If It's the Weekend, then It Must Be Party Time in Osaka!

Like to party? 

Want to meet some new friends in Kansai?

Don't have a plan for the weekend?

If you answered "yes" to the above and if you live close to Osaka, Kyoto or Kobe, listen up!  

There are plenty of social mixers happening every Friday, Saturday and Sunday somewhere close to you.  Now some of the sites that I've mentioned below are only in Japanese, so if you're Japanese skills need some brushing up, better to get a friend to assist you before you miss your chance at a great night out!

Without wasting any more of your precious time, here is a comprehensive list for you to research.

ICE BREAK

http://icebreak.jp 

ICE BREAK is run by yours truly.  With that said, the site is predominantly in Japanese but if you have any questions, you can always direct them to me for answers.  If you're looking to meeting mainly Japanese in and around the Kansai area, the parties (held in Osaka, Kyoto & Kobe) listed on ICE BREAK are a good place to start.

Royal Linkage

http://royallinkage.com

Royal Linkage is run by a Japanese friend of mine who's been in the party organizing business for more than 10 years.  With a wealth of experience, you can be sure that the parties hosted by Royal Linkage will be enjoyable.  The downside with Royal Linkage is that the site is in Japanese only, however with that said, the parties tend to be attended by mainly Japanese so if you are looking for some Japanese friends, check out one of Royal Linkage's parties in Osaka.    

Furtherment of International Friendship Organization (FIFO) - Osaka

http://www.osakafifoparty.com/schedule

FIFO is a recent newcomer to the "international party" circuit.  As I haven't been to one of their parties before I can't give you a first-hand point-of-view but they may be worth checking out if you are looking for a more "international" feel of an event.

WhyNot!?

http://www.whynotjapan.com/party/party-en.html  

When it comes to international parties in Kansai, WhyNot!? is where it's at!  They've been around the block several times having been in business for around 8 years, which is quite significant in the party industry here in Kansai.  Plus I know the sisters who are behind the WhyNot!? brand.  Very bright they are indeed.  Even though I have not been to a WhyNot!? party in several years, their events tend to be well attended.  If you're in your 20s then for sure WhyNot!? would be a good place to start as their guests consist of university students, graduate students and company employees early in their careers.

iNetwork Japan

http://www.inetworkjapan.com/index.html

Another international party organization that has been around for several years, iNetwork Japan holds various types of events in Osaka and Kyoto for most of the year.  Even though I haven't attended one of their events, my friend is the brains behind iNetwork Japan, so I would definitely give them a look if your schedule fits with one of their events.  In terms of price, iNetwork Japan in general is probably the least expensive so if you don't want to spend too much money the first time out, they may be the best option for you.

So next time you're looking for some "fun" on the weekend, I definitely recommend that you check out the sites I've listed above for details.

Until next time, have a great weekend!

Nothing Screams "Japan" Like Fake Food!

In a follow-up to my post from way back in February 2011 titled "Japanese Novelty: Food Sample Art a.k.a. Fake Food", I've since decided to dive in head first into the fake food industry per an insightful recommendation from a friend.  And what a ride its been!  After more than a year of planning, we were finally able to bring the online shop to a reality when Fake Food Japan was born to the online world in May 2012.

In just these short few months, we've taken orders from Europe, the Americas, Oceania, SE Asia and of course Japan.  Everything from cell phone straps to business card cases to life-size replicas has passed through our doors before heading out to its final destination.

And to top it off, the feedback we've received from customers has been great.  The most common comment we receive is in relation to how realistic the fake food actually looks.  I wonder if I should change the name to "Looks so real I can't believe it's fake food!".  :)

I guess we are changing people's perceptions of fake food so that's definitely a step in the right direction.  Leave it to Osaka's true fake food craftsmen for creating these fake food masterpieces like none other.

As the holiday season is just around the corner, how about picking up some memorable (and handmade by the way) and unique Japanese gift items for your family and friends?

If you want to surprise them with something "different" this year, you can't go wrong with fake food!

Until next time!

P.S. If you have any Japanese friends, we have a Japanese fake food online store as well, which you can access from here: http://fakefoodjapan.net

Kobe Fireworks via Sailboat

Having never experienced the Kobe fireworks extravaganza (it always falls on the same day as the Yodogawa fireworks display in Osaka every year), I thought what not a better way than to see the fireworks up close not from land but rather from sea on Saturday, August 6.  Realizing that one of my friends was planning an evening out on the open waters to enjoy the fireworks in Kobe, I jumped at the opportunity to join in on the fun on his sailboat.

