Tony Isabella At 2013 Comic-Con

Above, Tony Isabella.

Things are beginning to shape up for the 2013 Comic-Con International set for July 18-21 in beautiful San Diego, California.

My good friend Tony Isabella has been tapped to be one of the special guests of the convention.  He will likely participate in a number of panels.  I am (finally) going to try to make it down there.  Seems like every time I think about going, something else manages to pop up.

Tony penned a nice write-up on The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan a few months ago in the Comic Buyer's Guide (below).  Hopefully, we can meet up and I can buy him a round or two at the bar.

For information on Comic-Con, go here.

A Toho Christmas

An indication that the holidays are here (at least in this household) are the arrivals of Christmas cards.

Today, I received one from Toho Co., Ltd.'s Los Angeles office and here's a scan of it:

As you know, Toho is the parent company of Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah and many others.

"Pacific Rim" Official Trailer

Legendary Pictures has released their "official trailer" for Guillermo Del Toro's Pacific Rim.  In it, we get a better look at the kaiju and the monster-fighting giant robots (Jaegers).

Monster Japan Travel Guide Listed In JREF's Directory

Above, Ai with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan."  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My friends at Japan Reference (JREF) have added to the site's directory a link to The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.  It is a link to the page I set up entitled, "About The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan."

I have been a JREF member since 2004.

To view the Directory, go here.

Ginza's Matsuzakaya Department Store Closing

Above, the Matsuzakaya department store in Ginza is at left in December 2010.  The store is marked by its distinctive
yellow and red sign.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The oldest department store in Tokyo's famed Ginza district is going to close its doors for good.

The Asahi Shimbun is reporting that the Matsuzakaya department store will be closing this coming spring.  The store opened in 1924.

Above, the large building at right is the Matsuzakaya department store in 1933 in this vintage post card.

The Ginza Matsuzakaya was one of the buildings Godzilla destroyed in the original 1954 movie.

Speaking of which, the Matsuzakaya has a humorous bit of Godzilla history.  According to David Kalat's A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series:

On The Cheap: 100-Yen Shops Are Hot

Above, a 100-Yen Shop in Tokyo.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Americans are familiar with Dollarama, 99¢ Only Stores, Dollar Tree and others.  The Japanese have their own "dollar stores" to go to.

They are the 100-Yen Shops.

The Los Angeles Times wrote in 2009 that these stores are "hot" in Japan and:


Freelancer Andrew Bender writes:

A single 100-yen coin (plus an additional 5 yen for tax, totaling about $1.15) buys you more than just plastic tchotchkes. At 100-yen shops you'll find ingenious, well-designed goods you probably didn't know you needed. Sixty dollars can outfit a kitchen (with teacups, rice bowls, chopsticks and strainers, sponges shaped like kittens, and graters for daikon and wasabi), laundry room (with hampers and hangers) and office (with pens, paper and boxes to hold them), with funds leftover to spoil the kids (toys, elegantly patterned origami paper and erasers shaped like mini-milk cartons or tiny bowls of ramen).

So, if you are in Japan and need to buy something "on the cheap," you should consider the 100-Yen Shops.

Reseda Mufflers & Brakes

Above, my Mustang being worked on while I had breakfast.

Like other things, parts on cars give out after a while.  I had to get a new muffler for my Mustang this morning.

Before going to a muffler shop, I checked around on the Internet for a recommended muffler shop.  I found several and Reseda Mufflers & Brakes was one of the recommended shops.

I got there around ten o'clock this morning and they had me out of there in 45 minutes.  While they did their work, I went across the driveway to a little Mexican restaurant and had an excellent Mexican breakfast of huevos and chorizo (for $5.00).

When the muffler work was done, the bill was under $200, which included the muffler, tail pipe and connector pipe (from the catalytic converter to the muffler), connectors and labor for installation.  I thought they were quite reasonable.  The old tailpipe and connector pipe were "like paper."

If you happen to live in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles County and need muffler/exhaust work, I recommend Reseda Mufflers & Brakes.  They are located at 7444 Reseda Blvd., Unit C, Reseda, California 91335.  Phone (818) 344-4904.

