Tsunagu Japan's "47 Tourist Attractions In Japan's 47 Prefectures"

Above, the waterfront of Yokohama's Minato Mirai 21. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The "Japan Travel Information Platform" Tsunagu Japan has posted an interesting list of attractions in Japan that they feel people should visit.

The list consists of "47 Tourist Attractions In Japan's 47 Prefectures."

They begin with:

Japan consist of islands stretched across north and south. And thanks to such geographical trait and difference in climate, each prefecture has its own unique features. We have selected one must-see tourist attraction for each and every prefecture.

I have visited several of the listed attractions at one time or another, such as Matsushima Bay (number 4) and Minato Mirai 21 in Yokohama (number 14).

To see these and the other 45 attractions, go here.

Crazy Horse Campgrounds In Lake Havasu City

Above, the beach area of Crazy Horse Campgrounds. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This was our first stay at Crazy Horse Campgrounds in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. I have read other reviews and had a good idea what to expect.

Most of the reviews I've read said the campground is an older campground and could use some major upgrading and renovation. Those reviews were accurate.

Above, the boat and jet ski rental office. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Most of the picnic tables are old and weather-beaten and need replacement.

We stayed at the beach ("I" section) and found that the sites were littered with trash and cigarette butts, which is inexcusable since there are plenty of trash cans available for use. The campground must be a draw to slob campers. The sites are in dire need of cleaning.

The beach sites have water and electric service only, no sewer. This is understandable considering how close the sites are to the lake. A holding tank pumping service is available (for $10). The pump truck stunk, so we referred to it as the "fece-mobile". (Yes, I know there's no singular word for feces. But what the heck?)

Above, our campsite. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We didn't use the restrooms or showers, so we don't know what their condition is.

The pool (which includes a jacuzzi) area looked nice and clean and the store was well stocked.

Above, a view of the campground from the lake. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I found the staff to be friendly and helpful. Despite the trash and cigarette butts, we enjoyed our site location (just across a road from the beach) and would stay at Crazy Horse Campgrounds again.

It is, we found, the only campground with a jet ski and boat rental service on premises (I believe it is a separate business entity from the campground).

The camping fee was a reasonable $40/night.

My grade: C+.

If renovated and upgraded, the campground has a lot of great potential as its location is perfect.

Above, enjoying the lake. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan On The Way To Setting A New Tourism Record

Above, Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan's tourism industry has had many reasons to smile about over the past few years. 2015 appears to be no exception.

If tourism figures continue as they are or expand, a new record number of foreign tourists will be visiting during this tourism year.

The Wall Street Journal reported:

The number of foreign travelers to Japan hit an all-time high of 13.4 million last year, but that record may be short-lived. 

The Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday that 9.14 million people visited Japan from overseas during the first six months of 2015, up 46% from the same period the previous year. The numbers are also likely to rise in the second half of 2015. Record numbers are expected in July, typically the peak month of tourism. At least 40 cruise ships from east Asia are also scheduled to visit Japan later this year, the tourism organization said.

To read more, go here. 

GFantis DEATHGAME

My first appearance at G-FEST in six years. Well, sort of.

The video below was screened at the convention.

Above, a shot taken during filming. Haruo Nakajima and yours truly.

Nice job, Nicholas!

Lake Havasu Fun Times

Above, The Beast at the campsite. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Finally, I got to try out jet skiing for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I camped at Crazy Horse Campground (a review will soon follow) along the shore of Lake Havasu in Arizona.

Above, Denise and Aiden strolling the beach after jet-skiing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first day was muggy and hot due to the remnants of a hurricane originating in Mexico. But, on the second day, the air was much drier but still hot. But at least dry desert heat is more tolerable along with jet skiing on the lake to cool us off.

Above, the London Bridge from the canal. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We arrived in Lake Havasu City around 2:00 p.m. We had a little difficulty in finding Crazy Horse Campground as there were no signs.  The campground is located on an island and we had to go across the London Bridge to reach it.

Above, yours truly piloting the pontoon boat with the wind billowing my shirt. 

After setting up camp, we took a walk to the jet ski rental office and we decided to take advantage of the late afternoon and rented a pontoon boat for a couple of hours (yes, they rent boats, kayaks and other personal watercraft).

Above, Denise and Aiden zipping along the lake. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We cruised around the lake and the canal to the London Bridge. It was interesting to see the famed bridge that was dismantled piece-by-piece and brought over from London, England to be re-assembled at Lake Havasu City.