Starting from Osaka Hokko Yacht Harbor (see picture 1) a little before 4:00 p.m., we departed for Kobe enjoy the cruise along the way.  After two hours of cruising, we entered into Kobe territory (see picture 2) where we enjoyed a great BBQ on my friend's sailboat as part of the pre-fireworks festivities before the main event took place from 7:30 p.m.

At the conclusion of the one hour fireworks show, one of the most interesting scenes of the night was seeing all the motor boats and sailboats that had come to enjoy the festivities just like us leave in droves at the same instant.  It was just like out of a Hollywood movie as all the boats got "out of dodge" in a matter of a few minutes.  Very entertaining to say the least.

The two hour return trip back to Osaka was quite uneventful as most of the boats that came to see the fireworks returned to other areas like Suma and Awaji Island.

Having never seen the fireworks so close before, it was a very worthwhile experience.  With some much more left to explore and land and sea, I am eager for the next opportunity.  As always, I'll keep you posted!

Paragliding in Hyogo? Yes, it is possible...

For those of you who are adventure seekers residing in the Kansai region, I would highly suggest that you consider making the trip to Toyooka city in the northern part of Hyogo Prefecture to experience paragliding with the professionals at ARC Paraglider School (Japanese only).  I took "the plunge" so-to-speak at the beginning of July, so yes, this blog post is a little outdated but still relevant for those of you who enjoy the great outdoors.  

The great thing about ARC if you don't have a car is that they can provide round-trip transportation for you from either Sannomiya or Akashi for an additional charge.  I took them up on their offer but just so you know, be prepared for an early start.  The pick-up time for people at Sannomiya was just after 6:30 a.m.  After 2.5 hours, we arrived at ARC and jumped right into learning the basics for about one hour before trekking up the ski resort to a higher elevation for the real deal.  

Regretfully we did not have a strong wind on our flying day but we still made the most of it.  I was told that technique is only 10% while a good wind makes up for the remaining 90% to successfully paraglide.  Just my luck with only a faint breeze being felt with high humidity that you could cut through with a steak knife!  

However, I did not let the poor paragliding conditions get me down.  As you can see in the video above, I was able to paraglide after all.  One important thing to remember is to just keep running down the hill and not pull your parachute but rather let it rise up naturally.  If done right, you will be lifted off the ground in no time with your feet dangling in the air.  Once you get the hang of it, it is like riding a bike, you will not forget.

After most of the participants successfully flew through the air, we headed back down the resort to the lounge for lunch.  Unfortunately it started to rain very heavily during lunch which prevented us from going back up the mountain to do some more paragliding runs in the afternoon.

The day was cut short due to the weather but all-in-all, it was an enjoyable experience.  With two locations for paragliding in the vicinity, why not experience something different while enjoying the great outdoors in the countryside of Hyogo Prefecture.  Plus, a visit to the local hot spring spa will make for the perfect ending to a fun-filled one day adventure.

Osaka Yacht Harbor

It's been quite a busy summer!  Which is why it has taken me almost 6 weeks to update my blog.  In particular this entry is already 3 weeks late...

In the middle of June, for the first time ever I visited Osaka Yacht Harbor.  I was invited by Mr. Shirakawa, a fitness club friend of mine, to join him on his just under 37 foot sailboat "Silver Fox" for a Sunday cruise around Osaka Bay and a visit to the neighboring yacht harbor located in Nishinomiya (the largest in the Western part of Japan).    

Even though the weather was overcast, it did not dampen everyone's spirits as we took a round trip cruise to Nishinomiya and back after having lunch at the Osaka Yacht Harbor.  

In the pictures above, you can see the Nishinomiya and Kobe skyline with Mount Rokko in the background for picture 1.  Picture 2 consists of two sailboats involved in a race, which was going on in the morning.  Picture 3 is of Mr. Yamashita and his sailboat "Amalfi", who is another friend of mine.  And last but not least is a picture of the Silver Fox captain, Mr. Shirakawa, and I.  

Established in 1988, Osaka Yacht Harbor is the only yacht harbor in Osaka City.  The harbor is equipped with docks for just over 100 boats, which makes it about half the size of the Nishinomiya Yacht Harbor.  

As Melbourne, Australia is a sister-city and sister-port for Osaka, the two cities have held one-way races that take at least one month (sometimes two) to finish either going from Osaka to Melbourne or vice versa every few years.  Even though I do not think I am ready for that length of a journey just yet, I hope to have more boating experiences as I get to know more in the yachting community.