Great Buddha of Kamakura

Above, the Great Buddha of Kamakura.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one is looking for a day-trip from Tokyo, the Great Buddha of Kamakura (or Daibutsu) should be considered.  It is relatively easy to reach from Tokyo by train/bus.

Above, the entrance to the Great Buddha.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Great Buddha is a bronze statue of Amida Buddha that was cast in 1252.  It has a height of 13.35 meters and was originally enclosed in a temple hall.  But due to typhoons and an earthquake, the hall structures were destroyed, leaving the Great Buddha out in the open since 1495.

It is the second tallest Buddha statue in Japan.  The Buddha at Todai-ji Temple in Nara is taller.  The Great Buddha is designated a National Treasure by the Japanese government and is currently under consideration to be named a World Heritage Site.  I visited the Great Buddha in 2004.

Above, my visit to the Great Buddha in 2004.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura has its own website.  To view it, go here.

For information on how to reach the Great Buddha of Kamakura, go here.

Silobreaker Picks Up News On Monster Japan Travel Guide

Above, Miki Hayashi with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan." Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The latest orders of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan are now in the mail as I just got back from the post office.  Thanks to those who are taking advantage of the 20% holiday discount (which goes to Christmas Eve).  [For details on the sale, go here.]

Speaking of the travel guide, I see that Silobreaker.com has posted the news release on the holiday sale.

According to Silobreaker, they are:

Founded in 2005, Silobreaker is an internet and technology company that offers products and services which aggregate, analyze, contextualize and bring meaning to the ever-increasing amount of digital information. 

To view it, go here.

Japan Slips Into Recession

Japan has slipped into a recession according to The Japan Times.

They wrote:

The economy shrank for a second quarter in a row in the quarter ended in September, revised government data said Monday, indicating that a mild recession has begun amid sluggish global demand. 

The Cabinet Office said gross domestic product fell at an annual pace of 3.5 percent in inflation-adjusted terms, unchanged from preliminary data, but it revised the GDP figures for the preceding quarter to a small contraction, matching the textbook definition of a recession.

To read the full story, go here.

Ex-Reliance Group Chair Saul Steinberg Dies

Saul Steinberg, corporate raider and former chairman of Reliance Group Holdings, died Friday at his Manhattan home at age 73.

He is one name from my past.  I worked for insurer Reliance Insurance Company (then under the name of United Pacific/Reliance Insurance Cos.) almost immediately after graduating from California State University, Long Beach in June 1979.  I worked there until 1983.

According to Bloomberg.com:

Steinberg once controlled Reliance Group, a New York-based property and casualty insurer. The firm, listing $12.59 billion in assets and $12.87 billion in debts, filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001 after higher-than-expected workers’compensation costs and other claims. Steinberg resigned as chairman that same year, after stepping down as chief executive officer in 2000 after 32 years at the company.

He was one guy who played Monopoly with real buildings and companies.  The Los Angeles office of United Pacific/Reliance was to move to a Steinberg-owned office building in Glendale in the late-1980s. They moved to a temporary facility while the office was being remodeled.  Before they could move in, Steinberg sold the office building, so they were stuck. The story floating around at the time was that he needed some cash to make a major buy.

To read the full story, go here.

Monster Japan Travel Guide Now Available At Amazon's Brazil and Canada Kindle Stores

Above, Amazon Brazil.

Good news for our Brazilian and Canadian friends!

Amazon is now offering The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan in their Brazilian (Amazon.br) and Canadian (Amazon.ca) Kindle Stores.

I discovered these tonight while reviewing the sales reports for the existing countries.

For Brazil, go here.

For Canada, go here.

Ten Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Skytree Visit

Above, the Tokyo Skytree and the Asahi Beer Hall in December 2010.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you are planning a trip to Tokyo, Japan and plan on a visit to the new Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Desu has ten tips that will help you to get the most out of your Skytree visit.

You may want to save the link or print out the tips and bring them with you.

To see the ten tips, go here.

Christine Nguyen Setting The Record Straight

 Photo courtesy of Christine Nguyen.

