HIROSHIMA, JAPAN: Hiroshima Cruise Port

Hiroshima City Skyline

Hiroshima Overview

This thriving Japanese city, laid out in a grid pattern and located near the western end of the island of Honshu on Japan's Inland Sea, boasts well over one million inhabitants. It is best known as the target for the first U.S. atom bomb, dropped near the end of World War II, and most Japanese and foreign visitors come to see the Peace Memorial Park and Museum. Besides several monuments that recall the city's destruction on August 6, 1945, the leafy park also hosts celebratory gatherings and festivals, so the destination is far from depressing. The museum, on the other hand, presents a grim reality -- of the approximately 350,000 inhabitants in 1945, 140,000 died instantly when the bomb was dropped (or during the ensuing four months).

Miyajima Island, a short ferry ride away, is part and parcel of any visit to Hiroshima, as it offers one of the country's most alluring and oldest Buddhist and Shinto shrines. Its orange-red Ohtorii (gate), which appears to be floating in the shallow waters near the shrines, is one of Japan's most photographed treasures. The lively pedestrian lanes leading to the site are lined with souvenir shops and stalls that serve a delicious variety of food and snacks.

 

Maps provided by WorldAtlas.com

Best Souvenir

The Hondori Arcade, reached by bridge from the top end of Peace Memorial Park and just south of the A-Bomb Dome, offers a concentrated double line of shops while, to the east, the city's three main department stores sit in a row along Aioi-dori. Japanese lacquer ware, ceramics, glass, prints and fabrics in the form of scarves, handkerchiefs and shawls make attractive purchases.

Language

Younger natives, though often shy, are more likely to speak English on the street and in the parks than the older generations. Adequate signs in our alphabet also help you find your way.

Currency & Best Way to Get Money

Post offices are the best places to change money. The Central Post Office is located about ten minutes' walk from the south end of Peace Memorial Park, and a second one is sited alongside the Hiroshima JR railway station. While there are six Japanese coins, the most useful are the 50 (with a hole in the center), 100 and 500. Banknotes are 1000, 5000, and 10,000. About 120 yen equal one dollar, though you'll want to check xe.com for the latest currency exchange before your cruise.

Where You're Docked

The new cruise ship dock is some distance from the city center. The nearest tram line is a bit of a not-very-scenic hike, so if there are taxis available, take one. They are inexpensive and metered, and drivers are invariably honest. An alternative would be to remain in the city after a ship's tour and take a taxi back to the cruise dock. Set out armed with the pier location written in Japanese.

Hanging Around

The ship docks in an industrial section of the port, and there is nothing in the immediate vicinity that's of interest to visitors.

Getting Around

Once in the city center, most sites can be easily reached on foot, and the excellent tram system will take you nearly everywhere. The fare is a flat 150 yen; board by any door, and pay with coins when you get off. If you need to transfer to another tram, ask the driver for one. To reach Itsukushima Shrine on Miyashima Island, one of Japan's top attractions, you have the choice of a short tram connection from the city center to Hiroshima's Ujina port and a 20-minute high-speed ferry ride or a longer tram connection to Hiroden-Miyajime-guchi stop, next to the ferry pier, for a 10-minute water trip. Allow a minimum of three to four hours for the island visit. Both Hiroshima and Miyashima Island can be visited in one long day.

Watch Out For

Be aware that, as a westerner, you may attract some notice from others when visiting the atomic bomb museums and memorials. Depending on your own nature, you may feel a bit uncomfortable when viewing the more graphic details, especially among a crowd of Japanese.

Don't Miss

Peace Memorial Park and Museum are the main attractions. Allow three to four hours to properly take in the outdoor sites and indoor exhibits (with time for contemplation afterwards in the leafy park).

The most prominent structure is the A-Bomb Dome, located just across the river from the park.

Built in 1915 as the first western-style brick building, it served as the industrial promotion hall for a prosperous city. The atomic bomb exploded 2,000 feet above the building and instantly killed everyone inside. In 1996, its stabilized ruins were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a poignant reminder, much like the ruined Kaiser Wilhelm church tower in Berlin.

In the park itself, there are memorials with the names of all the known victims, a grave of unknown persons, an eternal flame that will be extinguished when the last nuclear weapons are destroyed, a peace bell and the most moving -- the Children's Peace Memorial. A young girl named Sadako developed leukemia at age 12, about 10 years after the bomb was dropped; according to an old Japanese custom, if she could fold 1,000 paper cranes, her wish to live would come true. While she never quite made the full count, her classmates finished the task, and others continue to make them to this day.

Within the museum complex, a city model and photos show Hiroshima -- including the military defenses that were mounted to counter the expected land invasion -- before the bomb. As the city had not been previously bombed, Hiroshima was chosen so American scientists could observe the A-bomb's full effects. One set of photos shows burn victims immediately after the bomb was dropped, and display cases contain a burned school uniform, bicycle, bottles and dishes. An exhibition of children's drawings reveals what they saw in the initial days after the attack. Most exhibits are labeled in English.

In an adjacent building, a hall of remembrance contains the victims' names and memories. Moving first-hand accounts include not only those of Japanese people, but also that of an Australian prisoner of war, who worked in a Hiroshima factory at the time of the bombing. About 100,000 survivors are still living, but they are dying at the rate of about 5,000 per year.

It's an easy walk from the park to Hiroshima-jo, just north of the bustling city center. Also known as Carp Castle, it was first constructed in 1589 but was mostly dismantled following the Meiji Restoration and then rebuilt in an attractive moat/lake setting after the war.
 

Hijiyama-koen, a park -- located on an axis east of the shopping arcade and south of JR Hiroshima Station -- offers the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, featuring works by Japanese and international artists. Cherry blossoms abound in the spring.

Been There, Done That

Miyajima Island is the hilly and heavily wooded setting for not only one of Japan's most revered shrines, first erected in 593, but also for a fishing industry and oyster farming. Seventy percent of Japan's bivalves are raised here, and they make a very popular snack item. The Japanese flock here in the thousands, so your presence will form a tiny, foreign minority.

Most prominent, the lovely 19th-century torii (a red-orange Shinto shrine gate) sits in the water as a symbolic entrance to the Itsukushima Shrine, a wooden complex mostly built out over the water. In the Shinto sanctuary, there are spirits, rather than statues, and Japanese kneel, toss a coin, clap twice and make a wish. Buddhism, borrowed from India via China and Korea, is also a part of the religious mix, as are Chinese architectural features that have been adapted to Japanese tastes. In addition, there is a stage for performances; a treasure house with 12th-century Buddhist scriptures; a five-story pagoda, atop a knoll; and temples, dating from the 13th to 15th centuries, dotting the hillsides.

Along its perimeter, the island offers numerous walking paths to seaside beaches and parks and into the hills. For the best panorama, follow the signs to Misen, a 1,730-foot peak, best reached by using a two-part cable car. Getting off, there are deer and monkeys to amuse you and a 15-to-20-minute walk to the top. There are views in all directions. Allow an hour to retrace your steps if entirely on foot.

Lunching

Both Hiroshima's city center -- particularly along the shopping arcade -- and the pedestrian lanes on Miyajima Island offer an abundance of moderately priced eateries and snack bars. Oysters, grilled in their shells and sprinkled with lemon juice, make a most tasty snack. Various seaweed concoctions are also great purchases, and free samples are readily available. I'll try anything once, but I'll have more oysters, please. Cuttlefish and octopus on sticks, dipped in one of several sauces, are additional snacks. Restaurants with pictorial menus are easy to navigate, and people seated next to you may offer suggestions, if only by their example. Nearly all meals come with rice or noodles, often attractively presented on a lacquer tray. Candy and pastries, some made right on the spot in small storefronts, round out the meal.
 

Just off the east end of the Hondori Arcade, more than a score of small restaurants (Okonomi-mura) are located on the second through fourth floors of the Shintenchi Plaza Building, just to the rear of Parco Department Store. The atmosphere is intense, so have a look around first, eyeing the places that either have English menus or photo menus. The specialty here is Hiroshima-yaki, egg-based pancakes, made with buckwheat noodles (soba) and fried eggs.
 

Two blocks south of the Peace Park, one floor up, Kinchai-ya -- in the Clover Building, a former warehouse -- offers an organic buffet for lunch and dinner. Choosing your meal is easy.

Staying in Touch

One Internet site is just west (Peace Memorial Park end) of Hondori Arcade, and another is located on the sixth floor of a building with a yellow sign hung on its side, just east of the JR Hiroshima Station. Kinko's stores are more expensive in Japan.

For More Information

•   On the Web: www.hiroshima-navi.or.jp (includes Miyajima Island)
• Cruise Critic Message Boards: Asia
• Independent Traveler Message Boards: Japan

-- by Theodore W. Scull, the Manhattan-based publisher of eight books on cruise ships and trips, including100 Best Cruise Vacations; Outdoor Escapes New York City, Ocean Liner Odyssey 1858-1969; and, most recently, Ocean Liner Twilight 1968-1979.

