Japan Moving To Allow Individual Foreign Tourists

Above, actress Shelley Sweeney and yours truly at a Tokyo Starbucks in 2006.

The Japanese government is moving toward allowing individual foreign tourists into the country without having to be a part of a group tour.

NHK World reported that this plan is likely to start in September.

They wrote:

The Japanese government is moving to start accepting overseas tourists who do not want to take guided tours in a bid to address a decline in the numbers of foreign travelers visiting Japan.

The country reopened to foreign holidaymakers in June with the easing of anti-coronavirus border controls. But all tourists are still required to join guided tours and obtain a visa.

The tourists also have to comply with anti-infection measures, such as wearing masks, set under guidelines by the Japanese government.

The government's decision to further ease anti-coronavirus border controls came as the number of foreign tourists entering Japan stood at about 7,900 in July, well below pre-pandemic levels.

There is a catch in the plan:

But the government will continue to deny entry to individual travelers who don't make arrangements through travel agencies.

Sorry, but this isn't good enough, at least for me.

To read more, go here.

Starbucks vs. Two Popular Japanese Coffee Shops

Above, a Tokyo neighborhood Tully's Coffee. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During my trips to Japan, I have found that there are Starbucks just about everywhere, just like in the U.S. 

One thing about the Japanese Starbucks I found, they don't honor Starbucks gift cards. Maybe it's because they were issued in the U.S.

But, even though I have frequented Starbucks while in Japan, my preference is Tully's Coffee, a Japanese coffee shop chain.

There's another, one I've never been to, Doutor Coffee.

Japan Today has an article on the three. Which gives the best value?

They start with:

TOKYO - With all of the awesome flavors that Starbucks is always coming out with, you might think that it dominates the cafe market in Japan. Well, it might, to be honest, but Japan also has a whole host of other, exclusive coffee shops that have equally diverse menus. So, to decide which of them has the best food and drinks available, at the best price, we decided to test out two of Japan’s top coffee shops and see how they compare to Starbucks. 

The cafes we chose are Doutor Coffee and Tully’s Coffee, both of which can be found in and around train stations and shopping centers all across Japan. We set our cost limit at 700 yen for one food item and one drink item, preferably in a set. Our goal? To see which cafe gives us the most bang for our buck.

To see what they decided, go here. 

When Yosemite Met Starbucks

Above, the base of Lower Yosemite Fall. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A few months ago, a Starbucks opened in Yosemite National Park. Some hailed it, while others expressed their displeasure. A petition opposing it garnered 27,000 signatures.

Now, the park is rethinking things.

According to Capital Public Radio:

Yosemite Falls is perhaps one of the most iconic spots the park. The waterfall cascades down the mountain — twice. It’s majestic. But across the street is the Yosemite Valley Lodge, and inside is a cafe opened earlier this year that epitomizes corporate America. 

“Hello, welcome to Starbucks.” 

That’s how a barista welcomed me as I approached the counter of Yosemite’s first Starbucks. It’s next to the food court here, and while there’s no logo on the outside, inside it smells and looks very familiar. I’ve had a range of emotions about a chain opening up — but that didn’t stop me from ordering an iced vanilla latte. 

Commercialization is changing Yosemite. More than four million people visit the park every year, and its identity is changing — some say not always for the better. How can we share Yosemite with the world while not ruining it? 

The whole idea of a Starbucks made some people really mad. “I don’t feel that you should drive to Yosemite and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going to go get a latte,’” said Fresno resident Kristy Page.

To read more, go here. 

Guide To Free Wi-Fi Cafes In Tokyo

Above, a Ginza Starbucks. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If a hotel in Tokyo has poor or no free Wi-Fi, I have sometimes headed off to a local coffee shop (usually Starbucks or Tully's Coffee) to use their free Wi-Fi.

Above, a Tully's Coffee near Aoyama-Itchome Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I still remember the days (before I bought a laptop) of using a hotel's lobby computers and having to deal with the fussy Japanese keyboards (one wrong move and the keyboard will switch from English to Japanese).

Tokyo Cheapo has a guide of free Wi-Fi cafes in Tokyo.