Here's what Wikipedia says about it:

London Bridge is a bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, United States. It is a relocated 1831 bridge that formerly spanned the River Thames in London, England, until it was dismantled in 1967. The Arizona bridge is a reinforced concrete structure clad in the original masonry of the 1830s bridge, which was bought by Robert P. McCulloch from the City of London. McCulloch had exterior granite blocks from the original bridge numbered and transported to America to construct the present bridge in Lake Havasu City, a planned community he established in 1964 on the shore of Lake Havasu. The bridge was completed in 1971 (along with a canal), and links an island in the Colorado River with the main part of Lake Havasu City.

Above, the jet ski rental office. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The second day was spent riding the jet ski rental all day. I clocked in at 31 m.p.h. It was a little difficult to go faster as other people in boats and jet skis were leaving wakes in different directions. But, it all was good fun nonetheless.

We are thinking about going again next month since we had such a great time this week. Jet skiing is a lot of fun and addicting.

Trouble On Interstate 10

Above, the collapsed bridge. From YouTube video.

The unusually heavy rains from the remnants of Hurricane Dolores caused a bridge near Desert Center on Interstate 10 to collapse. Until the bridge is rebuilt, Interstate 10 will be a mess.

According to The Desert Sun:

A bridge collapse east of the Coachella Valley late Sunday afternoon forced the closure of Interstate 10 – the main roadway between Southern California and Phoenix – injuring one person and stranding hundreds of motorists backed up for miles. 

The Tex Wash bridge, built on the eastbound I-10 in 1967, was listed as functionally obsolete in the 2014 National Bridge Inventory. Essentially, the bridge was listed as no longer adequate for its task, though it was not listed as having known structural problems that needed to be fixed.

Thankfully, our trip today to Lake Havasu doesn't include driving on Interstate 10. We will be on Interstates 15 and 40. I checked with the CHP road conditions hotline and both interstates are problem-free (well, at least, so far).

Clear skies are forecast for Lake Havasu City during our time there. The only thing the storm is causing is some cooling. It will be around 97 degrees there.

To read more, go here.

70th Anniversary of Atomic Bombings To Be Celebrated

Above, Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This summer marks the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and events commemorating the anniversary are being planned.

According to the Sioux City Journal:

TOKYO | The 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will be marked with memorial services, peace concerts and art exhibits. 

More than 200,000 people died in the two blasts, which were the first wartime uses of nuclear weapons. The U.S. dropped the bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, and on Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945. World War II ended with Japan's surrender days later. 

An annual government-sponsored memorial service marking the end of the war takes place Aug. 15 at Tokyo's Budokan hall, with Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and top ministers expected to attend.

If you happen to be in either Hiroshima or Nagasaki next month, you may want to attend some of the events.

Above, the Nagasaki Peace Statue. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here.

40 Years Ago: "The Shootist" Released

From the John Wayne Facebook page:

July 19, 1975 ~ "The Shootist" was released to movie theaters 40 years ago today. A dying gunfighter spends his last days looking for a way to die with a minimum of pain and a maximum of dignity. 

"Put it in a nutshell? You couldn't put it in a barrel without a bottom. You're the longest winded bastard I've ever known. " ~ John Bernard Books/JOHN WAYNE 

This film was released by Paramount Pictures on DVD and can be found at many retail outlets.

The Shootist ended up being Wayne's final movie. He died of stomach cancer on June 11, 1979. 

All Reviews Posted At RV Park Reviews

Above, Beaver KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RV Park Reviews, a great resource for planning your RV vacations, has posted all four of my reviews on campgrounds we've stayed at this year.

They include Beaver (Utah) KOA, West Entrance KOA (Montana), Richfield (Utah) KOA and Circus Circus RV Park. Once our trip to Lake Havasu this coming week is completed, a review on the RV park there will be added.

To see them, go here.

Rain In L.A. What Drought?

Above, the parking lot of my apartment building this evening. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While at work this morning, I noticed some heavy clouds moving in over the San Fernando Valley. They appeared to be coming from the southwest.

I then checked the weather reports online and they indicated a 30% chance of thundershowers today.

Later, while Denise and I were driving to take care of some errands, we noticed rain coming down over the mountains and flashes of lightning. Then, it started raining on us. And it was heavy rain. It was definitely a tropical storm.

