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Bombay "Fantastic food" Izumi - Thu Jun 2009
The food at Bombay really makes me feel like a better, healthier person after I have eaten it. I have been going to Bombay for 6 months and it's the best healthy food i have found in Hiroshima. Fantastic food as always - from the first bite you know you're not in an average restaurant "I always enjoy my Bombay experience - the staff is friendly and helpful, the food is delicious and always served promptly and it has a great atmosphere! "... It always makes me feel welcome to come back again
Radha Vilas "South India in Hiroshima" Padmahari (padmaharij@gmail.com) - Tue Jun 2009
Radhavilas,a prototype of a south Indian restaurant in hiroshima.It is a place where you get a trendy food with warmth.When I say trendy,I mean that the food is of south india but the way it is prepared is very unique.As a result,it meets the standards of a healthy,tasty and quality dish.I love this place for its delicious dosas.That said,there are a plenty of other dishes that are mouth-watering and delicious.Before signing off I would like to conclude by saying that someone who wants to taste south-indian dishes(authentic)must give it a try!
Molly Malones "As we Irish would say :" Greg - Fri Jun 2009
Have been in many Irish Bars around the World, but have to say as a proud ex-pat (from Dublin), now living in Hiroshima, that this is the BEST IRISH BAR I`ve been in. The authenticity is so real, which has been added to by the recent inroduction of AFTERNOON TEA. Enjoy the sports-events there and KIYO, MARK and all the staff are very hospitable and welcoming to all. We Irish know how to have a good time. If you want to do likewise then this is the place.
Sunset Beach Setoda gets top grade for cleanliness this year
All 17 of Hiroshima prefecture's main swimming beaches got the environmental agency's seal of approval on Thursday. Getting a top rating of "AA" on the 5 step scale were Ｓｅｔｏｄａ Ｓｕｎｓｅｔ Ｂｅａｃｈ in the Seto Naikai and Kenminohama in Kure. A bit worrying, however, is that Tsutsumigaura on Miyajima, Bayside Beach Saka and Karugahama in Kure dropped from last year's "AA" ranking to "B".
Water quality was surveyed during May. The surveys measure COD, Fecal Coliform Bacteria Count, water clarity, oil pollution and presence of E coli 0157. The Chugoku Shinbun report caharcteristically gives scant details, but the results of last year's survey can be seen here so I expect the full results for this year should trun up here at some point.
The good news is that none of the beaches got "C" or the lowest 不適 or "Gross" grades.
Daisaku Kimura's adaptation of Jirô Nitta's novel of the same name in which a team of Meiji era explorers traverse the last known untraveled space on Japan’s maps: the peak of Mt. Tsurugidake in the Hida Mountains. Wald 11, 109 Cinemas, TOHO Midorii, Warner MyCal, Toei
If you asked for my opinion in one sentence, I would say: If you like Japan, if you have ever been an ALT, if you've lived here as a foreigner, especially as a black person, or have wondered as a Japanese person what foreigners make of this place, The Harimaya Bridge is worth the watch.
But no-one wants a one-line review, so here is a bit more.
A young black American artist, Mickey Holder, goes to Kochi-ken, Shikoku as a JET. This causes his father, Daniel, much anger as Daniel's father died as a POW in a Japanese prison camp. The two become estranged. Mickey dies in a traffic accident. The loss causes Daniel to go to Japan in search of the one tangible thing Mickey has left behind - his art. On his journey he experiences culture shock, he encounters prejudice as a foreigner and a black one at that - and he is forced to face his own prejudices.
And so while the ostensible theme of the film (father-son estrangement) is a rather well-worn one, there are several underlying themes that aren't. This film puts things on the big screen I have not seen there before.
Especially resonant is the portrayal of the life of an ALT, specifically a JET. Scenes of Mickey in the classroom, his empty chair at the BOE, the majestic beauty and worn out ugliness of the Japanese countryside. Writer / director Aaron Woolfolk was himself a Kochi ALT once and he portrays it incredibly unsentimentally. It is real.
And then there is the racism. The very real racism and prejudice that exists in Japan, especially against non-white foreigners, and even within the country's nationals. The film stops just short of mentioning the word burakumin, as there is a sub-storyline about a Japanese woman being forbidden by her parents to marry another Japanese "because of some work his parents did." This can almost only mean the burakumin, the Japanese untouchables, whose ancestors worked as butchers, undertakers and other jobs involving dead animals and people. I wonder why it stops short of mentioning this (a demand from the Japanese side of production?)
There are other problematic stereotypes in this film, especially with the female characters. There is the "special education" girl who has some strange, unspecified mental illness or possibly some syndrome or maybe is just mentally retarded, who knows. There is the unfortunate gendering of Mickey's girlfriend to the traditional female place of the uchi, the inside - she retreats into the country and into her house after his death.
