The Convoluted Chronology of Godzilla

Above, the GMK Godzilla suit on display in Shibuya, Tokyo in 2001. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Godzilla franchise of movies by both Toho and Legendary Pictures are basically two (or more) different monsters.

Tokyo Weekender has posted an article on the "convoluted chronology" of Godzilla. 

Here's how they start it:

Godzilla is one of the oldest film franchises in the world. (But not the “longest-running.” That title is still claimed by Japan but it belongs to a series of softcore porn movies.) In 2024, the world celebrated 70 years of the King of the Monsters smashing buildings, fighting other kaiju, and embodying the horrors of nuclear weapons. One problem with that, though. Technically, the giant dinosaurian creatures from the 33 live-action Japanese Godzilla movies are not always the same giant dinosaurian creature, meaning that there isn’t one kaiju that’s been continuously appearing in cinemas for more than seven decades now. Confused? Let us explain.

 To read more, go here.

G-FEST Day 2

Above, Jessica Tseang, Toshio Miike and interpreter Mariko Horikawa. Photo by Armand Vaquer. 

Right now, I am taking a breather from walking around G-FEST and attending this morning's sessions on the 60th anniversary Mothra vs. Godzilla (also known as Godzilla vs, The Thing), an interview with production designer Toshio Miike and an interview with Rie Ota, who played Baragon in Godzilla, Mothra & King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack. 

While attending the Toshio Miike interview session, J. D. Lees and I caught up on the latest happenings in the world of kaiju and other stuff.

Naturally, I took some photos of the various proceedings, most of which are for G-FAN.

Above, the Mothra vs. Godzilla session attendees. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Jessica Tseang and Rie Ota. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Happy Birthday Kaneko-San!

Above, from left, Shusuke Kaneko, yours truly and J. D. Lees at G-FEST in 2003. Photo by Richard Pusateri.

Here's one of those "I thought he was older" kind of revelations. I hadn't given it any thought until now.

Japanese director Shusuke Kaneko, who directed the acclaimed Heisei Gamera series of movies in the 1990s and Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001) turns 67 today. He was the recipient of the 2019 "Mangled Skyscraper Award" at G-FEST XXVI in Rosemont, Illinois (outside of Chicago).

Above, Shusuke Kaneko receiving the 2019 "Mangled Skyscraper Award" at G-FEST XXVI. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I actually did think he was a few years older than me, but he's actually almost a year and a half younger.

Well, a big Happy Birthday to Kaneko-san!

Savvy Tokyo's Guide To Yokohama

Above, a view of the waterfront from the observation deck of the Landmark Tower. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one is going to spend any lengthy time around Tokyo, one easy day trip from the city is to go down to Yokohama.

Yokohama is familiar to Godzilla fans as it served as a battleground in two movies: Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) and in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001). That is reason enough to want to pay Yokohama a visit.

Savvy Tokyo has posted a guide to Yokohama giving visitors ideas on what to see and do.

They start with:

From sightseeing to shopping to international dining to simply taking a deep breath of fresh air and standing against the ocean breeze, Yokohama is the city that appeals to all your five senses. 

Just under an hour on the subway from central Tokyo, the port city Yokohama is a welcome break from the busy streets of the capital with its relaxed environment, wide open spaces, and a harbor-side where it’s almost too easy to lose your worries and stresses as you stroll or cycle along. 

Whatever your purpose of visit is — from sightseeing to shopping to fancy eating or street food and chat along the ocean — Yokohama has more than enough to keep you busy. With the biggest and most celebrated Chinatown in East Asia (aside from China itself, of course), there is also a surprising amount of varied and inviting culture, food, and history here to explore. 

As a kind of quiet sister city to Tokyo, Yokohama is a fantastic place to visit and get to know.

To read more, go here. 

Yokohama Day Trip

Above, Minato Mirai 21 and Cosmo World. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For Godzilla fans who are interested in seeing locations used in the movies, Yokohama is a good place to go.

Yokohama's Minato Mirai 21 area was the battleground used in two movies, Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) and Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001).

It is worth a day trip from Tokyo and Tokyo Cheapo has some suggestions on places to see and things to do while there.

They begin with:

Although it might seem a little counter intuitive to plan day trips to a city 30 minutes from Tokyo, especially when places like Hakone and Kamakura are a stone’s throw away, Yokohama is worth it. A thriving port town since the end of Japan’s period of isolation in the mid-19th century, it is home to beautiful gardens, a bustling Chinatown, more ramen than you can shake a stick out and some stunning sunset views. The city is a mix of old and new, with contemporary art filling ex-brothels and neon-lit clocks illuminating red-brick warehouses. There is more than enough to fill a day in Yokohama, so our itinerary is just a suggestion: pick and choose to make your ideal day trip!

