Snapshot: Italian Chamber of Commerce

The Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan opened its first office outside Tokyo in the Italia Kaikan (Il Centro Italiano di Fukuoka) on March 2. Doriano Sulis, the center’s director, said “Kyushu is a large but unknown market. We hope to create a network and introduce the Kyushu market to Italy.” www.iccj.or.jp Paul Smith in Tenjin The legendary British fashion designer was in town to give a personal introduction to an exhibition of a collection of his art on display at Artium Gallery. His friendly advice to future d... More...

Snapshot: Dinner Winners!

Congratulations to Australian Trevor Lawless and his fiance. They won the free dinner coupon at With The Style Fukuoka, including glasses of Moet & Chandon champagne. Fukuoka Now frequently has prizes to give away. Find out about them by following fukuokanow on Twitter or becoming a Fukuoka Now fan on Facebook. Now Map Discounts Last year Fukuoka Now began publishing a free multilingual map of Fukuoka City. Over 290,000 copies have been printed and distributed since. Besides helping foreigners to find there way around town it also has som... More...

Snapshot: Russian Ryori in Daimyo

In November Nina and her husband Sergei moved their popular Russian restaurant, "Nina" from Oyafuko to Daimyo. The new location is colorfully decorated with art and souvenirs from Russia, and as before they offer a full menu of classic Russian dishes, Russian beers and of course vodka. 3F Ragazza Daimyo, 1-10-16 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka Tel: 092-714-0215 Bubbly Launch for Brillante On Nov. 25 a gala event was held at dining club Gold to celebrate the launch of Brillante, a new private brand of Italian sparkling wines. Representatives fr... More...

Snapshot: Champagne Season Is Coming

Working at Fukuoka Now does have perks! For example, earlier this month we were invited to a champagne party at Hotel WITH THE STYLE. A seemingly endless number of bottles of Moet & Chandon champagne, including their vintage white and rose brands, were uncorked. Aaaah... the sound of popping Champagne corks! The highlight of the evening, however, was our chat with Moet & Chandon Winemaker Marc Brevot who was visiting Japan to communicate directly with Japanese bubbly aficionados. While Moet & Chandon is already the market leader here, Marc sa... More...

Snapshot: Bayern Fukuoka - Opens!

Bakery, sports bar, restaurant, cafe... It's a lot of things, and it's all very good and very German! After years of preparation, Adolph Sailer and Andreas Ibach have opened Japan's only official historic Bayern sanctioned space. Open from seven in the morning with freshly baked German breads, cakes and European coffees, it just gets better at lunch, with a 40-item menu consisting mostly of South-German/Austrian foods. Forty varieties of German bottled beer and three on tap are served in unique glasses with coasters. Large screen TV's display all... More...

Snapshot: You can't say Noh

The rare opportunity to study and participate in Noh drama is now being offered for foreigners in Fukuoka. With the help of an English interpreter, interested individuals can learn traditional Noh dance, song, and musical instruments from professional performers at the Ohori-Koen Noh Theater. Students will even be able to demonstrate their new skills at a formal performance on January 31st, 2010. Several foreigners have already expressed interest in aiming for this performance, so be sure to join them! The class meets every other Wednesday ev... More...

Snapshot: Guru Guru Chicken

Finding a kebab in Fukuoka has never been easier! In late July Yukihisa "Yuki" Abe a former professional soccer player in Spain, France and Australia opened the cute and compact take-out Guru Guru Chicken shop in Daimyo and already has a growing legion of repeat customers. Yuki specializes in juicy chicken kebabs made with all handmade and selected imported ingredients. Choose between three sauces Tomato, Yogurt, or his original Sesame and enjoy! Well portioned and only Y500 each, but so tasty you might want one more! Open: 12:00 ~ 21:00 every ... More...

Snapshot: Isla de Salsa

Still time to get a ticket to Isla de Salsa the upcoming big beach bash in Momochi! International bands and dancers perform continuously on stage for two days and nights. This year Isla welcomes 13 time Latin Grammy Award winner Juan Luis Guerra for his first time to Japan. Seeing him alone is apparently worth the price of admission - but there's lots more too! More info at: www.isla-de-salsa.jp And... be sure to drop by the Fukuoka Now booth for a free photo souvenir! Union Keeps an Eye on the Law It's been a month of upheavals in im... More...

Snapshot: Hou Nalu

Congratulations to Glenn Killion and crew on the opening of their new-wave Hawaiian restaurant and bar in Daimyo. Open for lunch, dinner and also a good choice for drinks along the counter bar. Live ukulele, Hawaiian dance performances and Aloha Spirit too! 2F Flaps Bldg., 1-3-6 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka. Tel: 092-725-1556 Turkish Delight in Fukuoka! Chef Yasin Atay poses next to Gultekin Tublek (right), owner of Fukuoka's one and only Turkish restaurant. Pasha - Turkish Cuisine is located in Daimyo and is open for lunch and dinner. Th... More...

Snapshot: Join the Parade

Dontaku is coming! This celebration of Hakata Culture is now the most popular festival in Japan, drawing tens of thousands of visitors to the city. The highlight is the Dontaku Parade, where 'troupes' organized by individuals or organizations march through downtown Hakata. This year sees the return of Fukuoka International Association's hugely successful International Troupe, which any foreign resident of the city can join. Come and soak in the Hakata culture, or better still represent your home country on the Japanese national stage and march ... More...

Snapshot: 10th Anniversary and Valentine’s Party!