But this film gets so much right and especially the portrayal of black protagonists that are deep, and, pardon the pun, not black and white but rather a moral shade of good with bad, not to mention the ever-wonderful Danny Glover, is something that cinema sorely needs.
The film is beautifully shot. The lighting is harsh and realistic, but this makes the beauty of Kochi all the more real - it really looks this good, even in bright daylight, even with all that concrete.
The editing is interesting too. While it does become pretty obvious where the film is going some 20 minutes in, the beginning of the film features a bunch of interesting cuts and jumps in time that keep you guessing.
Further, this film has something rather revolutionary: double subtitles. The English is subtitled in Japanese and vice versa. This works surprisingly well and is indicative of a rather impressive ambition of appealing both to a Japanese and a non-Japanese audience. And the film reflects this with some interesting point-of-view work. An early scene follows Daniel and his Japanese hosts from Daniel's point of view, but then Daniel closes a door and we are stuck with the Japanese hosts and get to hear their thoughts - in Japanese.
This kind of thing rarely works. A recent example is Eastwood's The Changeling, where following not just the mother of a lost son, but also a child who was an accomplice to his possible murder took me out rather than into the film and the feelings of the protagonists rather.
However, in this film, it works. I found myself sympathising, at alternate times, with Mickey, Daniel, the Japanese hosts, and Mickey's girlfriend. Not sure how Woolfolk achieved this but he deserves huge credit for this, as do all the actors and whoever must have worked behind the scenes with this multi-lingual cast and script.
The film IS too long. At 120 minutes it could have easily lost 30. Having the writer direct the film has probably meant that some pretty appalling dialogue has been allowed to be kept in. Some of the exposition is particularly obvious. You know it's never good when one character calls the other by their family relationship. I mean, how many 35-year olds address their uncles as, "Uncle"? There is a lot of over-exposition and repetition in this film which could have easily been cut without losing the mood.
The ending too is rather predictable, even if it throws up a couple of surprises. It doesn't quite work in drawing the parallels it wants to between the prejudices Daniel suffers from and the ones he holds himself, and it all ties up a little too neatly.
Bottom line, The Harimaya Bridge is a human drama. I'd even say melodrama. This film IS manipulative. The writing, the directing, the acting and the music are all designed to make you react a certain way. But then, so are almost all films. The rare ones that aren't, like Gus Van Sant's Elephant, are rare for a reason. An audience needs some guidance, and without it is left restless and ill at ease. However, the best films, like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or A History of Violence, use the tools of cinema to manipulate you in the wrong direction. You hear happy music or you see a sunlit family scene and you think everything is A-OK. Later you learn that nothing could have been further from the truth.
The Harimaya Bridge is not that kind of film. In fact, most of the techniques employed are very conventional. But this works to help you accept the subtly subversive stuff: the themes and the story, the multiple points of view and the bilingual subtitles. It is a film that portrays the experience of being a stranger in Japan better than it portrays what Japanese life is like to Japanese people. As such, it might have more to offer to Japanese viewers who are interested in what living in Japan is like to a foreigner with no knowledge of the language. But it does also cover things not readily spoken about here, like racism and discrimination, and for this it's an important film.
However, even if you're a foreigner, there are so many moments of recognition in this film, not to mention reminders of what it's like when you first come here, that it is absolutely worth the watch. And if you have family and friends at home who "just don't understand" when you complain, now you know what to do: get them a copy of this.
The Harimaya Bridge is playing at Wald 11 with English and Japanese subtitles from June 13. Show time June 13-20 are 09:30, 11:55, 14:05, 16:45, 21:15. Late show at 23:25 on Sat June 13 only.
"Spiceeeeee" Yoshi - Fri Jun 2009
I used to try Indian food ,but Namaste food is spicey as compaired to other Indian resturant.
"real taste" sara -
very cosy environment with the "real" taste from India !!
"feels like home" Nabin -
I have known Megh-san for years now and have been going to his shop regularly. He is such a nice person to know that I feel like at home. If I have to tell you the truth, being a Nepali myself, I have enjoyed curry at this place so much that when I go back I will surely be missing it. I have tasted almost every single item from the menu already. It is like an adventure when you deviate a little from the regular curry-nan and try the other items from the menu and try to see which one matches your tongue. Wazawaza kedo, at times, I have asked him favor for cooking even Nepalese dishes that do not fit in the menu and he happily does them provided that I tell him well before hand. Last week only, I took a bunch of my friends at his place to introduce them my native dishes. He did it so well that I wish I can do it again. I am so frequent that if U go there, you may run across me :P
"electofying fantastic" Mitshuo -
i love it and i like the dishes very well and i love to go there till it is open.I just wanna thank them for cheap healthy and hunger quenchingfood
"fantastic" maki -
it is a nice resturant, the workers are fast and polite. The chief Meghnath is a good person. I love to sit there listening to various songs and rock and roll eating delicious food and watching at nepali article. _I Just ＬＯＶＥ it!
