IBT: Surprise! You Can Now Do Tokyo On The Cheap Thanks To 'Abenomics'

Above, Tokyo's Akihabara "electric town."  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For the past several months (give or take), I have been discussing how the devaluation of the Japanese yen would bring more tourists to the country.

Sure enough, when the dollar (and other foreign currencies) began to buy more yen in foreign exchange, the Japanese tourism industry began to take off.

Connor Adams Streets (gotta love that name) wrote an article in the International Business Times on how "Abenomics" has benefited the Japanese economy and is bringing foreign tourists back to Japan.

He begins with:

TOKYO -- Japan’s neon capital has long been known to frugal travelers as an inaccessible destination, one of the most expensive cities in the world, a shining beacon of seaside modernity with futuristic prices to match. 

But the country’s recent economic revival has allowed the Tokyo economy to come back to Earth as new Prime Minister Shinzō Abe’s “Abenomics” reforms have devalued the yen, allowing visitors of meager means to enjoy the city without breaking the bank.

There are some parts of the article I have some disagreement with.  For example, I have never had to pay "$300-plus" for a standard room.  Naturally, if one decides to stay at a five-star hotel, they will pay through the nose. My first trip to Japan back in 2001 had me paying around $54/night at a Tokyo ryokan (Japanese inn) in the Shibuya district as it was reasonable in price and in good proximity to the Tokyo International Film Festival that I was attending. Japan was and is no different than the United States. Bargains can be found if one bothers to take the time to shop around.

I also have to disagree with a (quoted) Japanese businessman who said is was tough for Americans coming to Tokyo ten years ago.  At the time of my first visit, the dollar bought around ¥122 in exchange.

Still, things have greatly improved as the dollar is now fetching around ¥100.  This is a lot better than the ¥77 it bought in exchange back in January 2012.

Despite those quibbles, it is a good article that will give you an idea how much cheaper it is to visit Japan and, most importantly to them, spend!

To read the full article, go here.

Over 700,000 Visitors To Armand's Rancho Del Cielo!

The official count of visitors to his blog has clocked over 700,000!

This count began five years ago when I first started this blog.  The counter that appears on the blog is not an offical tally.

Thanks to all of you who have stopped by. Please patronize the sponsors (i.e., advertisers) of this blog.

Will we hit one million before the end of the year?

Monster Madhouse Launches Blog

Above, Karlos Borloff gets a chest exam by Haruo Nakajima as
Robert Scott Field looks on.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Jerry "Karlos Borloff" Moore announced that the Monster Madhouse television show now has an official blog.

It has been set up under Wordpress.com (I think they should have used Blogger, such as Armand's Rancho Del Cielo does, as Blogger offers more features (in my opinion) and has more attractive layouts) under the name, monstermadhousetv.

According to the blog:

This is the OFFICIAL blog site for the MONSTER MADHOUSE TV SHOW. A television program based on Classic Monster films, Slapstick comedy, over the top MONSTER music videos, cartoons and improvised comedy & artistic wackiness. Monster Madhouse TV show has been on Cable TV in the Washington DC area for over 7 years, hundreds of episodes, and thousands of broadcasts in just about every time slot imaginable. We’ve been broadcast into Millions of homes across the country, including Los Angeles Ca., suburban Chicago, Boston, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Florida and many other areas. The show has won 3 TELLY AWARDS for “Televison Entertainment” and “Production”, over the past several years, and has been featured on many variety & News programs, such as “The Tonight Show, w/ Jay Leno”, FOX News, NBC-TV, ABC-TV, CBS-TV, and others…Monster Madhouse is the wildest, LOUDEST, most Monster filled TV horror host show ever!! Hosted by the Rockin’ loudmouth Monster Cowboy “KARLOS BORLOFF” (Jerry Moore), and his wide assortment of Co-hosts, Monsters, maniacs,Super heroes, aliens, Vampires, gorillas, robots, monster Hunters and musicians… you never know whats gonna happen nest…even WE don’t!! 

Above, Jerry Moore, sans make-up, and Armand .

A link to the monstermadhousetv blog has been added to my blog list.

