If you've worked in Japanese company, you know that official power and actual power are separate things. The nominal heads get the salaries and outward respect you would expect them to get. But meanwhile, other people usually run the show behind the scenes.While you wouldn't know it by reading the Economist, which treats the goings on of Japanese elected officials in the same narrative as western politicians, the same is true of Japanese politics. Most of it is just for show; the bureaucrats run the show, and the elected officials count on them to do it. They don't even really delve into their matters much unless they involve money or re-election. Which is why you see Japan's finance minister speaking drunk at a press conference. Wonder how the world's second largest economy can have such an incompetent person in power? The answer is quite simple, really: he isn't actually expected to do anything. The bureaucratic machine has essentially run Japan since 50's.Anyway, that's why I usually don't pay much attention to Japanese politics, and why I'm paying so much more now. If I had to bet, I would say the DPJ will fail at what it's trying to accomplish. But it's trying, and that's worth some attention.Press home and read what else this guy is saying. He knows of what he speaks.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Things to Do and Food to Eat in Fukuoka, Japan
Fukuoka isn't that small of a place. Actual numbers bring the population to about the 5 million mark, with the city having roughly 1.3 million people. With that amount of people around, you know there has got to be something to do. On any day of the week if you look you will be able to find something that interests you. There are often festivals in one area or another in Fukuoka city. With a little help from a friend or the domestic foreigner magazines and information centers you will be able to find out where the festivals are being held.
The center of Fukuoka city will have to be Tenjin (though others may argue it to be Hakata). It is the shoppers' haven of the prefecture. Feel you need to do a little shopping for some nice named brands from Italy or France? head on over to Tenjin. Want to blow off some steam and hit a bar (including foreigner bars)? Tenjin is the place to be. Want to meet some new friends? Rainbow Plaza in... you guessed it, Tenjin, is the place to do just that.
Right next door to Tenjin is Nakasu. Nakasu hosts nightlife entertainment but tends to cater to the more affluent individual. However, Nakasu also has a huge shopping complex named Canal City which has so many shops that you wouldn't be able to count them all. The complex holds many restaurants, two hotels, a large cinema and in the center of Canal City is an area called Sun Plaza where it is common to find street performers doing their acts.
Of course Tenjin and Nakasu aren't the only place you can have fun. I live about 10 minutes away from Tenjin by subway in a town called Nishijin and I can do nearly as many things here as I can in Tenjin. Bowling, swimming, soccer, billiards, game centers, and even a movie theater are just a few of the things Nishijin and the nearby areas have to offer.
Yahoo Dome (formerly Fukuoka Dome) is located in Momochi which boarders the sea. Yahoo Dome is home to the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. The Hawks are a strong baseball team, beloved by the city and its residents. In fact, there are only two teams in Japan's professional baseball league who attract more than one million fans to their home games per year, and the Hawks are one of them. When the Hawks don't have a home game you can sometimes find other activities occurring in the Dome. Yahoo Dome hosts various flea markets and concerts throughout the year.
Food, food, food!
As far as I'm concerned, Fukuoka has the best food to offer in all of Japan (though I hear food in Sapporo is quite good). Fukuoka has its own well known dishes and of course the chefs here are well capable of recreating dishes found throughout the world.
Yatai When night begins to fall on Fukuoka city you may suddenly notice many little street vendors (usually operating out of their vans) popping up all over the sidewalks. These vendors serve a variety of foods ranging from ramen to yakiniku to tempura. Yatais themselves are really a site to see.
Hard Rock Cafe Fukuoka On the occasions when I miss American and Mexican food, I always have the option to head on over to Hard Rock Cafe right next door to Fukuoka dome in Momochi. Momochi is adjacent to Nishijin so indeed I am in luck. Hard Rock Cafe Fukuoka boasts the largest restaurant of its kind in Japan. The food is fantastic and of course the atmosphere is like all other Hard Rock Cafes out there. The staff is very friendly and since I frequent their establishment often I am treated extremely well with occasional benefits.
Izakaya Though not only found in Fukuoka, Izakaya restaurants deserve a notable mention. Izakayas offer a wide variety of food and more importantly drinks at a low price. University students as well as business men can often be found in these restaurants chatting with colleagues and drinking up a storm. All Izakayas offer a different ambiance, and with some searching you will be able to find one that suits you.
Famous Fukuoka food
Fukuoka ramen Have you ever had that cup O ramen or that freeze dried packaged ramen? bah! throw that out and try some "Tonkatsu ramen" (pork ramen) famous in Fukuoka and well know throughout all of Japan. First time I tried it I was instantly hooked and to this day try and eat it once every week or so.
Mentaiko Another famous food which Fukuoka is renowned for is mentaiko (very tiny fish eggs). To some people mentaiko may not seem very appetizing but please don't knock it till you try it. Mentaiko spaghetti, as an example, is a delicious treat around these parts. And there are of course many other recipes which have use for mentaiko.
Transportation
Unlike the nickname given to New York, Fukuoka does tend to get a little tired at night but usually not until quite late especially on weekends. One of the reasons for this in my humble opinion is the transportation shutdown at around midnight. That's right, the subway, train, and bus system all but stops once you hit the AM. Which leaves the weary and, more often than not, drunk to either take a taxi home, walk, or I have even heard the "I will just stay up until the subway starts again at 6:00 before I go home" line used by those who just aren't finished partying when its time for the transportation system's last call. This isn't just a Fukuoka special, for the shutdown happens throughout the whole of Japan.
Though the transportation system does shutdown at perhaps inconvenient times, it is a wonderful system. Perfectly clean trains, buses and subways (which are amazingly quiet) are the consequence of the shutdown for they are all cleaned during the wee hours of the morning.
Location
Fukuoka is found on the southernmost island of the four main islands in Japan. The name of the island is Kyushu. Fukuoka happens to be closer to Seoul, South Korea than it is to Tokyo. Fukuoka prefecture is located on the northern tip of Kyushu.
