International Travel: To Tip Or Not To Tip

Above, a Tokyo taxi. No tip is expected or required. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Every country has their own customs concerning business transactions. That extends right down to whether or not to tip a cab driver, waiter (or waitress), barmaid or anyone else.

In many countries, gratuities are added into the price of a meal. Some have even outlawed tipping.

TravelDailyNews has an article on the subject of international tipping.

They begin with:

Tipping while travelling can be confusing, differs by country and doesn’t always depend on service quality. Wego, the leading travel search site in the Asia Pacific and Middle East, revealed where and when you should tip while on the road.

In Japan, there is no tipping.

“Knowing which countries where you should leave a tip is just as important as knowing which countries not to,” said Joachim Holte, Chief Marketing Officer for Wego. 

“In Argentina for example, tipping is actually illegal, however, waiters often expect to be tipped by foreigners so if you were to tip, discretion is advised. In the US, low wage earners in the service industry are reliant on tipping to balance out their income, yet in Romania, tips are often declined and in Japan, tipping is considered offensive.” 

The article has a nice graphic from Wego. You may want to right-click it and save it for future reference.

In case you're in Japan and forget what the tipping customs there are, The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan covers tipping on page 9.

To read the article, go here.

Harvest Time

Harvest season is now upon us. This means that farmers across American are harvesting their 2014 crops and getting them to market.

Concerning corn, prices are down (about $3.47/bushel) thanks to a big supply, which places downward pressure on corn prices. Prices were also down last year, but since the crop yield was very good (this year will be about the same or even better than last year), this helped to make up for the low prices. It should be about the same this year. Two years ago, prices were about double of what they are now.

Next year, we have to contend with and make decisions on new Dept. of Agriculture programs that were enacted in the 2014 Farm Bill.

Farmers in Nebraska and around the country also have to contend with the Environmental Protection Agency's "Waters of the U.S." rule. Farm experts say that this rule will be harmful to the nation's farms and will “cause cost increases, confusion and uncertainty to agricultural producers.” See this article for more. That's what happens when left wing lunatics are in charge of the federal government.

Dave Bautista Lands James Bond Henchman Role

Above, Dave Bautista.

It looks like the producers of the James Bond movie franchise have found their henchman for James Bond 24 (scheduled to begin filming December 6). The actual movie title will be announced later.

According to Latino-Review, the call went out for a man over 6'2" tall, with a sports background and the age range of 30-45 to play a character in the same mold as Oddjob (Goldfinger) and Jaws (The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker) by the name of Hinx.

Latino-Review wrote:

Seems like the found their guy because according to sources, Dave Bautista, mega hot off his career making role as Drax The Destroyer in Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy, has bagged the role of HINX in the upcoming Bond 24!

They also report that locations for Bond 24 include Austria, Rome and possibly Morocco. Daniel Craig returns as James Bond and the movie will be directed by Skyfall director Sam Mendes.

According to Screen Rant, the movie aims to complete the Skyfall story. 

Pick-Ups By Two

The good folks at The Japan Daily and the Asakusa Times picked up several of today's blog posts for sharing with their readers.

At The Japan Daily, they include:

To read The Japan Daily, go here.

And, at the Asakusa Times, they picked up:

To read the Asakusa Times, go here.

Forbes: T-Mobile Is Best Bet, Home & Abroad (Including Japan)

Above, the T-Mobile girl.

In the past, cell phone users from the U.S. were unable to use their phones in Japan (with rare exceptions) due to system differences. All that has changed, according to an article in Forbes.com.

According to the article, credit for all this has to be given to T-Mobile:

The sea change occurred when they introduced truly unlimited texting and data worldwide as part of their very reasonably priced Simple Choice plan, plus much lower voice rates. That’s it: no changing SIM cards, no having a different number abroad, same phone, same number, same plan, same service, at no extra cost. It sounded too good to be true but now that I’ve used it several times in different countries, it is the real deal, smooth as silk, really no different from being in the US (except there is often even better coverage). The plan works in over 120 countries, and from all of them, if you do make voice calls, they cost a flat rate of 20 cents a minute.

T-Mobile didn't stop there, they have now introduced a new service, "Wi-Fi Unleashed" that will further revolutionize international phone service:

Just last week [Note: the article was posted September 18], the company announced its new “Wi-Fi Unleashed” program, under which every single smartphone it sells, regardless of brand, will offer free Wi-Fi calling and texting capability.

To verify that Japan was one of the countries that T-Mobile's services will cover, I checked here and this it what T-Mobile came up with:

To read the full Forbes article, go here.