To access the official Monster Madhouse blog, go here.

A Polarized People

Revised Late 7-15-13.

The state of the Union is not good.

The verdict in the George Zimmerman trial over the death of Trayvon Martin has left people very polarized. Much of the polarization had been fed by the Obama Administration (especially, the "Justice" Department) with their manipulative activities in turning a tragedy into a racial and political one. They were also aided and abetted by the mainstream media (with NBC as the worst offender in broadcasting doctored audio) with their biased and distorted reporting.

Neither Zimmerman or Martin were perfect angels. The situation wasn't handled perfectly by either party. There's a lot of "what ifs" involved.  But, I do firmly believe that Zimmerman had to act, while his head was being slammed against the pavement, in self-defense. The jury agreed. Others agree and disagree with this verdict, but the jury acted in accordance with the law and the evidence that was presented to them. I don't condemn anyone who does not agree with my opinion.

This has gotten friends and acquaintances at odds. Some have even gone so far as to break friendships and "de-friending" people on social media sites (such as Facebook) because they taken have a position in opposition to theirs. I have never broken friendships over politics. I usually refrain from discussing politics with close friends who are decidedly liberal. This was how Henry Fonda and James Stewart, polar opposites politically, were able to maintain their friendship. They never discussed politics.

Anyone with half a brain, who read my blog posts wherein I've stated my opinion on the case, would know that my views were formulated with the actual record of the event, not the distorted media spin (some people claim that Zimmerman "stalked" Martin, this is totally untrue, among other things), and based upon my own experience in working security. Martin and Zimmerman just happened to be going in the same direction. I looked at what the pure evidence showed. If someone could construe that my views of the case came from racism or bigotry, they are just plain full of sh*t.  And, if I post an article on the case, it is usually done without comment by me. If you don't like it, don't read it! It is as simple as that!  I see left wing propaganda posted all the time, I just ignore it and don't read it.  Why can't they do likewise?

It is a sad state of affairs for this to come down in this way. For someone to break a friendship over politics shows a definite intolerant mind. I have been tempted to do so many times, but I just let the other person vent and move on.  Some people feel that free speech is a one-way street.  Sorry, but everyone has as much right to voice their opinions as they do.

It is okay for them to label people as right-wingers, gun nuts, racists, etc.  But should someone retort with "liberal moron," they get their panties in a bunch and have coronaries!  It is the old "they can dish it out, but can't take it" thing.

I have liberal (or "leftie" friends).  We razz each other on occasion.  It is all done in good humor.  We still manage to get along.

One "lib" friend wrote:

• Armand, you and I go back a couple of years from other sites....your extreme viewpoints have caught my attention on very many occasions. You no doubt think of me as a left wing, flaming liberal commie pinko wacko. If you don't I am shocked.
  
  And we have crossed swords a time or two have we not? In fact I am often surprised you have NOT unfriended me...but I figure that's because you're a decent enough man to understand that it takes all kinds to make a world and even if you don't like it one little bit, you accept that other opinions are a part of the landscape.
  
  At least that is what I think about you. I don't always like what you say, but I do like you, that's plenty enough for me to listen. I hope you don't unfriend me for this radical thought...but if you do....who needs ya? *LOL*...

No, I don't think of the writer as a "left wing, flaming liberal commie picko wacko."  Wrong-headed, perhaps.  She is right, except that my viewpoints are not extreme, they are mainstream.  My problem with the Obama Democrats are that they are systematically dismantling this country and are trying to turn it into a socialistic "utopia," something the founders never intended. ObamaCare is a train wreck that is about to happen. That's what I oppose.

The bottom line is, I guess some people just aren't mature enough to tolerate other people's opinions. Very sad.

Grow up, people!

It's Back!

Today, I was reading about the "pressure" being put on Eric Holder's Department of Justice to pursue federal charges against George Zimmerman (who was acquitted yesterday of all charges in the death of Trayvon Martin).

Guess what popped up with the Miami Herald's article?

Here's a screen shot:

What You Can Do to Survive a Plane Crash

Above, flying over the San Gabriel Mountains and headed to the Mojave Desert.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over the years, the topic of where is/are the safest place(s) to sit in a plane to reduce your risk of injury or death in a crash has come up. Topic of fear if flying came up between a friend and I just the other day.

