:

Held almost every year in the fall/winter, Kobe JET(s) of the artistic persuasion submit t-shirt designs pertaining to living in Kobe (as a JET). In the spring, the Kobe JET community votes on the best design, and the winning design is used as the official design for t-shirts, polos, and hoodies!

Sample winners and entries from past years:

Consists of two lines:

Seishin-Yamate Line - The continuation of the Hokushin Kyuukou Electric Railway past Shin-Kobe. Runs to Seishin Chuo. Technically Tanigami is still considered the terminal stop on the other side.

Kaigan Line - Runs from Sannomiya Hanadokei-mae, through Harborland to Shin-Nagata, where it joins back with Seishin-Yamate Line.

Kouchou-sensei is the principal and boss of the school. Kouchou-sensei spends most of his time doing important things and talking to important people, so you may not see him much and the day-to-day running of the school is done by the Kyoto-sensei. Kouchou-sensei is sometimes required to sign things such as a form for sick leave, but you can generally ask your OTE or Kyoto-sensei to get him to sign for you.

When handing out omiyage, it is generally considered polite to give Kouchou-sensei his portion first (and often extra), even if you never speak to him.

A younger or inexperienced member of a group.

Also known as "chumpai."

Your Kyoto ("head teacher") Sensei is the vice-principal of the school, in charge of looking after teacher's affairs and administering the daily running of your school. The Kyoto Sensei of each school is also in charge of looking after the ALT(s), along with the OTE. When you want to take leave or attend a KICP, your Kyoto sensei is one of the people you will need to clear it with.

Kyushoku is school lunch. It comes in two varieties:

1) Elementary school kyushoku. Cooked every day on site at your elementary school. Hot and delicious, although may feature foods some people are uncomfortable with (eg. tiny fishes).

2) Junior high school kyushoku. Kobe's junior high school kyushoku comes in the signature orange plastic containers (seen right).

Junior high kyushoku is different every day, but has a few main features:

• hot rice
• cold everything else
• milk carton.

You can sign up for kyushoku if you haven't already by talking to your Kyoto-Sensei at your base school. There is an online registration system that allows you to preview the upcoming menu and reserve kyushoku for the days you want it. The school should also have a monthly paper menu available which lists ingredients, to help with managing allergies and dietary restrictions.

Kyushoku is school lunch. It comes in two varieties:

1) Elementary school kyushoku. Cooked every day on site at your elementary school. Hot and delicious, although may feature foods some people are uncomfortable with (eg. tiny fishes).

2) Junior high school kyushoku. Kobe's junior high school kyushoku comes in the signature orange plastic containers (seen right).

Junior high kyushoku is different every day, but has a few main features:

• hot rice
• cold everything else
• milk carton.

You can sign up for kyushoku if you haven't already by talking to your Kyoto-Sensei at your base school. There is an online registration system that allows you to preview the upcoming menu and reserve kyushoku for the days you want it. The school should also have a monthly paper menu available which lists ingredients, to help with managing allergies and dietary restrictions.