Travel Japan – Enjoy the Adventure
Japan is one of the Asian cities that must be seen. It is simply breathtaking to behold in its scenery and full of fun and exciting things to experience. Many come to the Islands of Japan and find they have so much to do, it is impossible to pack it all in to one vacation. From the large amount of attractions, the rich colorful history, and the beauty of the land itself, there is something to appeal to every traveler. You can still see the past traditions mingled with the new ways of today.
There are so many cities in Japan that one might find it hard to decide on an exact destination. Each city has its own special personality to consider. Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka, and Fukuoka are some of the more polar cities most world travelers have heard of. Tokyo is the most up to date city in Japan and has sites to see such as the Meiji Jingu Shrine, the Imperial Palace, and Disneyland Tokyo.
Other sites around Japan include the Nijo Castle, The Golden Pavillion, Kyoto Imperial Palace, and The Museum Of Kyoto. Hiroshima is, in itself a historical place as it was the area to be destroyed because of the first atomic bomb. The list continues on and on of great places to see and great things to experience while here in Japan.
For those who want a more detailed list of thing you can do, the list below should give you a pretty good idea.
· Try meditating at one of the many Buddhist Temples in the area.
· See Sumo Warriors wrestle it out in this ancient sport.
· Be a part of a tea party which is tradition in Japan.
· For the adventure seeker, a climb up Mount Fuji might be the right activity.
· Smell the Cherry blossoms on the tree.
· Fish in one of the great waters here.
· Have some authentic sushi and wash it down with real sake.
· Take part in one of the many festival through the city.
There are too many great things to do on your vacation in Japan. The best thing to do is to plan in advance. But if you’re the adventuress type, you can simply buy your tickets and set off for your own personal experience to Japan. See what you can find to do in this magnificent area of the world.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Karate pupil keen on return
At just 7 years old, Anna Leat has taken on some of Japan's top regional age group karate exponents.
While she did not win against all of them, the plucky Arrowtown karate kid is keen to go back for more.
Anna and her mother Jackie Leat travelled to Japan last month as part of an invitational New Zealand team to compete in a Japanese regional tournament in Fukuoka for children aged between 7 and 15.
Anna, the youngest on the 16-strong New Zealand squad, and the only one from the South Island had earned her place when she won her age division at the New Zealand Karate Open last year.
She also earned her passage over, having busked all summer to raise money for the trip.
The tournament held a few surprises. Japan's karate style was faster and more aggressive than in New Zealand, Mrs Leat said.
"The first couple of matches was a big surprise because they [the Japanese competitors] were all aiming for her head," Mrs Leat said.
"Here, children aren't allowed to take head shots until they are at least 10, so she didn't know how to defend her head . . . and she didn't have a protective helmet."
But Anna soon adapted and after borrowing additional safety gear did better than expected against the 57 competitors in her age group.
She made the third round, a feat only equalled by two other New Zealand team members.
While the karate style was much tougher than the pair were used to, both were amazed by the warm welcome they and the other New Zealanders received.
"Everyone was so friendly . . . The children went to a local school and were treated like movie stars," Mrs Leat said.
"Everyone stood and clapped when they walked into the classroom and when they were leaving there were children waving from the windows."
One of the biggest benefits of the tournament was experiencing a new culture and way of life.
"There is a lot we could learn from Japanese people in terms of how to live next to your neighbour. They were very humble and considerate of everyone around them," Mrs Leat said.
Anna wants to learn Japanese and hopes to have another opportunity to go back to the birthplace of her chosen sport soon.
Having been inspired by training sessions with Japanese karate world champions and hanging out with four-time kata world champion Atsuko Wakai, this trip could be just a taste.
from: www.odt.co.nz
Ex-champ Ndiwa looks to bounce back to fame
By Mutwiri Mutuota After overcoming a genetic injury and severe bouts of typhoid and malaria, resurgent Mangata Ndiwa hopes the Saturday Amman World Cross will restore his international career. In 2006, Ndiwa was on top of the world after being crowned 8km men’s race champion in Fukuoka, Japan, before his assault on the 5,000m gold medal at the World Junior Championships in Beijing fell short after he finished fourth. It was to be the last time Ndiwa featured in an international tournament as a rare condition-hole in the ankle and a combination of typhoid and malaria ravaged his career. "It’s been a difficult period for me but I am pleased to be competing for Kenya again. It is my desire to do the very best in Amman as a tribute to all those who have worked hard to see me through this," Ndiwa said. At the Trials for Amman, Ndiwa ran 38:58.2 for sixth and was handed wildcard selection for the World Cross. Finished fifth In 2005, Ndiwa finished fifth (24:15) at the junior race during the St Galmier-St Etienne World Cross before winning silver (13:45.37) at the Africa Junior Championships in Rades, Tunisia. The following year, Ndiwa was crowned World Cross junior champion (25:34) and led Kenya to a perfect 10 (1-2-3-4 finish) in the 8km race before he clocked 13:44.03 for fourth at the Beijing World Juniors’ 5,000m race. But just before travelling to Beijing, Ndiwa developed swelling in the left ankle that got worse after the event which had first appeared in 2004 and was later diagnosed as a hole in the ankle. Early retirement It is the same injury that forced famed Dutch footballer and later national team coach, Marco van Basten’s early retirement in 1995 while playing for Serie A side, AC Milan. "It is an injury that cannot be treated, one has to be conditioned to live with it," Ndiwa’s coach, Brother Colm O’Connell said. Besides the inborn defect, Ndiwa suffered from a severe case of typhoid that later combined with malaria, ending his dreams of featuring at last year’s World Cross and Beijing Olympics Games. "I was still not getting cured and I changed my doctor with the one who gave me different medication that was able to bring the typhoid and malaria under control. I have been on this medication until recently when I felt strong again." Ndiwa roared back to action at the fourth KCC/AK National Cross meeting held at Kisii with a classy victory in the long race in 37:10.0, followed by a second finish (26:54, 8.9km) at the Bupa Great Edinburgh Run. The lanky Kenyan clocked 26:54 in the men’s 8.9km race. "It will be very tough in Amman but I believe the Kenyan team can do something. Personally, my goal is to get a medal." Two of his younger siblings, sister Stacy and brother Emmanuel Ndiwa have followed in his footsteps by launching their athletics careers. from: www.eastandard.net
Double heartbreak for Young All Whites
The New Zealand under-17 football team will play off for 15th place the Sanix Cup tournament in Fukuoka, Japan, after losing one game to a late goal and another in a penalty shootout on day three.
