Get Hiroshima MAP

Get Hiroshima
Originally uploaded by zaijian

flickr review of the gethiroshima map

The 2008-9 GetHiroshima Map in Action

As many of you may know, the new (green) GetHiroshima maps are out now. I spent July 21st with some Japanese students handing out our map to English speaking visitors coming into the main station for a couple of hours and it was a real eye-opening experience for me and for my students.

It made me realize that a lot of people who really want to use the GetHiroshima map are not getting it from the station or information centers where they have them available- so we should reassess how best to get our map to people who want to use it. (If you want GHmaps for any reason, please get in touch with us and we will try to get them to you).

It also reminded me that although many people are friendly, courteous and easygoing- there are also a few irritated, angry and frustrated people who want nothing to do with anyone else. For every ten positive encounters there was at least 1 negative one- that was a surprise to me.

Maybe because I assume that most visitors to Hiroshima have a plan to visit the Peace park and be reminded of the necessity for peace in our world which to me means you start working toward Peace in your day to day life. If you follow that chain of logic, you wouldn't say "get away from me" to a young, female Japanese student offering you an English map with a smile!

Here is what one of the students who helped out wrote:

On Monday I was in the station to give many maps about Hiroshima to foreigners. Many friends of mine told me this assignment was tough, but I was looking forward to doing it because I loved to speak to foreigners and I wanted to use English because I didn’t have any chance to speak English except classes after I came back to Japan.

In fact, many foreigners had different reaction from what I guessed. When I spoke to the first couple, they stopped to talk and they walked away from me without looking at me. The second couple just looked at me and seemed so disgusted on me and they walked away. When I tried to give the map to two guys, they just said, “No” and walked fast to stay away from me. Usually many foreigners just walked away without looking at me.

I had never had these kind of reactions from people from different countries, that’s why I was little disappointed. I even thought that they had discrimination on Asian because I had many stories from my Japanese friends about discrimination on Asian, Japanese such as hit Japanese by stones.

However, while I was looking for foreigners at the station, I found so kind foreigners. When I spoke to one elder man, he smiled at me and he listened to my English carefully. He was so sincere for my talking. Actually he asked me some questions but I couldn’t answer them, so I regretted that I didn’t study about Hiroshima because I really wanted to help him.

The last people, two black men and women, were so great. When I spoke them, they already got a map but one of them got extra map from me because he got it to help me. I was not glad that he took a map from me but I was really delighted because of his kindness and generous thinking. In addition, that woman told me that she was so happy to see kind and helpful people who lived in Hiroshima like me.

While I was in the station, I thought that their reaction was not evil because so many salespeople try to catch people in many countries, so even if they rejected me, it was simple and natural. Not all of them were bad and rude people. They just tried to avoid troubles in foreign country. If I had been them, I don’t know that I could have braved to answer to strangers in the strange country. It was too difficult to judge that I was trouble on them.

Finally, I could notice that I was also not always a generous and kind person to strangers. When a stranger try to give me a tissue, I didn’t take it and I didn’t try to be sincere and nice. This assignment was just speaking to strangers and helping them with the map, but I could see and understand so different experiences I had through foreigners. I could learn such delightful and sallow unavoidable parts of human nature.

Asako. S.

I had so many great encounters with people that day and of the rude people we encountered, they have no idea what they missed out on. If offered, I will take that flyer or tissue with a smile next time I am on the Hondori.

Here are some of the most common questions I was asked (and my answers):
** What is a nice route to walk into the city from the station
I would walk along Johoku dori (heading right past the post office) and turn left over the bridge once you see the Hotel New Hiroden on the right side. Walk straight past and turn right after the Junior High School on the right (Noborimachi) and go into Shukkein Gardens. After the gardens, continue on the same road and pop into the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum. Then continue across the street, past the government buildings (tax offices, courts and immigration) straight to Hiroshima castle. From the castle, head through Chuo koen to the Otagawa river. Turn left on the Otagawa river path and follow it until you reach the A-bomb dome.

** What is the Mazda Museum like?
According to the Mazda Museum website (Japanese) you need to make a reservation to go to the museum. I have heard it is pretty cool (if you like cars) and I am going for the first time next week, so you can expect a review on GH soon.