Party Report! Thanks to everyone who braved the weather to attend the Fukuoka Now 10th Anniversary and Valentine’s Party! 717 smiling faces, all told. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! Congratulations go out to the recipients of the first annual Kokusai-jin Awards, whose achievements will be the subject of an upcoming feature. #1 Kokusaijin Award Winners for 2009: (L-R) Santiago Herrera (Cultural Services), Mies Heerma (Environment), Chris Flynn (Community Service) with FN Publisher Nick Szasz #2 ¥22,000 was raised in the “G... More...

Snapshot: November 2008 Snapshots

Full Moon Party Report Plenty of smiling faces at Fukuoka Now's "Full Moon Party" at With The Style Fukuoka on Oct. 17th; six-hundred and thirty three in fact! Besides just being a good time, some good was done too. Two-hundred thousand yen was raised via a charity raffle by event co-sponsor, Thai Airways International. All of the money was passed onto "Yamato Kosei Center", a welfare facility for mentally handicapped children in Fukuoka. Raffle prizes included a pair of return business class air tickets between Fukuoka and Bangkok, fully incl... More...

Snapshot: October 2008 Snapshots

Stars Shine in Fukuoka The 18th Focus on Asia, Fukuoka International Film Festival, kicked off on September 12. Directors, actors, film writers, and production staff from participating films attended the opening reception at Solaria Hotel. Grand Hyatt Fukuoka's New GM A belated, but warm welcome to Michael von Siebenthal, the new General Manager of the Grand Hyatt Fukuoka. Originally from Saanenmoser, Switzerland, Michael has worked in a long list of Hyatt hotels in several continents. Before taking over the reigns from Nick Nishikawa this ... More...

Snapshot: Rockers, Rappers, Jets and Fireworks

Welcoming the New Jets 2008 It's that time of year when fresh recruits on the JET (The Japan Exchange and Teaching) program land in Fukuoka to begin their jobs as foreign language educators and cultural ambassadors. Our cameras caught a few snaps at the official welcoming party for this year's group of 43 newbies. Welcome! Isla de Salsa 2008 The annual two-day outdoor "Borderless music festival" celebrating world music moved to a new venue near Momochi Beach this year. Saturday was a smashing success as a crowd of 2,500 enjoyed performance... More...

Snapshot: Parties in the Retail Shopping Capital of the World!

Summer Style Party Another huge crowd, (441 guests in fact!), turned out for Fukuoka Now's second mega-cocktail party at With The Style Fukuoka. Duncan, the magician, performed for the crowd, as did the DJ, and the dance floor filled and the party went on until late. The next Fukuoka Now party at With the Style will be in late October. Details on our website soon. Meanwhile, be sure to read about the summer's upcoming big music festivals, Isla de Salsa and Sunset Live. Canada Day Party On July 1, Canada celebrated it's 141st year as an ... More...

Snapshot: Amnesty, Independence and Jay Gutta

Jay Gutta - 3rd's a Charm Three years after the release of his freshman and sophomore endeavors in the Sasebo area, Jay Gutta is back and at it again, preparing for the release of his third LP, 3rd's a Charm, on August 8. Appropriately titled, his latest album steps up the quality on all fronts, the sound both heavy and crisp, and the lyrics sharp and poignant. The content varies throughout the CD, with some songs light and fun, others serving as harshly delivered political commentary. CDs can be purchased at locations around town or on amazon.c... More...

Snapshot: Weddings, Parties and Myanmar Cylone Relief

Sunsplash 2008 Report Hundreds of music and beach lovers rode the ferry across Hakata Bay to Nokonoshima for the inaugural Noko Island Sun Splash Party on May 18. Amongst palm trees and beach bungalows, the event featured an eclectic mix of stage acts from rock, to reggae and Latin genres. Blessed by sunny weather, many in the crowd enjoyed an early chance to flaunt their summer fashion. More photos on our website: www.fukuoka-now.com/gallery !8195! !8196!Fukuoka Now Winners! Fukuoka now is pleased to announce the winners of some recent lu... More...

Snapshot: Subway, Ramen and Mexican Masked Wrestling

Ippudo Opens in the Big Apple Since its debut in Daimyo, Fukuoka in 1985, Ippudo has grown into a successful chain of 34 "gourmet" ramen shops around Japan. On March 31, Ippudo opened a spacious and reportedly stylish shop in NYC's East Village. The length of the noodles has been shortened for clumsy gaijin eaters, but otherwise Ippudo's famous akamaru and shiromaru are said to be very similar to the originals, but priced at $13.00 a bowl! Info: www.ippudo.com/ny New Subway Stop! It wasn't too long ago that a proper submarine sandwich co... More...

Snapshot: Babies, Cars and Landmines

Matt's Back & It's a Boy! Matt and Noriko Simpson recently returned to Fukuoka after several years' absence, and with a baby boy, Reo-kun! Many moons ago Matt drew great illustrations for Fukuoka Now. Welcome back! Matt can be contacted at: reospa@ezweb.ne.jp Behind the Scenes By the time this issue is released the disgraced eikawa giant NOVA may have completely vanished from the face of the earth – or it might be back in business. Regardless, ramifications of the incident will be felt for some time, and it will have prompted some well-dese... More...

Snapshot: Friends Around Town

Flashback Fraser! After a year in Osaka, Fraser just couldn't stand being away from Fukuoka. So he's back and behind the bar at the recently renovated "Sam & Dave" in Tenjin. The booths and stage have been replaced with a new standing bar and bigger dance floor! On the cover: Ndongo N'diaye At 214 centimeters, Fukuoka Rizing's center, Ndongo is the tallest player in the BJ (Basketball Japan) League. The 30-year-old Senegalese signed with the NBA San Antonio Spurs in 2000, and later played in the NBA Summer Pro League for the Golden State W... More...
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