The Young All Whites will also play the Japan under-17 national team in a friendly on Monday.
New Zealand's morning match on Saturday against Saga Higashi High School looked set to finish scoreless until the Japanese students got in behind New Zealand's defence with two minutes of the 80-minute match remaining to set up the game's only goal.
The Young All Whites picked themselves up for an afternoon match against Kagashimi Josei but again failed to score, with the Japanese side claiming a 4-3 penalty shootout win after the match finished 0-0 in normal time.
from: www.radionz.co.nz
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
A tour independent Aoyama Thelma from Fukuoka
Aoyama Thelma of the active female college student singer who broke through very much started the first independent tour in ZEPP Fukuoka in Chuuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi on February 20 and showed を which could "reach" it of the new song last year.
Aoyama Thelma about this independent tour "practiced, and had been waiting one month". It is thanks thanks. Great applause went up from a full meeting place when I told the feeling of thanks to "and the fan who gathered.
Aoyama Thelma seems to have performed a club event in Fukuoka in December, 2007 just after the debut, and only 20 visitors did not gather then. However, tears ran it down from jam-packed 2,000 people, eyes of Aoyama Thelma this time.
There "was it near slept" as image-song of the mobile commercial, and が Aoyama Thelma whom I made a big hit and repainted the number of the downloads of each ringing melody company, and it was authorized by Guinness, and broke through very much participated in the Red and White Singing Contest at the end of the year.
from: e-japannews.com
Street fighter 4 breaks through 2,000,000 of them
When street fighter 4 who appeared in the fruit of the street fighter of that popularity arcade game from Play Station 3 by a new work for the first time in 11 years was the whole world, and shipment number exceeded 2,000,000, there was announcement from Capcom of the game production company.
Street fighter 4 casts it into the Japanese market as three Play Station software by the complete new work from a way of about 11 successively for the arcades in last year on February 12, 2009 since I lined up in the series at a game arcade.
[TRANS] 090316 Fukuoka MC Diary (TVXQ/DBSK/Tohoshinki/東方神起/동방신기)
THSK’s Junsu, Yoochun, Changmin had arrived at Bob! to film.
From the previous programs, such as Basketball and bowling, we had received lots of suggestion from everyone.
After going on Kohaku, the boys are now a superstar!
However, it didn’t change their image of having a great attitude.
When we ended the location, Saitou Msaru said “I think DBSK is not human like you say,” which i replied “I really mean what i said~”
This would be broadcast soon! Do enjoy it!Fukuoka MC diary
THSK, Junsu, Yoochun, Changmin
had arrived at Bob! to film.
From the previous programs
such as Basketball and bowling, we had received lots of suggestion from everyone.
after going on Kohaku, the boys are now a superstar!
However, it didn’t change their image of having a great attitude.
When we ended the location, Saitou Msaru said “I think DBSK is not human like you say,” which i replied “I really mean what i said~”
this would be broadcast soon! Do enjoy it!
Jeju to Boost Airline Industry in Bid for Tourists
Jeju Island is looking to the airline industry for ways to draw in more tourists this year. Aiming to make the island more accessible for travelers from abroad, the resort island introduced a special incentive program in which an international airline that plans to establish a new route to Jeju will be given as much as W5 million (US$1=W1,488).
The island will also seek ways to chip in on surcharges for landing, which are usually about $100, if airlines run more flights to Jeju.
The move has already struck chords with major airlines from China, Japan and Taiwan that have increased their number of flights to the vacation spot.
In the case of Chinese airlines, new direct routes from Hangzhuo and Dailian have been set up, while a Gwangzuo route will open on March 27.
Taiwan is opening a flight from its largest container port city of Kaohsiung, and Japan has increased the number of flights from Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya.
Jeju is hosting the ASEAN-Korea summit this June and plans to attract as many as 60,000 tourists this year, compared to 54,000 last year.
Arirang NewsDestination Amman – IAAF Cross Country Permit meeting season round-up
Monte-Carlo - With the 23rd edition of the Fukuoka Cross Country races taking place on Saturday 7 March, the tenth and final IAAF Cross Country Permit meeting of the 2008/09 season was concluded.
The IAAF series of races, which commenced in Oeiras, Portugal on 15 November 2008, fittingly was run off at its conclusion on a slightly modified version of the course which hosted the 2006 global championships in Fukuoka. ‘Fittingly’ because the annual IAAF Permit series is naturally focused on the overall climax to the cross country season, the World Championships.
This year we celebrate the 37th IAAF World Cross Country Championships which will be staged in Amman, Jordan, on Saturday 28 March. This is the first time in the championships’ history that they have been held in the Middle East.
Since we published our recap of the action that took place in the first half of the season (Nov 2008 to end of Jan 2009) - see 'Related Content' under the logo for previous story - the IAAF circuit has stopped at Italy’s world famous Cinque Mulini in San Vittore Olona, and then travelled to fixtures in Luxembourg, Kenya, the Algarve, as well as Japan, with the distribution of honours continuing to be spread across the world’s distance running elite.
In a season when the reigning World Cross Country champions Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia have been sidelined by injury, the lack of a true stand-out King or Queen in waiting makes predications for Amman more suitable territory for a clairvoyant or an oracle than it does a sports statistician.