They begin with:

Tokyo has no shortage of great cafes, but free wifi isn’t as standard as you might be used to elsewhere, and it’s still pretty unusual to see Japanese people working from their laptops while out and about. As a tourist, your hotel/hostel will more than likely have wifi, and most Airbnb rooms come with it in a fixed or portable setup. The most reliable way to ensure connectivity on the move, though, is by buying a prepaid SIM card or renting a wifi router. 

Finding free wifi while out exploring can be a trying experience if you don’t know where to look. Some neighborhoods and train stations do offer public wifi, but you can’t exactly pull out your laptop on the street … or can you? Assuming you would rather sit somewhere nice with a table and possibly even a plug socket, read on for tips on how to get connected while you get your caffeine hit.

To read more, go here. 

Starbucks Opens In Yosemite National Park

Above, Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls. The falls are within earshot
 of the new Starbucks in Yosemite Village. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Despite a petition (or two) campaign, Starbucks has opened in Yosemite National Park.

The news Starbucks is located in the food court in Yosemite Village and it is most noteworthy that there is a lack of signage.

According to The Guardian (U.K.):

It looks and feels just like any of the other roughly 27,000 Starbucks locations that have opened around the world. The green apron-clad barista makes tall, grande and venti coffee concoctions that are handed over in familiar mermaid-endowed cups. 

But from the parking lot outside – where there is an intentional lack of Starbucks signage - the world-famous Yosemite falls can be heard through the patter of an early spring rainstorm. 

The Starbucks is part of a major remodel inside the 128-year-old Yosemite national park. It was built to provide comfort, convenience and caffeine to the 4 to 5 million visitors who arrive each year. To many, however, the Starbucks represents a trend of encroaching commercialism inside one of the nation’s most beloved natural landmarks.

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with having a familiar brand as a vendor in Yosemite. Starbucks is not the first such vendor in a national park. For example, next to the Grand Canyon Village market is a Chase bank branch. It came in very handy the last time I visited Grand Canyon National Park.

To read more, go here.

Yosemite's Starbucks Plan Ignites Petition Brouhaha

Above, Degnan's, one of the current eateries in Yosemite Village. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When it was reported the other day that Starbucks Coffee will be joining the food court at Yosemite National Park, it set off a petition brouhaha.

According to The Mercury News:

Starbucks in Yosemite?  

Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, does it? 

Well, after the Fresno Bee reported the other day that the park’s concessionaire was in talks with the coffee chain, a great hue and cry went out across the land. 

To many of those who signed the petition, a Starbucks in Yosemite Valley is the beginning of the end. 

“This could start a trend that has already seen the introduction of corporate sponsors like Budweiser, REI, and Subaru for the NPS,” Freddie Brewster told The Fresno Bee, conjuring up images of the Nike symbol plastered over El Capitan and Big O Tires billboards going up in Tuolumne Meadows.

To read more, go here. 

Starbucks Coming To Yosemite

Above, a view of Half Dome from North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It seems that everywhere you go, there's a Starbucks just around the corner. Except when you really are desperate for a cup of brew, especially when one is out in the wilderness.

But have no fear, Starbucks will soon be coming to Yosemite National Park.

The Fresno Bee reported:

Fairly soon you will be able to enjoy viewing the majesty of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park while also sipping on your favorite Starbucks drink. But not everyone thinks it’s a good idea. 

The park’s concessionaire, Yosemite Hospitality, a division of Aramark, is working with Starbucks to sell its brew in the Food Court at the Yosemite Valley Lodge.

Although this won’t be a free-standing Starbucks store, some Yosemite supporters don’t like the idea of a multinational corporation like Starbucks gaining a foothold in the national park.

Freddy Brewster, who lives in the area, worries that the inclusion of Starbucks will lead to more national retailers.

To read more, go here.

A Tourist In Tokyo Q&A

Above, a Starbucks coffee shop in Ginza. One question pertained to coffee. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you are planning a trip to Japan (Tokyo in particular), but have questions on certain aspects such as money, bathing, food and other things, the Daily Mail (U.K.) as posted a Q & A article that will answer some of your questions.

They begin with:

TOKYO (AP) — Tourism to Japan is booming, with 1 million Americans among the country's more than 20 million annual visitors. But language barriers and cultural differences may seem intimidating to some travelers. Here are answers to questions you might have if you're contemplating a trip to the capital city, Tokyo.

To read more, go here.