She wrote:

If there is turbulence, I'm convinced the plane will fall out of the sky and we're done for.  I wish they would just authorize the stewardesses to shoot a tranquilizer dart into people like me so that we wake up at the final destination. 

Some fears are a bit extreme (although I've been on a couple of "white-knuckle" flights, most notably one in 1976 while flying to Las Vegas and I likely turned green) and although the fact that flying is considered the safest mode of transportation, those people won't be dissuaded from their fears.

Some say that the safest places to be seated are the rows even with the wings, while others say the seats in the tail section are the safest.  Who is right?

Peter Greenberg has an article of reducing your risk of injury or death and what to do to survive a plane crash.

Greenberg starts it with:

Even though plane crashes are statistically uncommon, they are widely feared. Take comfort in the numbers, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports that only 1 in 1.2 million flights resulting in an accident. For additional reassurance, the NTSB noted that there was a 95 percent survival rate in plane crashes from 1983 to 2000. Even though the odds are in your favor, it is good to be prepared. You can even take a few measures to ensure your safety. Choosing a seat, staying alert, and being informed are all steps to ensuring survival.

To view the full article, go here. 

Tokyo Attractions For Olympics

Above, at the Imperial Palace.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The anticipation is building for the possibility of Tokyo being the venue for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Sports Features.com has an article on things to see in Tokyo should the city get chosen to host the games:

Should Tokyo get the International Olympic Committee (IOC) nod to host the 2020 summer Games there will be plenty of cultural things to see in the city. Tokyo is bidding against Madrid and Istanbul to host the Olympics. 

Shrines and buildings from long before the electric light are often nestled in parks and quiet places away from the bustle. Here are a few notable places that will take you back to an earlier era.

To view the full article, go here. 

Zimmerman Found Not Guilty!

The jurors in the George Zimmerman trial have reached a verdict.

The Miami Herald reported:

SANFORD -- After five weeks of trial and 56 witnesses, few legal observers believed prosecutors came close to proving Sanford neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman committed second-degree murder when he shot and killed Trayvon Martin in February 2012. 

So for many legal analysts, it was no surprise that jurors rejected even a lesser “compromise” verdict of manslaughter, acquitting Zimmerman outright of all criminal charges and deciding he acted in a reasonable way to protect his own life.

I think it was the right verdict in this case. The injuries Zimmerman sustained proved his contention that he acted in self-defense.

To read the full story, go here.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/13/3499114/state-never-proved-its-case-legal.html#storylink=cpy

Q Front Has A Bigger Screen

Thanks to Neo-Tokyo and others at this message board, we now know that a new screen has been installed at the Q Front building at Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo (across from the Hachiko exit of Shibuya Station).

Here's Neo-Tokyo's shot of the screen during (I presume) a test:

Above, the new screen on the Q Front building (right) at Shibuya Crossing.  Photo by Neo-Tokyo.

Chinese Wonder Why Japan Doesn't Hate America For The A-Bombs

Above, the A-Bomb Dome in Hiroshima.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

JapanToday posted an interesting article.  It is on the bewilderment of the Chinese who ask, "Why doesn't Japan hate America for dropping the a-bombs?

According to the article:

TOKYO —History has a way of creating awkward situations for future generations. I can’t think of how many times I’ve attempted friendly conversation by asking a Japanese local where they’re from and been blindsided by the answer, “Hiroshima.” I, with my American perspective, will then fall into this comically long pause as I wonder how appropriate it would be to apologize on behalf of my country for turning their city to dust, but the fact of the matter is that most Japanese people bear absolutely no grudge towards America for the atomic bombings of World War II. 

Apparently this is difficult for some Internet users in China to comprehend, as there was recently a thread on one of the country’s most popular bulletin board sites asking “Why doesn’t Japan hate the USA for bombing them with two atomic weapons?” 

Interestingly, when I visited the Hiroshima Peace Museum, the displays dealt with the a-bomb attack on the city as "matter-of-fact" without any anti-American propaganda (at least none that I could see).  Likewise, the similar museum in Nagasaki also dealt with the a-bomb attack in the same way.