Throughout this season’s 10 meetings only one athlete, Florence Kiplagat (KEN) has managed to take more than one victory, with the winner in Seville (18 Jan) also taking success in Nairobi a month later, a meeting which also doubled as the Kenyan trials.
Kenya’s 2008 World Cross Country bronze medallist Linet Masai, who won the prestigious race in Edinburgh on 10 January was third behind Kiplagat at the Trials.
Moses Mosop was the men’s winner in Nairobi, a race which saw a set back to the Amman hopes of Qatar’s World Steeplechase record holder Saif Saaeed Shaheen who only three weeks before had sauntered to victory in San Vittore Olona, seemingly fully recovered from injury.
That race in Italy saw Antrim race winner (3 Jan) Stephanie Twell of Britain - who was fourth in the Edinburgh race - bettered by Hungary’s Aniko Kalovics, whose own attempt to take a second IAAF permit race this season was scuppered at the start of March. Latvia’s New York marathon winner Yelena Prokopchuka beat Kalovics by six seconds in the Almond Blossom Cross Country in the Algarve on 1 March.
Titus Masai, the winner of the opening permit meeting in Oeiras in mid November also came close to a second win losing out to compatriot Wilson Kiprop in Diekirch, Luxemburg, but doesn’t make the Kenyan squad for Amman in any case. The same also goes for another high profile winner of an IAAF permit race Abebe Dinkesa who demolished much of the world’s best in Edinburgh but is not listed in the Ethiopian line-up for the World XC.
from: iaaf.org
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Singapore Airlines to park 17 aircraft, announces massive global capacity cuts, India services hit hard
Singapore Airlines to park 17 aircraft, announces massive global capacity cuts, India services hit hard
Singapore Airlines (SIA) on the most profitable airlines in the world, announced today further route adjustments as part of the 11 per cent reduction of capacity from April 2009 to March 2010.
While Bangalore remains unaffected, for now, most other gateways of New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad have already been or are being affected by this latest announcement.
I cannot help but compare the withdrawal of services by most international carriers to the massive ramp-up by Emirates and other middle-east airlines in India.
When I visited the airport yesterday, during discussions with various friends, I was informed that the two of the three Emirates flights were going full, and the third was also respectable.
A number of changes have already been announced and some effected, including the withdrawal of service to Amritsar (from Feb 09) and Vancouver (from Apr 09), lower frequency of flights to India, as well as a cutback on the non-stop flights between Singapore and the USA.
A whopping 17 aircraft will be decommissioned from the operating fleet, up from an earlier forecast of four aircraft to be phased out.
The new changes shown below will be in effect from March 29 to October 24, unless specified otherwise:
Europe
For the London route, one of the three daily flights will be replaced with a B777-300ER plane from end-March.
The change in aircraft from the B747-400 will result in a seat count reduction of 97, a minus 7.5 per cent difference a day.
Flights to Manchester will be at three times weekly from May, down from the present five times weekly.
Australia
The frequency of service to Sydney will be reduced from four to three times daily till July.
North Asia
Services to Seoul will be reduced to twice-daily, from its already-reduced schedule of 17 times weekly. One flight will continue on to San Francisco.
Japan, the Singapore-Bangkok-Tokyo service will reduce from six to five flights per week.
China, flights to Beijing will decrease from 21 to 17 weekly. Guangzhou and Nanjing services will reduce to five and two per week respectively.
Flights to Hong Kong will be reduced from a weekly 42 to 35.
West Asia
Aside from already announced changes affecting Indian gateways (see details below), Colombo and Male will each be served by five flights per week, down from seven.
Southeast Asia
In the region, the Jakarta route will see a reduction from 56 to 49 a week, while Bangkok flights will be cut from 41 to 33 per week.
Other routes, such as Brisbane, Perth, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Rome will now be operated with variable frequencies depending on the season.
---
Flights to India
Hyderabad-Singapore services, SQ439 and SQ438, will be reduced from four to three times weekly, with the suspension of the Saturday service from February 21.
SQ405 and SQ406, between New Delhi and Singapore, will be reduced from a six times weekly service, to five times weekly service. Changes will apply from March 10 to 24, as flights on Tuesdays during that period will be suspended.
For Mumbai and Singapore, services SQ421 and SQ422 will be progressively reduced from five to four times weekly services, starting February 27. Flights on Fridays will be suspended.
Morning flights to Chennai will be cut.
Seven arrested over child porn
FUKUOKA —
Seven men and women have been arrested in Fukuoka for allegedly violating the child pornography law, police said Tuesday. Investigators in Fukuoka and Tokyo confiscated hundreds of computer hard drives and other equipment the seven allegedly used to sell illegal video clips on the Internet, police said.
Ken Morimoto, 41, president of a Fukuoka-based company that operates a website featuring child pornography, and his six employees were taken into custody. Morimoto’s web servers are in Hong Kong, and customers are directed to servers in the U.S. before they download video files from the Hong Kong servers, police said. But police said they discovered the same files in Morimoto’s computers as those in his severs overseas, leading to the arrests.
Since Morimoto started his website in September 2007, its membership to more than 6,000 and his company has raked in an estimated 200 million yen, police said
from: http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/seven-arrested-over-child-porn
Web-site seven in child porn bust
Web-site seven in child porn bust
FUKUOKA (Kyodo) Seven men and women have been arrested in Fukuoka for allegedly violating the law on child pornography, police said Tuesday.
A joint investigative team of Fukuoka and Tokyo police confiscated hundreds of computer hard drives and other equipment the seven allegedly used to sell illegal video clips on the Internet, the police said.
Ken Morimoto, 41, president of a Fukuoka-based company that operates a Web site featuring child pornography, and his six employees were taken into custody for allegedly possessing child-porn videos for business purposes, the police said.
Police crackdowns on Internet child pornography usually reach dead ends when they learn the Web servers are based abroad. In such cases, arrests require coordination with police overseas.
Morimoto’s Web servers are based in Hong Kong, and customers are directed to servers in the U.S. before they download video files from the Hong Kong servers, the police said.
