Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008

Free penguin parades at Osaka aquarium

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan in Minato Ward, Osaka, is showing some of its penguins in an open-air cage from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday, Sunday and national holiday till Feb. 11.

Seven king penguins, one of the three species kept at the aquarium, will be housed in a special cage in Event Square outside. The antarctic birds are usually kept in a huge tank inside the building.

The birds will occasionally get the opportunity to leave the cage and take a stroll on a 50-meter course while their keepers introduce them and answer questions from spectators. Visitors also can take part in a drawing to be photographed with the penguins, and five groups will be offered the opportunity after each walk. The 20-minute procession will take place outside the aquarium at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and is free of charge.

Kaiyukan is a five-minute walk from Osakako Station on the Chuo subway line.

For more information, contact the organizer at (06) 6576-5501.

Korean cooking lesson offered at Osaka YWCA

The Osaka YWCA Senri's Bridges Program will host a Korean cooking class in English on Jan. 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Suita City.

The program's Korean members will instruct participants in how to cook Yukejang (hot and spicy beef soup) at YWCA Senri Center.

Twelve participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. An advance application is required by phone or e-mail before Jan. 23.

The participation fee is ¥2,000.

For applications and more information, contact the Bridges event coordinator Kuniko Kanzaki at (090) 9253-7150 or send e-mail to usagi9999@yahoo.co.jp

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