The truth about Japanese politics

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.

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.