Gekkan Gaijin: Gunawardhana Ravindra

Gunawardhana Ravindra makes entrepreneurship look easy. 'Ravi' started up his third business venture last year when he brought two fellow Sri Lankan cooks to Fukuoka and opened his restaurant Pol Pol in Tenjin. With authentic Sri Lankan flavor, Polpol offers a taste of his homeland as well as an opportunity to explore Sri Lankan culture. Ravi came to Japan as an exchange student in 2001. He moved to Fukuoka in 2005 and started up his first company offering I.T. services the following year. Business was good, but he didn't stay idle, he expanded i... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Christian R. Baudat

1,052 rooms, three wedding chapels, 15 restaurants and bars as well as large convention facilities - the Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk is now the largest Hilton property in Asia Pacific. Located near the Yahoo! Dome and formerly managed by JAL, the hotel was re-branded and launched on June 1st. The man at the helm of this formidable enterprise is Swiss native Christian R. Baudat. Bringing 25 years of experience to the table, he says that to successfully run a hotel, “you have to understand who your customers are and offer them something they want – in ... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Miguel Fernandes

A former member of the Portuguese national rugby squad, Miguel is a man with a vision - to cultivate design and creativity in the Daimyo area as a way of improving city life and benefiting the economy. Entitled "Daimyo Design District", the initiative forms part of his master's degree in Sustainable Architecture for which he received a government scholarship. Miguel's interest in Daimyo dates back to when he first came to Japan as an exchange student in 2006. Spending two months in Tokyo and four in Fukuoka, he realized that Daimyo had a characte... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Dominic Walker

Bringing us the soundtrack to Fukuoka's weekend as the host of Love FM's Top 40, Dominic initially came to Japan to teach English on the JET program. Based in Kumamoto, his career has since taken many interesting turns. Whilst remaining in the field of English education, he has also pursued his other passions of food, wine and communication. He is a reporter for Kumamoto Asahi Broadcasting's show, Satabura, and loves to introduce viewers to the high quality produce Kumamoto has to offer. Dominic set up the organization "Just Drink Wine" in 2007 w... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Vincent Lefrançois

Based in Fukuoka for the past 18 years, Vincent Lefrançois is a freelance illustrator whose main focus is comics - a passion of his since childhood. After studying plastic arts in Paris, he was sent to Fukuoka by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in lieu of completing obligatory military service. Initially employed by the Institut Franco-Japonais, he embarked on his career as an illustrator in 1995 with a publication in Avanti. Since then, he has worked for the likes of JR Kyushu, Asahi Weekly, NHK and this very magazine. In 2003, he set up ... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Dan Hoisington

An FAA-certified [Federal Aviation Administration of the United States] flight instructor, Dan is set to begin teaching his own classroom-based aviation course here in Fukuoka. We met the Californian to discuss the time he spent in Indonesia as a child, the interesting turns his career has taken over the years and what brought him to Fukuoka. Let’s go through your background story. I was born and raised in Indonesia. My dad was a pilot there with an organisation that provided transportation for missionaries – maybe over 100 families who had no... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Andrew Crowne

These days, Pilates is well known throughout the fitness world and is taught at gyms and private studios across the globe, including here in Japan. But when Andrew Crowne first visited Japan more than ten years ago, he found that the method he had fallen in love with in his native Toronto, Canada, had barely begun to take off in Tokyo. Drawn in by Japanese culture such as taiko drumming and aikido, and with a dedication to helping guide people down the path to individual well-being, Crowne settled in Fukuoka to teach and is now known as a true pi... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Mark Gänsicke

Originally from a small town in the German countryside, Mark has come a long way in his 26 years. The young software developer first came to Japan as an exchange student at Oita University. He was struck by the beauty of the place and returned soon after completing his studies, eventually finding himself in Fukuoka. Mark is the creator of what many consider to be the finest Japanese-English dictionary application available on the iPhone and iPod touch, aptly named "Japanese". An easy-to-use interface facilitates navigation of its multitude of inn... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Soraya Jayne Matsuda

Soraya Jayne studied in a Russian ballet school between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. She then performed with the Israel Ballet for five years. Initially, she came to Fukuoka to visit a fellow dancer but she soon found herself in great demand due to her popularity as a foreign instructor. In 1996 she opened her own school and six years ago she moved into her current spacious and beautiful studio near Ohori Park. "Ballet requires discipline, but it should also be enjoyable," she says commenting on how her school has a more relaxed approach to... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Rolf Knecht

A warm welcome to Rolf, Fukuoka Grand Hyatt's new Executive Chef who, despite his young age, brings not only lots of new energy but also a wealth of experience to the hotel and the city. From a family of accomplished chefs, Rolf has worked in an impressive list of kitchens, including his previous post as Executive Sou-Chef at the Grand Hyatt in Shanghai. Already busy developing and refining menus and managing a team of 74 persons, he stays hands-on with an early-morning breakfast shift, cooking guests' eggs one-by-one. "Breakfast is the last meal... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Stephen Crawford