Wi-Fi Is Exploding In Tokyo

Above, a view of Tokyo from Tokyo City View. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Thanks to the influx of foreign visitors and the 2020 Olympic Games, Wi-Fi is exploding all over Tokyo.

The Japan Times reported:

Wanna surf the web for free in Tokyo? It’s finally time to catch the wave. Along with an influx of foreign tourists, Japan is seeing an explosion in wireless internet spots. 

These days, it seems you can’t walk 100 meters in without seeing a “free Wi-Fi” sign of some sort in central Tokyo. Visitors and Tokyoites alike have thousands of access points to choose from, emanating via everything from vending machines to bullet trains. Users no longer have to rely on the generosity of hotels or internet cafes. Wi-Fi is now a top-down affair: some of the largest municipal and commercial groups in Japan are working together to make Wi-Fi an essential piece of infrastructure.

I used to have to rely upon the hotels I was staying in or at Starbucks or Tully's coffee shops for Wi-Fi access while in Tokyo.

To read more, go here. 

Tokyo Cheapo's Guide To Mobile Wi-Fi

Above, my room at the Niigata Dormy Inn with my laptop on the desk. Alas, I couldn't use the room's
Internet connection as the plugs were incompatible with my laptop. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan may be one of the most high-tech countries in the world, but when it comes to having Wi-Fi (free or otherwise), they are a bit behind.

However, they are catching up (even more so now that they've landed the Olympic Games for 2020) with the rest of the world.

During my last trip to Japan, I had no problem concerning Wi-Fi. The hotel I stayed at in Ueno, the Tsukuba Hotel, had free Wi-Fi. At least they made it into the 21st Century. There was also Wi-Fi at Toho Studios that Jonathan Bellés made use of during his interview sessions.

That was not the case in 2010 when I was in Tokyo and Niigata. Both hotels I stayed at had free Internet, but the connecting plugs were not compatible with my laptop computer. I had to resort to using the coin-operated computers at the Tokyo hotel and the Niigata hotel's two free computers in the lobby to get online.

The only places where I was able to use my laptop for the Internet were at Starbucks Coffee or Tully's Coffee in both cities.

Funny thing, in 2007, I was able to get a Wi-Fi connection in Kumamoto at the ryokan I stayed at.

Tokyo Cheapo has posted an article on where to get connected.

They wrote:

Arriving in Tokyo, you may be excited to see all the cool high tech stuff that’s just a part of everyday life here in the eastern capital. But then when you stop in at a café and pull out your phone to update everyone on all the things you’re eating, seeing, and the ways you’re winning at life… there’s no wifi. What the–? Yup, while it’s getting better, Tokyo is still not a very connected city in terms of public wifi. Read on for cheapo tips and tricks on catching a signal while in Tokyo.

 To read more, go here.

"El Lago"

Above, Siren and Lola wondering, "What the hell happened to our house?" Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, at Jes's suggestion, I took a bunch of photos of the water damage inside of my apartment. One of the photos had our pets, Siren (the cat) and Lola (the dog) included. I cropped it to just focus on them. Their looks seem to be one of wondering what happened to our house. I sent the picture to a friend. After looking it over, she replied, "Yes, that about sums it up very well. They don't like changes that rock their world."

Well, shortly after 8:00 this morning, the plumbers showed up and began work on digging out the cement floor to repair the hot water line that gave out yesterday morning. So, I am kicking back at Starbucks.

In a new development, the water spread into the kitchen, bedroom closet and bedroom floor of my neighbor's apartment. This could have also been avoided had the property management company jumped on this and immediately got a crew out while the damage was still minimal. Instead, the plumber showed up nearly 22 hours after I reported it, allowing my apartment to become "el lago."

Above, the plumber digging up the floor to get to the burst pipe. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Jes is heading to her father's today, so she won't have to put up with the hassle of dealing with this mess. I had a long talk with the building manager and told her what I expected to be done (politely, but firmly). She will be talking with her supervisor with the property management company.

This will be interesting.

U.S. Starbucks To Acquire Starbucks Coffee Japan

Above, Shibuya Crossing with the Starbucks in the Tsutaya Building in the background. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While I was in Japan a few years ago, I stopped into the Starbucks coffee shop at Shibuya Crossing (also known as Shibuya Scramble) in the Tsutaya Building. This is the Starbucks whose dining room overlooks Shibuya Crossing and was featured in Lost In Translation.