Above, the Fountain of Peace in Nagasaki's Peace Park.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In my view, I think we are on good terms with Japan because of they way we treated them during the occupation years. They were treated with respect and in friendship. We got to know the average Japanese citizen and they got to know us.

In my visits to Japan, I never met with any hostility.  Quite the contrary, the Japanese are very friendly and, despite their formal image, are quite fun-loving.

To read the full article, go here.

Boston Globe: "First impressions of Japan — meaningful or cliché?"

Above, Matsushima Bay islets.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Boston Globe's website posted an article on travelers' first impressions of Japan, "First impressions of Japan — meaningful or cliché?"

In the article, Sebastian Smee (interesting name) writes:

Six days later, I was back home with my family in Boston, pulling perfectly wrapped presents out of my bag, blurting out descriptions of all I had seen, and holding forth on the subject of all things Japanese. I was on a high. What had happened? Something that happens, it turns out, with dismaying regularity to first-time visitors to Japan. 

They go there, however briefly, and fall heavily for it: the exquisiteness of the Japanese aesthetic, the food, the obsession with beautiful wrapping, the apparent formality (the incessant bowing and all that ceremonial swapping of business cards), the kinky fashion, everything at once familiar and rarefied, ordered, humble, in harmony, and properly scaled to human vicissitudes.

They come back, rave about it, and long for their own lives to take on some of these qualities. They buy kimonos and fans; they divide their rooms with screens; they take up bonsai-growing; they prepare sushi in their own kitchens. 

It’s all an enormous cliché. And I fell for it, or most of it. The only consoling thing? It’s happened before.

To read the full article, go here.

Caroline Kennedy To Become U.S. Ambassador To Japan, You Know?

Kyodo News is reporting:

Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy and a strong backer of President Barack Obama, will become ambassador to Japan, sources close to Japan-U.S. relations said Friday.

Is Caroline Kennedy the best we have to become U.S. ambassador to Japan?!  She really dazzled the world a few years ago when she wanted to be appointed to the United States Senate.  She couldn't articulate her way out of a paper bag!

Hell, I and many others in kaiju fandom are more qualified to be ambassador to Japan than she is.

How do you say "You know?" in Japanese?

Yeesh!

To read more, go here.

NTSB Intern Responsible For Racist Asiana Crew Names

A Bay Area television station is in hot water for broadcasting false and racist names of crew members of the Asiana Boeing 777 that crashed at San Francisco International Airport.

According to the Hollywood Reporter:

Bay Area TV station KTVU, whose initial video footage of the Boeing 777 crash that left three dead and many wounded on Sunday was carried by major networks, is in hot water for falsely reporting the names of the Asiana Airlines pilots.  

The news outlet has subsequently apologized for the report but maintained that those names were confirmed by "an NTSB official in the agency’s Washington, D.C., office," a statement on the station's website read. 

The NTSB did confirm that they were the source for the names, but they originated from a summer intern.

See this story for the NTSB's apology.

Yes, this is definitely going into the Ron Burgundy Hall of Fame!

Here is the actual broadcast:

NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building

Above, a view of the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building from Harajuku, Tokyo.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I first took notice of this building in the Bill Murray/Scarlett Johansson feature, Lost In Translation (2003) and wondered what building it was.

It is the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo.

According to Wikipedia, construction of the building started in 1997 and completed in 2000.

More from Wikipedia:

The NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building (NTTドコモ代々木ビル NTT Docomo Yoyogi Biru^?) is a skyscraper located in the Shibuya in Tokyo, Japan. At 240 metres (790 ft) tall, it is the third tallest building in Tokyo. After the installation of a clock in 2002, the building became the tallest clock tower in the world,^[1][2] but was surpassed in 2011 by the Mecca Royal Hotel Clock Tower in Saudi Arabia.

The NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building is owned by the NTT Docomo group. Despite the building's name, it is not the head office for the company, whose headquarters are located in the top floors of the Sannō Park Tower. The building houses some offices, but is mainly used to house technical equipment (switching equipment, etc.) for the company's cellular telephone service.