Top 20 Reasons To Visit Tokyo

Above, the main gate to Asakusa's Nakamise Dori and Sensoji Temple. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For quite some time, it seems that most, if not all, travel-oriented websites have their lists of things to see and do at different places. They usually consist of someone's "top five," "top ten" or "top twenty" lists of restaurants, attractions or even cities. I was recently tasked to provide the "top five monster attack locations in Tokyo" by Metropolis magazine (proof that even I wasn't immune to it).

The latest comes from Australia's Traveller.com.au. There, the writer, Julie Miller, gives her "top twenty reasons to visit Tokyo."

She begins her list with:

No one mixes tradition with off-the-wall quirkiness quite like the Japanese. 

I have no disagreement with any of her list items. I have seen or done most of them.

To see the list, go here.

Sasse For U.S. Senate: "That's Nebraska" Video

The Ben Sasse For U.S. Senate campaign has released this campaign video:

NHK, Japan's "Electronic Yakuza"

Above, hotels like the Niigata Dormy Inn may be socked with NHK fees
by the number of televison sets at their facility. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Suppose you're sitting at home reading the newspaper or book (or just napping) and you get a knock on your front door. You answer the door and find standing there a representative from Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The person says that since you own a television set or other device that can receive signals from PBS (whether or not you even watch the local PBS station), you have to pay them a fee and sign a contract.

Sounds crazy, right? Well, that's the situation in Japan when it comes to their version of PBS, NHK.

Recently, a court ruled that a Yokohama resident is legally obligated to pay NHK a fee, regardless of the fact that no contract with NHK was ever entered. But that's what the court ruled.

If you thought that was extreme, another court is taking things way beyond that ruling.

The Tokyo District Court ruled that a hotel management company (who runs three hotels) must enter into a contract with NHK and pay "overdue" licensing fees in proportion to the number of rooms each hotel contains. For residents, the fees are paid by household, not by the number of television sets or devices capable of receiving the NHK signal.

How much do they have to pay? Here's what Rocket News 24 reported:

According to the Asahi Digital, the hotels have approximately 280 rooms with television sets, along with units in the dining area and other locations. Taking these numbers into account, the total unpaid licensing fees that the hotels’ management company must pay adds up to a staggering 6.21 million yen (US$57,851).

If I were the hotel management company, I would definitely file an appeal.

You know what will happen if this ruling is allowed to stand? Japan's hotels in the same situation would pass on the cost of the NHK fees to their guests by raising their room rates.

To read the full article, go here.

"Adventures of Superman" Plaque Dedication Jack Larson Video

Nearly two months ago, a plaque dedication was held in Tarzana, Californa.

In a brief video shot by L.A. Daily News staff photographer John McCoy, actor Jack Larson talks about being signed to play Daily Planet cub reporter Jimmy Olsen in the Adventures of Superman:

Shopping In Tokyo

Above, Shibuya 109 is one of the places listed
 by Tokyoing.net. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the favorite past times for travelers, no matter where they go on vacation, is to shop for things for themselves or souvenirs for family members or friends.

Japan has no shortage of places to shop at. Tokyoing.net has a list of places in the Tokyo area that they consider to be the prime places to shop while in Tokyo.

To see the list (Warning: it is four pages long!), go here.

Tokyo Cheapo: 3 Cheapo Ideas For A Rainy Day In Tokyo

Above, one idea is to visit a mall. The Broadway Mall in Nakano
should be on your itinerary anyway. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With my last trip to Japan earlier this year, I have now visited the country in each of the four seasons. In every season, I have encountered rain there at one time or another. It is just the way it is.

But, as an article posted by Tokyo Cheapo points out, one shouldn't allow rain to dampen one's activities in exploring the city.

They have three suggestions for things to do should the city be hit with a rainstorm. One of their suggestions is what a kaiju fan should include in their itinerary anyway.

They begin with:

Put away that teruterubouzu (a Japanese rain repelling charm) and embrace the drizzly day. Due to Tokyo’s densely packed buildings, you can do almost anything in the rain with one umbrella. But everybody knows opening and closing your umbrella every time you enter and exit a building is a hassle, so take this opportunity to try some activities that will keep you dry and entertained. Here are three recommendations of what to do and where to go.

To see what they suggest, go here.

Harlan Ellison Suffers Stroke

Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool news Tweeted that "speculative fiction" writer Harlan Ellison has suffered a stroke. Others had Tweeted that Ellison's stroke occurred on Thursday.

His most recent Tweet said:

The Latest Pick-Ups

The great folks at The Japan Daily picked up several blog posts from yesterday for sharing with their readers.

They include:

To read The Japan Daily, go here.

Top 3 Japan Restaurants As Chosen By Travelers

Above, inside of an Asakusa sushi restaurant. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan, besides being a place of rich culture, is also a "foodie's paradise."