But the police said they discovered the same files in Morimoto’s computers in Fukuoka as those in his servers overseas, leading to the arrests.
Since Morimoto started his Web site in September 2007, its membership has expanded to more than 6,000 and his company has raked in an estimated ¥200 million, the police said
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Fukuoka - Kumamoto, Aso
Steve and Kaori hired a car today, and we went for a drive in the country. We left Fukuoka about 9:30, and went first to Kumamoto, where there is a big castle.
The upper section is not original, but has been rebuilt to the original design. We climbed up inside with hundreds of others,
then went off to Restaurant Joyfull for some hamburger lunch.
Then we went to Mt Aso, which is an active volcano complex within a huge caldera, the biggest in the world.
It has exploded several times in the last 30yrs, killing tourists. It was just smoking today, but that was very impressive for the foreign tourists.
We drove the 2hrs back to Fukuoka (at least Kaori drove - all day because Steve doesn't), returned the car, and had tea in another of Steve's favourite fast food restaurants.
Fukuoka to Kyoto
We got up early, and had a taxi take us all to Hakata station. There was plenty of time, so we had coffee first. Then we said goodbye to Steve and Kaori, and off we went.
First we took a Shinkansen to ShinYamaguchi, then changed to a two carriage diesel which chugged along to Yanago. There was some snow as we moved through Kyushu,
but on Honshu we went through the mountains, and had snow falling all the way to the coast at Hamada.
Even along the coast, there were snow showers, and drifts in sheltered corners. The scenery was similar to the north-west coast, rocky outcrops, tiny harbours and gardens squashed between the sea and the road.
At Yanago we picked up a second two-car diesel, which took us to Tottori, where we bought bowls of ramen soup from a kiosk on the station, then had to try to carry them onto the train. This was a third diesel, but this one had a great big front window.
Then we went through the mountains again, past the town of Ohara (thinking of Ros and Tony),
and suddenly there was no snow, and not long after we arrived in Himeji. I didn't know which route the train took, so it was a surprise to see the coast again.
From Himeji to Kyoto is wall to wall civilization - tiny houses squashed in between blocks of apartments and huge high rises. Not our sort of environment.
We got to Kyoto at about 18:00, took a cab to the hostel, then went for a walk to find somewhere for tea. We chatted online to Steve and Tim, and now it's nearly bed-time.
A day’s experience in Fukuoka, Japan.
apan Trip
On Monday morning, I had to go for a day trip to Japan, which they call a
visa run, which saw me go by hovercraft to Fukuoka city and I would return
back after thirty hours. After my pickup came early and failed me for having
breakfast, brother jumped on board hungry, but managing...I met another
Australian, not your usual optimist, but wasn't to bad. Was difficult to make
conversation with him at first when I asked him where he lived in Australia
and he said the south side...and I said "where, Logan, Sunnybank?" And all
he would say i "South side" Whilst waiting for the boat, I noticed a some
students eager to talk to me, so I said hello, how are you....next thing, 20
people surround m and are trying to have a conversation with me and then
they start taking photo's...got me feeling like Kanye west....testify...come
up iin the spot lookin extra fly...til he day I die...I'ma touch the
sky...Then on the boat, met an american guy named Lopez....we got to know
each other sitting in the same seat area...then he just started talking all
this rubbish that I didnt want to hear...you know when that happens to
you...stuck in a situation for a certian amount of time and you can't hange
the settings. So he thought alot of himself and kept on wanting us to spend
more money on taxi's, but me being to Japan before...and the weakness of the
Australian dollar, I knew things weren't so viable for a brotha at that
present time....we headed to the embssy and then filled out the visa
application forms to be met by a the cutest immigration lady we have ever
seen. Lopez decides he's gonna vibe her...but she can't speak english....so
it was an interesting scenario nonetheless. I tried to speak my Japanese
and somehow, my proficiency has improved to another level that I could liase
between 2 languages...It felt like a magnificent achievement. Next, we tried
to find our hotel.
We decided to organise ourselves as a team. 3 australians, one eglishman,
one american and one canadian. We had decided to catch the bus and after
getti g on several of the wrong buses, we finally managed to get onto one
that was headed towards our hotel. we got of at the stop only to realise
that we were at the wrong stop. I saw two foreigners walking towards us in
the distance...finally...another person who could speak english...I go up o
them.."excuse me"...can you beleive...they looked and then dissed a
brotha....then I'm there standing like" what just happened" I told the guys
and they just laughed it ver..but finally anothe Japanese lady was able to
help withh directions to the hotel. we caught the bus and then made it to
the hotel. a very nice hotel and a brotha was getting a free breakfast too.
We decided we would go and explore a little later in town..so I went to have
a rest to find a little kimono thing in their...brotha got changed and
started doing some bruce lee action fighting movie scene...felt good..then i
took a rest for half an hour.
Unfortunately, 90% of the time we were in Fukuoka, it was raining and I
didn't have an umbrella and I wasnt going to buy one fo 500
yen....(yeah....bit stubborn....but japan ain't cheap neither...plus they
didnt give me my allowance yet)So I walked alongside eveyone else as we
headed towars town. We stopped by a shrine and then went to starbucks where
I met another African American and just got talkin for a while and then left
him with his 2 girls to ...handle his biz-ness. We continued walking up
through the upmarket stores and by the time we got out, it was time to eat.