Although mainly a commercial and portrait photographer, Stephen is interested in documentary-style photography. Inspired by Fukuoka's urban design and lifestyle, he explores the city's streets photographing the landscape, buildings, and street scenes. Coming to Japan after living on Australia's Gold Coast subject, where he enjoyed outdoor activities such as surfing, Stephen now gets his exercise by cycling everywhere around Fukuoka - almost always with camera in hand. Bicycles are more than just transportation to him, however. Recently, Japan's b... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Simon Oxley

That's not just any old bird on Simon's hand, that's the original and world-famous illustration you see on Twitter's home page. You'd think that would have been a lucrative deal for him, but in fact Twitter purchased it off iStockphoto.com for less than the price of a hire-katsu teishoku, or $15.00. Simon's not bitter about that as it has generated much attention towards his other work. Originally from Britain, Simon has lived in Fukuoka since 2002 with his wife and two sons. Working from his home, he creates cute and humorous illustrations using... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Woon Tien Wei

This month FN showcases one of the young Asian artists whose work will soon be appearing in Fukuoka, in celebration of the 4th Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale. Although he hasn't been in town long, Tien's work is sure to make a big splash. If most modern art seems to be trying to grab your attention, Tien's project for the Triennale aims to give something back. As part of Singapore art collective Post-Museum, Tien is working on the "Fukuoka Really Really Free Market" (FRRFM). "We're going to work with volunteers to create 'free zones' around Fukuoka,... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Rahmawati Hidayah (Yaya)

Yaya has a family history in Fukuoka: her father was an architecture ryugakusei Association. for six years and president of Kyushu University Foreign Students Yaya returned to Fukuoka, where she spent her Middle School years, to follow her father's footsteps both into architecture at Kyushu University, and into student leadership. Now the incoming president of FOSA (Fukuoka Overseas Students Association), we asked Yaya about her plans for the future. "I want FOSA to reach as many people as possible, and to broaden our appeal across Kyushu. Many o... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Mame Fara Diouf

Fara first came to Japan in 1999 on tour with Mama Africa, a drumming troupe from his native Senegal, and has been based in Japan since 2002, finally settling in Fukuoka three months ago. He began playing drums when he was 10, and studied in the public music school in Dakar. Now a professional percussionist, he teaches classes in drumming and African culture, and is always looking for people to jam with. “The classes are about more than just drumming”, says Fara: “they’re a chance for Japanese and foreign people to learn about Africa, meet new pe... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Carmen Garcia

When FN asked Carmen what was rewarding about her job she had her answer ready: "Simply put it's the ability to help people who're in trouble. That's why we learn law." Carmen arrived in Fukuoka to do her Masters in International Economic Law at Kyushu University, and has since embarked on Doctorate study in Maritime Law, in hopes of reforming the law concerning marine oil pollution. In the meantime she volunteers her time at the Otsuka law firm, handling cases in English and her native Spanish while other lawyers work in Japanese, Chinese, Korea... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Sana Mohamed Ali

When Sana came to Fukuoka she missed practicing two of her favorites: her profession as a veterinarian, and hanging out with friends over a dish with homeland flavor. While she put the first on hold, she solved the second: she started a Sudanese and Middle-Eastern catering enterprise! Entertaining at home, Sana's Japanese friends went wild for her food: "I found that the best way to introduce a culture is through its food." Now Sana's company Kebabooz caters parties and events, and also runs a "kebab car" which you'll see sometimes at Hawks Town ... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Alejandro Cremades

For millions of people the distinctive chirp and bleep of the Nintendo Game Boy® will instantly recall their junior button-pushing days, but for musician and blogger Ale the almost 20-year-old hardware has a creative potential that's more than just nostalgia. Ale and his wife Ai's band "Pepino" uses nothing the unmistakable sound of the original Game Boy®, but they don't just recreate old game tunes. "When it comes to creativity, limitation is inspiration", says Ale. "I've played the Game Boy® since I was nine. It has a particular sound with some... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Eugenio & Claudio Velitti

In Japan: 11 years Hometown: Rome, Italy Identity: Wine merchants/Lifestyle consultants "It's very difficult," says Claudio Velitti, when we ask if he can recommend a good wine for sushi. "Wine is very personal, it must always be about passion". Between them wine merchant brothers Velitti & Velitti have over thirty years of experience bringing Italian aesthetics to Asia and Oceania, and now they aim to inject a bit of Italian style and passion into the Japanese taste for the finer things. But will European wine always remain a luxury item i... More...

Gekkan Gaijin: Nathan Miller

9 years North Carolina, USA Vlogger Have you ever wondered what Kyushu looks like through someone else’s eyes? If so, you should check out Nathan’s video blog or “vlog,” www.bicycle-sidewalk.com. Nathan launched his vlog in July 2005 (nine months before the advent of YouTube) because he wanted to share his beloved Saga with the world. Since then he has (v)logged over 330 entries combining video with “man on the street”-type interviews. The result is a unique “bicycle-eye” view of Kyushu culture. Bicycle Sidewalk has gained worldwide appeal... More...
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