I had with me at the time a couple of Starbucks gift cards that I received during Christmas. The cashier girl just stared at them and said they don't accept them in Japan. It was my impression that this was the first time she ever saw a Starbucks gift card.

Maybe all that will change once the acquisition by Starbucks Corp. of the stores in Japan is completed.

According to the Asahi Shimbun:

U.S.-based Starbucks Corp. said Sept. 23 that it will pay 99.5 billion yen ($914 million) to acquire the remaining 60.5 percent share of Starbucks Coffee Japan Ltd. that it does not currently own. 

The world’s biggest coffee store chain said it will acquire the remaining shares through a two-step tender offer process.

To read more, go here.

Starbucks Promoting Temp Workers To Full-Time Positions

Above, a Starbucks in Ginza. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Starbucks in Japan is almost everywhere (like McDonalds) and they've announced a move to promote temp workers into full-time positions.

RocketNews24 reported:

With just over 1,000 stores covering practically every prefecture, Starbucks is a coffee powerhouse in Japan. Since opening its first store in Tokyo in 1996, the company has managed to adapt its business model to suit Japanese tastes with seasonal flavors, expanded (alcoholic) menu options and utilizing Japan’s unique architecture. Last week, Starbucks went one step further in its Japanese expansion plan by announcing that it would promote 800 temp workers to full-time positions, which netizens applauded as a move to create pressure on the Japanese market to provide better benefits to workers. 

Starbucks, which currently has about 1,800 full-time employees, revealed their plan last week to promote 800 temp workers on April 1 during an interview with TV Tokyo.

Just hope it isn't an April Fool's joke.

To read more, go here.

Meet-Up At Shinagawa Station

Above, Tom Logan and I at Starbucks in Shinagawa Station.

A little jaunt was taken today down the Yamanote Line to Tokyo's Shinagawa Station to meet up with Thomas Logan at what has to be the coldest Starbucks in the world.

The Starbucks was inside Shinagawa Station, but it was open air and right next to the Konan Exit where it was snowing outside and the cold air was rushing in. Thankfully, Starbucks had nice green blankets available to keep patrons a little bit warmer. I managed to grab a couple of them for us.

It was an enjoyable get-together with Tom, whom I hadn't seen since he was on Congressman Robert K. Dornan's staff and I was 53rd Assembly District GOP Chairman back in the 1980s. Tom currently lives and works in Yokohama. It was an appropriate occasion for me to wear my USS Ronald Reagan cap.

We talked about our current lives, our days at El Camino College, past political events and of people we knew back in the 1970s and 1980s. One highlight was re-enacting the Inglewood School Board meeting where a riot nearly started during a debate over the book Roots due to comments by longtime buddy Michael Triggs (who was elected to the board at age 19). We had some great laughs over that!

Tom wrote after the get-together:

Great to have met, thanks for the signed copy [of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan]. You have a good memory of lots of names which all came back to me.

Sometimes it pays to have a mind like flypaper. Having reunions like this make travel all the more enjoyable!

Great times!

And, thanks, Tom, for the treats!

Starbucks Overtakes McDonald's As Top Eatery In Japan

Above, the McDonald's golden arches are prominent in this Shibuya street view. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During my previous visits to Japan, I have partaken at several McDonald's and Starbucks locations and have found both chains' restaurants usually crowded.

Nikkei Asian Review has reported that Starbucks is about to overtake McDonald's as Japan's top eatery.

They reported:

TOKYO -- The Golden Arches are about to turn silver in Japan. 

Starbucks Coffee Japan Ltd. is set to overtake McDonald's Holdings Japan in terms of domestic earnings.  

Pretax profits at Starbucks Japan are expected to hit an all-time high for the third straight year in fiscal 2013, which ends in March. 

The Japanese unit of U.S. coffee giant is heading for top spot in the restaurant and food service industry for the first time since it moved into Japan in 1995.

To read the full story, go here.

2 Blog Posts Picked Up By The Japan Daily

Two of today's blog posts were picked up by The Japan Daily online newspaper.

The ones they picked up were on the Starbucks planned store in Tottori Prefecture and one on ANA's apology on an "offensive" advertisement.

To read more, go here.