Rocket News 24 has an article on the top three restaurants in Japan that were picked by users of TripAdvisor.

They wrote:

Between the country’s natural beauty and historic sites, there are plenty of things to see on a trip to Japan. Eventually, though, you’re going to have to take a break from sightseeing in order to eat, and even then you’re in luck, since Japan is a foodie’s paradise. 

But while it’s true that Japan is filled with great restaurants, only one can be at the top of travelers’ dining wish list, as decided by users of travel website Trip Advisor in a recent ranking of where they want to eat in Japan.

One of the restaurants, not surprisingly, is near the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo.

To see the three favorite restaurants by Trip Advisor readers, go here.

Monster Japan Travel Guide Amazon Ebook Ad Making Rounds Again

The Amazon Kindle Store ad for the ebook edition of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan is making the rounds again.

Below is a snapshot from tonight's Drudge Report. The ad popped up at another place tonight.

Latest Pick-Ups

The fine folks at The Japan Daily picked up several of yesterday's blog posts for sharing with their readers.

They include:

To read The Japan Daily, go here.

The Olympics Transformed Tokyo

Above, the modern Japanese high-tech toilet may not be around today if it weren't for the 1964 Olympics. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Japan Times has an interesting article on how the 1964 Olympic Games transformed Tokyo into a modern megalopolis by Robert Whiting, who lived in Japan at the time.

Whiting's article is introduced with the following:

The 1964 Tokyo Olympics had a profound impact on the capital city and the nation. In the opening installment of a five-part series that will run during the next two weeks, best-selling author Robert Whiting, who lived in Japan at the time, takes a look back at the preparations for the event.

One of the interesting things about the Tokyo of old is that they didn't very many sewers. New sewer lines had to be built to accommodate flush toilets. At the time, the prevalent toilets in use were the "scoop and dispose" variety, which had their own set of problems according to the article.

Whiting wrote:

A half century later, Tokyo would be justifiably famous for its high-tech toilets, with their automated lids, water jets, blow-dry functions and computer analyses, that headlined an impressive sewage system. But in that era, despite the frantic rebuilding, less than a quarter of the city’s 23 sprawling wards had sewage systems at all, making Tokyo one of the world’s most primitive (and odiferous) megalopolises. 

How times have changed!

Also, our favorite Mothra shobijin, The Peanuts, get a mention in the article.

To read the full article, go here.

Monster Japan Travel Guide Orders Filled...Plus

Above, Armand at the Toho Studios Godzilla statue.

In addition to one more, the previously-mentioned orders of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan have been mailed to those wise people who are taking advantage of the clearance sale of the guide. It is currently selling for $9.95 (plus $2.00 shipping & handling), which is $5.05 off the cover price. The sale will continue while supplies last. Go here for ordering information (including a handy PayPal button).

However, unless I get the second edition done early enough, I will need to put some copies of the current edition in reserve as plans are currently being formulated for me to head north to the San Francisco Bay Area early next year to give a presentation talk on visiting Japan and doing your own stomping around in Godzilla's (and others) stomping grounds. It is not certain if I can get the second edition done in time.

Once things are finalized, I will make an announcement.

Japan To Be Hit By Super Typhoon Vongfong

Yikes! Japan just was hit by one typhoon this past week, now the country is to be hit again by another, and much more powerful typhoon this coming Monday.

According to TravelPulse:

This typhoon season is taking its toll on Japan’s well-known ability to face crisis calmly. Just a few days after mostly dodging a major crisis from Typhoon Phanfone, now Japan is facing what meteorologists are calling the year’s strongest cyclone. Thankfully early reports suggest the storm will lose much of its steam over the coming weekend before hitting Japan, though it will bring torrential winds and rain when it hits on Monday.

It is said that Vongfong is the strongest storm on earth since last year's Typhoon Haiyan.

To read more, go here.

Japan's New Duty-Free System For Travelers

Above, amid the forest of stores in Akihabara, Tokyo, is a duty-free store. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As reported previously, Japan has expanded items on their duty-free list for foreign travelers.

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has posted a notice on this along with a tutorial video that provides details on the new duty-free system. The link to the video is within the paragraph below.

In the notice, they wrote:

As of 1st October 2014 the duty free system in Japan has changed. The number of items eligible for tax exemption have been increased and all items are now duty free, making shopping even more enjoyable and affordable. Tourists in Japan can now buy consumables including medicine, food and cosmetics, tax-free from designated shops. See more here.

The above information is from the Australian branch of JNTO. I checked, but the U.S. branch does not have the duty-free information up as yet.