Actress/model/spokesperson Christine Nguyen has an article in winter issue of Urban Gentleman Magazine in which she sets the record straight on whether the sex scenes in her movies are real or fake.

She begins it with:

Christine then elaborates on her career and how it has affected her life and family.  It is an interesting read.  Her article is on page 39.

Above, Christine being interviewed by Don Glut at the Boobs & Blood Film Festival.  Photo courtesy of Don Glut.

As many regular readers of this blog know, she and I share that same birthday (February 4) and, strangely, our mothers were both born on March 11.  When she found that out, she exclaimed, "What?!? You and I share the same birthday and our madres share theirs as well? Crazy!"

I interviewed Christine for Monster Island News back in 2009.  To read it, go here.

To read her article, go here.

December 7 Quake Not A Help To Tourism

Above, a view of Odaiba and the Rainbow Bridge from Tokyo Tower.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday's earthquake in Japan was centered in the general area of the March 11, 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.  It registered 7.3 in magnitude and caused a one-meter tsunami.  About 13 people were injured.

The quake's epicenter was about 245 kilometers south-east of Kamiashi at a depth of about 36 kilometers.  Buildings in Tokyo reportedly swayed during the shaker.

The reports that the quake was felt as far south as Tokyo reminded me of my October 2005 vacation to Japan.  One night, a shaker struck while I was in Tokyo.  I wrote about the experience:

A 6.2 earthquake hit around 9:00 PM and shook up Tokyo pretty good. I was relaxing in my hotel room when it hit. Since the epicenter was about 60 miles away, there were no injuries or damage. It was interesting watching the news reports on the quake and seeing it recorded by cameras positioned throughout the city. Nothing like making a Californian feel right at home!

Fortunately, yesterday's quake caused no damage to the Fukushima nuclear power plant that was already damaged in 2011.

Understandably, the quake unnerved people in Japan and raised concerns on tourism to the Tohoku region.  Tourism to Tohoku has been in a slump since the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

A recent survey of Asian travelers found that they remain concerned about big earthquakes and radiation in Japan despite their desire to visit the country.  The survey was conducted by the Development Bank of Japan  The quake of yesterday certainly won't help matters.

"Departures" (2008)

Above, Masahiro Motoki and Ryoko Hirosue.

Death is not a subject that people will immediately gravitate to, but, depending upon how it is handled, can be a subject that just might enlighten and, at the same time, be moving.

The Japanese movie, Departures, deals with the subject of death that is entertaining, enlightening, sad, humorous and touching.  And, it accomplishes this without being morbid (the closest is when an old lady is found two weeks after death).

The movie is about an out-of-work cellist, Daigo Kobayashi (played by Masahiro Motoki) who returns to his hometown with his wife (Ryoko Hirosue) after finding out that his orchestra company he worked for dissolved.

Desperate for work, he is hired as a "Nokanshi," who prepares the bodies of the deceased for burial and entrance into the next life.   Tsutomu Yamazaki plays the senior Nokanshi (“The Boss”). 

He takes the job in secret, fearful that his wife would find this occupation repulsive.  She leaves him after learning the nature of her husband's work, stipulating that she would return once he tenders his resignation.  He doesn't and through his work he goes through a spiritual journey and re-learns joy and the wonders of living.

For Ishiro Honda fans, Departures was filmed in Yamagata prefecture (red area in map at right), where, as author Steve Ryfle tells me, Honda spent his youth.  It is a beautiful place.

Departures won the 2008 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.  

Departures was directed by Yojiro Takita.

I heartily recommend Departures.  My grade: A+.

Captain Company Now Sells Godzilla Figures

Famous Monsters of Filmland's Captain Company has announced they they are now selling Godzilla figures.

To see what they have to offer, go here.

"Battle At Osaka Castle" At JREF

Above, Osaka Castle.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan Reference's (JREF) administrators saw my article at JapanTourist on Ginza-Hibiya and asked me for an article for the JREF Portal.

Since the JapanTourist article is on Tokyo, I looked in my archives to find one away from there.  I settled on Osaka Castle.

