A Brief History of Karate

Karate is a Japanese form of martial arts developed in Okinawa through the Chinese influence of Kung Fu. Anko Itosu is called the grandfather of modern karate. He helped popularize karate as a way of practicing martial arts, by promoting karate in Okinawan public schools. His ten precepts of karate include using karate not just for health and circulation, but for fighting enemies as well. Funakoshi Gichi, a student of Anko Itosu created the twenty precepts of karate, which emphasized respect, humility, patience, diligence, and inner peace. His precepts advocate against unnecessary violence. After Funakoshi`s death, his students formed different schools or forms or karate. After all these years, karate continues to be popular both inside Japan and around the world.

The Secrets of Real Martial Arts

Working in Japan

To work in Japan, a foreigner must receive a job offer from a guarantor in Japan, and then apply for a working visa at an embassy or consulate outside the country. In most cases in order to work full time in Japan you need to have a University degree and you also require the backing of a company in Japan to sponsor your visa. There are about a dozen types of working visas available, each allowing the holder to work only within a defined professional field, e.g. as an engineer, instructor or entertainer. Working visas are valid for a period of 1 to 3 years, and may be used to secure employment at any employer within the scope of activities designated on the visa (including employers other than the guarantor).

Spouses of Japanese nationals can obtain spousal visas, which carry no restrictions on employment.

The Working Holiday program is open to young citizens (between 18 and 30) from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Korea, France, Germany, Ireland and the UK: those eligible may apply for working holiday visas without having a job offer.

The most common form of employment among foreigners is teaching English.
Many foreign residents from English speaking countries now work in Japan, most as language instructors. The demand for native language instructors remains high, with a lot of major language schools now operating recruitment offices overseas. It is quite easy to find work teaching in Japan as there are many eikaiwa (conversation schools). The most famous being Nova, GEOS and AEON. I recommend teaching in Elementary or JHS with an ALT company as this is the most rewarding.

Other fields that qualified residents have a good chance to find work include translation, IT, modeling and entertainment.

The best site to look for employment in Japan is Gaijinpot.

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Divorce in Japan (A smashing end to wedded bliss)

Japanese couples are embracing divorce with a twist. A new ritual is becoming increasingly popular among Japanese couples who choose to end their marriages with the same pomp and ceremony with which they began them. The ceremony involves couples dressed as in a wedding with the groom in a suit and bride in a gown surrounded by family and friends. A sparkling ring then appears which in not placed lovingly on the finger, but the bride and groom are handed a hammer and proceed to smash the ring to symbolize the end of their marriage. The ceremony includes drinking toasts to never seeing each other again, elaborate cakes and consists of a string of symbolic acts to mark the definitive end of a marriage. Divorce has been on the rise in recent years in Japan with now a third of Japanese marriages ending in divorce.

Discover The Secrets Of Dating The Beautiful Women Of Japan

Japan on the Cheap

Japan on the cheap can be done and is quite an experience. You can stay at capsule hotels which will cost you about USD$40-$50 a night with access to baths and sauna. Inexpensive budget hotels are also available and are usually located near stations. Try a Business Hotel for a good compromise with prices around USD$70 for a single room and USD$100 for a double. If you get in a pinch and need a hotel in a hurry try one of the various Love Hotels located all around Japan. These are quite inexpensive and usually came with a great TV, video games and karaoke machine.

Food can cost you about USD$5-8 a meal if you eat at budget Japanese restaurants like Yoshinoya, Sukiya, and CoCo Ichiban Curry House. There are numerous bakeries around the country and a small snack will cost you around USD$1-2. The convenience stores all over Japan are also a quick cheap alternative and prices are extremely low compared with places back home.

I would say about USD$70-80 a day is possible done on a budget.

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What is the best food to bring my host family in Japan?

Most people tend to bring chocolate or candy but you need to remember that American chocolate/candy is very different from the Japanese variety and is a lot sweeter. Japanese love the European style of chocolate and I recommend brands like Godiva, Lindt, etc. The Belgium and Swiss chocolate brands are very popular and a good choice as they are expensive in Japan. I don't recommend Hershey's as most Japanese don't like it and Kit Kat is everywhere in Japan. American candy goes down really well in Japan. Things like soft candy (gummy bears) and sour candy is extremely popular. I am from Australia so I always bring Tim Tams which are chocolate biscuits and they are very popular in Japan, so something like chocolate biscuits or cookies would be very popular. Chocolate Chip Cookies are always very popular and this would be my best recommendation.

Easy To Follow Steps To Create Over 108 Top Japanese Recipes!