Kemby's "Energetic" Foofighter -
This is a great spot to drink the night away in a fun (perhaps loud) atmosphere with some expat friends. The alchy selection is huge, which I think many of these jaded reviewers have taken for granted. The food menu is equally big, and while there are probably some hit or misses (what restaurant doesn't?), where else are you going to find a rib steak sandwich on this side of Japan that doesn't require a military ID?
*** (review of the month)*** Itsuki "absolutley gorgeous" Stephen Morgan
we only had one night in Miyajima but if we had longer would have been at this cafe every night. totally boutique, beautifully minimalistic restfil interior, without doubt the best coffee of our travels in Japan and the service from the handsome friendly owner perfect. the cheescake is to die for and the garden setting totally zen. this is soul food desert for coffee and mind. attention to detail is perfect from the music selection (classical when we were there) to the decor and personal service. we even took a bag of his roasted beans back to Tokyo! check it out!
Goemon "Fantastic!" Anonymity Personified.Wed Jun 2009
Goemon branches don't usually have an English menu as far as I can tell but I speak Japanese so maybe they just haven't offered me one. Regardless, they are very good at communicating with non-Japanese regardless, bring your phrase book if you can, but even if you don't have it- they will work what you want out with pointing and gestures. If you are feeling adventurous say, "Okonomiyaki kudasai" and "Omakase shimasu" and they will give you their most popular version. The other customers are also usually in good spirits I find, so it is not a bad place to grab a well made okonomiyaki in a comfortable and friendly place. I like the one in the new Fukuya opposite the station, the line outside usually moves quickly even at the busiest of times.
The Chugoku Shinbun website has a nice picture of a sun halo effect [日暈現象・higasa genshou] over the A-bomb Dome that was observed by many people from the city center yesterday.
Of the phenomena Wikipedia says "formed by the refraction of sunlight through cloud suspended ice crystals as opposed to raindrops or other liquid water suspended in the air." You can see more halo pics from around the world on Flickr here.
Don Brown of Ryuganji.net gave last week's pickBlood: The Last Vampire a drubbing in Hong Kong magazine BC. This weekend another product of East-West cinematic collaboration opens in Hiroshima and it looks like it will not fair much better. I Come with the Rain stars Josh Hartnett, Kimutaku of SMAP and Korean hearthrob Byung-hun Lee. It is playing at Salon Cinem all month (June 6-19 12:15/14:30/16:45/19:10 June 20-26 12:15/14:30/19:10 June 27-July 3 12:15/14:30/19:00). Also showing at 109 Cinemas at Al Park.
Also at Salon this week, the well received drama Rachel Getting Married (June 6-19 10:10/14:45/19:05 June 20-26 10:10), Pucchini's La Boheme (June 6-12 10:00), Milk (June 6-12 12:20) and Japanese comedy Tsumi toka batsu toka (June 6-12 16:55).
Slumdog Millionaire continues at Cinetwin Shintenchi (until June 12 at 11:00/13:30/16:00/19:00 and June 13-20 at 13:30 and 19:00).
The almost universally panned The Spirit is showing at Wald 11 and 109 Cinemas, the mandarin language biopic of Chinese opera great Mei Lanfang is opening at Wald 11 as is the Japanese Gama no abura.
Timecue has uploaded a great time lapse video to YouTube (embedding disabled) of Hiroshima's trams. Makes the city look pretty nice and quite dynamic! Don't forget to click the HD button to see it in all its high quality glory.
In these difficult economic times an event like the 3 day Tōkasan Yukata Festival (June 5-7) is just the kind of thing to divert peoples' minds and allow them to indulge in some good, cheap (if you can keep the kids away from the game stalls and by your beverages from the conbini), traditional fun.
The people behind the Yuakata de kinsai event which has been tacked onto the 380 year old temple festival are tireless in their desire to increase the delight the colorful yukata-clad crowds and they have unveiled their trump card for this year's event; a giant 5.9 meter tall lantern. The lantern, the design of which is based on the patterns sommon on womens' yukata is a whopping 1.5 times larger than the 4 now no so giant lanterns that have been used until now. These lanterns were limited to a of 4 meters to prevent them snagging the many electrical powerlines our city is blessed with. But how, I hear you ask can such an engineering feat be accomplished? Won't the city center be plunged into darkness when this Godzillian lantern is unleashed?
Fear not, for no expense has been spared in producing a giant inflatable lantern!
The Chugoku Shinbun quotes one of the festival organizing comittee members that they ordered the unique lighting feature from a local ad company in the hope that, "Hiroshima will be invigorated by the festival".
And so may it be!
Read more about the festival and get the latest details on what's happening where here. If you are out and about at the festival why not have your picture taken with Hiroshima's latest lighting feature, send it to us and we'll post them here.