It is now posted and titled, "Battle At Osaka Castle."  It focuses on the first sequel to 1954's Godzilla, Godzilla Raids Again (or Godzilla's Counter-Attack), released in the U.S. as Gigantis, The Fire Monster.

They were kind enough to promote The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan along with it.

To view the article, go here.

"The Dark Knight Rises"

Above, Anne Hathaway as Catwoman.  Photo: Legendary Pictures.

We watched The Dark Knight Rises (2012) last night.

Overall, we enjoyed the movie but there's some nagging things I found annoying.  [SPOILER ALERT]

The story takes place eight years after the Joker and Two-Face battles.  Why so long?  I could see it if the story were 2-4 years after (the main characters hadn't aged eight years visually), but eight?

In the beginning of the movie, Bruce Wayne had been a virtual recluse?  That really wasn't explained.  It hardly seems to fit with a character who's a millionaire playboy by nature.

Also, in the beginning, Wayne is walking with the aid of a cane as the cartilage in his knees were worn to nothing.  With his money, why didn't he get treatment for this when the problem first set in?

Also, once he got back into the game as Batman, his medical issues were completely forgotten.   Yes, I know he had a leg device that allowed him to kick a wall to pieces, but while that helped him to chuck the cane, one would think he would still have excruciating pain in his knee joints.

In the comics, Talia (Ra's al Ghul's daughter) was in love with Batman.  Here, she is nothing but a cold-blooded killer willing to nuke Gotham.

This was supposed to be a Batman movie.  There wasn't enough Batman in it.

The things I liked:

Anne Hathaway's portrayal of Selina Kyle/Catwoman (probably the best Catwoman since Julie Newmar).  The cinematography.  The new flying "Bat" thing.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Blake.  Gary Oldman (always good).  Michael Caine.  Tom Hardy was an excellent Bane.  Morgan Freeman.

The first two Christian Bale Batman movies were more satisfying movies.  This one, while enjoyable, not as much.

My grade:  B+.

"The Dark Knight Rises" and Other DVD/Blu-Ray Buys

While running errands today, I made a stop at Fry's Electonics to pick up the new Blu-ray edition of The Dark Knight Rises.  We'll be watching that this evening.

I also picked up a couple of history-related DVDs while at Fry's:

First, I picked up the boxed set (actually, it came in a tin box) of Victory At Sea episodes.  It is a collection of the award-winning NBC series on World War II.  I used to watch this program back in the 1970s.

The next DVD I bought was JFK: Three Shots That Changed America.  It is a very interesting compilation of newsreel and television footage on the coverage of the Kennedy assassination.  I watched it all the way through today.  I was three months shy of being ten years old in November 1963 and it is still a vivid memory.  I remember seeing live on television the arrival of Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base that night and the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald.

One other DVD arrived today.  It was my order of Departures, a 2008 Japanese movie that won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

From DVD Talk.com:

Departures is an unexpected powerhouse. On the surface, it appears as if it'll be a very steady, solemn picture about funerals, death, and the family bond, but instead it becomes something extremely funny and beautifully poignant because of its lightened mood.

Top 10 Holiday Movies To Watch With Your Kids

As we are now in December and the Christmas season, an item showed up on my desk that'll be of interest.

It is the "Top 10 Holiday Movies To Watch With Your Kids."

It starts with:

Since the holidays mean that the kids are home from school, what’s better than using that additional time for a little extra family bonding? If you’ve already been ice skating, have read all the Christmas stories, and are at a loss as to what to do next, why not indulge in a family movie night with some classic holiday favorites? Break out the popcorn and the eggnog and cuddle up with the kids to watch some of these holiday classics, and maybe a few new favorites too.

To see the list, go here.

Re-Order of "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" Arrives

Above, Yuu Asakura with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan."  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My re-order of copies of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan arrived this evening via UPS.  Right on time, as promised!

I had enough copies to cover Christmas discount orders already, but it is better to have too many on hand than not enough.

Now there's enough in stock to cover the holiday orders and the Mad Monster Party convention this coming March 21-23, 2013 in Charlotte, North Carolina.  I will be there with Haruo Nakajima.