View Article on Cruise Critic

JAPAN & S. KOREA: Japan beat S.Korea to win East Asian championship

Shinobu Ono (right) celebrates with her teammates

February 12, 2010

(AFP) – TOKYO — Forward Shinobu Ono scored once to lead Japan to a 2-1 victory over South Korea and win the women's title at the East Asian football championship on Saturday.

Japan ended the four-nation round robin with three straight wins. China had two wins and a defeat, South Korea a 1-2 record. Winless Taiwan were at the bottom.

Earlier in the day China defeated Taiwan 3-0.

"We kept the momentum until we scored two goals, while South Korea were still tuning up. But after that, they started to play more aggressively and it became a difficult game," said Japan coach Norio Sasaki.

Japan got off to a flying start when Ono received the ball in the Japanese field and then dashed forward, getting past the Korean defence line into the area to fire a sizzling shot for the first goal in the seventh minute.

The home side quickly made it two up when Ono sent a straight pass to midfielder Mami Yamaguchi, who hit home into the right side in the 17th minute.

South Korea started to play much better after the break, starting with Cho So-Hyun's header that went wide, and almost controlled the game until the end.

Midfielder Lee Jang-Mi's shot went over the bar, but finally they scored a goal off the Japanese for the first time in the tournament when forward Yoo Young-A netted on a Cho So-Hyun pass in the 75th minute.

But it completed the scoring for both teams.

View Article

CHINA: Google Searches For China Compromise

02.11.10, 05:31 PM EST

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO -- Shedding China's shackles on free speech is proving to be easier said than done for Google Inc.

The Internet search leader is still censoring its results in China a month after Google's leaders took a public stand against Chinese laws that require the removal of links to Web sites that the government deems subversive or offensive.

Citing the sensitivity of the talks, Google officials won't say how the negotiations have been going since the company issued its Jan. 12 threat to shut down its China-based search engine and possibly leave the country altogether. Google is demanding that the government tear down the so-called "Great Firewall" that seeks to keep China's citizens from finding politically sensitive information and images.

Google's top lawyer, David Drummond, initially said that Google would take a few weeks to meet with government officials before deciding what to do. But Google officials now say the company might parse its Chinese search results for several more months while it steers through a political and cultural minefield in search of a compromise with the ruling party.

Google's willingness to keep its censored search engine running for now is a signal that Chinese leaders haven't been as unyielding in the private talks as they have in public statements demanding obedience of the law, said Internet analyst Colin Gillis, who follows Google for BGC Financial.

"It's probably a positive sign," Gillis said. "Google wants to find a way to stay there and the Chinese government doesn't want Google to leave because that would be a black mark on them."

Even so, a compromise may still prove difficult because neither side wants to be seen as backing down from its principles. Each side would have to find a way to concede without appearing to capitulate, in keeping with the Chinese custom of "face saving."

To complicate things further, both the Chinese government and Google appear to be grappling with conflicting priorities.

China's ruling party recognizes that it needs technology innovators such as Google to help fuel the country's robust economic growth, but the government fears losing control if its citizens could read and see anything they want.

The tension within Google arises from the idealism of its founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, and its more practical, business-minded CEO, Eric Schmidt. Brin and Page, who combined still own a controlling interest in Google, have never felt comfortable about censoring search results in China. Although he didn't like the restrictions either, Schmidt has always seemed more willing to do whatever it takes to remain in such a potentially lucrative market.

"We remain quite committed to being there," Schmidt said about China three weeks ago, adding that staying will require operating under "somewhat different terms than we have."

Gillis and other analysts doubt China will bend enough to allow a completely unfiltered search engine. If that holds true, Google insists it will eventually shut down its China-based search engine, Google.cn, even though that could cost the company billions of dollars in ad revenue during the next decade.

As a fallback position, Google would still like to keep its engineering and sales teams in China, so it could take advantage of the country's brainpower and have staff to place ads on other Web sites in China and persuade Chinese businesses to advertise on Google in the U.S.

Those goals give Google another incentive to maintain the status quo for now, even if it realizes its demands are unlikely to be met.

The talks are occurring against a backdrop of computer security concerns, politically charged admonishments and intense media attention. All of those factors have complicated matters and made it more likely that the talks will be drawn out, Susquehanna Financial Group analyst Marianne Wolk said.

An alarming security breach triggered Google's rebellion against China's censorship rules after four years of quiet compliance. The company, based in Mountain View, Calif., said digital bandits in China stole some of its computer coding and attempted to break into the e-mail accounts of Chinese dissidents.

The Obama administration has since urged China to lift its online restrictions and investigate the computer attacks on Google. Those demands elicited an icy response from Beijing.

Leaving China wouldn't cause Google much financial pain initially, given that China is the rare market in which a local search company rather than Google dominates. But its absence would become more agonizing if the country's Internet market maintains its projected growth pace. With more than 384 million people, China's online population is already the world's largest.

By 2014, China's Internet ad market could range from $15 billion to $20 billion annually, up from about $3 billion now, Wolk estimated. Even if it remains behind homegrown search engine Baidu.com, Google might be able to pull in $5 billion to $6 billion of the revenue if it remains in the country, Wolk said.

With the stakes so high, some analysts are convinced that even if Google pulls out, the two sides are likely to keep talking to pave the way for the company's eventual return

View Article on Forbes

JAPAN: In Tokyo, Embattled Toyota Chief Faces a Nation

Toyota President Akio Toyoda surrounded by reporters after a meeting at the Transport Ministry in Tokyo on Feb. 9, 2010; Toru Hanai / Reuters

Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010

By Shintaro Kano / Tokyo

Asked to comment in English during an "emergency" press conference held last Friday on the eight million cars being recalled worldwide due to sticky gas pedals, Toyota president Akio Toyoda, taking the public stand for the first time since the first recalls were announced in the U.S. a couple of weeks ago, implored his audience to have faith that he could turn the company's turn of bad luck around. "Please believe me," he said.

It's a request that's getting harder by the day. In his second hastily arranged meeting with the media in five days broadcast live nationally, Toyoda said yesterday that the corporation, a source of Japanese national pride which has gone unfathomably awry over the last several weeks, is recalling 437,000 2010 Prius and other hybrid models (plug-in Priuses, Lexus HS250h sedan and the SAI) around the world because of a computer glitch in the braking system. Over 220,000 of the cars will be recalled in Japan.

The news comes on the back of over 1,300 complaints filed about the Prius models on the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website as of Monday. Toyota's North American president Yoshi Inaba is scheduled to testify in Washington on Wednesday over the company's safety record at a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing.

Toyoda — who unconvincingly insisted that he made the second public appearance not because he has come under fire, but because it was his "own way of improving the situation" — delivered the bad news at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, where minister Seiji Maehara also learned the chief of the world's largest automobile maker is headed to the U.S. on an apology tour. Maehara has condemned Toyota for being insensitive and slow in responding to domestic consumer complaints — the first report of the brake problems in Japan goes back to July, and 84 had been filed as of Feb. 1 — and the minister didn't appear to be overly confident in Toyoda's ability to deliver a more convincing message abroad. "I understand Mr. Toyoda is visiting the United States, so I asked that he speaks with care when he is over there," said Maehara, who is also scheduled to meet U.S. Ambassador John Roos on Thursday.

"I asked him to be accountable for his explanations because Toyota is not only a Japanese corporation; it is an American corporation as well."

In a bald attempt to spin the situation last week, Toyota executive Hiroyuki Yokoyama said the brake problems came down to a matter of each and every driver's "feel," refusing to admit to any flaws in the cars themselves. Several hours later, after being loudly criticized by the Japanese press for dodging responsibility, Toyoda tried to undo the damage by offering his first personal apology over the recalls. He did not, however, offer any specific solutions. On Tuesday, Toyoda finally announced that the company determined the brakes of the Prius and other hybrid models are prone to malfunction for a split second on frozen and slippery surfaces, but can be fixed by reinstalling the software that runs the braking system, a relatively simple procedure which takes 30 to 40 minutes.

What won't be so simple is restoring the faith and confidence in Toyota, which has allowed what might have been a containable problem to explode into a full-blown crisis by continually being a step behind in the management process. "I've never regarded Toyota as invincible, a company which never makes mistakes," Toyoda said on Tuesday. "However, when we do find something wrong, or when our customers point out problems, we have always made the adjustments to manufacture improved future products. And I'm very confident that we can continue to deliver the way we have in the past."

Unfortunately for Toyoda, the company's legendary legacy is something Toyota may have worn out. Now, people are going to have to see it to believe it.