** Where is a good place to eat?
What a perfect question for the map- All the places on the map are foreigner friendly- these are all places that we recommend and the owners wanted to be on our English map so you can expect a warm welcome and good food.

** Where is a fun place to go with kids?
On the map, we list our top 5 things to do with kids:
1. Children's Museum
2. Family Pool, Chichiyasu or the Youth Hostel pool in summer and Big Wave ice skating in winter.
3. The Transport Museum and their crazy bikes.
4. Aza zoo especially in summer during for the night safari.
5. Big Arch for football/soccer or the Carp Baseball stadium for a baseball game.

A downloadable PDF of the first map (still useful) can be found here.

Kon Ichikawa's Tokyo Olympiad

To commemorate the start of the Beijing Olympics, Kon Ichikawa's wonderful documentary of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics is being screened at Salon Cinema all next week. There is a late show on Saturday admission is a discounted ¥1000.

Note: there will be no English subtitles, but as much of the film consists of striking footage backed by music, you shouldn't let this put you off.

Sky watching photo community

The Sora o miteiru hito community on Japan's most popular social networking site, Mixi,  is calling on its members to members to post pictures of the sky wherever they happen to be at 8:15am on August 6.  

I hope they get a better response  than we did in our attempt at a crowd sourced record of this year's hanami season. That experiment was supposed to be a practice for a photo project centered on August 6, but I couldn't face the prospect of getting absolutely no response again - skin must be getting thinner as I get older.

Via Hiroshima Keizai Shimbun

Iwakuni Triathlon

If you are looking for something to motivate you to not just bathe in the cool blast of the aircon this summer, how about a September triathlon. The Olympic distance swim, bike, run on September 21 is held on the US Marine base and the bike and run curses are flat as a pancake.

Click here for more details

Guilala's Counterattack: Lake Toya Summit Crisis

Although it didn't get a great review by Mark Schilling in the Japan Times you might want to have a look at the trailer for Minoru Kawasaki's follow up to his parody "Nihon Igai Zembu Chinbotsu (The World Sinks Except Japan)" and see how many of world leaders you can spot.

 
The film is playing at Salon Cinema. Click here for times.

New GetHiroshima Places

Tsubomi cafe:dining
Fashionable dining and fun for kids too.







Gyrotonic Personal Training - Fitness Studio
Improve your posture and health like dancers do.

Terayama Shuji films at Salon Cinema (not work safe video clip)

Fans of Japanese art house cinema, and those who'd like to to get a handle on where a lot of the ideas and imagery for Nekomushi came from, might like to check out the two Terayama Shuji directed films playing at Salon Cinema from July 26 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the avant guardist's death. The two films are 1971's Sho o suteyo machi e deyou (Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets) and the 1975 Den en ni shisu (Pastoral: To Die in the Country).

Here is a clip from the first one (not work safe)

Summer happenings

I've just spent the last few hours updating summer events. As usual, there is a lot going on for those who choose hang out in Hiroshima over the long hot summer. Please have a look and be sure to check back as there is more to come.

http://www.gethiroshima.com/Events

If you make it to any of these events, we'd love to beef up our listings with more up to date and helpful information, so please feel free to mail us your stories, impressions and tips so we can add them. Hit the "Feedback" link at the bottom of any page of GetHiroshima or mail me directly at paul at gethiroshima dot com.

Ujina fireworks photo contest

Ujina Fireworks Hanabi 07'
Originally uploaded by bad_dongz

Summer starts with a bang at the first of the big fireworks displays in Ujina on Saturday night. If you feel inspired by the pictures on Flickr why snap some shots and send them into the photo contest? Entries will be accepted July 28 to August 11 and the top prize is ¥30,000. You also get some Japanese practice as a bonus, working out the entry form!

Good luck and happy snapping

Peace Camping Available at Shiritsu City University

Free Camping Available from August 3rd to the 7th to 300 people who apply by July 31st (thursday) to the organization at Shiritsu (city) University.
See more details on the Gethiroshima Event listing here.

Do the light thing: SLEEPYEYE at Edge tonight

JETs beware, IRS phising scam

Japan Probe has posted a warning that bogus faxes purporting to be from the US IRS are being sent to the work places of some JET teachers. The post points to an IRS page with more details of the phishing scam.