2012 Year End Review

Above, space shuttle Endeavour is towed through the streets of Inglewood in October.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

2012 is almost over.  For the most part, the year has been a productive one.  The only real item to mar the year was the failure of Mitt Romney to beat Barack Obama in the November election.  Otherwise, the year has been a good one.

Thankfully, I didn't have to attend any funerals for family members or friends.  Hopefully, this trend will continue through next year.  Knock on wood.  Unfortunately, one friend did pass away.  Comic Frank "Captain Rowdy" Lunney passed away in July.  Thankfully, we re-connected a few years ago.

The year started out with a get-together dinner (photo, left) in January in Burbank with Jerry "Karlos Borloff" Moore, his girlfriend Marta and Don Glut.  Following dinner at a local eatery, we migrated to Glut's and hung out there for a while.

Also in January, I bought table space at the Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention (photo, below right) at the Shrine Exhibition Hall to sell The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.  Despite the rainy weather, which dampened the crowd numbers a bit, we did pretty good as far as sales go.  I was thinking about doing the same this coming January, until I remembered that I now have to work Sundays (the day the show is held).  Oh, well.

In general, sales for the travel guide have been better in 2012 than it was in 2011.  Those sales led me to re-order a new batch from ComiXpress to cover the current holiday sale and next year's Mad Monster Party Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Japan tourism in general has improved over 2011.  As Japan's tourism improved, so has sales of the travel guide.

I started reading my collection of Ian Fleming James Bond books during this period.  I have a couple more to read as I have filled in the gaps in my collection.

My article, "Japan Safe For Monster Fan Tourists" made the rounds around the Internet in March.  It appeared in many websites, travel-related and non-travel-related, including the Anime News Network.

April saw the passing of Dark Shadows great Jonathan Frid, artist Thomas Kinkade, newsman Mike Wallace and American Bandstand's Dick Clark.

I attended this year's Monsterpalooza in Burbank in April.  While there, I had a reunion with friends Barbara & Jerry Weiler, who came in from Las Vegas.  Also at Monsterpalooza, I met actress Caroline Munro, got her autograph and had a photo taken with her (at left).  She still looks great!

In May, The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan received a good review in The Japan Times.




In June, Emi Ito, one of The Peanuts (of Mothra fame) passed away at age 71.  Writer Ray Bradbury died at age 91.

Comic Book writer and columnist Tony Isabella gave a good review of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan in Comics Buyers Guide (photo, right).

In July, I held the first of several yard sales of comic books.  I was pleased to be able to sell quite a number of them.

I donated a copy of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Margaret Herrick Library.  It is now listed and available for researchers.  They were pleased to receive it.

In August, I made available The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan as an ebook at Amazon.com's Kindle Store.  Sales have been good and it is also available at Amazon's foreign sites.  I had been approached by several people about putting it out as an ebook, given the rising popularity of tablet computers.  So I did.  Amazon's ads (example below) for the travel guide are popping up all over the Internet, including in the Drudge Report.

I began my stint as a contributor to a new Japan travel-related website: JapanTourist in August.  My first article appeared in September.

In September, I was invited to join a panel (photo, left) on Japanese robots and monsters at Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  Our panel had a standing-room-only crowd and I sold several copies of the travel guide following the panel.

While at Comikaze, I met the great comic book artist Neal Adams.  His Batman work of the 1970s is considered the "definitive" Batman and his influence on the character is still felt today.  I had a photo taken with him (below).

I am one of those who "never wins anything."  Well, my luck changed as I won a gift certificate to a Japanese restaurant in downtown Los Angeles through Japan Up! magazine.

In October, I trekked down to Inglewood to see the space shuttle Endeavour being towed to the California Science Center.  Figuring the crowds would be smaller in the wee hours of the morning (I was right), I went there at three-thirty and got some photos of the ship.  An estimated one million people witnessed the shuttle in the streets of Inglewood and Los Angeles.

This year's corn harvest has been great.  We made 40% more this year than the year before.  I paid off a lot of bills and bought a few things that I wanted/needed.

Speaking of food, my "roomie" Jes is taking culinary classes and has been making some great dishes.  I am, at least, eating better and healthier with less reliance on fast-food.