View Article in Time

CHINA: Character of the Year

by Andy Yee Every year new words are invented, mirroring new trends in our societies. For example, ‘unfriend’ was voted the 2009 word of the year by the New Oxford American Dictionary. It comes from the practice of dropping a contact from Facebook, and reflects the popularity and ever-changing nature of internet social networking. The same could be said of China, albeit with a heavier meaning. The National Language Resource Monitoring & Research Centre (Network Media), the Commercial Press and sina.com have co-organized an online campaign to select a Chinese character and vocabulary each to describe China and the world in 2009. After one month of recommendations, expert appraisal and voting, the results were released earlier this month, reflecting the views of over 200,000 voters. Character of the Year: Bei 被 The character bei (被) was selected as the character of the year to describe China. Technically, it is a preposition, and has to be used in conjunction with some other words. In English it means ‘be xx-ed’. To give some examples, in an attempt to boost graduate employment statistics, some graduates were told by their universities to put stamps in fake contracts to prove that they have gained employment. In the process they ‘were employed’ (被就业). Figures released by the Statistical Bureau showed the average salary of urban workers increased by 12.9% during the first half of 2009, leaving many netizens in disbelief. Many said their salaries ‘were increased’ (被增长). The Bureau admitted later that the survey suffered from a too narrow scope. Netizens said they ‘were represented’ (被代表) by the Bureau. Below are some comments selected from a sohu forum after the announcement of the results: 野猫佐罗第二  (2010-02-07 03:21:15):  一个“被”字，包含了善良的百姓多少无奈，多少心酸，更有多少压抑和郁闷。公信力在一个“被”字之下，更显得无比的苍白与虚无。 How much helplessness, sadness, repression and depression were represented in the single word bei. Under this word, credibility seems so pale and empty. 七剑下珠峰 (2010-02-08 03:23:59): 国企改革工人被下岗了；教育改革孩子被辍学了;住房改革老百姓的房子被强拆了！医疗改革患者没钱就被放太平间了…….. Workers were unemployed under state-owned enterprise reforms; children were dropout-ed under education reforms; ordinary citizens’ houses were demolished under housing reforms! Those unable to afford medical costs under the health care reforms would be placed in the mortuary…… limingyukorea@sohu_NEW (2010-02-07 04:25:04): 最根本的是我们的各种被！是怎么形成，没有公开 没有民众参与 没有百姓发言 我敢说就连新闻的某些话都是被出来！简单的工资我们基本工资北京850怎么被统计局统计那么高？？加班？？国家不是说加班只允许38小吗？有超的吗？算违法吗？等等好多数据不知道统计局怎么收集的！ The fundamental issue is how all kinds of bei were formed! No transparency, no public participation, no freedom to express opinions. I dare say that some news reports also had the element of bei! How could our basic Beijing salary of [RMB] 850 be reported so much higher by the Statistical Bureau? Overtime? Doesn’t the government say that overtime is limited to 38 [hours]? Is the limit exceeded? Is the law being broken? We just don’t know how the Bureau collects all those statistics! Vocabulary of the Year: Min Sheng 民生 The vocabulary of the year is min sheng (民生), meaning ‘people’s livelihood’. It reflects various concerns that ordinary people face, ranging from employment, housing, social security to environmental conditions. In many ways, these issues are connected with lack of public participation and official accountability. Wang Weitao (王传涛) wrote in a commentary: … 被”和“民生”分列国内字、词的第一，反映了网民对当下情势的心态。 其实，早在2008年“被××”就已经出现在报纸和网页了，只不过仅仅局限于“被自杀”和“被增长”两三个概念纠结的语境之中，我国网民还没有将之于“时代”挂钩。刚刚过去的2009年，正因为有了太多与“民生”有关的被动语态，“被时代”和“民生”二字才最终结合，并双双成了最具影响力的网络流行语。 … The fact that bei and min sheng are selected as the character and vocabulary of the year shows the current mood of netizens. In fact, bei started to appear in newspapers and websites as early as 2008, though netizens just linked them to standalone cases such as ‘were suicided’ and ‘were increased’, rather than giving it the significance of an ‘era’. However, because too many min sheng related events with an element of bei happened in 2009, ‘the era of bei’ and ‘min sheng’ has combined to become the most influential internet catchphrases. But he is optimistic about the future: 但是，我们更应该说，2009同样也是中国公民、中国网民对“被时代”的“觉醒时代”。权利的缺少甚至于被剥夺固然可怕，可最为可怕的远远不是缺少或剥夺这种现象本身，而是一种对这种权利现状的麻木或习惯——还好，中国公民、中国网民没有“被习惯”、“被麻木”，相反，却代之以伟大的调侃。 But we should say that, for Chinese citizens, 2009 is also an ‘era of awakening’ in response to the ‘era of bei’. The lack of rights, or worse, being exploited, is horrible. However, the most horrible of all is that people become insensitive or used to the situation. Luckily, Chinese citizens and netizens are not ‘accustomized’ or ‘insensitized’. Rather, they make a great, black humor out of it. 只要有“拒绝麻木”的精神，我想，至于接下来的2010，就是值得期待的一年。那些“被捐款”的职工、那些“被就业”的大学生、那些“被幸福”的市民、那些“被小康”的城市……就有权利表达出自己的愤怒来，继而引起媒体关注与热议，再逐步走向问题的解决和落实，相信也不是什么难事。 I believe that, with the spirit to refuse being ‘insensitized’, 2010 is a year worth looking forward to. For those employees who ‘were donated’, graduates who ‘were employed’, citizens who ‘were blessed’, cities which ‘were harmonized’…… they would have a chance to express their anger, raising media and public attention. It will then not be difficult to lead to real resolutions and improvements of the situation. In the same campaign, fu (浮, meaning a state of drift), and jinrong weiji (金融危机, meaning financial crisis) were selected as the character and vocabulary describing the world in 2009. They represent the states of instability and uncertainty brought about by the financial crisis during the year.

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JAPAN & THE OLYMPICS: Japan looking forward to the Vancouver Olympics, surveys show

Japanese speed skaters practice in Vancouver. Surveys show the popularity of the Olympics in Japan.  (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

February 10, 11:23 PM

By Joshua Williams

Olympic fever is growing in Japan as the days towards the opening ceremony in Vancouver draw near. Several recently published Japanese survey show the popular and expectations of the winter games, particularly towards skating.

A survey of 1,000 people over the age of fifteen taken in mid-January by research group Intage asked participants if they had an interest in the Olympics, and 61.2 % said yes.

Same survey asked which sports they had strong interests in. Top sports included:

• Figure Skating (77%)
• Ski Jump (46.2%)
• Speed Skating (44.2%)
• Curling (25.2%)

A survey of 20,000 people over the age of twenty taken at the beginning of February by the SANNO Institute of Management asked participates what Winter Olympic Sport they wanted to watch the most. The top five were as follows:

• 1st: Figure Skating
• 2nd: Ski Jump
• 3rd: Speed Skating
• 4th: Freestyle Skiing
• 5th: Alpine Skiing

The same survey asked which athletes they thought would get metals:

Mao Asada (Women’s Figure Skating)

Daisuke Takahashi (Men’s Figure Skating)

Aiko Uemura (Women’s Freestyle Skiing)

Miki Ando (Women’s Figure Skating)

Nobunari Oda (Men’s Figure Skating)

rounded off the top five.

Finally, the first survey of 1,000 people asked participants how many metals they thought Japan will win:

• 76.5% thought 1~4
• 19.1% thought 5~9.

View Article in the Japan Headlines Examiner

DALIAN, CHINA: Dalian Dining

FROMMER’S OVERVIEW:

Dalian's specialty is seafood, but the city is surprisingly cosmopolitan in its international restaurant choices. For excellent dim sum head to the Shangri-La Hotel's Shang Palace (Renmin Lu 66; tel. 0411/8252-5000). A number of fast-food outlets -- McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut -- can also be found at Shengli Guangchang and on Qingniwa Jie. The underground market has a large food court with several point-to-choose Chinese stalls. Youhao Guangchang boasts a couple of burger and pizza restaurants.

Dumplings and Dog Meat -- Generally speaking, food is not one of Dongbei's finer attractions, but there is at least one aspect of Dongbei cuisine that will appeal to epicures: the delectable meat- and vegetable-filled ravioli-like dumplings known as jiaozi. Cheap and satisfying, jiaozi are popular all over China but are nowhere as divine as in the Northeast. Cooked in one of three ways -- boiled (shuijiao), steamed (zhengjiao), or pan-fried (jianjiao) -- they are most commonly filled with a mix of pork and cabbage (zhurou baicai) and served with a soy-and-vinegar dipping sauce, to which you add your own chopped garlic, chili oil, and mustard. Alternatives are endless. Absolutely not to be missed.