Above, a view of Harajuku Station with the NTT Docomo Yoyogi
Building looming in the background.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

JapanVisitor's Kyoto Travel Guide

Above, Kinkaku-ji "Golden Pavilion."  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the most impressive cities in Japan is Kyoto.

I visited Kyoto in 2004 and found it a very beautiful city and rich in ancient Japanese culture. There are shrines and temples galore. Thankfully, Kyoto was spared from bombing attacks during World War II.

JapanVisitor has posted their Kyoto Travel Guide.

They begin it with:

Being the ancient capital of Japan, Kyoto is a paradise full of marvellous remnants of its former glory. Ancient temples, exquisite gardens and shrines are just a few of the many attractions that the city has to offer. What you will find in our Kyoto travel guide would be of immense value to the traveller who seeks to have a memorable time in fascinating Kyoto. Our Kyoto guide will offer you up to date and useful information on all that is relevant in the city of Kyoto.

Above, the JR Kyoto Station.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For kaiju fans, Kyoto was visited by both Godzilla and Gamera (but not at the same time).  Godzilla was the first in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II in 1993.  Gamera arrived in 1999 in Gamera 3.  Kyoto is spotlighted in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan on page 43.

Godzilla threatened Kiyomizu-dera and blasted Kyoto Tower while Gamera battled against Irys inside of Kyoto Station.

Read more: http://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-city-guides/city-guide-kyoto#ixzz2YqJt1EFC

A Chat With My Page Mate

I had a nice little chat with singer Christina Aguilera this evening.

I found her to be nice and charming with no "uppity" star attitude.  She seemed pretty down-to-earth. I told her about the Metropolis magazine pages we shared (above) in 2011 in Japan.  Her driver will let me know if she would like a copy since I have extras.

Anime Expo Announces Record Attendance For AX 2013

Source: Anime Expo News Release

LOS ANGELES, CA, July 11th, 2013 – Anime Expo celebrated its twenty-second year with a record 61,000 unique attendees, and turnstile attendance of over 161,000 for the annual Japanese pop culture convention, held July 4th - 7th, 2013 in Los Angeles.

This year's highlights included a packed show at Club Nokia for the legendary Japanese rock band PORNOGRAFFITTI, an appearance by George Wada, producer of the wildly popular series “Attack on Titan”, fashion shows from a number of popular Gal brands from Shibuya, and Anime Expo's first “Shinjuku Masquerade Ball”.

Anime Expo also introduce its Cosplay Participation Area for the first time, offering cosplay photo sets featuring a classroom scene, Sakura grove, a futuristic spaceship interior, and more. Cosplayers eagerly descended on the photo environments, which were part of the larger “Entertainment Hall”, which also featured cosplay meet-ups. Table Top and eGaming, and an arcade.

The convention also played host to the North American premieres of “Garden of Words”, “Ghost in the Shell ARISE”, “Kick-Heart!!”, and “Star Blazers 2199”.

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation would like to thank all of our attendees, Guests of Honor, industry guests and partners, and sponsors for making Anime Expo 2013 possible. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Los Angeles for Anime Expo 2014, to be held July 3rd – 6th, 2014.

About Anime Expo
Hosted annually in Los Angeles, Anime Expo is North America's largest celebration of Japanese culture. Anime Expo 2014 will be held July 3 - 6, 2014 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. To register, or for more information, please visit the Anime Expo website.

About the SPJA
The SPJA ("Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation") is a non-profit organization whose mission is to popularize and educate the American public about Japanese entertainment culture, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. For more information, please visit the SPJA website.

"The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" Ordering Update

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

Outside of the dealers (information available in this blog on the right) who are carrying the print edition of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan, the only other place to obtain a copy is through me. This was made necessary after ComiXpress.com decided to cease business back in May.

I have updated this page with new ordering information, including a handy-dandy order form in .pdf format. Simple, eh?

To order, all you have to do is print this order form, complete it and send it to the address as posted here in "Godzilla green." That's it!

I have plenty of copies available as I ordered a big supply earlier this year.