It turns out that the 30% chance of rain turned into 100% and it has been raining steadily all day.

In July and in Los Angeles?! Right now, it is pouring!

At least The Beast will get a good bath before we head to Lake Havasu in two days.

What drought?

SIM Card Vending Machines At Narita International Airport

Above, Narita Airport's Terminal 1 arrival lobby. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those foreign visitors to Japan who want (or need) cell phone service can now obtain SIM cards and smartphones in vending machines to be installed in Narita International Airport's Terminals 1 and 2.

According to the Japan Times:

Japan’s main gateway, Narita International Airport, is set to get SIM card vending machines targeting an increasing number of inbound tourists starting next Friday, NTT Communications Corp. said. 

The cards, aptly named Prepaid SIM for Japan, can be purchased along with smartphones, mobile routers and smartphone accessories at the vending machines, the Tokyo-based telecommunications firm said.

To read more, go here.

Despite Dwindling Numbers, Foreign Demand For Ryokan Stays On The Rise

Above, the Bansuitei Ikoiso Ryokan in Sendai. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the things that many foreign visitors to Japan wish to experience is to stay at a traditional Japanese inn (or ryokan).

Despite the growing demand by foreign visitors to stay at a ryokan, many ryokans are closing down operations.

Asahi Shimbun has an interesting article on the subject. They note that part of the problem is that ryokans are mostly family owned and operated and they are too busy or not equipped to promote their inns worldwide.

The article begins with:

When American Jan Bardsley wanted to stay at a traditional ryokan, he found Nantenen in Kawachi-Nagano, Osaka Prefecture, through its Internet page. 

Bardsley, 64, who visited Japan with two friends who are also from the United States, stayed at the Japanese-style inn in late May. 

Bardsley said both the interior and the garden of the ryokan were exceptional, and the inn provided him with experiences one can have only in Japan. 

Nantenen is one of the few Japanese-style hotels that have succeeded in adapting to the rapid globalization of the tourism industry. 

The government is intent on training operators of ryokan, which it calls “the embodiment” of Japanese culture, as an increasing number of overseas tourists came to the country and hope to stay at one.

Since 2001, I have stayed at three ryokans (Tokyo, Sendai and Kumamoto) and enjoyed each of them. I found their service to be exceptional and less expensive than hotels (the Kumamoto ryokan only charged me about $30.00 a night).

I am planning to visit Japan later this year with Denise and a ryokan stay would be one that she will find interesting and, hopefully, enjoyable.

To read more, go here.

Dollar "Stuck" At 124 Yen

After dipping a bit, the U.S. dollar appears to be stuck at 124 yen. At least that's according to Jiji Press through The Japan Times.

According to the article:

The dollar was trapped in a narrow range around ¥124 in Tokyo trading on Friday, due chiefly to a wait-and-see mood before a three-day holiday through Monday in Japan. 

At 5 p.m., the dollar stood at ¥124.00-01, up slightly from ¥123.94-94 at the same time Thursday. The euro was at $1.0887-0888, down from $1.0898-0899, and at ¥135.01-02, down from ¥135.07-09. 

 To read more, go here.

Best Coach-Class Airlines In The World

Unless you can afford to fly first-class or business class, economy or coach-class will be the place you will be when you travel domestically or internationally.

USA Today has an article on the airlines with the best coach-class in the world.

They begin their article with:

You see a lot of "best airline" stories, but many look suspiciously like they were based on business and first class. For most travelers, however, what happens at the front of the plane stays at the front of the plane -- it's something to fantasize about, but prohibitively expensive and not even remotely achievable in this lifetime. 

As to real-world flying for real-world travelers, everyone knows that the coach or economy airline product in the back of the plane runs from miserable to unacceptable. The "best" options are really the "least worst." So with that in mind, here are the best coach-class airlines in the world.

The airline with the best coach-class to Japan, it is...Japan Airlines.

To see who are the best coach-class airlines in the world, go here. 

5 Shopping Tips for Tourists in Japan

Above, a duty-free shop at Narita International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you happen to find yourself in Japan on vacation and the desire hits you to do some shopping, you'd have to ask yourself, "where should I go for the best bargains?"

Fortunately, Japan Info has five suggestions for shopping in Japan.