Sue Kawashima - GetHiroshima PEOPLE

We had the opportunity to host a series of presentations by Professor Sue Kawashima about her wartime experiences as a child and how it related to her experiences in New York during 9-11.
Read the full report in the Gethiroshima People section here.

New Place Reviews May, June, July 2008

Some great reviews this month and others that well, made me get out my ruler...

** GetHiroshima's Top Review **
Replay Hair Salon
"Professional, talented and warm." 5.0
Anonymity Personified.Wed Jun 2008
The first haircut in a new place, not to mention in a language you don't speak-- yet--involves a leap of faith. The review here, and shaggy hair tantrums, made me brave. My Japanese teacher happened to be with me when we stepped in the doors, and I asked her to tell them: just a cut. She left, and I imagined that I would be brought to chair, wetted down with a spray bottle, my hair cut, but not blown dry. Yet, I was treated like a special guest. First, two long shampoos, then a conditioner. Second, a ten minute massage for my shoulders and neck. Now, this was making me both nervous and relaxed at the same time. Is this included? I managed to ask. Not to worry, said my man, in so many English words. Third, a haircut by the stylist who was managing two clients at once. Then, back to the sink for another rinse, lest there be irritating snippets. When was that ever done for me in the United States? I worked in a salon, so many years ago, it was not done. Last, a blow dry and a dab of product to hold the cuteness of my new doo. At every turn, I heard the register in my head go "ka-ching!" Not only were the extras just part of the cut, I was given a ten percent discount for having shown that I'd found them through www.gethiroshima.com. I left cuter, impressed, and hugely relieved that I hadn't lost a limb, in the wallet sense. They took my information, and made notes, reassuring me of my place in the coiffed universe . I will return to Replay. No doubt.


Discussing how to best describe La Chambre Noborimachi
"homely" 3.0
Anonymity Personified.Sat May 2008
homely feel because it is a renovated Japanese inn Homely here means "ugly" or cozy? I am confused. Maybe it would be clear if you say "homey"

"feels like a home" 5.0
GHeditor.Thu Jul 2008
In answer to the above review. Although making mistakes is nothing new, I think I used "homely" in reference to definition 4 which I just found on a web dictionary below:
Characteristic of the home: home·ly (hml) adj. home·li·er, home·li·est 1. Not attractive or good-looking: a homely child. 2. Lacking elegance or refinement: homely furniture. 3. Of a simple or unpretentious nature; plain: homely truths. 4. Characteristic of the home or of home life: homely skills.

"Homey" also seems acceptable although as an American it seems connected more to friendship (my homey) than anything else. homey - having a feeling of home; cozy and comfortable; "the homely everyday atmosphere"; "a homey little inn" homelike, homy, homely comfortable, comfy - providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (`comfy' is informal); "comfortable clothes"; "comfortable suburban houses"; "made himself comfortable in an armchair"; "the antihistamine made her feel more comfortable"; "are you comfortable?"; "feeling comfy now?"

Ever popular with university students, J-cafe

"Wonderful cafe" 5.0
Asami - Mon May 2008
I think it is very good as lunch is done on the weekend. A considerable guest entered, and there was a state of an empty waiting, too. The clerk's correspondence was also good. Because the dessert menu has been enhanced, too I think that it is an especially recommended shop in the woman.

"Favorite house" 4.0
Mariko.N - Wed May 2008
I like J cafe. It is very delicious and comfortable. Lunch is cheap, never more than

"J-cafe" 5.0
A.nozomi - Tue May 2008
The back wall is very wonderful and has a Mediterranean atmosphere. The Food is also delicious and the staff are also kind.

"Delicious food!" 4.0
Y.Marika - Tue May 2008
I like meal of J Cafe. The space in the shop of J Cafe is fashionable and meals are a
lso very delicious. I like J Cafe's food! I want to go there again!


Quarante Quarte
"I love this cafe !!" 5.0
mimu - Thu May 2008
The lunch menu is delicious and reasonable. The atmosphere is very fashionable too but the cafe dosen't have parking, but it is near Hondori- easy to walk to, so please go once by all means.

Jazz 5
"interesting" 5.0
miduki (miduki.angela.snepes@docomo.ne.jp) - Fri Jun 2008
the 80`s i was a disco girl.i knew here. but seemed too adult for us.there was no chance to try here. but now might the time.