Probably more well known but significantly less appetizing is dog (gourou), Dongbei's other signature food. A Korean import shunned by Manchurians but valued among Chinese for its warming properties, it is a winter item most commonly eaten in hot pot. Dog meat turns greenish when boiled; trying it, according to one traveling companion of mine, is "like eating a piece of beef then licking a filing cabinet."

RESTAURANTS

Dàbáicài Gǔtou Guǎn

Address:  21 Zhongyuan Jie, city centre

Phone:  8263 6656

Lonely Planet: Friendly, loud and smoky, this informal eatery serves fresh seafood and fiery northern-style fare. Try baby octopus with scallions - or point to appealing dishes on display - and cool off with a local beer.

I-55 Coffee Stop & Bakery (Aiwuwu Kafeizhan I-55)

• Address:  67 Gaoerji Lu, city centre, At Jinian Jie, 2 blocks north of Renmin Guangchang, 
• Phone:  8369 5755
• Cuisine:  American
• Hours:  9am-midnight
• Transportation:  Bus: no. 701, 801, or 401
• Phone:  0411/8369-5755
• Prices:  Coffee drinks ¥20-¥30 ($2-$4/£1-£2); breakfast/lunch ¥33 ($4/£2)
• Credit Cards:  Not Accepted
  

  Frommer's - Owned by an American expatriate who made sure to include all the details -- chalkboard menus and corner couches, world music soundtrack, a Scrabble set propped on a shelf -- I-55 is a good place to get an American craving satiated. The cafe roasts its beans on-site and serves a good cup of coffee. The Philly cheesesteak is probably the best you'll get in China, with freshly baked bread, lots of flavorful beef, cheese, and mayo. It also offers good desserts and a weekend breakfast buffet for ¥55 ($6.70/£3.35). The staff speaks English. Relax with a book on the peaceful outdoor patio

Lonely Planet: With a library of English-language books, a stack of games, and treats that range from quiche to fresh-squeezed orange juice to oatmeal cookies, this contemporary café is a popular expat hang-out. English menu, English-speaking staff and free wireless internet access too.

New-Mart Shopping Mall

• Address:  Youhao Jie, city centre

Lonely Planet: You'll find lots of small eateries on the roads leading off Zhongshan Sq and Friendship Sq. The New-Mart Shopping Mall has a huge food court (dishes Y5 to Y8) on the 5th floor and a well-provisioned supermarket on the lower level.

Tiān Tiān Yú Gǎng

• Address:  41 Yan'an Lu, city centre
• Phone:  8280 1111

Lonely Planet: Choose your meal from the many sea creatures swimming in the tanks at this upscale seafood restaurant. Great veggie dishes too. There's another branch at 10 Renmin Lu.

Yīxīn Kǎo Róu

• Address:  41 Yan'an Lu, city centre
• Phone:  8280 1111

Lonely Planet:  Make like a chef on the tabletop grills at this busy BBQ joint. In spite of the name, you can cook your own shellfish or vegetables (as well as meat).

Baixing Cun

• Cuisine:  Home-style
• Hours:  10am-10pm
• Address:  Changjiang Lu 128
• Location:  Around Town
• Phone:  0411/8258-0228
• Prices:  Meal for 2 ¥60-¥100 ($8-$12/£4-£6)
• Credit Cards:  Not Accepted

Frommer's:  This is a delightful, if somewhat stiff, outgrowth of the yuppie countryside trend in Chinese dining. Servers' peasant uniforms are a bit too perfectly pressed, but the glass-topped wood tables and beautiful glazed dishes make for a pleasant setting. The restaurant specializes in clay pot soups, like the light and flavorful xianggu guishi wei tuji (chicken and mushrooms). Order yumimian bing (corn cakes) to dip in the soup or to sop up sauce left over from one of many well-prepared home-style dishes.

Le Cafe Igosso (Yigousou)

• Cuisine:  Italian, French
• Hours:  Mon-Sat 11am-2am; Sun 11am-11pm
• Address:  Nanshan Lu 45
• Phone:  0411/8265-6453
• Prices:  Main courses ¥40-¥80 ($5-$10/£2.50-£5)
• Credit Cards:  AE, MC, V
  

Frommer's:  This Japanese-run bistro, with its dark wood-paneled walls and fine white tablecloths, is as close as you'll get to authentic European dining in the Northeast. Music is subtle, service is silent and attentive, and the wine list is extensive. The English-language menu is mostly Italian, with a few French (foie gras) and Japanese (marinated octopus) selections. The beef carpaccio, drizzled with cream and generously garnished with capers and green onions, is rich but enjoyable. Fresh pasta and risotto dishes are small and simple. Desserts (posted next to the open kitchen) change daily.

Longhai Yuwan Meishi Guangchang

• Cuisine:  Seafood
• Hours:  11am-10pm
• Address:  Tongtai Lu 21
• Phone:  0411/8368-5555
• Prices:  Meal for 2 ¥150-¥400 ($18-$50/£9-£25)
• Credit Cards:  MC, V

Frommer's:  Yes, it's a gaudy sight, with its faux-marble staircase, but the dishes here will make up for it. Recommended by a local food writer, this recent addition to the Dalian restaurant scene is located near Xinghai Guangchang. Try the salt-dried yellow fish (yancheng huanghuayu), spinach with mussels (buocai ban maoxian), pig stomach cabbage soup (nongtang zhudu wawacai), and fish dumplings (bayu shuijiao). Be prepared for plenty of raw garlic. Each table is set in a private room with a flatscreen television.

Taineng

• Cuisine:  Korean
• Hours:  11am-10pm
• Address:  Shengli Guangchang 18
• Location:  G/F of Ramada Hotel, Around Town
• Phone:  0411/8263-3676
• Prices:  Meal for 2 ¥50-¥150 ($10-$50/£5-£25)
• Credit Cards:  DC, MC, V

Frommer's:  This always-packed joint offers authentic and good-value Korean dishes. Try the stone pot rice (shiguo banfan): It's tasty and not too spicy, with loads of different toppings. The restaurant also makes delicious spicy tofu soup (doufu tang) and Korean cold noodles.

Tapas (Dapasi)

• Cuisine:  Spanish
• Hours:  11:30am-10:30pm
• Address:  Tuanjie Jie 19
• Location:  Near Russian St, Around Town
• Phone:  0411/8254-0996
• Prices:  Tapas ¥8-¥30 ($1-$3.60/50p-£1.80); meal for 2 ¥70-¥100 ($8.50-$12/£4.25-£6)
• Credit Cards:  AE, MC, V
  

Frommer's: 

On the edge of Russian Street, this two-level restaurant feels more like a hacienda in Galicia than a restaurant in Dalian. The wine list features wines from Spain, and the menu offers an exhaustive list of tapas good for a snack or a whole meal. Try the gratin mushroom tart, the pancetta with garlic, and the baked peppers on toast. Staff can speak English.

Dalian Municipal Bureau of Tourism:

COFFEE SHOPS:

Ming Tien Coffee

• 1F Wenyuan Building Zhigong St. Zhongshan Dist
• 82728283

Plaza Story (6-men-Party)

• South of the Zhongshan Park
• 84549422

UCC Coffee Shop

• 6 Sanba Square
• 82722078

Ru Yi Xuan

• 1F Senmao Building
• 83608478

Xi Ke

• 16-6 Baojian St. Xigang Dist
• 83679566

Manabe Coffee

• Opposite the Pacific Department Store (east side)
• 82591177

Hirayama Coffee House

• Rm. 308 Pacific Dept. Store
• 82307450

U.B.C. Caf'e

• 47 Gaoerji Rd. Xigang Dist
• 83702727

All's Well Coffee

• 59 Gaoerji St. Xigang Dist
• 83679746

U.B.C. Caf'e

• 1F Hongfu Mansion Shanghai Rd.
• 82650644

TEAHOUSES:

Bi Ming Xuan Teahouse
Behind Huagong Palace, Zhongshan Park
Tel:84604568

Yahe Teahouse
286 Gaoerji Rd. Shahekou Dist
Tel:84355567

Bi Feng Tang
686 Huanghe Rd. Shahekou Dist
Tel:84612073

RUSSIA AT THE OLYMPICS:Figure Skating: Chan blasts 'old' Plushenko

Feb 10, 2010

Vancouver (AFP) - World silver medallist Patrick Chan on Wednesday dubbed his Olympic rival Evgeny Plushenko as 'old' as the Canadian teenager insisted his style of skating was the one of the future.

The 19-year-old found himself at the centre of a row amid allegations of North American lobbying against European figure skaters ahead of the men's figure skating event in Vancouver.

Chan is bidding for Canada's first men's figure skating gold but he is up against European rivals including Plushenko and Brian Joubert of France, who are renowned for their quadruple jumps which he does not possess as he focuses more on transitions and step sequences which are rewarded highly under the new judging system.

