When Godzilla first appeared in 1954 he was no joke!
Godzilla fans in the western world have to learn to live with derision. Most of the English-speaking world is familiar with the name Godzilla and see it as a nothing more than a stupid joke. One need only mention the monster’s name and eyes start rolling as if on cue. What can one expect when the venerable New York Times sets the tone with words like this: Read more…
Tags: Godzilla
The main entrance
Fushimi Inari Taisha is a large shinto shrine complex in southern Kyoto. Here it is on the map. It began in the 8th century to revere Inari, the god of the rice harvest. Inari has always been an important god. Few (if any) images were ever created of him and he uses foxes as his messengers. The foxes acting on Inari’s behalf are even called Inari. Read more…
Tags: Kyoto
The main entrance
Kiyomizu Dera (Kiyomizu Temple) could be called the premier temple of Kyoto. Here it is on the map. This Buddhist temple was first built in AD 798 and devoted to the deity that resided within an 11-headed Kanon statue. The current buildings were built in 1633 under orders from Tokugawa Iemitsu. It is a large temple complex that holds several famous sites and contains a good-sized shinto shrine. If you have time to only see one temple in Kyoto this would be it. Read more…
Tags: Kyoto
Tokyo City Hall. The observation deck at the top is worth a visit!
I am tired of hearing Tokyo called an ugly city. In guide books, newspapers and travel Web sites I am constantly seeing people badmouth the aesthetics of the people of Tokyo. I first saw Tokyo in 1991 and most recently in 2006 I’ve lived there for periods of time on several occasions. Tokyo is a clean, beautiful, interesting city and does not at all deserve the bad rap it has received internationally. Read more…
Tags: Tokyo
The front entrance
In Nihombashi, Tokyo I found the flagship store for Mitsukoshi, a chain of department stores in Japan. Here it is on the map. Mitsukoshi is the oldest still-operating department store company in the world. It was founded in 1673 with the shop name “Echigoya.” Ten years later, Echigoya took a new approach to marketing. Instead of selling by going door-to-door, they set up a store where buyers could purchase goods. They must have known what they were doing because their flagship store is simply amazing. Read more…
Tags: Tokyo
Mecha fan Ollie Barder of the UK has written a new article about mecha video games titled Bushido and Beamsabers. It’s recommended reading.
Did you know that Spiderman fought the Iron Cross Army in Japan in 1978? Did you know he used a giant robot named Leopardon to do it? Marvel Comics is now displaying the first episode of Toei’s Spiderman from 1978 on their Web site. You can see it here (or look at the embedded video below).
Tags: Spiderman
The Studio Alta building in Shinjuku, Tokyo is an icon of Japan to the rest of the world (here it is on the map). I don’t think the Japanese see it that way but it has a strange magnetic power over western journalists. If you send a news team to Japan to do a story about anything they’ll be drawn to Studio Alta and film their anchorman standing in front of it. It certainly isn’t hard to find. One of the northern exits of the massive Shinjuku train station leads to an outdoor plaza across the street from the massive outdoor video screen. Read more…
Tags: Tokyo
Meiji Jingu Bridge (Meiji Shrine Bridge) is a landmark in Tokyo for fandom of all stripes (here it is on the map). Free of motor traffic, it is a large foot bridge that has become a gathering place for fans of anime cosplay, heavy metal music, rock and roll and pop music, and fandom in general. Its location is the reason for its success among young people. It is located right by the entrance to Yoyogi Park (a favorite place for rock bands to hold free concerts), right by the Harajuku JR train station and a block away from Takeshita Dori (a street that serves as the preeminent shopping area for teenagers and fans of various subcultures). Read more…
Tags: Tokyo
The 80’s are back! Twenty years is not long enough to keep a good decade down. As a person who came of age in the 80’s I naturally feel a hint of nostalgia for that time. This year’s movie line up suggests that I’m not the only one who remembers the 80’s. G I Joe, Transformers and Tron have new movies on the way proving that the toy franchises of the 80’s still have a lot of staying power. Why don’t we see any movies based on the toys girls played with in the 80’s? I guess Rainbow Bright, Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Pony just don’t have much movie potential. Read more…
Tags: movies