We had a look around and the others decided to go to a place where it cost
2000Yen for a meal each...so I bounced to a place called Yoshinoya and got
the same meal for Australian Budget...was good yo...and got to use more of
my Japanese so I was feeling really good. I later went to meet up with them
and I was standing ouside waiting for them. An older japanese guy that could
speak english started talking with me, asked \me what i was doing? I told
him that I was waiting fo my friends. He asked me if I had eaten, and I said
yes, I'll just wait for them to finish..then we started having a
conversation and I found out that he was a business owner and had a business
in new york and that he was with his young wife...or most probably,
girlfriend..he later insisted that I come inside with him and eat with him
and he said he'll pay...afte asking me three times, I went in and we
continud talking. Then he bought me sake...told me to drink....and he begged
again...so I tried it....it was alright...strong though....the food was good
and he let me try some good chicken. mmmmm...tasty.Then he was asking me
where i am from...started saying i was cool ang he liked his girl...then
asked me if i liked girls...then came the awkward part of the
conversation....he said" I think you are bi-sexual...you like
men?"...dammmmmmn...I could here the record scratch right down man...like
everything just stopped at that point in time...then I notice the look in
his and his girls eye and then I felt my loss of appetite for chicken and
was hoping his generosity was purely for his kindness and not for his or his
girls ambitions. Then my friends decided to go so I thanked them for their
kindness and we continued our night in Fukuoka.
After walking for 10 minutes, we came to a place like an old English pub,
but walking inside and they were playing classic reggae music. We sat down
and ordered drinks, mine strictly orange juice and we continud talking and
sharing stories about where we all came from. I wanted to check out the
Fukuoka club scene before I left, even though it was a Monday night. As we
left the pub, the worker gave me instructions on how to get there and they
also gave me a free pink umbrella because they saw how much it was raining.
It was so kind of them. I later split from the group and made my way to the
club.
At the club, I was outside when a young man came outside to greet me. He
could speak a little English and with my little Japanese, somehow, we were
striving to have a conversation with each other and he was explaining to me
what time people go to the club and that they had sean paul perform at their
club only 2 weeks ago. I went inside and joined him and then I met his DJ
friend and he bought me a drink. We shared stories and then another guy
about 40 years old was insisting on having me dance...so I later said
ok...and we went and busted a couple moves out on the floor.....he moved
really bad...but you know...I was keeping things optimisitic, so I was like
in Japanese..yeah man that was tight , yo...that was cool. After our dance
session, he bought me a drink and then he and his friend left the club. I
continued talking with the dj and the staff behind the bar in Japanese cos
only one person could speak a little english and everyone was having an
awesome time while they were busting out some old school classics. Then at
one, I was too tired so I went to go home and the guys gave me instructions
and took me to the street where I could find my hotel. Then my night came to
a close and I was looking forward to a free buffet the next morning.
The next day, I woke up expecting to find my new friends down at the buffet
as i woke up late, but to no avail. So I helpe myself to a big breakfast and
then I later saw them come down one by one and we all shared our stories of
the previous night. We then went to pick up our visa's...somhow, Lopez
managed to score the immigration chicks email..and then started boasting
about getting some erotic magazines...that just killed our vibe with
him....we went back to the ship port and was chilling there. While waiting,
I said hello and started talking with another young korean male and then
next thing, everyones taking photo's and aking questions and treating me like
a rock star.."testify...." u know how it goes. Then I'm walking through the
ship port and they are all folowing me too. ahh....this is quite
interesting. Arriving back in Korea was alright. We caught the train then
bus and parted ways...ad an embarrasing experience almost walking into the
wrong toilet, but in the end, a brotha succeeded. After the bus, I caught
the taxi and tried to have a conversation with the driver (to no avail) and
then I went home. The start of a new day...working in Korea.
Feminist cleric plans 3 days of events
As a feminist theologian and Christian writer, the Rev. Rita Nakashima Brock is committed to certain ideals, including respect for all people regardless of gender, race, nationality, sexual orientation or education.
Brock plans to share her ideas on how to create more just communities and a more peaceful world in a series of talks at St. Mark's Presbyterian Church beginning Friday.
Brock, 58, is the founding director of Faith Voices for the Common Good and is a visiting scholar at the Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, Calif. She was a professor of religion and women's studies for 20 years at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn.
She has lectured worldwide and is a member of the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians, a global organization of liberation theologians. Brock's latest book is titled "Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of This World for Crucifixion and Empire."
Here are excerpts from a recent interview with Brock:
Tell us a few things about yourself. Did you grow up in a religious home? Are your beliefs a reflection of what your family taught you?
I was raised in a Jodo Shinshyu Buddhist family in Fukuoka, Japan, until I was 6. My mother, Ayako, was trained as a nurse by the (American) Red Cross after World War II and met my Puerto Rican father, Clemente Morales, who was a U.S. soldier. He was sent to Korea when I was 6 months old, so I did not know he existed until I was 33. My mother married another soldier, Roy Brock, when I was 3. He brought us to the U.S. when I was 6, where I learned English and dropped my mother tongue.
My mother was baptized a Christian when I was in college. Roy was from rural Mississippi and raised Southern Baptist, though he rebelled and became more generally mainline Protestant because of the military chaplains we knew. I was baptized when I was 16 by a conservative Baptist minister, though I never accepted his fundamentalist kind of Christianity — I liked and believed in evolution. I also refused to think my Japanese family was "lost."
While English is now the one language I speak fluently, my thinking brain was shaped by the structures and worldview of Japanese, a language I have studied and forgotten twice. I think it, and my immersion in a Buddhist family, have shaped the way I orient to reality and think.
What inspired you to become a Christian scholar? An author?
In college at Chapman University, I was an anti-racism activist. The student leaders I most admired all told me to take a class called Literature of the Old Testament. I was skeptical, but it turned out to be the best class I had in college. It gave me an intellectual, inquiring — and deeply inspiring — alternative to the fundamentalism I rejected in high school.
Throughout my education and my career as a professor, I maintained my activist interests in justice and peace work, since they had inspired my study of religion. When I became a charter subscriber to Ms. Magazine and immersed myself in feminist ideas, the patriarchy of virtually all religions became a major focus of my work. I originally thought I would do a feminist study of Buddhist-Christian dialogue but decided, because I am a Christian, my greatest contribution would be working deeply in my own tradition to transform its patriarchy.
Please tell us a bit about your latest book, "Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of This World for Crucifixion and Empire."