And allegations of American lobbying erupted after it emerged that Joe Inman, a veteran US Olympic level skating judge, sent e-mails to judges and officials reminding them to mark presentation scores accurately.

Inman sent the e-mails after he heard that Plushenko had said after winning a sixth European title that both he and former world champion Joubert do not have any transitions moves linking elements together because they focus on their jumps, implying how could they be awarded marks for something they do not do.

Chan refused to be drawn into the controversy, but said he believed that the style of skating of 27-year-old Russian Plushenko, who has returned to competition in a bid to defend his Olympic title, was out of date.

"For me the transitions are one of the most important things in a programme, otherwise it's very boring to watch," he said.

"Above all in a programme like the Phantom of the Opera which I do for the long programme. It's important to have good transitions to interpret the music with unique footwork.

"I love the new system, it's a great way to promote an all around skater especially a skater like me," said Chan.

"He's (Plushenko) confident that the quad will really help him, that he doesn't need transitions. He's old, I can't tell him it's not good.

"I think we'll start seeing more skaters like me in future generations."

Chan believes that Plushenko and Joubert will try and intimidate him with the quad in practice ahead of the competition.

"Of course they'll (Plushenko and Joubert) do it in practice and will nail it on front of me," he said.

"It's totally normal that's why the Olympics are so special. I'll only use that to feed the fire and focus on what I can do.

"It's going to be exciting to see what Plushenko has up his sleeve.

"We're all a bunch of great skaters. It's whoever who can grasp that moment on that Tuesday and Thursday."

View AFP Article on NBC Olympics

CHINA AT THE OLYMPICS: Ice hockey: China hopes for Lunar New Year success

Feb 10, 2010

Vancouver (AFP) - The Year of the Tiger is just days away and the Chinese women's hockey team is hoping to make some noise at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

"This is the Year of the Tiger, which is good luck and we maybe will put a lucky tiger charm somewhere on us that day," said Chinese forward Sun Rai, referring to February 14 when the Lunar New Year starts.

The Chinese team feels they are hitting form just in time for the hockey tournament which begins Saturday.

A close 4-2 loss to reigning Olympic silver medallist Sweden last weekend and 15 victories during a recent exhibition schedule against Canadian teams has fuelled hopes that they are getting closer to returning to the glory days of the 1990s.

"It was a good result for us," their Finnish coach Juhani Hannu said of the Sweden game.

"It was our best game. The first period was dominated by Sweden but we did well in the second and third periods. It gave our players confidence."

China enjoyed their best success in the 1990s, finishing fourth at the 1998 Olympic Games after a pair of fourth place finishes at the 1994 and 1997 Worlds.  But their programme hit the skids for several years and they failed to qualify for the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games and then reached a low in 2009 by placing ninth at the Worlds.

The loss relegated them to division one status for the 2011 World Championships.

Their best player in the 1990s was goaltender Guo Hong who was known as the "Great Wall". They are no longer as strong on the backend without her, but they have a capable netminder in 22-year-old Shi Yao.

"We have a good team and we are excited about these Olympics," said Sun.

China's first game is Sunday against the reigning world champion Team USA.

Sun said Canada and USA would continue to dominate the women's game at these Olympic Games and that China would be fighting with Russia, Switzerland and Slovakia for the lower places.

Sun, who took up hockey at age seven by playing on the outdoor ponds in her hometown, has competed in three Worlds and played one season in Canada (2007) for the Edmonton Chimos before returning to China.

China may have a population of 1.3 billion people but there are just 166 registered female hockey players. The women's game is growing in Asia but with so few female players it means China have to travel to Europe or North America to play games.

The forwards here are led by Sun and captain Wang Linuo who also spent a season playing in Canada.

Wang, 30, says the Chinese government is finally starting to provide them with the financial support needed to stay competitive.

"Even though we play at a higher level than the men it is still tough to get people to support the women's game," Wang said. "People in China think it is too physical and too rough for girls.  "But I think the situation is improving with women's hockey in China."

View AFP Article on NBC Olympics

JAPAN: National Foundation Day

National Foundation Day (建国記念の日, kenkoku kinen-no-hi) is a national holiday in Japan celebrated annually on February 11. On this day, Japanese celebrate the founding of the nation and the imperial line by its legendary first emperor, Jimmu, who established his capital in Yamato.

In contrast with the events associated with earlier Kigensetsu, celebrations for National Foundation Day are relatively muted. Customs include the raising of Japanese flags and reflection on the meaning of Japanese citizenship. The holiday is still relatively controversial however, and very overt expressions of nationalism or even patriotism are rare.

Read More on Wikipedia

S. KOREA AT THE OLYMPICS: Short Track Speed Skating: South Korea aim to tighten golden stranglehold

Feb 9, 2010

Vancouver (AFP) - World men's champion Lee Ho-Suk is determined to tighten South Korea's stranglehold on the Olympic short-track speed skating gold despite the daunting challenges from the United States and Canada.

China's Wang Meng, who won the 500 metres to prevent South Korean women having a gold medal monopoly at the Torino 2006 Games, is ready to reign supreme after taking the overall, 500m and 1,000m titles at last year's world championships.

For South Korea, short-track skating and the Olympic Winter Games are blood brothers, although world figure skating champion Kim Yu-Na could be poised to grab the headlines in Vancouver.

In Torino, the South Korea team collected an all-time high of six gold, three silver and two bronze medals -- all but one of the bronzes coming in the high-speed sport full of crashes and disqualifications.

Lee, who finished runner-up to compatriot Ahn Hyun-Soo in the men's 1,000m and 1,500m and teamed with him to win the 5,000m relay, is ready to sweep all before him.

"My personal goal is to win the gold in the 1,500m and 1,000m as well as the 500m events, with hopes of winning the relay too," Lee, famous for his dynamic outside pass, told reporters.

Ahn has not raced internationally since injuring his knee two years ago and failed to qualify for Vancouver, leaving South Korea's hopes pinned on Lee.

Apolo Anton Ohno denied South Korea's sweep of four men's gold medals in Torino by winning the 500m. It was his second Olympic title after he claimed the 1,500m in his media-hyped Olympic debut in 2002 in Salt Lake City.

The 27-year-old American beat Lee into second spot overall at the 2008 world championships but finished fifth last year when compatriot J.R. Celski ended second and Canadian Charles Hamelin third behind the Korean.

Ohno, who has collected five Olympic medals and nine world titles, still managed to rank second in this season's 1,000m World Cup.

"I've never come into an Olympic Games in this sort of shape in my life," Ohno said. "Short track is not a sport where you give predictions but I definitely want to stand on the podium."

Hamelin, who won the 500m world title in 2007 and 2009 and finished top in this season's 500m World Cup, is aiming for his first individual Olympic medal.

Celski, 19, who grew up watching Ohno skate on television, missed the World Cup after his skate blade deeply sliced his left leg at the national championships in September.

"I took three months off for rehab and get back on my feet," Celski said. "I'm almost 100 percent."

At the world championships last year, Wang beat South Korean Kim Min-Jung into second overall spot with teammate Zhou Yang third last year to win the back-to-back women's titles.

The 24-year-old Chinese looks still more formidable in the absence of South Korean Jin Sun-Yu, who collected the 1,000m, 1,500m and 3,000m-relay golds in Torino. Hampered by injury, Jin could not win a ticket to Vancouver.

"Our target is beat the South Korean team," Wang said. "I am very confident. I am much stronger than four years ago, physically and mentally."

The sport became a full Olympic discipline in 1992 and China won their first short-track title in 2002, which was also the first-ever Winter Olympic gold for the Asian superpower.

View AFP Article on NBC Olympics

CRUISING: Cruise Bargains Harder to Find

Andy Rash

February 14, 2010

By MICHELLE HIGGINS

LOOKING for a bargain cruise? Better get booking. Deals in 2010 promise to be harder to come by than they were last year, when cruise lines introduced a wealth of bargains, and passengers benefited from deep discounts, waived booking deposits, free upgrades, onboard credits and other perks.

Those sales, along with aggressive marketing tactics, helped fill berths with paying passengers.

Based on totals through the third quarter of 2009, the Cruise Lines International Association is projecting that a total of 13.44 million passengers sailed last year, up from 13.1 million in 2008. And with bookings on the upswing, 14.3 million passengers are expected in 2010, a 6.4 percent increase over last year.

All of this is putting a damper on the deals that travelers have come to expect. “There are still some super-cheap fares,” said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of Cruisecritic.com, which follows the industry. “But they’re more the exception than the rule.” For instance, she said, at this time last year there were $25-a-day cruises to the Bahamas. “Now the least expensive bargain I’m seeing is $209” for three days, she said, or about $70 a day.