Following the election, November has been relatively quiet.  Thus far, December has been the same, except that I had posted an article on "The Battle At Osaka Castle" at Japan Reference's Portal.

Here's to an even better 2013!

Tokyo Retains Title As Culinary Capital

Tokyo retains its title as the culinary capital of the world.

According to a Reuters story:

(Reuters) - Tokyo retained its tasty title as the Michelin guide's world gourmet capital on Wednesday, although the number of three-star restaurants fell slightly. 

This is the sixth consecutive year the capital of food-obsessed Japan has been awarded top honours by the publishers of a guide book regarded by many as a fine-dining resource. 

Tokyo was also lauded for having the most restaurants bearing three-stars -- the Michelin guide's top honour -- even though the number slipped to 14 from 16 last year. 

"Japanese gourmet cooking is even more creative, inspired and inventive than in the past," said Michelin Ellis, international director of the Michelin guides.

Maybe I can talk my "roomie" into a trip to Tokyo next year as she is a culinary student and do an "Iron Chef" tour.

To read more, go here.

"Godzilla vs. Biollante" Is Days Away

Godzilla vs. Biollante is slated to be available on DVD and Blu-ray at Amazon.com this coming Tuesday (December 4).  Some people have already found it in different stores.

I have my copy of the Blu-ray edition on pre-order at Amazon.  I am in no rush (if there are delays) as I have the old HBO VHS in my library.  So it's not as if I've never seen the movie before.

The movie is the direct sequel to 1984's Return of Godzilla (released in the U.S. as Godzilla 1985 with Raymond Burr added in).  Biollante contains some of the best special effects work by Koichi Kawakita (photo, left with yours truly in 2000).  There is a good reason for this, Godzilla was around 80 meters tall in this movie, so the miniatures were scaled accordingly and are more detailed.  Godzilla's size was bumped up to 100 meters in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991) and this required the change in the scale of the miniatures that did not allow for as much detailing.

Godzilla vs. Biollante is a little plodding in its pacing, but once the monster action starts, it is a very enjoyable movie.  It also introduces the psychic character Miki Saegusa (Megumi Odaka) to the series.

A snippet of the movie was used in the Tim Burton movie, Mars Attacks.

Shibuya Crossing: Then and Now

Kaiju fans are familiar with Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo.  The district has been featured in a number of giant monster movies, most notably in Gamera 3 (1999) and Godzilla x Megaguirus (2000).

The above photo was taken by yours truly in April 2007.

Have you ever wondered what Shibuya looked like in prior years?

Culture Japan at DannyChoo.com has some vintage photos of Shibuya Crossing.  It is interesting to see what the district looked like back then (he has some from 1952) in comparison to now.

To see the photos, go here.  There's some gadgets that will show where the present buildings are on the old photos.

Rick Baker Receives Star On Walk of Fame

Above, David Naughton being transformed by Rick Baker in this display at Monsterpalooza 2012.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Make-up great Rick Baker received a star yesterday on Hollywood's Walk of Fame on Hollywood Blvd.

Examiner.com wrote:

Academy Award winning make-up artist Rick Baker was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame held on November 30, 2012 in Hollywood, California. Baker received the 2,485th star to grace the streets of Hollywood and is located on 6764 Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Guinness World Records Museum.

Congratulations, Rick!

Cluck For Your Buck: JAL Serving Kentucky Fried Chicken On Some Flights

Starting today, some international flights of Japan Airlines will be serving Kentucky Fried Chicken meals, according to Kyodo News.  These will be served until February 28 to destinations from Narita International Airport to New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris and others.

Kyodo News wrote:

The dish consisting of chicken with bones, chicken fillet, bread and coleslaw was jointly produced by JAL and Kentucky Fried Chicken Japan Ltd. to provide easy-to-eat meals for passengers on flights, the air carrier said.

Passengers in premium economy and economy will be served the meals.

Kentucky Fried Chicken is one of the most popular American fast food imports in Japan.  Typically, a statue of Col. Harlan Sanders stands in front of Japanese KFC stores like the one above.

Cluck for your travel buck?