2010 US Open Golf Results

The 2010 U.S. Open Championship Golf from Pebble Beach Golf Links was another exciting US open that went down to the wire. Graeme McDowell from Northern Ireland outlasted all the other players to win the championship with a final round of 74 to finish at even par and 284 for the championship. McDowell finished one shot ahead of Gregory Havret from France who shot a closing 73, two shots ahead of Ernie Els who also shot a closing 73, and 3 shots from Phil Mickelson 73 and Tiger Woods 75. McDowell is the first US open champion from Northern Ireland and the first UK winner in 40 years. Gregory Havret who finished second was an amazing story as he only just snuck into the US open field by qualifying from a sectional qualifying event in the UK. Havret had to sink a 54 foot put to make a playoff for the qualifying spot and then sunk another put to clinch a US open spot. Overnight leader Dustin Johnson shot a final round 82 which include a triple and double bogey to finish at five over the card. The big guns would be kicking themselves tonight as Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods all had chances to be the 2010 US Open champion.

2010 US Open Results

1.   Graeme McDowell     Even    71 68 71 74
2.   Gregory Havret            +1     73 71 69 72
3.   Ernie Els                      +2      73 68 72 73
T4. Phil Mickelson             +3      75 66 73 73
T4. Tiger Woods               +3      74 72 66 75

The Ultimate Guide To Golf.

Golf on the Mornington Peninsula

Best time of year to visit Japan

The best time of year to visit Japan would be March/April when the weather starts to warm up and Spring is upon us. This is the best time of year because of the Cherry Blossoms and all the beautiful spring colours. A lot of people also like Fall/Autumn which is September/October because of the cooler weather and changing colours of the leaves. Many people head in to the mountains to view the beautiful colours and experience the vibrant leaves. Winter which is from December to March can be very cold but there is a lot to see and do if you love winter sports. The snow festival in Hokkaido is extremely popular and Nagano / Gifu in the Tokai area is a great place for cheap skiing and snowboarding. The worst time of year to visit Japan would have to be during the Summer months of June, July, August. June is the start of the hot, humid rainy season and there is no relief from the constant humidity during the summer period.

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What to do In Japan

What to do in Japan? There are so many things to do in Japan that it can be difficult to organize an itinerary. Especially if you have only a week to enjoy. The must see cities in Japan are Tokyo and Kyoto. Attractions in Tokyo include the Asakusa district famous for Sensoji temple and Nakamise shopping street; Meiji Shrine; The Imperial Palace; Ginza and Harajuku. Kyoto attractions include Kiyomizudera; Kinkakuji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion); Ginkakuji (Temple of the Silver Pavilion); Nijo Castle; and Heian Shrine. If you have a little more time to spend, I highly recommend you visit the Tokai Area. The Tokai Area is famous for its mountains in Nagano and Gifu. Attractions include Takayama, Gero and the Ogimachi Timber Houses in Shirakawa-go in Gifu, Inuyama in Aichi prefecture and Matsumoto in Nagano.

Tokyo

Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture

Gifu City and Gifu Prefecture

The Secrets Of Speaking Japanese Fluently

Father`s Day in Japan June 20th

Father`s Day in Japan is very typical of a Father`s Day back home. Usually the children give their father a small present to show their thanks and appreciation. This is usually a necktie or a pair of socks.

The Master of Martial Arts

Chinese martial arts expert, Dong Changsheng, 50, has pulled off the impossible. The martial arts expert managed to pull a half tonne aeroplane for five metres by a rope hooked to his eyelids. He was quoted afterwards as saying “I have built up the body strength to do this from years of training but it would be very dangerous for ordinary people so I don`t want anyone to copy me”.

The Secrets of Real Martial Arts

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet is the latest novel from David Mitchell. The story focuses around the central character of Jacob De Zoet. Young Jacob is a penniless Dutch clergyman`s son sent to Nagasaki in the final year of the 18th century. A member of the Dutch East India Company, he is supposed to make his fortune in six years so he can return to marry his beloved Anna back in Holland. The Dutch trade with the reclusive Edo-era Japanese on an island and are rarely allowed on the mainland. The practice of Christianity is banned; they are forbidden from learning Japanese and there are spies everywhere among servants and interpreters. Jacob is charged with uncovering corruption among the traders and soon falls out of favour with his boss and his peers. Nothing goes to plan. He falls for another woman, a Japanese midwife, who is sent to a mysterious shrine in the mountains.

This is a marvellously wrought novel, full of fully formed characters and the kind of detail that allows you to sink deep into its imaginary world. I was sorry when I fnished.

Tokyo Japan

Tokyo is the perfect short-stay destination for a kick of adrenalin. You can spend a lifetime exploring Tokyo and never run out of new things to do and discover. It`s best not to think of Tokyo as one city but as a collection of separate smaller cities all connected by rail as it makes it much easier to explore the city. Each of these smaller cities has its own distinct character and attraction.

The highlights of Tokyo include, The Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine; Asakusa district famous for Sensoji temple and Nakamise shopping street with cheap, antique kimonos, geisha bags and beautiful paper products, Sensoji temple, and the Kappabashi kitchen street for those plastic replicas of food seen in restaurant windows. Ueno for its park and museums, Akihabara for electronics, Shinjuku for its shopping with its huge Takashimaya department store and food hall, Tokyu Hands eight level craft store and Uniqlo store for really cheap, high quality, basic clothing, Harajuku for cheap shopping and Japanese street fashion, and Shiodome for entertainment.