To read more, go here. 

Fire Reported Near Keikyu Kurihama Station In Yokosuka

Above, businesses near the Keikyu Kurihama Station in Yokosuka. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was reported earlier tonight that a fire broke out at a shopping mall near the Keikyu Kurihama Station in Yokosuka by Thoton News Japan on Twitter.

They reported that one person died and another was injured in the blaze. Thus far, I have not been able to find any details on the fire. Thoton News Japan cites NHK News as their source.

The Keikyu Kurihama Station is the nearest station to the Kurihama Flower World in Yosksuka that is home to the Godzilla slide. I visited the slide last February (in snowy conditions).

Current Pick-Ups

The good folks at The Japan Daily picked up several of yesterday's blog posts for sharing with their readers.

They include:

To read The Japan Daily, go here.

Monster Japan Travel Guide Sale Doing Good

Above, the Godzilla slide in Yokosuka is just one of the places covered in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The clearance sale of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan is doing good since the initial announcement six days ago.

Thus far, three orders have come in via PayPal and one by snail mail. Not bad!

The sale price of the travel guide is $9.95, plus $2.00 shipping & handling (that's $5.05 off the cover price) while supplies last.

For ordering information, go here.

Japan Airlines Launches New Mobile Site In 12 Languages

eTurboNews is reporting that Japan Airlines (JAL) has a new mobile site in 12 languages to better aid travelers plan their travels.

They wrote:

TOKYO, Japan - Japan Airlines (JAL) announced the launch of new easy-to-use multilingual mobile sites to assist overseas customers with their travel needs. Customers can access JAL's overseas mobile sites which are available in 26 regions and 12 languages, with their smartphones for a simple and quick online experience from anywhere and at any time.  

To assist global customers in planning and managing their trips more easily and smoothly, in addition to offering a choice of languages, JAL also focused on usability by making all functions and content accessible with as few taps as possible. 

To read more, go here.

English-Speaking Doctors In Kyoto

Above, a view of Kyoto from Kiyomizu-dera. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, I posted about English-speaking doctors and staff in hospitals and clinics in Tokyo. Today, we have a posting from Deep Kyoto on English-speaking doctors in Kyoto as recommended by local residents.

They begin with:

Should you fall sick while visiting Kyoto, it will give you much peace of mind to know that your doctor is both reputable and can speak your language! Here is a list of English Speaking Doctors recommended by local residents.

If one is planning a visit to Kyoto anytime soon, they may want to bookmark the list for future reference should the need arise.

To view the article and list, go here.

George Reeves by Joe Petruccio

Joe Petruccio is the first official artist of Elvis Presley Enterprises and is a licensed artist of Superman and Batman for DC Comics.

His work can be seen at his website: http://www.joepetruccio.com/

Today's Pick-Ups

The fine folks at The Japan Daily picked up several of today's blog posts for sharing with their readers.

They include:

To read The Japan Daily, go here.

"The Flash"

Above, Grant Gustin as The Flash.

Well, I just finished watching the premiere of The Flash on the CW television network.

For beginners, I found it entertaining with good special effects (computer-generated, of course). But the origin of The Flash was fairly faithful to the DC Comics version upon which the series is based.

Grant Gustin did a good job portraying Barry Allen/Flash. It is interesting that the producers decided to make Iris West (Barry's wife in the comics) black. She is portrayed by the very attractive Candice Patton.

In this episode, Barry Allen obtains his powers of super-speed by an explosion of an experimental particle accelerator that causes a lightning bolt to strike Barry Allen and some surrounding chemicals. Unfortunately, the explosion also created a super-villain who is able to control the weather. He isn't called such (as yet), but this villain seems to be based on one of Flash's arch-enemies, the Weather Wizard.

One nice touch, Allen pays a visit to Oliver Queen, also known as the Green Arrow (from the sister series, Arrow).

The episode went by in a flash (pun intended) and I think it warrants a look at next week's episode.

My main beef is the costume. It is too dark and looks too much like Daredevil's. I much prefer the costume (which was much more faithful to the comic book version) worn by the 1990s Flash, John Wesley Shipp. By the way, Shipp plays Barry Allen's father. He is to have a recurring role in this series, I've read. Nothing against Grant Gustin on this point, but couldn't the producers get a blonde actor to play Barry Allen (or dye Gustin's hair)? Barry Allen of the comics is blonde.

Above, John Wesley Shipp as the 1990s Flash.

My other beef is that too many people (mainly the techies at Star Laboratories) know that Allen has these powers. What's the point in having a secret identity these days?

Anyway, aside from the awful costume, this was an entertaining show. I liked last night's Gotham better.

My grade for The Flash: B+.