Japan Relaxes Visa Requirements To Draw More Asian Tourists

Above, the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan is taking steps in effort to boost tourism from other Asian countries.

The Tokyo Times reported:

Japan has relaxed visa requirements for tourists from several Southeast Asian countries, in its attempt to boost local tourism. 

The initiative marks 40 years of ties between Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), an economic organisation of ten countries located in Southeast Asia.

One favorite stop for Asian visitors on the route of a popular Tokyo tourism bus, the "Sky Hop Bus," is the Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa section of Tokyo along with the shops on Nakamise Street that leads to the temple.

To read more, go here.

"Land of Kaiju" Alphabet Book & Card Set

Visitors at the upcoming Comic Con International in San Diego will be able to pick up the "Land of Kaiju" alphabet book and card set.

This is a collection of Japanese-styled,  kaiju-flavored creatures that Chet Phillips created.  The creatures inhabit an alphabet book in alliteration form.  It is a hand-bound, limited edition book. The card set presents 24 of the creatures with additional biographical info on the reverse and packaged in a Japanese styled paper portfolio, signed with gold foil stamp.

Book and card sets will be available next week at the San Diego Comic Con in the Small Press area - Booth O-1 (across from Oni Press.)

For details on the "Land of Kaiju" alphabet book and card set, go here.

More About Cheap Flights To Japan

Above, the torii gate and the Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island near Hiroshima.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This is certainly timely, given my post of yesterday about finding low airfares to Japan.

JapanVisitor has an article on "Cheap Flights To Japan," which is useful to those who want to take a vacation trip to Japan but don't want to take out a second mortgage to do so.

They begin it with:

The best way to find cheap flights to Japan is online with a flight comparison booking site or with an online travel agent. Try our Japan flight comparison wizard below. 

Airfares to Japan are seasonal with the highest prices being around the Japanese holiday periods of Golden Week in late April and early May and Obon in mid-August, as well as Christmas and New Year. 

Flights into Tokyo's two major airports of Narita and Haneda are generally cheaper than the more regional Kansai International Airport (KIX), Chubu International Airport (Centrair), Fukuoka Airport or Chitose Airport (Sapporo).

Remember, "knowledge is power" and the more you know about finding bargain airline tickets, the better off your wallet will be.

Read more: http://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-travel/cheap-flights-to-japan#ixzz2YerbDfXc

Round-Trip Airfare Bargains To Japan Can Still Be Found!

Above, the Godzilla statue in Hibiya.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that the summer vacation season has started, the news from Tokyo on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and Japanese yen couldn't have come at a better time.

The dollar is now just over 101 yen, which is the best in several weeks.

Although it has been a slow climb, the dollar's rise is great news for people who are considering a vacation this summer to Japan.

The only "fly in the ointment" is the seasonal price rise of airfares to Japan.   But, if one is patient enough and takes the time to look around, bargains can still be found.

Just right now, I found round-trip tickets to Narita International Airport (NRT) from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for $768.00 (not including taxes or fees) aboard Delta Airlines with a July 20 departure and an August 3 return (dates I picked at random) through GatewayLAX ticket agency. The price was for one stop, so if you don't mind a layover to save money (anywhere between $200-$800 and up), this may be just the thing for you. I've seen some fare prices of over $3,500 for a round-trip!

About GatewayLAX:

GatewayLAX, located in downtown Los Angeles, has been in business for more than 25 years. We specialize in discount Asia travel to and from, cheap tickets to Tokyo, Thailand, Philippines, and the rest of Asia subcontinent, Europe. U.S. Domestic, and other countries.

Yes, GatewayLAX does handle domestic airfares. Besides using GatewayLAX for several trips to Japan, I've used them for tickets to Chicago and Charlotte.

 This is a good time to get off the sofa and travel to the Land of the Rising Sun!  Godzilla beckons!

"Pacific Rim" Resurrects The Kaiju Film

Above, a movie theater with the King of the Monsters on the marquee in 1956.

JapanToday picked up an AP article, "Pacific Rim Resurrects The Kaiju Film."

In it, the article states:

NEW YORK —The appeal of “Pacific Rim” isn’t complicated. 