Other places of interest include Shibuya for its famous intersection where the style tribes gather and Shibuya 109 the 10 level fashion emporium. Roppongi traditionally known for its nightclubs and bars, but now for its numerous upscale boutiques, smart cafes and Roppongi Hills with the 52 storey Mori building and Tokyo City View a walkway that wraps around the building offering 360 degree views stretching as far as Mt Fuji. Ginza for Matsuya department store and food hall.

At night time Tokyo really comes alive with mazes of blazing neon lights, tiny street stalls, bars complete with karaoke boxes, and the amazing pub food of yakitori and izakaya.
I recommend using the JR Train Line (Yamanote loop line) to get around Tokyo and explore the small cities. There are also lots of budget hotels to stay at all around Tokyo. Try a Business Hotel for a good compromise with prices around $70 for a single room and $100 for a double. Capsule Hotels are also found in most large hubs and cost around $40-$50 including access to the hot baths and sauna. I highly recommend trying these at least once for the fantastic experience.
I also love Yokohama which is just outside of Tokyo for its atmosphere. It was like a smaller version of Tokyo without all the hustle & bustle. Try the world famous China Town in Yokohama for great food and the bay area for entertainment.

These are some great resources to help you explore Tokyo

Japan`s New Prime Minister Naoto Kan

Naoto Kan, 63, will become Japan`s new prime minister following an internal party vote and parliamentary vote, replacing Yukio Hatoyama, who resigned over broken campaign pledges. Japan`s governing Democratic Party has chosen the plain spoken finance minister with activist roots to be the party`s new leader. Mr Kan is known for his quick temper, and gained national attention in the mid 1990s when as health minister he exposed his own ministry`s use of blood tainted with HIV. The party is hoping for a second chance to fulfil a historic election mandate for change. Mr Kan faces a big task in trying to win back public support that Mr Hatoyama squandered in months of indecision over the fate of a US military base. He must also help the party regain the momentum it had in August after a landslide election victory that ended a half century of virtual one party rule.
Mr Kan becomes Japan`s fifth leader in four years and now inherits the problems that those before him struggled to solve. These include a nagging debt, a history of fiscal scandals, and lingering questions about the fate of the US marine base on Okinawa. Mr Kan vowed to refocus the party on its original goal of ending Japan`s two decade stagnation. He said he would do this by tackling two of Japan`s most daunting problems, its anaemic growth rates and ballooning public debt.

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Red Hill Winter Wine Fest

Red Hill Showgrounds will hold a Winter Wine Fest on Saturday, June 12th. The Red Hill Winter Wine Fest will showcase the produce of more than 50 peninsula wineries. The launch event is the Winter Wine Fest on Saturday but there is more for the lovers of wine over the weekend with the Winter Wine Weekend. This weekend 50-plus peninsula wineries are throwing open cellar doors and pulling bungs on barrels to showcase the diversity of the Mornington Peninsula wine region, which is just on Melbourne`s door-step at just an hour`s drive away.

Visit the Mornington Peninsula`s first winery, Main Ridge Estate with chardonnay to die for and pinot noir to fight for, and lamb or duck pies with tastings at Stonier Winery. Blend your own sparkling wine at Foxeys and take part in a five year tasting of chardonnay at Eldridge Estate. Enjoy pies, pinots and puddings at Barmah Park, hot goulash soup at Northway Downs, emu snags at Elan, or the new tapas lunch menu at The Cups Estate. It is all happening this Queen`s Birthday long weekend on the Mornington Peninsula at the Winter Wine Weekend.

Wineries on the Mornington Peninsula

Sorrento Food and Wine Festival

Sorrento is staging its first food and wine festival next week with 20 events over 6 days. It will be a feast of food, jazz and shiraz. The Sorrento food and wine festival is from June 6-11 and will feature jazz and shiraz, masterclasses, cooking demonstrations and tastings, gourmet menus, music, film, art and wine tasting at various locations around town.

Mornington Peninsula Attractions

Jazz & Shiraz

If you love great jazz music then you must see Melbourne based pop-jazz singer-songwriter Connie Lansberg. Connie`s music is reminiscent of Blossom Dearie and June Christy, but with the modern edge of Sade and Sting. In Melbourne, Connie hosts frequent Jazz & Shiraz nights and captivates audiences at her Friday night residency at Capital Kitchen in Chadstone. This is a must see for all of those jazz lovers. Please check out Connie`s MySpace link below for more details.

www.myspace.com/connielansbergquartet

Himeji Japan

Himeji Japan features exquisite gardens, excellent sushi, and the most elegant of Japan`s feudal castles. Himeji Castle or Himeji-jo as it is known in Japan has to be the most spectacular castle in Japan. The 16th century castle with its foundations made of stone, massive granite pieces arranged to form gentle curves with centimetre perfect geometry. Above the foundations the construction is built from timber, and all external surfaces coated in white plaster to protect the wood from threat of fire. Viewed from a distance the castle sits peacefully atop a tree lined hill, earning the castle the nickname “White Heron”.

The Secrets Of Speaking Japanese Fluently