To read more, go here. 

2001 Tokyo International Film Festival

Above, my souvenir ticket.

The friendly folks at Facebook reminded me that it was 16 years ago today that I attended the screening of Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack at the 2001 Tokyo International Film Festival.

Above, I am joined by Richard Pusateri (left) and Haruo Nakajima after the screening. Photo courtesy of Richard Pusateri.

The screening was held in Shibuya at the Bunkamura's Orchard Hall.

During the screening, Godzilla, director Shusuke Kaneko, producer Shogo Tomiyama and some of GMK's stars came out onstage.

Above, Godzilla appeared onstage during the Tokyo Film Festival screening. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To attend the film festival, I made my first trip to Japan. It came almost two months after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and Los Angeles International Airport had military personnel stationed in the terminals.

Above, dinner at the Nakano Broadway. Photo by Tom Dougherty.

Following the screening, several of us (including Heisei Godzilla Kenpachiro Satsuma) went to a dinner party at a Chinese restaurant at the Nakano Broadway shopping complex.

10 Most Popular Attractions In Yokohama

Above, Yokohama's Landmark Tower. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yokohama's Minato Mirai 21 harbor area was featured in two recent (if one wants to call 1992 and 2001 "recent") Godzilla movies: Godzilla vs. Mothra and Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack. In those movies, the harbor area was reduced to rubble.

However, those were only movies and the harbor area is all intact. But, along with the Minato Mirai 21, there are other places to see in Yokohama and City-Cost.com lays them all out for everyone.

The begin their article with:

Yokohama could surely make a strong case of being the most well-rounded city in all of Japan.  The Tokyo neighbour has a bit of everything, from maritime vibes, an exciting history of swashbuckling trade, the largest Chinatown in Japan, fantastic parks and all the mod-cons that come with a booming modern Japanese city.  Actually such is the magnetic appeal of Yokohama's Minato Mirai port area, one might struggle to think of the 10 most popular attractions in Yokohama outside of this magnificent area. Anyway, we don't have to.  The Internet is littered with so many "Top 10" lists that it's easy enough to find one about Yokohama.  Japanese travel booking and community site Jalan (じゃらん) is local, popular and such a list about Yokohama.  Not that we need be too specific about the list as it's more than likely that the usual Yokohama attractions will feature.  What we want to be concerned with here is how much these attractions cost to enter and thus come up with some ideas for budgeting for trip and sightseeing in Yokohama.

To see more, go here. 

Yokohama In Tokyo's Shadow

Above, the Yokohama waterfront. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Visitors to Japan are missing out a lot if they bypass a visit to Yokohama. 

For monster fans, Yokohama was used as a battlefield in two Godzilla movies over the past two decades.

First, it was featured in Godzilla vs. Mothra (1991) during a battle between the Big G, Mothra and Battra.

Second, it was used in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001).

The port area of Yokohama is still easily recognizable to monster fans.

According to Inside Japan Tours:

The bustling city of Yokohama, the second-largest in Japan, is quite often overlooked in favor of its big brother, Tokyo. Given that one pretty much runs into the other, this isn’t too surprising. What is surprising, though, is how many visitors end up giving Yokohama a complete miss. Such a shame, as it has history and attractions to spare and is a great alternative to a day in Tokyo! Let’s shed some light on Yokohama, the city in Tokyo’s shadow. 

As one of the three ports opened to foreigners after Japan’s centuries of isolation, Yokohama has an interesting and unique relationship with the West. Opened in 1859, Yokohama quickly transformed from a sleepy fishing village into an international base of foreign trade. Indeed, Japan was quick to reap the benefits of Western technology, with Yokohama being the first place in the country to have a daily newspaper, gas powered streetlamps, and a railway line. 

Even today, Yokohama enjoys the reputation of being one of Japan’s most international and cutting-edge cities. That doesn’t mean, however, that it hasn’t preserved its rich history. Let’s take a look at a few spots around the city to truly make your visit a memorable one.

To read more, go here. 

Shibuya Crossing: An Intersection Worth Visiting

Above, Shibuya Crossing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This place has been featured in kaiju movies such as Gamera 3, Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack and Godzilla x Megaguirus. But it is also one place that is recommended to see in many, if not most, travel guides, including The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan (page 27).