Like the kind of boyhood fantasy that delights in flying men and relishes dreams of dinosaurs, “Pacific Rim,” the latest film from director Guillermo Del Toro, is predicated on the simple, childlike thrill of seeing big ol’ robots and big ol’ monsters slug it out. 

But while summer spectacles have grown ever larger in recent years, the monster movie - the original city-smashing genre - has mostly ceded the multiplexes to superheroes and more apocalyptic disaster films. But 14 years after Roland Emmerich’s forgettable “Godzilla” remake, Del Toro’s “Pacific Rim” constitutes a large-scale attempt to bring Japan’s beloved Kaiju movies - their monster films, of which Ishiro Honda’s 1954 “Godzilla” is the most famous - to American shores. 

“Monsters have always spoken to a part of me that is really, really essential,” Del Toro, the Mexican director of the Oscar-nominated “Pan’s Labyrinth,” said in a recent interview. “All of my life, I felt out of place. The tragedy of every monster in every movie is that they are out of place. That’s the essential plight of monsters.”

To read the article, go here. 

San Diego Gearing Up For "Godzilla"

Above, a capture of Godzilla taken at last year's Comic Con by an attendee.  

With this year's San Diego Comic Con just around the corner, news (and speculation) are hitting the Internet on the upcoming Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. Godzilla.

Dread Central has some photos of the movie's "the hot zone." To view them, go here.

Cinema Blend.com has photos of a San Diego warehouse all decorated with (it is presumed) Godzilla claw marks.  To see them, go here.

Los Angeles Flyaway Expansion

Since I reside in the Los Angeles area, whenever I fly to somewhere out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), I make use of the Flyaway bus shuttle service.

The Flyaway I use is the Van Nuys Flyaway.  The rates for the round-trip bus from Van Nuys and LAX is very reasonable as is the daily parking rate in the enclosed parking structure.

There's good news for travelers who live near the La Brea Station of Metro Rail's Exposition Line.

The Flyaway has expanded to include shuttle buses from the La Brea Station to LAX.  Flyaway buses bound for the airport leave La Brea Station every two hours between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.  The return trip leaves Terminal 1 every two hours between 7:00 a.m. and 11 p.m.  Introductory one-way fares cost $6.00 each way (the price will increase in January by $1.00).

 

For more information, call (866) 435-9529 or www.lat.ms/1402VN6.

L.A. Times Travel Section Airfares To Tokyo

Above, the arrival lobby of Terminal One of Narita Airport.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It has been a while since I've checked, so I snagged a copy of the Sunday, July 7 Los Angeles Times Travel section to see what they are saying are the current airline fare prices for Tokyo (NRT).

Their price checks include the Sabre reservation system, airlines and the Web.  They say that the price variances are due to the "differing fuel surcharges on different airlines."

The prices they found range from $912 to $1,169 for round-trips.

It is likely that people on their own can find lower airfares, as I have in the past.

McDonagh's "Ten Greatest Enemies of Godzilla"

Above, a Godzilla prop from "Godzilla x Megaguirus" at the Bandai Museum.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Ray McDonagh has posted at Listverse his list of the "Ten Greatest Enemies of Godzilla."

Before going into his ten greatest enemies list, he begins it with:

With the release of Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pacific Rim’ just around the corner, as well as the announcement that a new Godzilla movie is in the works and due in 2014, it seems that giant-monster fever is at an all-time high. 

Being a huge fan of Toho Universe’s creations, I’ve decided to put together a list of the top 10 villainous monsters from the Godzilla franchise.

To see who are McDonagh what considers Godzilla's ten greatest enemies, go here. 

JapanVisitor Guide To Fukuoka City

Above, a view of Fukuoka City from the observation floor of Fukuoka Tower.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those wishing to visit Fukuoka in Kyushu to see the Fukuoka Tower, featured in Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla (1994), and the Fukuoka Yahoo! Dome, featured in Gamera, Guardian of the Universe (1995), JapanVisitor has posted a guide to things to see and do in the city.

Both of those sites have been spotlighted by yours truly, most recently at JapanTourist and in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

To see the JapanVisitor guide to Fukuoka, go here.