It shows how, for four millennia, the idea of paradise, as the best human life on Earth can be, has inspired counterimperial strategies that resist injustice, war and destruction of life-sustaining powers. My co-author, Rebecca Parker, and I focus especially on the visual images and the biblical, theological and liturgical traditions of the first millennium of Christianity, which believed salvation was baptism into paradise in this life, most fully realized in the church. We demonstrate that the idea that Jesus' crucifixion saved the world is a second millennium idea of European Christianity. It emerged to support imperial conquest and became war propaganda.
Our intent in writing the book was to show that Christianity was once a life-affirming, this-worldly tradition. We can reclaim this truth for a time that needs a new value system that affirms love of beauty and the Earth, a commitment to the common good, and joy in the simple pleasures of a sustainable, decent life for all.
What are the greatest challenges people face today in terms of spirituality?
I think the two greatest challenges are the use of religion to justify violence and war, and the false notion that individual salvation — or personal spirituality without a community — is possible. We are all in this together.
How do you define Jesus? Do you see Jesus as a revolutionary figure?
I believe Jesus was the incarnation of the spirit of God in human flesh in this way: Jesus, a Jew, followed the paradise-based justice-and-mercy traditions of the prophets, who condemned imperial oppressions and wars. In being faithful to God as the core goodness of his tradition and his life, Jesus revealed to others the spiritual power in him that no human political system could destroy. Using that power, he organized a non-violent movement of resistance to imperial oppression, which is why the Romans crucified him.
His movement followed a value system whose God cared for the poor and condemned unjust rulers. Jesus revealed how communities united together in love incarnate God in human flesh. Communities gathered to remember him draw courage from the same spiritual power that was in him to resist systems of injustice and violence, and continue his work of justice, healing and mercy.
from:http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/280512
SIA cuts more services
 |  | Faced with a rapidly-shrinking travel market, SIA, which had earlier announced route cuts to India, the United States and Vancouver, has added to the list Australia and Britain, as well as other points in Asia. -- PHOTO: REUTERS |
Faced with a rapidly-shrinking travel market, SIA, which had earlier announced route cuts to India, the United States and Vancouver, has added to the list Australia and Britain, as well as other points in Asia.
On the Australia routes, the frequency of service to Sydney will reduce to three times daily till July.
The airline's three times daily service to London will be maintained but the Boeing 747-400 service will be replaced with a B777-300ER from end-March. This will result in 97 fewer seats a day, or a drop of 7.5 per cent.
Flights to Manchester will be at three times weekly from May, down from the present five-weekly. Service to Seoul will be reduced to twice-daily, from its already-reduced schedule of 17 times weekly.
One flight will continue on to San Francisco. To Japan, the Singapore-Bangkok-Tokyo service will reduce from six to five flights per week. Services to China will also change.
Flights to Beijing will decrease from 21 to 17 weekly. Guangzhou and Nanjing services will reduce to five and two per week respectively.
In West Asia, Colombo and Male will each be served by five flights per week, down from seven. Other routes, such as Brisbane, Perth, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Rome will now be operated with variable frequencies depending on the season.
SIA said in a statement on Tuesday: 'The drop in demand owing to the global economic slowdown is the driver of the reduction in capacity. Going forward, Singapore Airlines will continue to monitor demand patterns and will make changes to its network when necessary.'
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Rainbow Plaza
Fukuoka, Japan
+81 92 733 2220
from: http://72.14.235.132/search?q=cache:AoknPjuAkQUJ:travel.aol.com/travel-guide/Rainbow%2BPlaza-Fukuoka-attractions--Japan:201:166449+rainbow+plaza+fukuoka&hl=th&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=th&client=firefox-a
rainbow plaza fukuoka
Rainbow Plaza is operated by the Fukuoka International Association, a city government sponsored body, to provide, amongst other duties, assistance to foreigners.
It has a small library of English and other language books. It also publishes several books of its own, including the excellent "Living in Fukuoka" and a free monthly magazine "Rainbow". It also coordinates free counselling, legal and other services for foreigners. In general it is a good place to start if you are seeking information from the city government although its self-imposed limitations can sometimes be galling. They have numerous leaflets. Fukuoka International Association also runs a homestay and home visit program.
Of particular interest to foreigners are the noticeboards operated by Rainbow Plaza. Through them you can advertise for students or teachers, buy and sell second hand goods (as long as they relate to daily living) and even meet "study partners"... Again, the restrictions can sometimes be galling.
If you should visit Rainbow Plaza, we urge you very strongly to be courteous to the staff. At the same time, Rainbow Plaza is one of the "international faces" of the city and we feel sure that they would be delighted to hear your politely expressed opinions of the services they offer.
fukuoka university of education
Fukuoka University of Education
Fukuoka University of Education (福岡教育大学 Fukuoka kyōiku daigaku?) is a national university in Munakata, Fukuoka, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1876, and it was chartered as a university in 1949. The present name was adopted in 1966.Natural Farming Pioneer Fukuoka Masanobu Dies, 95 Years Old
Fukuoka Masanobu, Japan's great-grandfather of natural farming, has passed away on August 16. He became 95 years old. Many people are probably familiar with his books, that were translated to English, Spanish and many other languages. One-Straw Farming is perhaps the best known of Fukuoka-sensei's many works. In 1988 Fukuoka received the Deshikottam Award, India's most prestigious award, and the Philippines' Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service. In 1997 he received the Earth Council Award, which honors politicians, businesspersons, scholars, and non-governmental organizations for their contributions to sustainable development.
Fukuoka explains natural farming in his writings: "We can make healthy rice, healthy and rich soil that requires no fertilizer, and have productive soil without tilling if we just accept the fact that such excessive efforts-tilling, application of either organic, chemical fertilizers, or pesticides-has never been necessary A farming method that develops the conditions under which people do not have to do anything--this is what I have been pursuing. After thirty years I finally came to the point where my natural farm could yield, without any effort, virtually as much rice and wheat as typical scientific farms."