Hiroshima's LUSH
"nice smell" 5.0
saoriso - Fri May 2008
I got introduce to my friend. I love this shop's products. Thy are nice smell and got smooth skin. And The staff are friendly and very kind.

Shichida Life Cafe
"If you try it, you will like it" 5.0
GHeditor - Thu Jul 2008
What's not to like about Shichida cafe? You don't like the politics? Then I guess you would never be found in a McDonalds, Starbucks or any other worldwide monopoly? You may not like a company like this with strict ideas about child rearing, but the cafe is a good one. By using organic products and offering meals without meat products, it is healthier, better for the environment and tasty if you give something new and different a chance.

"bland" 2.0
Where is there good food - Sat May 2008
Part of the behavorist-inspired bs of the English-learning/money-making market. Funny to see a food place as a "child" of an eikaiwa; usually it is the mega-food store or transport company as the parent. So what is this child of the discredited but very profitable Shichida English/money game up to with this ordinary and over-priced food? Out to ride the new organic wave to beef up declining eikaiwa profits?

Ganesh
"It has all been good for us" 5.0
GHEditor - Thu Jul 2008
We have eaten here on many occasions and never felt sick the next day. I often see the same Indian chefs there each time, so I am not sure about the claim of one-day chefs and a high turnover. There seem to be some strongly negative reviews about the various Indian places maybe due to the competitive nature of this popular business. It would nice to see more constructive criticism than negative reviews that look like they are trying to ruin someone's business.

"for indian restaurent search" 3.0
ishikawa - Mon Jul 2008
I was going this ganesh rstaurent for dinner after next day my three friend was ills stomatch problems this restaurent have one day cook and use one week,please companre this restaurent and other this is not good restaurent.

Mos Burger
"Delicious!!" 5.0
Ai.M - Thu May 2008
Mos burger is more delicious than other fast food shops. I like cheeseburger in this shop. This shop uses the paper bag of recycled paper.As for this shop,it thinks about the environment.

"Great" 5.0
U.narumi - Thu May 2008
The good point is that Mos is very delicious and healthy. So, I want to eat everything on the menu. But, I have heard from friends that they think it is too slow. But,I don't think so.

"The Wait is a little long" 4.0
H.Miyukui - Tue May 2008
I like Mos Burger . Mos Burger is a healty and delicious.but I think that waiting time is a little long.

Stevie's Wunder Bar
"avoid this place" 1.0
Dev - Fri Jun 2008
Owner is not the type of person you want to help to be profitable, DJ and staff are not trustable. If you enter, hold your wallet tight and watch the bill.

"Friendly" 4.0
Anonymity Personified.Mon May 2008
My husband and I were on our honeymoon when we decided to enter this place recommended by the Get Hiroshima guide we were given at the Tourist Information Office. We didn't regret it. The owner is friendly and more than willing to recommend places to see and things to try. We really enjoyed ourselves here.

The English Coach System- Improve Your Private Classes

Long term Hiroshima resident and teacher extraordinaire, Adam Beck, who originally came to Japan after working for the Peace corp. Then worked for Hiroshima university and the Hiroshima International school, ran the Starship children's art-party charity project and is now working at the Chugoku shimbun.

He has come out with a new system for teaching private classes incorporating a life-coach style to classes making it not only more rewarding for the students for but the teacher too. The idea is to teach less classes, but be able to charge more by offering more quality instruction.

It has gotten a good review from the website "What Japan thinks" who intervewed him about the book. We are looking forward to reviewing it for ourselves at Gethiroshima soon too.

You can read more about it and order it online from the English Coach system website here.

Speed Racer and Illusionist

I never watched the original so don't have any nostalgic feelings to the cartoon series, but the movie version looks like campy good fun with wizard effects and opens today just about everywhere. Down at Salon Cinema, Edward Norton plays The Illusionist (trailer below) and the Jane Austen Book Club continues.

Check out all the movies playing in Hiroshima this week here.

Department store thermostats go up and wind turbines spread (for now)

Department stores in the Chugoku area have announced that they are going to "aim" to raise their thermostats by 2°C between July 7 and August 8. Not sure why they have to stop on August 8 and the accompanying handing of fans labelled with "let's cut CO2" emissions slogans smacks of green wash, but better than nothing I guess.