While cruise lines may continue to dangle free airfare and onboard credits, don’t expect to see the level of upgrades and freebies of 2009. Disney Cruise Line is not offering its Kids Sail Free deal this year. Norwegian Cruise Line has dropped the $250 onboard credit it offered to everyone early last year. Instead, it’s offering up to $300 in onboard credit but only for suites booked nine months before sailing. Reservations must be made by April 1.

And rates are inching back up. Last year Holland America Line offered rates as low as $999 for 12-day Europe and Panama Canal voyages. This year those trips start at $1,199. A seven-night Alaska cruise that could be found for $399 last year is starting at about $500 a person this year, said Bob Miller, an owner of Cruise Holidays in Alexandria, Va. More typical introductory rates, he said, are $899.

To lock in the best deals, experts say, travelers should act now. “The lesson is don’t wait,” said Alex Goldman, vice president of cruises for Travelocity, which is offering additional onboard credits of up to $500 to travelers who book a cruise by March 11 for travel from March through August, using an American Express card. The site is also offering 15 percent off shore excursions through its partner Port Promotions if booked by March 11.

Sure, you could hold off in the hopes of scoring an amazing last-minute bargain. But you run the risk of being closed out if ships fill up. Travelers appear to be heeding the warning signals; they are booking an average of 5.04 months in advance this year, compared with 4.6 months in 2009, according to a survey of travel agents by the Cruise Lines International Association.

“Aggressive promotions resulted in people booking sooner and availability once again becoming tight for popular destinations such as the Mediterranean, the Baltics and even resulting in an uptick in Alaska bookings,” said Mr. Miller of Cruise Holidays.

But it’s still possible to find a reasonable rate. Princess Cruises has been running a Denali sale, for example, with rates up to 50 percent off for May and June departures and up to 25 percent off the entire season. Celebrity Cruises has rates from $549 a person to Bermuda from Bayonne, N.J. Disney Cruise Line has 14-night trans-Atlantic cruises in April from $699 a person that begin in the Bahamas and end in the Mediterranean. Its 10- and 11-night Mediterranean cruises in May and April begin at $999 a person.

Some of the best deals are at the high end. Crystal Cruises, a luxury line offering worldwide itineraries, has two-for-one deals including round-trip airfare for prices as much as 20 percent less than 2009. The Yachts of Seabourn is offering up to 50 percent off certain Europe cruises with airfare if booked by the end of this month. And though Azamara Club Cruises prices are higher this year, starting at $2,069 a person for an inside room, more amenities are included in the base price: gratuities, water and sodas, meals and room service, house wine at lunch and dinner and other perks.

While online comparison sites like Kayak.com can be helpful when researching prices, it can pay to talk to a travel agent to understand the full cost of the cruise. The agent may also be able to offer a better rate than what’s shown online.

“Major cruise lines have implemented a labyrinth of rules that force cruise retailers to display only approved pricing online,” said Evan Eggers, president of SureCruise.com, a cruise shopping site, “whereas over the phone, we’re allowed to bargain.”

Cruise Holidays of Alexandria was able to secure space on a number of Azamara cruises to Europe before the line raised rates, enabling the agency to lock in significant savings for clients. For example, a 10-night Greek Isles cruise in an ocean-view cabin costs $3,499 a person July 24 to Aug. 3, when booked directly with the cruise line. Cruise Holidays is offering the same trip for $2,736 a person.

Working with agents may also be beneficial if the price drops after they’ve booked the trip. “Usually in such situations we can convince the cruise line to offer an upgrade or onboard credit,” Mr. Eggers said.

When searching for deals, remember that the lowest price often means the worst cabins on the ship — usually without any windows — and that any extras like spa treatments and shore excursions will cost extra.

When booking, ask if there are any special discounts you may qualify for, like a senior discount, a resident discount — often available to cruisers who live in the state the cruise is departing from — or deals for repeat guests. Sites like Kayak and Travelocity allow you to search easily for such savings. For New York residents, a junior suite for two guests on a seven-night southern Caribbean cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas is $2,398 in April, a discount from the normal price of $2,718, according to a recent Travelocity search. For ages 55 and up, an ocean-view room on a seven-night southern Caribbean cruise on Celebrity Summit (also in April) is $1,058 — more than $200 off.

Shifting your vacation dates can also help you save. A recent search for Bahamas cruises on Kayak.com turned up four nights on Carnival’s Fascination from Jacksonville, Fla., on Feb. 11, for $359. Leaving two weeks later brought the price down to $269.

SureCruise has a new feature that points out how much you can save by postponing your vacations. Just click “Dates Flexible?” for the cheaper price. For example, a search for weeklong Caribbean cruises in July turned up prices from $1,049 on Royal Caribbean. But the site noted that other dates were available from just $539 in September.

View Article in the New York Times

SEOUL, S. KOREA: Artificial Island Launched on Han River

February 11, 2010

A "floating island" is being built on the Han River in Seoul. The Seoul metropolitan government put in place the basic structure for the first of three artificial floating islands on the river on Saturday.

The city government and a consortium of seven private firms are currently constructing the three islands, injecting more than US$80 million into the project.

Officials say the islands, scheduled to be completed by August, will be recognized as representative landmarks in the city as complexes for performances, conventions, exhibitions and other cultural and sports activities.

View Article on The Chosun Ilbo

S. KOREA: Top 10 Foods: Kimchi

Kimchi is a fermented food that mixes pickled Korean cabbage or radish with spicy vegetables and various condiments such as salted fish and red pepper powder.

The term ‘kimchi’ was derived from 'chimchae' which means soaking vegetables in salty water and storing them.  To be prepared for the coldest season of Korea - 3 or 4 months in winter - when food was scarce, vegetables were pickled and stored beforehand, which was later developed into kimchi.  Kimchi is not a simple fermented vegetable but a complex and indigenous food of Korea involving diverse condiments and spices.

In view that Koreans had enjoyed eating vegetables from the ancient times, and that salt had been made and used then, together with the old records on appearance of fermented foods like salted fish and soy in Korea, it is presumed that kimchi had existed before the three-kingdom era.  Red pepper was introduced into Korea via Japan around 1592-1598 when the Japanese army invaded Korea.  The first detailed description on kimchi is found in the book 'Gyeongdo Japji' (written in the late 1700s) which records that radish, cabbage, garlic, hot pepper powder, turban shell, ear shell, yellow corvina, etc. were mixed into boiled soup of salted shrimps, and then stored in jars during winter season for being fermented and transformed into a hot food.  The book also records that Korean people in 1700s enjoyed the fermented food.  Another record is found in 'Jeungbo Sanrim Gyeongje' (mountains and forest economy) written in 1766, which describes the use of kimchi as daily side dish.  The type of kimchi we see today seems to have appeared after the 17th century when the 'cabbage with head' was introduced from China.  Around this time, condiments and spices were also in full use in Korea, which enabled kimchi to develop into the current version.

View Article on Food in Korea

INCHEON, S. KOREA:

Documentary clip of the Incheon Landing of the Korean War, September 15, 1950.

RUSSIA: Can Medvedev emulate Gorbachev?

February 10, 2010

By Leon Aron

The odds don't look good. The Russian president has repudiated key tenets of Putinism, but Putin is ignoring him.

Opinion

The security of the United States continues to be tied to decisions in Moscow, as evidenced by President Obama's touting of the pending strategic arms-control agreement with Russia in his State of the Union address. And those decisions, in turn, will hinge on Russian domestic politics. The central question is whether President Dmitry Medvedev's increasingly radical rhetoric will begin to translate into policies that would spell a decisive break with those of his predecessor and current prime minister, Vladimir Putin.

Could 2010 become Medvedev's equivalent of Mikhail Gorbachev's 1987 -- the year when, also after only two years in the Kremlin and against very strong opposition by hard-liners, Gorbachev began lifting totalitarian controls over politics by declaring glasnost and democratization?

Like Gorbachev in 1987, Medvedev faces tough odds. His speeches are still contaminated by the bluster and outright propaganda lies of Putinism. Moreover, unlike Gorbachev -- who had the awesome power of the office of the Communist Party's general secretary -- Medvedev's authority still appears to be on loan from Putin. It's as if Gorbachev had ruled with Leonid Brezhnev watching over him.

And yet, just as unmistakably, in the last few months, Russia's president has not only dissociated himself from key tenets of Putinism but challenged and repudiated them, in effect chipping away at the legitimacy of the political and economic order he inherited. Medvedev's critique was especially pointed and concentrated in his September article, "Rossiya, vperyod!" ("Russia, forward!"), posted on the opposition Web daily Gazeta.ru -- and more or less reprised, alongside propaganda cliches, in a November address to the Russian parliament.

Medvedev described the Russian economy as "chronically backward," "primitive" and dependent on raw-materials exports. The system "largely ignores" the needs of people, while businesses are averse to inventing or manufacturing things and, instead, trade in commodities and imported goods. The competitiveness of Russian-made goods in world markets is "shamefully" low. Labor productivity is meager as well, as is the quality of "half-Soviet" social services.