Starbucks Close To Total Japan Domination

Above, a Starbucks in Ginza, Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Several months ago, I wrote about a new Tully's Coffee shop opening in Tottori Prefecture in 2014. (To see that blog post, go here.)

Now, RocketNews24 is reporting that Starbucks is following suit in opening their first store in the prefecture by March 2015.

They reported:

Tottori Prefecture, the final frontier. It may sound strange, but when it comes to Starbucks, Tottori is uncharted territory and the only prefecture in all of Japan without a Starbucks location. That will all change soon as the coffee giant plans to open a new store somewhere within the small prefecture’s borders by March 2015. 

With the largest population of elderly folks in all of Japan, it might seem natural that Tottori went without a Starbucks for so long. However, you might be surprised to find that there are places in Tokyo that have yet to see the familiar green and white mermaid.

For regular coffee, I prefer Tully's (the regular coffee at Starbucks tastes burnt to me, although I do like their hot cafe mochas). So, if I should ever go to Tottori Prefecture, at least there will be a Starbucks there in the future should I want a cafe mocha. Tully's has a good cafe mocha as well, by the way.

If you have been given any Starbucks gift cards during Christmas, you can't use them in Japan. I tried once and found that the Japan Starbucks shops don't accept them. The workers just stare at them in wonderment.

To read the full article, go here.

New Tokyo Starbucks Now Sells Booze!

Above, the Shibuya Crossing Starbucks. Will they eventually sell booze too?  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Getting away from politics (I'm referring to my last two blog posts), I noticed an item in RocketNews24 that reports a new Starbucks is selling wine and beer.

According to RocketNews24's article:

Normally known for a spot to get a sugar-fueled caffeine fix, Starbucks recently opened a new outlet in Tokyo that is serving alcohol. The new coffee shop is part of a concept line of cafés the company is establishing in Japan to offer customers something a little different from the usual Starbucks experience. In addition to serving upscale coffee drinks and homemade desserts, this shop will be selling wine and beer after noon in the fashionable Shimokitazawa neighborhood. 

The about 138-square meter store has room for 42 people, including four seats on an outside terrace.  

Customers will be able to choose their coffee brew from six different beans. Aside from the typical café fare of cappuccinos, lattes and drip coffee, this shop also has specialty drinks like the “Shakealato,” a shaken coffee drink served in a martini glass for 500 yen (US$5). Another speciality drink is the “Gold Foam Mocha,” a three-layer drink of coffee, milk foam and chocolate sauce for 650 yen. 

And since not everyone likes coffee, this Starbucks is selling wine and beer!

Down the hatch!

To read the full article, go here.

Tully's Coffee Opening In Tottori Prefecture In 2014

Above, Tully's near the Hotel Asia Center of Japan in Tokyo.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of my favorite coffee shops in Tokyo is Tully's, which is a five-minute walk from my hotel of choice, the Hotel Asia Center of Japan.

An article in RocketNews24 caught my attention, not because it is about a new Tully's that is opening in April 2014 in Tottori Prefecture, but from one paragraph on the number of Tully's coffee shops in Japan.

They wrote:

Tully’s, which began in Seattle just like its more famous competitor, currently has 513 stores across Japan and if everything goes according to plan, the new store will open in April 2014. The floor space of the new Tully’s measures in at 20 square metres and looks set to be the perfect place for anyone to unwind.

Tottori Prefecture is the least-populated prefecture in Japan, so the opening of a Tully's there is big news.

When I was in Niigata in 2010, I did not see a Starbucks there, but there was a Tully's coffee shop near the JR Niigata Station, which served my coffee needs.

To read the full article, go here.

Starbucks In Japan Pouring Less Coffee

Above, Starbucks offers a bird's eye view of Shibuya Crossing.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Starbucks Japan is pouring less coffee into cups of Japanese customers.

The Tokyo Times reported:

Starbucks Company, one of the world’s largest coffee-shop operators, stated recently that it reduced the amount of coffee poured into each Japanese cup by 9 millimeters. 

The company said the decision reflected customers’ request, in order to avoid spilling coffee and to have more room for adding milk.

I've been to several Starbucks in Japan, most notably the one whose dining area provides a bird's eye view of Shibuya Crossing (photo above) in Tokyo.

To read more, go here.