In other environment news the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) added 9 new wind turbines in the Chugoku area last year, bringing the total in the region to 89 producing 41,186kw of electricity. It appears, however, that there are no wind turbines in operation in Hiroshima prefecture and although there are plans to add more wind turbines in Yamaguchi and Shimane prefectures, according to this report, an announcement by Chugoku Denryoku that it will cap the amount of power it will buy in the future means that the rate of increase will slow in the coming years.

GetHiroshima Blog Wordled

GetHiroshima Blog wordled
Originally uploaded by GetHiroshima

This is what popped out when I wordled the GetHiroshima Blog. Try yours - or any block of text, or your del.icio.us bookmarks - here.

Here's how the HiroshimaGab turned out.

Noisia in town on Friday

Drum and bass production and DJ trio Noisia are playing at Sacred Spirits on Friday alongside the Heartbeat of Dragon crew. As well as dnb they put out some pretty sweet breakbeat tracks, so it would be nice if they mix up the tempo a bit. Should be good, and relatively cheap. More here



Noisia documentary from a few years back

Free Hugs this Sunday

FREE HUG
Originally uploaded by minyaaaaaaco!

Hiroshima Free Hug posse will be in action around A-bomb Dome and Peace Park on Sunday afternoon. They'll be meeting - presumably you be able to spot them by their big signs saying "FREE HUGS" - on the Motoyasu Bridge at 1pm and will be wandering around Peace Park for a while after that.

More Yamada Teppei

We've added a Google Map to our Art Space HAP place listing to make it easier to locate this small gallery at the Hijiyama end of Peace Boulevard. We posted about Yamada Teppei a couple of days ago, and I really hope we have time to get down to the gallery to see the young artist's 6 striking terracotta sculptures on display. The exhibition runs until July 6  and is open 11:00-19:00 (until 17:00 on the final day). If the work really tickle's your fancy, why not check out the party on July 5 from 18:00.

12 police stations now with female officers 24hrs a day

12 police stations in Hiroshima Prefecture have been designated Women's Safety Stations. The selected stations have a special area where women can report problems or seek advice from female police officers 24 hours a day.



In Hiroshima city the designated stations are the Takanobashi, Yokogawa, Hon-dori, Shintenchi and Hiroshima Station police koban and in Higashi-hiroshima the Saijo Eki-mae and Hiroshima University-mae koban. A full list in Japanese can be found here.



Last year there were 451 cases of domestic violence and 242 cases of violent crimes against women reported to prefectural police stations, and many victims have felt uncomfortable talking about their cases with male police officers. Reports don't mention whether the female officers staffing these sections are receiving any special training. prefectural police plan to extend the service to 11 more police stations by next spring.



Watch an RCC news clip (Japanese) here.



Sources: Chugoku Shinbun and RCC

Tourist numbers down, but staying longer and spending more. Foreigners up.

According to Hiroshima Prefecture's annual tourism survey 57,610,000 people visited the prefecture in 2007. This figure represents a drop of 0.7%; the first drop in 4 years. Onomichi was hit hard by the closing of the "Otoko-tachi no Yamato" movie location attraction, which prompted a 15.7% drop in visitor numbers. The lustre of  Kure's somewhat ambiguously intentioned "Yamato Museum" seems to be fading as it saw numbers drop by 3.9%.



Despite falling overall numbers, however, it appears that more visitors are staying overnight and spending more money here. Also, the number of foreign visitors continues to increase, up 9% to 549,000.



Source: Chugoku Shinbun

Dogoyama Cross Country

If you like to run, but can't stand the heat of August, the annual Dogoyama Cross Country Races might be for you. Held at the purpose built Dogoyama Cross Country Park 700m above sea level it is relatively cool and make for a nice day out. Get more details here.

Yamada Teppei Exhibition

Thanks to Flickrbug naoko for commenting on the above picture taken at the Hiroshima Oh exhibition earlier in the year.She tells us it's a piece by Yamada Teppei, whose work is being exhibited at Art Space Hap July 1 - July 6. I can't find any more information on the artist, so if anyone has any info please share!

UPDATE
We've added a Google Map to the Art Space HAP place listing to make it easier to find the gallery located at the Hijiyama end of Peace Boulevard. Hiroshima Keizai Shimbun has more info on the young artist (in Japanese) here.