Corruption is ubiquitous, Medvedev goes on to say, and people are all but defenseless against "arbitrariness, non-freedom and the disdain"for the law and the courts that corruption breeds. The wide-spread "paternalistic sentiments" result in a lack of initiative and a dearth of new ideas in an "archaic society" where the "bigwigs" think and decide for everyone.

Medvedev also has called for an end of the era of "petulance, haughtiness, the inferiority complex, mistrust and hostility" in relations with leading democracies, and advocates reversing Russia's confrontation and self-isolation.

Yet the Russian president's most portentous, if little noticed, rhetorical break with Putinism goes to the issue of modernization. His statements amount to a rejection of Putin's choices. First, he wrote that oil and gas, in effect, cannot be the cornerstones and engines of lasting prosperity and progress. A truly great modern state cannot be built on petrodollars. Instead, Medvedev reiterated in the November speech, Russia must develop an "intelligent," knowledge-based economy. He also rejected the "classic" model of Russian economic modernization in which -- from Peter the Great to Stalin (with Putin as their proud heir) -- industrial breakthroughs have been accompanied by an ever greater expansion of state control over society.

In perhaps his most impassioned posting -- an Oct. 30 video titled "The memory of national tragedies is as sacred as the memory of triumphs" on Medvedev's personal blog -- he castigated the creeping whitewash of Stalin and Stalinism under Putin by declaring that no "state interests" could justify the "destruction of their own people" and "millions of ruined lives."

Instead, the modernization Medvedev envisions would be founded on humanistic values, on freedom, personal responsibility and individual success, according to the post. Russia must prove to itself and the world, he declared in the November speech, that the country can succeed in a different mode of modernization: not by coercion but persuasion, not by repression but by the flowering of each person's creativity, not by fear but by self-interest. Perhaps the most frequent words in his recent speeches and blog postings are svoboda and svobodnyi -- "freedom" and "free."

In the meantime, Putin's reaction (and the entire "setup" between the two) remains the $1-million question. Is it a "good-cop/bad-cop" routine to assuage the people until Putin regains the presidency in 2012? Is it indicative of the elite understanding that the "power-vertical model" -- that is, the Kremlin's domination of the country's politics and, increasingly, the economy -- has run its course and very gradual liberalization is needed to reignite private initiative as the engine of economic growth?

No one but Putin knows the answer.

Thus far, Putin -- who continues to be far more popular with the people than Medvedev -- has chosen the political textbook strategy of ignoring his junior partner's critiques. He never takes on his protege directly, publicly upholding the facade of unanimity. Yet Putin's de-facto refutations, in deed or word, come fast.

Thus, when Medvedev and his top advisors in June intimated Russia's imminent entrance into the World Trade Organization, Putin announced within days that Russia would not join except as a member of the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan "Customs Union" -- that is, not in a foreseeable future. And on the same day that Medvedev posted the "Russia, forward!" article, Putin described Russian politics and the economy to a group of journalists and experts as "fully in line with international standards."

Such rhetorical shadowboxing cannot continue indefinitely. Like Gorbachev, Medvedev will soon discover that no progress -- economic, political, social -- is possible without restoring a modicum of trust between the state and society, the power and the people.

This will not be an easy task. The most damaging legacy of Putinism has been the pervasive cynicism born of daily powerlessness amid lies, corruption and cruelty. The reaction of the Russian independent media (confined largely to the Internet) to Medvedev's rhetorical offensive epitomizes this attitude: Cautiously hopeful comments have been more than counterbalanced by skepticism or even outright dismissal and derision because of the glaring mismatch between words and deeds.

What might some Medvedev deeds include? Gorbachev began by releasing Andrei Sakharov from exile in Gorky in December 1986. Medvedev's equivalents might include an unconditional pardon for the former leading Russian entrepreneur Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who is facing a kangaroo court's sentence of up to 22 years in jail. The murderers of the opposition journalist Anna Politkovskaya in 2006 need to be brought to justice, and the masterminds (not just those who carried out the order) tried in open courts.

There should be an investigation of the shamelessly fraudulent local "elections" in October; a follow-up on the promise made in the state-of-Russia speech to audit (and eventually privatize) state corporations -- created by Putin with Gazprom and Rosneft as his models, and widely believed to be hubs of corruption and mismanagement. Medvedev should, at long last, conduct a credible and full investigation into the 1999 apartment bombings that critics allege were engineered by the secret services to justify the invasion of Chechnya and boost Putin's popularity.

And perhaps most important, he should relax and eventually abolish the Kremlin censorship of television, enabling Russians to learn the truth about the real state of affairs.

If Medvedev is indeed determined to follow in Gorbachev's footsteps, his rhetoric must be a prologue to actions. In 2010, his glasnost must be followed by perestroika policies -- or he will fade into irrelevance.

Leon Aron, resident scholar and director of Russian studies at the American Enterprise Institute, is the author, most recently, of "Russia's Revolution: Essays 1989-2006."

View Article in the LA Times

OLYMPICS: Olympics chief Rogge defends return of disgraced Lee

Lee Kun-Hee (C), former Samsung Group chairman, leaves after his trial at the Seoul High Court in Seoul last August

February 7, 2010

(AFP) – 1 day ago

VANCOUVER — Jacques Rogge defended the controversial reinstatement of former Samsung chief Lee Kun-Hee to the IOC, saying his amnesty by the Korean president on tax evasion charges meant he was cleared of wrongdoing.

The billionaire businessman, who voluntarily gave up his rights and duties as an IOC member in 2008 following his conviction, was pardoned by Korean President Lee Myung-Bak in December.

His reinstatement as a member of the International Olympic Committee came after a meeting of the body's executive board on the sidelines of the 2010 Winter Olympics on Sunday.

IOC president Rogge defended the move and dismissed concerns about the image of the Olympic body, which has long been tarnished by corruption allegations.

"Mr Lee was convicted in his country and was granted an amnesty. The amnesty alleviates the consequences of the criminal office," he said.

While Lee was readmitted to the organisation, he was also issued with a reprimand and suspended from the right to sit on any IOC commission for five years.

"The rules of the IOC are very clear -- when someone transgresses the rules or ethics or tarnishes the reputation of the IOC, a sanction must be given," said Rogge.

"The sanctions given to Mr Lee are exactly the same as applied to Guy Drut who also got an amnesty. So there was a precedent."

Drut, a former French sports minister, in 2006 was given a 15-month suspended jail sentence and a fine for picking up a 3,000 euro-a-month salary for a non-existent job with a building company from 1990 to 1993.

He was suspended from the IOC but after French President Jacques Chirac granted him an amnesty Drut was later readmitted.

Rogge denied that the IOC's image had been tarnished by reinstating a convicted criminal.

"I'd like to remind you that the IOC has expelled 10 members in the past for life, not for just one or two years," he said.

"We are tough on our members like we are tough on our athletes.

"I'll also point out that with Mr Lee, these were facts that were absolutely not related to sport."

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TOKYO & SHANGHAI: Asia's Exchanges Compete

Oxford Analytica, 02.10.10, 6:00 AM ET

Rivalry in the contest to be recognized as Asia's premier financial center was focused for much of the postwar period on Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore. Taipei and Seoul were also contenders, if seen as more distant candidates. In recent years, Shanghai has emerged among the ranks of those seeking top-ranking status.

Competition

At the heart of this competition was the intention Asian stock exchanges had of rivaling one another through market capitalization and turnover. They sought, with limited success, to attract foreign listings by luring companies both within or from outside the region to seek a quotation on their market.

In practice the cost of acquiring and maintaining a listing on several exchanges, and the fact that in bank-centered financial systems such as those in Asia the requirement for equity financing can often be met from an issuer's domestic market, made for limited demand for intra-Asian cross-listings.

China's Rise

China's emergence as a major economic power and the substantial size of the initial public offerings Chinese entities have launched on Hong Kong and non-regional exchanges have tended to eclipse other Asian exchanges. Meanwhile, Tokyo's weight in total Asian stock market capitalization has diminished dramatically, from 4.3 times that of the Shanghai Stock Exchange three years ago, to only 1.3 by the end of 2009.

Change of Focus

Such developments have changed the basis for competition among Asian exchanges, which, instead of poaching in each other's markets, tend today to focus more on securing listings by global firms and on seeking alliances with leading non-regional exchanges such as New York, London and Europlace, in order to create international trading platforms.

Asian exchanges are also focusing on the need to acquire high-speed, automated trading systems, and on emulating the example of Western exchanges by de-mutualizing their ownership and converting into listed shareholding entities, thereby accessing capital for financing expansion.