Japan For Sustainability: Japanese Farmer-Philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka: Natural Farming Greening the Deserts
Over at Permaculture.com, Larry Korn describes how Fukuoka visited a Permaculture Convergence in Olympia, Washington and met Bill Mollison:
There were nearly one thousand people there. He was overwhelmed and heartened by the number and sincerity of the like-thinking people he met. He thanked Mollison for "creating this network of bright, energetic people working to help save the planet." "Now," he said, "for the first time in my life I have hope for the future."In turn, permaculture has adopted many things from Fukuoka. Besides the many agricultural techniques, such as continuous no-tillage grain growing and growing vegetables like wild plants, permaculture has also learned an important new approach for devising practical strategies. Most importantly, the philosophy of natural farming has given permaculture a truly spiritual basis lacking in its earlier teachings.
Read More:
The Fukuoka Farming Website
Masanobu Fukuoka
Masanobu Fukuoka (福岡 正信 Fukuoka Masanobu February 2, 1913 – August 16, 2008) author of The One-Straw Revolution, The Road Back to Nature and The Natural Way Of Farming, was one of the pioneers of no-till grain cultivation. His system is referred to as "natural farming", Fukuoka Farming, or the Fukuoka Method.
Background
Trained as a microbiologist in his native Japan, he began his career as a soil scientist specializing in plant pathology. At age 25, he began to doubt the wisdom of modern agricultural science. He eventually quit his job as a research scientist, and returned to his family's farm on the island of Shikoku in Southern Japan to grow organic mikans. From that point on he devoted his life to developing a unique small scale organic farming system that does not require weeding, pesticide or fertilizer applications, or tilling.
The timing and circumstances of Fukuoka's conversion from Western agricultural science, parallels the new movement in the 1940s to organic farming and gardening in Europe and the US, led by pioneers like Lady Eve Balfour, Sir Albert Howard, and J.I. Rodale (founder of Rodale Press). However Fukuoka himself believed that he was going a step further than organic farming:
"The problem, however, is that most people do not yet understand the distinction between organic gardening and natural farming. Both scientific agriculture and organic farming are basically scientific in their approach. The boundary between the two is not clear." (The Road Back to Nature page 363)
At age 92, Fukuoka still managed to lecture when he could, such as at the Expo 2005 in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
Technique
Fukuoka practices a system of farming he refers to as "natural farming." Although some of his practices are specific to Japan, the governing philosophy of his method has successfully been applied around the world. In India, natural farming is often referred to as "Rishi Kheti."
The essence of Fukuoka's method is to reproduce natural conditions as closely as possible. There is no plowing, as the seed germinates quite happily on the surface if the right conditions are provided. There is also considerable emphasis on maintaining diversity. A ground cover of white clover grows under the grain plants to provide nitrogen. Weeds (and Daikons) are also considered part of the ecosystem, periodically cut and allowed to lie on the surface so the nutrients they contain are returned to the soil. Ducks are let into the grain plot, and specific insectivorous carp into the rice paddy at certain times of the year to eat slugs and other pests.
The ground is always covered. As well as the clover and weeds, there is the straw from the previous crop, which is used as mulch, and each grain crop is sown before the previous one is harvested. This is done by broadcasting the seed among the standing crop. Also he re-introduced the ancient technique of seed balls (粘土団子,土団子,土だんご,Tsuchi Dango (Earth Dumpling). The seed for next season's crop is mixed with clay, compost, and sometimes manure, and formed into small balls. The result is a denser crop of smaller but highly productive and stronger plants.
Fukuoka's method and philosophy is about small scale farming, yet he claims "With this kind of farming, which uses no machines, no prepared fertilizer and no chemicals, it is possible to attain a harvest equal to or greater than that of the average Japanese farm." (The one-straw revolution page 3).
Quotes
"If we throw mother nature out the window, she comes back in the door with a pitchfork."
"When a decision is made to cope with the symptoms of a problem, it is generally assumed that the corrective measures will solve the problem itself. They seldom do. Engineers cannot seem to get this through their heads. These countermeasures are all based on too narrow a definition of what is wrong. Human measures and countermeasures proceed from limited scientific truth and judgment. A true solution can never come about in this way."
"Natural farming is not just for growing crops, it is for the cultivation and perfection of human beings.
"Giving up your ego is the shortest way to unification with nature."
.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masanobu_Fukuoka+masanobuFukuoka is a modern city
Fukuoka is a modern city; most of its buildings are new. Historically, it was divided into Hakata (博多) and Fukuoka (福岡), two separate cities divided by the central river, and the main railway station and port are still known as Hakata Station and Hakata Port.
The city really has two centres: one in Hakata and one in Tenjin. There's also a Tourist Information Centre in Tenjin, on the ground floor in front of Mitsukoshi under the Nishitetsu Fukuoka station. They have English speakers (and other languages) available. A lot of English information for residents (and some for travellers) is available on the 8th floor of the IMS building from Rainbow Plaza, just a couple of minutes walk to the east of Nishitetsu Fukuoka station. In the middle of Hakata JR train station there is a Tourist Information counter (sometimes with English speakers) with brochures in English, Japanese and other languages. They can help with transport information and making bookings. You can also check out the ACROS building near Nakasu for some English information, on the third floor.
The surrounding cities and towns make up the prefecture of Fukuoka.
Fukuoka is a good starting point to begin a vacation to Japan for first-timers. While still a big modern city, it's not hard to get around. A subway connects most of the city's main attractions, taking in Hakata, Tenjin, Fukuoka International Airport, Meinohama (where Asia's 2nd largest ferris wheel is located) and Nishijin (where you can find Fukuoka Tower and the baseball ground of the Softbank Hawks: Fukuoka Yahoo! Dome). The main station in Hakata also marks the terminus of the famous Shinkansen bullet train. (Kyushu shinkansen line, currently under construction, will link the existing Sanyo line directly with Kagoshima, near the southern tip of Kyushu.)
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