It is Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, also known as Shibuya Scramble.

The Asahi Shimbun has an article on Shibuya Crossing and they say it is "one intersection worth visiting."

They wrote:

For those in the know, the intersection in front of Tokyo's Shibuya Station is the place to be on New Year's Eve, Halloween or any other major event where big crowds gather. 

Not for nothing is this classic landmark known as Scramble Crossing: Hordes of pedestrians cross diagonally from four directions at once--seemingly never bumping into one another--against a backdrop of giant video screens and neon. 

It's not just major events that draw thousands of young Japanese to the area and a large number of foreign tourists to the site on a daily basis. 

The Lonely Planet series of travel guides lists "Shibuya Crossing" as a must-see site for its Japan edition.

To read more, go here.

Yokohama: Minato Mirai, The Port of the Future

Above, the Yokohama waterfront. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan Today continues their look at the port of Yokohama and the attractions that can be enjoyed there. A link to their first part can be found here.

They begin their article with:

YOKOHAMA —This article continues the exploration of Yokohama’s port area begun last month here. 

YES ‘89 (Yokohama Exotic Showcase), was an international exposition held in 1989, to commemorate the centenary of Yokohama’s opening as an international port city. The exposition was held on landfill around the site of former Mitsubishi shipyards at the top end of Yokohama harbor. The city had big plans for the site even after the exposition, including concert venues, exhibition halls, residential towers, wide tree-lined streets, multi-purpose office and shopping complexes, museums and amusement facilities.  

Today, nearly 20 years later, most of these plans have come to fruition and the development continues. The site is called Minato Mirai 21, the 21st century port of the future and it’s a great place to spend a family day out.

As mentioned in my January 30 blog post, the area was used as the battleground between Godzilla, Mothra and Battra in Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) and in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001).

Yokohama is covered in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan on pages 19-20.

To read more, go here.

Explore Yokohama's Historic Port

Above, a view of Yokohama's port from the Landmark Tower. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The port city of Yokohama often gets overlooked as a place to visit in Japan. But, there are things to see and do in Tokyo's next-door big city.

Japan Today has an article on exploring Yokohama's historic port.

They begin with:

YOKOHAMA —As you descend the stairs from the platform at JR Sakuragicho station, you notice two things. The music playing behind you to indicate that the train doors are closing is “I’ve been working the railroad” and on the walls are historical photos of the station over the past 143 years. For Sakuragicho is the original Yokohama station and one of the oldest train stations in Japan. As early as 1872, passengers arriving in Japan by ship would board the train for Tokyo from here. So it is only fitting that your exploration of Yokohama’s history as a port city should begin here.

Godzilla fans are keenly aware that Yokohama was the battle site in two movies: Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) and Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001).

To read more, go here. 

Foreign Visitors Still Visiting Hakone Despite Warning

Above, Lake Ashi in the Hakone area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Call it bravado or call it stupidity, but the number of foreign visitors to the Hakone area is practically unchanged since a volcanic alert was issued for the area. The number of Japanese visitors, however, has dropped.

According to The Japan News (Yomiuri Shimbun):

Foreign tourists continue to be seen in the hot spring resort areas in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, even while the number of Japanese tourists has fallen because of volcanic activities on Mt. Hakone. 

More than a week has passed since small-scale eruptions prompted officials to raise the volcanic alert on the mountain, which straddles Kanagawa and Shizuoka prefectures, to Level 3, which restricts people from approaching the mountain. 

At Hakone Hotel Kowaki-en, a hotel in the town about two kilometers from the Owakudani district, the lobby was packed with foreign tourists checking out on Tuesday morning. 

However, the number of foreign customers did not change even after the volcanic alert was raised to Level 3, according to employees of the hotel.

Hakone was featured in the 2001 feature, Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-out Attack.

To read more, go here. 

Volcanic Warning Raised For Hakone

Above, a view from a Hakone skyway. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A warning has been raised for the popular resort area of Hakone, Japan as volcanic activity has increased.

Hakone is known to Godzilla fans as the site of the battle between Godzilla and Baragon in the 2001 feature, Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.

According to Channel NewsAsia:

TOKYO: Japan's meteorological agency on Wednesday (May 6) raised a volcanic warning for the popular hot springs resort of Hakone by one notch, forbidding access to a hiking trail. 

The warning upgrade, which bans entry to areas around the Owakudani volcanic vent, came after seismologists detected minor but more frequent volcanic tremors at the popular tourist site, around 80km southwest of Tokyo, an official said. 

