So looks like I should try to make Shanghai and Shenzhen, possibly Beijing although that’s covering a lot of ground in a week (mmm transportation costs). Guangzhou ones seem dead, which is a pity since that’s actually close to Shenzhen.

==
http://www.seeedstudio.com/blog/2011/10/16/first-open-hardware-gathering-in-china/
Ooh look! Someone I know is there! Star Simpson is apparently in China until January or so. And Maja Wichrowska (roomies shoutout!) is in Beijing for the semester. o.o Whoa. A lot of people I know are in China…
===
http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/Call-inJan 1st, 1600 EST
===
http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/Japan

• kubotaa@tamabi.ac.jp (no response, dec 2011)
• info@456.im (no response, dec 2011)
• Tokyo hackerspace (contacted via form):
• Tokyo HackerSpace has an open meeting every Tuesday night, from 7 PM. 
• Unlike most other hackerspaces, our members have very little free time, and as such, the space is not in constant use. Our members have a key, and can come any time they like, but its hard to predict when that will be.
• I would highly suggest that you join our google group and introduce yourself and your schedule there: http://groups.google.com/group/tokyohackerspace You’ll have a better chance at finding what everyone is up to, and when they can meet up.

http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/China
? None in Taiwan nor Korea.
===
Visas and Passport Renewal
Proxy Chinese Visa service: http://ask.metafilter.com/95095/Visa-service-recommendations e.g. http://china.visahq.com/ (also does passport, also well-designed site)
Emergency Passport-ness: http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/schedule/schedule_852.html

Boston-specific:
I found a local Chinese company helping with visa application:
国际文化旅游公司
Cambridge
617-868-3096
最便宜的机票+最优质的服务$170 total /1 year multiple entry。 If you fill out the form. Sounds reasonable. close to what they charge here.It is close to T. ~5 walking from T station. 2 stops from harvard (outbound).Go to the web site, fill out the file and print out. take 1 2×2 picture, the passport valid for 6 month and blank page .
经纬旅游 Boston 617-426-3123
===
electronicky shanzhai 山寨
http://www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?p=284
and also awesome book:
http://craphound.com/ftw/download/ which is a fantastic romp around gaming culture, economics, and unions.
more on shanzhai
http://www.tigoe.net/blog/category/environment/295/#more-295
more on shenzhen http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/shenzhen
the linked article is account-walled so here is the article http://www.strategy-business.com/article/09315?pg=all&tid=27782251

===
personal

=== Options: personal tours. Or get MIT departmental backing (talk to Anne Hunter / Brandy Baker) for report publication, go in officially.

=== Oh hey look, someone wrote about MITERS in Chinese.

http://www.chaihuo.org/2011/10/19/%E5%88%9B%E5%AE%A2%E6%94%BB%E7%95%A5-%E4%BB%8Emaker-faire-%E5%88%B0mit-4/
“not the game, nor is it the job, just love” Thanks, google translate 🙂

===
update 2 dec 2011
according to David of shanghai’s xinchejian, There are current 4 in China. OnionCapsule in Hangzhou is the first student lead hackerspace in the China Academy of Fine Art by a group of new media art students. They have a public performance scheduled on Dec 24. If visiting hackerspaces is one of the goal of your trip, I’d suggest you visit them at this event. It’s crazy party and a lot of fun.