SHIGA SURVIVAL GUIDE: THE GUIDE-News and Information

Kinokuniya, Tower Records and Maruzen have a wide selection of magazines from abroad. The price for a foreign magazine is generally around 800 yen. The following are English language publications in Japan, which can be purchased at the bookstores and other vendors mentioned here and in the shopping and entertainment section.

The Kansai Time Out (3000 yen/year or 300 yen/issue) This monthly magazine provides information about what is happening in the Kansai Region. It can be purchased at Maruzen and other bookstores, or ordered from: S.U. Press, 1-13 Ikuta-cho, 1 chome, Chuo-ku, Kobe 61. (Tel.) 0782-32-4516
The Alien (5000 yen/year or 500 yen/issue) This is a humour magazine about Japan and Japanese culture. It can be found in Maruzen and Kinokuniya or ordered from: Alien Corporation Headquarters, 1001 Takara Toushin Heights, 2-4-10 Higashi-ku, Nagoya 461.
The Nihingo Journal (7200 yen/year or 630 yen/issue) This is a magazine for study of the Japanese language. It provides lessons for all levels of learning and information on Japanese study. It can be purchased at Maruzen. Order cards are enclosed each month.
The Japan Times (4000 yen/month) This paper is probably the most comprehensive of the newspapers available in English, however, it tends to focus on Tokyo and financial/word news. (Tel.) 03-3453-4350
The Asahi Evening News (2900 yen/month) As the information is sent in the evening, it can be slightly "outdated." (Tel.) 03-3546-7111
The Mainichi Daily News (3000 yen/month) This newspaper provides a mix of national and international news. (Tel.) 03-3212-0321
The Daily Yomiuri (2650 yen/month) Widely read newspaper with excellent variety. Also, a very strong WWW presence. 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-55 (Tel.) 0120-000-081
The Nikkei Weekly (10,398 yen/6 months or 17,636 yen/year) English version of Japan's leading business newspaper. (Tel.) 0120-009907 toll free (Fax) 03-5255-2678

FOREIGN NEWSPAPERS

Foreign newspapers can sometimes be purchased in bookstores with English language materials. If you are interested in subscribing, see the following contacts:

The Guardian Circulation Manager, Guardian Weekly
164 Deansgate, Manchester M60 2RR England
The Washington Post National Weekly Edition
Subscription Service Department
P.O. Box 11331, Des Moines, IA 50340 USA
The New York Times (150 yen/issue) 3-2 Tsukiji, 5 chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-11
(Tel.) 03-3545-0131
In addition to purchasing news and reading materials, there are libraries in the area where English language materials can be accessed. The WWW, of course, is also a good source for news and information. The following are two examples of popular news and information sites:
MSNBC America's NBC on-line presence produced by Microsoft Network. News with an American slant.
BBC On-line The name says it all, England's BBC on-line presence. News from a British perspective.

LIBRARIES

SHIGA:

Shiga Prefectural Library (Shiga Kenritsu Toshokan ) The Shiga Prefectural Library is located in Otsu. It is located in the Bunka Zone, a short bus ride from JR Seta Station (1740-1 Minami Ogaya-cho, Seta, Otsu (Tel.) 077-548-9691). Weekdays 10:00 - 18:00 (Closed Modays, national holidays and the last Sunday of each month), Weekends 10:00 - 17:00. There are a variety of English materials, including reference books. In addition, by calling, you can have books delivered to and picked up from your local library.
Shiga Prefectural General Education Center (Shigaken Sougou Kyouiku Sentaa ) This Center houses a library of books in English for educational purposes. Take the bus from JR Yasu Station bound for to Kyouiku Sentaa Mae . (Tel.) 077-588-2311, Kitazakura, Yasu-cho.
Shiga AJET also owns a collection of books available for borrow. Further information and a list of these books can be viewed here.
KYOTO:
American Center (Tel.) 0752-41-1211 657 Higashi Monzen-cho (near Doshisha University)
Hours: M-F 10:30 - 18:00, closed on US and Japanese holidays
British Council Library (Tel.) 0757-91-7151 Kitashirakawa, Nishi-machi (near Ginkakuji)
Hours: 10:00 - 18:00, closed on British and Japanese holidays
French-Japanese Institute Library (Tel.) 0757-61-2105 8 Yoshida, Isumidono-cho (across from Kyoto University)
Hours: M-F 10:00 - 12:00 and 13:00 - 18:00, closed holidays
German-Japanese Institute Library (Tel.) 0757-61-2188 19-3 Kawahara-cho, Yoshida
Hours: M/T 14:00 - 17:00, W-F 13:30 - 17:00, closed holidays
Japan Foundation (Tel.) 0752-11-1312 Yasuda Kasai Kaiji Building, 8th floor
Nishikikoji-agaru, Karasuma-dori
Hours: M-F 10:00 - 17:00, closed holidays
NCC Center for the Study of Japanese Religion (Tel.) 0754-32-1945 Hours: M-F 9:00 - 16:00

TELEVISION NEWS BROADCASTS

MBS (channel 4) offers a bilingual news broadcast of News Forest nightly at 18:00. Focusing mainly on Japanese events of the day, it also highlights major world news. NHK General (channel 2) has bilingual news at 19:00 and 21:00. These broadcasts can be heard in English on televisions with the bilingual function. A variety of English langauge news and entertainment programs can be found on cable BS and satellite television. These are available with the purchase of the equipment and/or subscription fee. Movies in English are often shown on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. See your English language newspaper for daily schedules.

RADIO BROADCASTS

FM COCOLO (76.5 MHz) offers music, entertainment and news programs in almost any language you can imagine. See your English language newspaper for daily schedules.

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