For more information on the Osaka Yacht Harbor, click here.   

Japan's First Budget Airline Chooses Kansai As Its Home

It's true.  The frugal citizens of Kansai can now rejoice!  The light magenta colored airline that goes by the name of "peach" will begin its domestic service flying out of Kansai International Airport (KIX) next March followed by an international route to Seoul from May.  Who knows, with a little luck maybe this will be the start of a greater trend towards linking peach with destinations outside of Asia like North America and/or Europe.  

As the sharp eye consumers of Kansai are the hardest to please in the country and possibly the entire world, this news is music to everyone's ears.  Now for the next step.  How will peach stack up against the other more established carriers flying out of KIX?  If Australian budget carrier Jetstar Airways is any indication, things are looking on the up and up.

Related articles:

Japan Times

The Wall Street Journal

Cafe Ateya @ Mount Rokko

Cafe Ateya is what I would call the gateway to hikers and the like before they ascend to the higher altitudes of Mount Rokko.  Not prepared for hiking, Cafe Ateya was my final destination on this day but it was a trek nonetheless.  

Located about 25 minutes by walk from Hankyu Ashiyagawa Station into the mountains, it was a nice change of scenery from the concrete jungle that I am exposed to day in and day out in Osaka.  The walk up to Cafe Ateya, also known as Rokko-san Cafe, was pleasant seeing the massive Western and Japanese style homes lining the street.  

Unable to tell from the attached video clip, Cafe Ateya is located in what one would call a shallow cave that can seat 10 people maximum.  With the manager of the cafe changing every Saturday and Sunday on a rotating schedule, the menu changes just as much.  With a variety of home-cooked meals and alcoholic/non-alcoholic drinks available as well, one can definitely get some R&R before heading up the mountain or heading down to complete one's journey.

For those of you not into hiking, paying a visit to Cafe Ateya is recommended to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city where one can breathe in the life of the great outdoors.

Ritz-Carlton: Osaka, Tokyo and Now...Kyoto

Yes, that's right!  Scheduled to be ready in spring 2014, The Ritz-Carlton will open its third property in Japan at the former imperial capital of Kyoto as reported in the Mainichi Daily News (for the original article please check here).

Based on the success of the hotel's properties in Osaka and Tokyo, The Ritz-Carlton is looking to expand its presence in the top tourist destination outside of Tokyo to cater to wealthy Kyoto residents and lure would be luxury travelers to Kyoto.

Even though we are still several years away, it will be interesting to see how The Ritz-Carlton's existence affects the hotel industry in Kyoto.  Many of us residing here in Kansai will be watching these developments closely.  

Willer EXPRESS - The Late Night Traveler's Best Friend

Have you ever needed to get somewhere first thing the next day but couldn't because the bullet trains stopped running for the night?  

If you have ever faced this calamity, the answer may lie in the Willer EXPRESS.  An Osaka-based company since 1994, Willer Travel has been operating its line of Willer EXPRESS night buses around the country transporting everyone from the economical traveler to the business traveler.  

With more than 15 different seat configurations on its buses, Willer EXPRESS is able to cater to every kind of traveler.  For more information on the types of seating available with pricing, please visit here.  I am personally interested in the Cocoon configured bus (see picture above), which only seats up to 24 people.

And with its web site also available in Chinese and Korean, Willer Travel is hoping to increase its share of the foreign tourist market in a bus service sector that has mainly been for Japanese.  

How this will all pan out remains to be seen, however Willer Travel is definitely making strides to better position itself for the future and beyond.

Direct Flights From Osaka To New York

All I can say is that it is about time!

For the first time ever there will be three direct flights a week to JFK airport in New York from Osaka thanks in part to Taiwan-based China Airlines, which begins this new service from April 28.

For more information on the flight schedule, please visit the following:

English
http://www.china-airlines.com/en/newsen/newsen000716.htm

Japanese
http://www.china-airlines.co.jp/news/1103/110301.html

For those of you from the eastern or southeastern part of the US, traveling to and from the Kansai region just got a lot more convenient.

TEDxOsaka Has Come!

Before I get into TEDxOsaka, if you are unfamiliar with TED then you should access the web site here to familiarize yourself with this truly educational, thought provoking conference organization.  Take your pick from the hundreds of presentations from extraordinary people to get a little taste of what TED is all about.  