Upgrading TSE

In January the TSE launched a new computerized trading system designed to increase its attractions as a global exchange. Installation of the so-called Arrowhead system, which reduces the time taken to process orders from two to three seconds to 0.005 of a second, is aimed in part at enabling the TSE to attract business from international hedge funds and other professional investors who need sophisticated trading systems.

Going Public

Now that trading system problems have been overcome, the TSE plans to implement long-delayed plans for listing its own stock in April. Others, including the Singapore Exchange (SGX) and the Hong Kong exchange, have already gone public, following others among the world's major stock exchanges.

By doing so Asian exchanges have established themselves as superior to many other longer-established exchanges in this regard. For example, the Hong Kong exchange has a market capitalization equivalent to some $26 billion, more than four times that of the NYSE at around $6.5 billion. At $8.6 billion, the capitalization of the SGX is approaching twice that of Nasdaq, the former president of which recently became chief executive of the Singapore exchange. A high capitalization is advantageous to exchanges contemplating acquisitions of other exchanges through exchanges of shares.

Outlook

The nature of competition among Asian stock exchanges is changing as new stock trading platforms emerge globally. Their future appears to lie in cooperation, or even mergers, with international exchanges rather than in the pursuit of organic expansion.

To read an extended version of this article, log on to Oxford Analytica's Web site.

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OSAKA, JAPAN: Osaka Cruise Port

Osaka's Vast Skyline

Osaka Overview

Osaka is a study in contrasts - - part "Shogun" and part "Lost in Translation." Tidy Buddhist temples rub up against modern hotels and pachinko parlors. In the center of town, the iconic Osaka Castle and its ancient moats and beautiful grounds are ringed by high-rises. Flattened during World War II, Osaka is a tangle of bridges, elevated roadways and skyscrapers, but surprisingly, Ferris wheels are also a big part of Osaka's visual signature, throbbing at night in neon color.

With 2.6 million people, Osaka is Japan's third-largest city after Tokyo and Yokohama. Another 1.5 million businesspeople and students crowd into town on weekdays. The city, located at the mouth of the Odo River on Osaka Bay, has a high energy quotient, which ticks up several notches at night when people spill into the entertainment and restaurant districts. And there are thousands of restaurants. Osaka has a longstanding reputation as "the kitchen of Japan," a culinary mecca known for its hearty cuisine. It's a city, it is joked, where people eat and go broke.

Osaka is also known for its stylish malls and shopping arcades, basically roofed shopping streets. It's a good thing some cruise ships choose to overnight here. With its many dimensions, Osaka is a town to take your time with.

Maps provided by

Language

Japanese - - and don't count on hearing much English spoken or understood. Editor's tip: If you plan on using a taxi, it's a good idea to have your destination written in Japanese characters to show the driver.

Currency & Best Way to Get Money

The national currency is the yen -- visit www.xe.com for up-to-the-minute exchange rates. ATM's are plentiful. Credit cards are widely accepted in finer stores and restaurants. Many taxis also now accept credit cards.

Best Souvenir

Fine souvenirs include silk kimonos, porcelain and Japanese pearls. If you're thinking about taking a small gift to someone back home, there's Japanese tea, fans and the rice lotion that Sumo wrestlers rub on their bodies. Osaka is known for its vast underground shopping malls, selling anything and everything. But it also has specialized retail districts selling, for example, electronics and kitchen goods.

Two noteworthy shopping destinations: The super-trendy America-Mura, or American Village, a bustling, energetic district popular with teenagers and young people, and Shinsaibashi-Suji, which is signature Osaka with its many shops, both traditional and fashionable.

Where You're Docked

Ships dock at the fabulous Tempozan Pier, which basically puts you smack dab in the center of Osaka's ever-developing waterfront. You can't miss the huge neon-lit Ferris wheel, said to be among the largest in the world. In advance of disembarking, passengers must go through a rigorous immigration inspection, lasting several hours and including fingerprints and photographs.

Hanging Around

It would be easy to spend a full day in the area around the port, called Tempozan Harbor Village. Just steps from the pier, the terrific Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium is home to nearly 600 species and 30,000 marine animals that come from the Pacific Rim. You'll find Pacific white-sided dolphins from the Tasman Sea, penguins from Antarctica, giant spider crabs from Japan, green sea turtles from Cook Strait and an impressive jelly fish collection. The aquarium's headliner is a whale shark that presides over the planet's largest fish tank. Exhibits are labeled in English and Japanese. Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Also nearby is the stylish Suntory Museum, which features a 3D IMAX theater and rotating exhibits of art and design based on everyday life. The museum is open 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (closed Monday). Tempozan Marketplace is loaded with souvenir shops and restaurants and a food court offering Osaka specialties like Takoyaki octopus balls, broiled blowfish and okonomiyaki, a Japanese-style pancake or pizza topped with ingredients such as red ginger, udon noodles, squid, shrimp, bean sprouts and thinly sliced pork.

Getting Around

Osaka has a convenient subway system (easily navigable by non-Japanese speakers), and there's a stop at Tempozan Harbor Village. It's also easy to hail a taxi on the street or at taxi stands. A cab ride from the pier to the Sony Building in Shinsaibashi, a central area of downtown for shopping and dining, costs 3,000 yen (about $30). Editor's note: It's not customary to tip your driver.

Don't Miss

The city's best-known attraction is Osaka Castle, originally completed in 1583 and later destroyed. Today's reconstructed fortress, built in the 1930s, has a collection of exhibits related to the castle and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who first built the castle as the permanent residence of the ruler of Japan. On the eighth floor is an observation deck offering great views of the city. The extensive grounds, with 5,750 Japanese plum and cherry trees, are also worth a look. A trolley circles around Osaka Castle Park from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It costs 200 yen (roughly $2). For additional details, visit the Osaka Castle Web site.
 

The oldest Buddhist temple in Japan, Shitennoji, was founded in 593; today the complex, none of it original, continues to operate as an active place of worship. Based on the philosophy of Wa, or harmony in all things, the temple has formed its own sect of Buddhism with the goals of pursuing good works in the areas of education and social welfare. Beloved by the local people, Shitennoji is a model of classic temple design with its five-story pagoda; kondo, or main hall; and kodo, an assembly hall. It also has two teahouses. For more information, visit the Shitennoji Web site. 

To fully appreciate Osaka's zest, explore it on foot. In addition to America-Mura and Shinsaibashi, other areas worth visiting are Tenjimbashi-Suji, the longest shopping street in Japan, and the lively Dotonbori district, noted for its nightclubs, restaurants, shops and a new promenade along Dotombori Canal. Take a cab or the subway to your destination and then wander as long as your feet will let you.

To view the bright lights of Osaka at night, take a river cruise. The Naniwa Tanken Cruise and Osaka River Cruise pass under 48 bridges during a one-and-a-half hour tour in Dotonbori, the city's liveliest nightlife district. Cruises depart from Minato-Machi River Place.

Been There, Done That

The nine-acre Universal Studios Japan, like its two sister parks in the U.S., offers a variety of shows, rides, restaurants and attractions. Missing home? Check out the Land of Oz, Water World and Jurassic Park. A one-day pass costs 5,000 yen (about $50).
 

Ferris wheel ride, anyone? This town loves Ferris wheels. Check out the rides at Tempozan Pier and on top of Umeda Mall.
 

Ride a bullet train to Kyoto, a popular side trip because of its 2,000 ancient shrines and temples. Remarkably, Kyoto hosts a total of 17 World Heritage sites. Kyoto is a two-hour drive from Osaka, or a 30-minute ride on the bullet train, called shinkansen. The train travels at over 186 miles per hour.

Lunching

With its unofficial motto of "cheap but delicious," Osaka is a great place to score a foodie's fix. Restaurants crowd the streets and many have picture menus, often posted outside, to help you order. Among many other dishes, Osaka is associated with shabu shabu, a savory hot pot similar to sukiyaki; kitsune-udon, noodles in a slightly sweet broth seasoned with fried bean curd and chopped chives; yakitori, traditional Japanese chicken or beef kebobs; and, of course, sushi, sashimi and tempura dishes. Many of the shopping arcades and underground malls have food courts as well as restaurants. There are also countless restaurants within walking distance of Tempozan Pier.

Shore Excursions

Shore excursions in Osaka are as simple or as in-depth as a traveler could want. Beyond the typical highlights tour, most cruise lines arrange longer excursions, lasting up to 10 hours, that venture to Kyoto, Kobe and Japan's first capital, Nara.

Staying in Touch

Osaka's popular Minami area, which houses the Dotonbori entertainment and shopping district, has a number of 24-hour internet cafes, including Aprecio and Kinko's.

For More Information

• On the Web, visit the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau
• Cruise Critic Message Boards: Asia
• Independent Traveler Forums: Japan

--By Ellen Uzelac, a travel and finance writer based on Maryland's Eastern Shore