"We raised the warning to level two after detecting the tremors getting relatively bigger and hitting deeper points," he said. On Tuesday, three perceivable quakes occurred in the areas, measuring magnitude 2.0 and 2.6, he said.

To read more, go here. 

Tokyo's Cheapo's 10 Free Things To Do In Shibuya

Above, the Shibuya 109 department store. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan has a reputation for being expensive, some of it is deserved and some of it is not. Shibuya is one place where its shops and restaurants will quickly separate a person from his/her money pretty fast.

However, there are some things to do in Shibuya that are free, and Tokyo Cheapo has a list of ten of them.

They begin with:

It may seem like Shibuya only loves you for your money, with shiny shops and enticing restaurants beckoning from every nook and cranny. But it is possible to be in ‘Buya without blowing big bucks! Here are some ideas for a fee-free jaunt to Tokyo’s youth mecca.

I 'll add an eleventh free activity:

11. Photograph locations and landmarks in Shibuya featured in Godzilla and Gamera movies. 

A number of buildings and landmarks in Shibuya were featured in Godzilla and Gamera movies. Examples: Shibuya Crossing (known as Shibuya Scramble) was featured in Gamera 3: The Revenge of Irys (1999) and in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-out Attack (2001); the Shibuya 109 department store building was featured in Gamera 3 and in Godzilla x Megaguirus (2000); Shibuya Station and, along with it, the Hachiko statue were also featured in Gamera 3. 

Shibuya is spotlighted on page 27 in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

To read Tokyo Cheapo's ten free things to do in Shibuya, go here.

24 More Days To Go For "Godzilla" In Japan

Above, Godzilla at the 2001 Tokyo International Film Festival. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In 24 more days, Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. Godzilla will be released theatrically in Japan.

Will it be a hit in Godzilla's home country or will it be a colossal flop? Or, will it do something somewhere in the middle?

I think Godzilla will do quite well in Japan. The Japanese fans, while not as vocal as fans outside of Japan, are probably "starved" for a new Godzilla movie since Toho stopped making them ten years ago. I trust that many, if not most, of them have been following the worldwide box office numbers and the movie reviews (professional and otherwise). They already know going in that it will be nothing like the fiasco of 1998.

In any case, we'll see how it does 24 days from now.

**************

Speaking of Godzilla and openings. I was doing some photo scanning last night and scanned a couple from the November 2001 premiere of Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (ゴジラ・モスラ・キングギドラ 大怪獣総攻撃, Gojira, Mosura, Kingu Gidora: Daikaijū Sōkōgeki) at Orchard Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo's Bunkamura. The event was part of the 2001 Tokyo International Film Festival.

The photo at top of this blog post was also from this event, but an older scan. The two photos below are new scans.

Here, we see Godzilla on stage (before the screening of the movie begins) with Toho Executive Producer Shogo Tomiyama, Director Shusuke Kaneko and some of the actors from the movie. Luckily, I had a press pass and was able to go down to the stage to get these shots.

Above, Godzilla posing with the executive producer, actors and director. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Godzilla fires off his "radioactive breath" at the audience. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan Times' "Godzilla, the monster with multiple personalities"

Above, a GMK Godzilla filming suit on display at the Shibuya HMV store in 2001. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over at The Japan Times, there is a special article on Godzilla. Actually, it is more like a Valentine to the 1954 original by Mark Schilling.

Along with it, is a 45-minute video collection of Godzilla trailers to enjoy.

Why do I say the article is a Valentine to the 1954 Godzilla?

Here's a snippet to give you an idea:

Since 1954, the”King of the Monsters” has appeared in 28 Toho films (and two big-budget Hollywood films, including Gareth Edwards’ new one, which opens in Tokyo on July 25), but has the old thrill gone? 

Though crude by today’s CGI standards, the original Godzilla has retained his primitive power — he represents powerful forces, from the natural to the manmade, that humans struggle to control or understand.

In the 1954 film, the only effective weapon against Godzilla is the Oxygen Destroyer — itself so fearsome (it transforms living creatures into lifeless skeletons in seconds) that Dr. Serizawa, its conflicted creator, finally burns his research papers and ends his own life. He tries to put the dangerous genie back into the bottle, something the inventors and users of the atomic bomb knew was impossible.

Above, one of the Oxygen Destroyer props. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

 To read the full article, go here.

Shibuya Crossing Getting Enormous LCD Screen

Above, Shibuya Crossing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was featured in Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-out Attack, Lost In Translation and Gamera 3. 