Seeing the growth of TED spread throughout to the far corners of the earth, it is about time that it landed in Osaka and tomorrow is the day.  Albeit a little late in spreading the word, if you will be in town tomorrow and available, by all means stop by TEDxOsaka in Shinsaibashi in the afternoon to hear some great presentations from area residents.  Personally knowing the organizers of this event, I can say with confidence that it is going to be a success.

For more details in English and Japanese, please visit: http://tedxosaka.com/

Bio & Medical Devices Info Portal Opens 関西のバイオ・医療機器情報ポータルサイト開設

The Kansai Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI-KANSAI) has done it again!  They have just launched the "Portal for KANSAI Bio and Medical Device Information",which aggregates information on the field of bio and medical devices, which is one of the strengths of the Kansai region. 

Currently, the website offers information regarding 185 participating organizations in the Kansai region (constituted of the 7 prefectures of Fukui, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara and Wakayama), consisting of 92 companies, 69 universities and 16 research institutes, and other support organizations. 

For those of you looking for a great resource on the bio and medical device industry in Kansai, look no further than this site.

流石、近畿経済産業局！最新情報ですが、関西地域の強みのひとつであるバイオ・医療機器情報を集約した「関西バイオ・医療機器情報ポータルサイト」を開設した。

現時点では、関西（福井県、滋賀県、京都府、大阪府、兵庫県、奈良県、和歌山県）の９２企業、６９大学、１６研究機関、その他の支援機関などを含めると合計１８５団体が参画している。

特に関連企業数や研究者数については、新規登録活動強化により一層増やしていく目標であり、関連ビジネスに携わっている又はその計画を持っている方々への参加を呼び掛けている。

Flashback @ Flamingo

Kobe based Oldies musical group Flashback was back to take center stage this time at the fabulous upscale live house Flamingo the Arusha located in Sakuragawa close to Namba Station.

Following up their performance for the guests of Yomiuri Family last year (blog entry can be viewed here), Flashback was called back for an encore and they did not disappoint during their two hour jam session.

To get a little taste of what the atmosphere was like, please view the video clip above to see segments of four songs that Flashback played for the energized audience.

If you are interested in having Flashback perform for you, let me know!      

Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto: Daigoji Temple & Nijo Castle

As the cherry blossom season or "sakura" season as we call it here in Japan is short-lived, I traveled to Daigoji Temple located in Fushimi, Kyoto for the first time to take in the picturesque landscape of blooming cherry blossoms.

After so many years being in the Kansai region, there are still so many cultural and historical places that I have yet to visit.  At least now I can mark Daigoji Temple with the adjacent Daigoji Reihokan and Sanboin Temple off of my list spots to visit.  

Nestled outside of the city center of Kyoto in Fushimi, Daigoji Temple, which is regarded as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO, was the location of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's cherry blossom viewing parties.  For those of you unfamiliar with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he was the creator of Osaka Castle and is known as one of the most influential Japanese in the country's long history.

Relating to the pictures above, the first four were taken while at Daigoji Temple while the last picture of the three Japanese koto musicians with the massive ikebana (flower arrangement as most of you would call it) in the background was taken while attending the cherry blossom night viewing illumination at Nijo Castle in downtown Kyoto.

Even if you are unable to make the trek to Daigoji Temple this year to view the cherry blossoms, there is always the fall for the tree foliage among the many events that are held there throughout the year.  As it is off of the beaten path from the major tourist sites, I am sure that I will be visiting this temple again to explore the rest of its treasures in the mountains of Daigo.  

～ Welcome to 関西！～

What's the living and working environment like in Kansai?  Where are the major research institutes and universities located?  How diversified are the foreign-affiliated companies that are located in the region?

To find the answers to these and more, please take a look at the 30 page informative brochure put together by METI-Kansai on an annual basis in PDF format in English, Japanese and Chinese.

The information detailed in these online brochures is very resourceful for anyone researching about the business landscape of Kansai and for those thinking about investing in the region.    

With the region offering a lot to potential investors, referring to this brochure is a start in the right direction.

Destination KANSAI

Where are the popular places to visit in Kansai? Is Osaka #1? Kyoto? Nara?

Is there a difference among places visited by foreign tourists and foreigners residing here in Kansai? Or are they the same?

To find out more, please visit the Destination KANSAI site from METI-Kansai for English and Japanese downloadable versions of the 28 page PDF highlighting the "must see" places in the region.

Even though I have been living here for more than 8 years, there were a few places listed that I had not even heard about! It just goes to show you that there is so much to experience that you cannot see it all even after being here for 8 years and counting....

