Locations - Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka

In front of Osaka City Hall, Miotsukushi Promenade road and surrounding area, Osaka Central Public Hall to Nakanoshima Park(Rose garden, Kensaki Park) and the north public square of Osaka Science Museum.

Osaka Hikari Renaissance

Dates – Saturday December 11 to Christmas Day, Saturday December 25, 2010

Hours – 17:00 – 22:00

The hall will be available February 2, March 2, July 6 and August 3.

Anyone wishing to use the hall can obtain an application form from the website Phoenix Hall. Thr deadline to apply is January 29.

For more information call (06) 6363-0211.

The improv group performs short sketches in English and Japanese.

There is a one-drink minimum requirement for those who attend the comedy.

Call (06)6536-5369 for more information.

With a membership, you receive 2 free tickets that you can use anytime within the one-year membership period or give them away to someone you like.

Members receive a point card and a membership card, a monthly newspaper explaining the movies along with information. However, this newspaper is in Japanese only.

From the point you become a Kyoto Cinema Member, you only have to pay 1000 yen to get into movies instead of the 1800 yen per adult ticket. This price is good any day of the week, something usually only women and children experience; women on Wednesdays and students anytime until they graduate university.

Each time you go to a movie, the cashier will stamp your point card. Each time the card is stamped 10 times, you receive a free ticket. NOTE: You must get the card stamped 10 times within your one-year membership.

The cinema has three theaters. One is larger than the other two. But all of the theaters are relatively smaller than other cinemas like Movix, Kyoto. However, the cinema shows very good quality Japanese movies and foreign films in their native languages with Japanese subtitles.

For more information about Kyoto Cinema visit their website.

Thanks to hard times at the radio station, staff have had to make adjustments and figure out a better way to keep the hurting radio station alive and playing. The schedule of the music has changed and even more importantly, the music.

Listen to more English music than all the others, and not just the most popular stuff, which at times can be a turn-off. Listen to music from around the world from artists who actually know how to sing and play.

Visit their website and tune into the station today!

89.4 FM-Kyoto

Listen Live Online!

From December 20th to 21st from 3pm to 5pm, Osaka Soulmatics Mass Choir, OSM Gospel Ensemble and other choirs that won prizes in the Tenpozan Gospel Festival will perform 30-minute sets at Tenpozan Market Place in the Minato Ward of Osaka.

Call (06) 6576-5501 for more information on the event.

Tempozan Market Place

Balabushka is one of the oldest popular pool and darts bars in Osaka. They offer 2 pool tables and 4 hard dart boards for free. Enjoy live sports games on a 180 inch screen and 4 other TVs. Happy hour is everyday from 6-9pm Monday thru Thursday, and 6-8pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

For more information see the website or call (06) 6211-5369.

Address: Mittera Kaikan 4F 5-9-2 Nishishinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka
大阪市中央区西心斎橋2-9-5 日宝三ツ寺会館4F

Balabushka Pool and Darts Bar

Alicia has a personal blog at KansaiBlogger.com. Her blog is can be accessed Here for more information about her and her band, Larry Ransome (drums), Akio Ino (guitar), and Koji Nankaku (bass).

Admission is 2500 yen. For more information on Rug Time, Osaka, call (06) 6214-5306.

On the following Saturdays at 4pm there will be other films being shown.

January 19th – “Sasameyuki” – Based on the novel by Junichiro Tanizaki shown with English subtitles.

January 26th – “Narayama-bushi-ko” – Shown with Korean subtitles.

Seating is limited to 180 people per show.

Tickets are sold at the information center of Osaka International House for 500 yen.

Reservations can be made by postcard, fax or by email.

Call (06) 6773-8182 for more information.