And, on June 1, it will be flashier.

What is it? It's Shibuya Crossing (or Shibuya Scramble).

Rocket News 24 reported:

The Shibuya crossing, also known as the Shibuya scramble, is without a doubt one of the most famous locations in the world. Now the go-to location for establishing shots of Japan when producers aren’t focusing on geisha and picturesque temples, the intersection has been featured in numerous TV shows and movies, and is a must-see for any visitor to Tokyo. 

Surrounded by tall buildings, each covered in giant screens and ads vying for pedestrians’ attention, the Scramble is traversed by an incredible 500,000 people each day, with roughly 3,000 pedestrians crossing every time the lights change during peak hours, making it one of the flashiest and most popular places to advertise in Japan. 

And now, it’s about to get just a little bit flashier. 

From June 1, the Shibuya scramble will be lighting up even more faces with the addition of an enormous LCD screen from Hit Vision.

Shibuya Crossing is spotlighted on page 27 of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

To read more, go here.

Bunkamura Celebrating 25th Anniversary

Above, the Bunkamura in 2001. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

2014 marks the 25th anniversary of Shibuya, Tokyo's Bunkamura cultural complex.

Back in 2001, I attended the premiere screening of Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack in the Bunkamura's Orchard Hall. The screening was part of the 2001 Tokyo International Film Festival.

Above, Godzilla is flanked by Toho Executive Producer Shogo Tomiyama (far left),
director Shusuke Kaneko (far right) and several stars of Godzilla, Mothra and
King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack in Orchard Hall. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

According to the official website:

Bunkamura was established in 1989 as the first large-scale cultural complex in Japan. Since its opening, Bunkamura’s creative space, comprising a concert hall (music), theatre (performance), museum (art), and cinema (film), as well as a café and art-related shops, has always drawn attention as a base for introducing new cultural pursuits. Bunkamura attracts 2.8 million visitors annually and is a popular spot in Shibuya where people can enjoy a range of cultural and artistic experiences in a relaxed atmosphere.

 To view the Bunkamura's website (in English), go here.

Osaka Marriott Hotel To Become Japan's Tallest Skyscraper

Above, the Landmark Tower in the haze in Yokohama. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yokohama's Landmark Tower will soon lose its title as Japan's tallest skyscraper according to an article in the Asahi Shimbun.

They wrote:

OSAKA--Marriott Hotels is getting set to open Japan’s highest hotel suite in the country’s soon-to-be tallest skyscraper. 

The Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel will feature 360 guest rooms from the 38th floor to 55th floor in the new 300-meter Abeno Harukas skyscraper complex, which opens March 7 in the city’s Abeno Ward. 

“There are no world-class hotels in the Abeno-Tennoji district,” said Masahiko Torii, the hotel's general manager. “We hope to create a more cosmopolitan atmosphere in the area.” 

The most luxurious suite comprising 162 square meters is located on the 55th floor, some 263 meters above the ground, and will cost 350,000 yen ($3,410) per night. It is estimated to be higher than the current record holder at the Yokohama Royal Park Hotel in Yokohama Landmark Tower.

Godzilla fans are familiar with the Landmark Tower from its appearance in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-out Attack (2001).

To read the full article, go here.

Yokohama's Landmark Tower

Above, the Landmark Tower.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yokohama, Japan's Landmark Tower dominates the city's skyline.

At 972 feet high and 70 floors, the Landmark Tower is Japan's tallest building and the third tallest structure. It contains 603 rooms in the five-star hotel that occupies floors 49-70.  On the 69th floor, there is The Sky Garden observation deck that offers a 360-degree view of the city. On clear days, Mount Fuji can also be seen. The lower 48 floors contains shops, restaurants, clinics and offices.

Above, the Landmark Tower dominates Yokohama's skyline.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Landmark Tower has the world's second-fastest elevators. The elevators are egg-shaped for aerodynamics.

Construction on the Tower began in 1990 and was completed in 1993. The architect was Hugh Stubbins and Associates.

Above, a view of Yokohama from The Sky Garden observation deck.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Landmark Tower was prominently featured in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001). During the final battle between the monsters, the Landmark Tower was used as a perch by Mothra for her attacks on Godzilla until it's top was blasted by Godzilla's atomic breath.

The Landmark Tower and Yokohama are spotlighted on pages 19-20 of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

I visited the Landmark Tower in 2005 and enjoyed the views from The Sky Garden.

For a floor map of the Landmark Tower, go here.