Fushimi: The Sake Capital of Kyoto

This past weekend I traveled to Fushimi located just south of central Kyoto to attend the 220th birthday of the Matsumoto Sake Brewery.

As part of the day's festivities, my very good friend and samurai extraordinaire, Joe Okada (see pictures above), gave the attendees a good dose of entertainment by showing off his sword wielding skills by cutting everything from a Japanese radish to apples to bamboo with the assistance of some daring onlookers.

After enjoying a perfect spring afternoon with Japanese sake and swords (of course the norm!), I said "sayonara" to the Matsumoto Sake Brewery and walked about 15 minutes to arrive at another Fushimi treasure, the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum for a look back at the history and tasting of more sake.  

Just to put things in perspective, the Nada area of Kobe, which is one of the most famous places in Japan for brewing sake, started its operations in 1899.  Now Gekkeikan on the other hand in Fushimi has been involved in the manufacturing of sake since 1637.  With almost 375 years of experience under its belt, it should be safe to say that Fushimi knows sake.

For those wanting to get away from the crowds and frequented tourist destinations within central Kyoto, I highly suggest stopping by Fushimi to experience another side of Kyoto without all the hustle and bustle.      

Japan Luxury Travel Forum 2011

Late last week I took part in the Japan Luxury Travel Forum 2011 seminar held at the Hotel Granvia Kyoto.  Highlighting on how to attract high net worth travelers to the region, Ricco DeBlank of Sun Hung Kai Properties based in Hong Kong and James Samuel of Reed Exhibitions out of the United Kingdom where on hand to share their insights with the Kyoto-based majority crowd.

It was a pleasure to see Ricco again as I had not seen him since he left his post as the general manager of the Ritz-Carlton Osaka property in 2007.  After leaving Osaka, Ricco moved to Tokyo to open the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo hotel before coming to his current position as CEO for the hotel division at Sun Hung Kai Properties.

Following the talks of Ricco and James, a panel discussion was held with representatives from the Hyatt Regency Kyoto, Kyoto City Tourism Bureau and Iori.

I have highlighted Iori in the past on my blog here and here.  For those wishing to experience a traditional Japanese machiya (townhouse) around Kyoto city, I highly suggest one of Iori's properties.

Harima Science Garden City

Nestled in the hills to the west of Kobe lies the Harima Science Garden City and its prized SPring-8 (Super Photon ring-8 GeV) synchrotron radiation facility producing an amazing 8 giga electron volts of power.  As the world's largest third generation synchrotron radiation facility since 1997, SPring-8 is one of eleven similar-like facilities nationally, which places Japan only behind the U.S. (13) in terms of number of synchrotron radiation facilities for one country. 

Taking six years to build and surpassing Advanced Photon Source (APS) in Argonne, Illinois and European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France in terms of power and size, SPring-8 allows for researchers to study electrons moving at the speed of light and with a light intensity one billion times that of the conventional x-ray.

With personal and group site tours available for the public, come and see for yourself what it is like to be inside this mammoth facility with a circumference of 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles).  

Japanese Novelty: Food Sample Art a.k.a Fake Food

A sight that many people see upon their first encounter with Japan is the various food and drink menu samples such as the ones seen in the picture and video above that are normally displayed outside of the restaurants in showroom cases.

Unlike in the States and many other places in the world for that matter, the samples are a big help for not only foreigners but Japanese alike when determining where to stop by to satisfy one's appetite or quench one's thirst.  

With scalable models just as appetizing as the real thing, the plastic food/drink samples are truly works of art.  In addition, they are a great way to judge whether the restaurant/bar is worthy of your presence and cash as dust gathering and/or color faded samples are a good indication of the atmosphere and level of service on the inside.  

As Osaka is known as the food capital of Japan, it is fitting that there are several major food/drink sample manufacturers right here in town. One of those is Iwasaki, who has been in the sample manufacturing business for almost 80 years dating back to 1932.  Another is Morino Sample, which even offers 120 minute sample creation workshops to interested parties up to 50 people per day on the weekends.  

For those of you not ready to create your own menu item, you can always pay a visit to the Food Sample Art Gallery R&M conveniently located a few minutes away from the Takashimaya department store in the Namba district of Osaka.    

As a popular souvenir among visitors, if you are planning a trip to the "land of the rising sun" anytime soon, be sure to pick up a part of Japanese culture with a plastic food/drink sample of your choice.