They begin with:

There is no way shopping would be out of your itinerary when visiting Japan. Even if you are cramping your budget as economical as possible, shopping would still be part of the list. So for a more prudent shopping when touring the alluring streets with enticing merchandises, might as well take note of these money-saving tips to lighten your shopping expenses this summer.

To see Japan Info's "5 Shopping Tips for Tourists in Japan," go here.

Japanese Tourism Continues To Soar

Above, Kyoto from Kiyomizu-dera. Kyoto is a favorite destination for Americans. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japanese tourism is continuing to soar. Record numbers of foreigners, including Americans, are visiting Japan.

TravelPulse.com has an article on this.

It begins with:

A little perspective helps to comprehend the growth of Japanese tourism over the last three years. In 2012, Japan attracted 8.5 million international visitors. In 2014, Japan attracted a record 13 million overall foreign visitors including 891,668 Americans (+11.6 percent). Tourism to Japan from the U.S. is making incredible strides as the Japan National Tourism Organization just marked May, 2015 as the 14th consecutive month of record U.S. visitor arrivals when 92,200 Americans traveled to Japan. Last year, international travelers in Japan spent $16.8 billion, a growth of 43 percent more than 2013. The revenues have grown so robust that in June, Japan’s tourism industry turned in a surplus for the first time in more than 50 years. When you consider the amount that the Japanese travel outbound, that surplus is clearly an amazing statistic.

To read more, go here. 

5 Romantic Views of the Illuminated Tokyo Sky Tree

Above, the illuminated Sky Tree from Asakusa. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you are planning a trip to Japan with your "significant other" and would like to stay at a hotel with a great view of the Tokyo Sky Tree, Japan Info has posted a list of hotels that afford great views of the tower and easy access to Asakusa.

It it titled, "5 Romantic Views of the Illuminated Tokyo Sky Tree." There are plenty of photographs that underscore their hotel picks.

To see the list, go here.

Warner Bros. Removing Batman: Brave and the Bold Mural

Above, the mural in its full glory. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A familiar landmark is currently being removed from Warner Bros. Studios.

The Batman: Brave and the Bold mural on one of the studio's sound stage buildings* is being removed. For what? Who knows?

This was reported yesterday at the Bat-Blog. The blog includes a photo of the partially-removed mural.

Farewell!

*There is some debate as to which building it is. The initial report at Bat-Blog says it is the animation building. Then actor Jim Beaver says it is Stage 3. I looked at it last night and on the opposite end, the building says Stage 1. So, I changed the wording above to be a little more vague.

Iran Deal by Mike Ramirez

The Perfect Send-Off

Just because Grandpa died doesn't mean he can't still go camping with the family!

Bears!

During our recent trip to Yellowstone National Park, we were treated to bear sightings.

First, we went to a drive-through roadside attraction, Yellowstone Bear World, in Rexford, Idaho. There, we saw their collection of bears.

Later, during our tour of the Upper Loop of Yellowstone National Park, we saw a mother and two cubs (I managed to photograph the mother and one of her cubs before she sent them up a tree) along the roadside. We had one more bear sighting, but it was too far away and in a forest to take any pictures.

Here's some bear photos that I took:

Yellowstone Bear World

Yellowstone National Park

Bison In Yellowstone National Park

Here are some photographs of bison (known as buffalo) that I took during our vacation in Yellowstone National Park last month.

10 Train Faux-pas In Japan Some Japanese Men Let Slide

Above, inside a Narita Express train car. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Taking a train in Japan is very commonplace. The Tokyo train system is so elaborate, that one really doesn't need to have a car.

However, there are some rules of etiquette that train-riders are expected to follow, but some of them are so minor that they are ignored by Japanese men.

RocketNews 24 has an interesting article on what breached rules that some are willing to let slide.

They begin it with:

Taking the train is by far the most common way to get around urban and suburban Japan. By its very nature, though, using public transportation means being out in public, which in Japan means following social norms about proper manners and not bothering your fellow passengers. 

The average Tokyo commuter spends an hour each way on the train, though. It can be hard to follow all of the implicit rules of train etiquette during such a lengthy ride, and here are 10 minor breaches of etiquette that some Japanese men are willing to turn a blind eye to.

Internet portal Web R25 recently surveyed 200 men on the subject. The respondents, all working adults between the ages of 20 and 39, were given a list of behaviors that, while not outright prohibited, are generally frowned upon while riding the train, and asked to pick up to three that they personally had no problem with others doing.

To see what rules Japanese men are willing to let slide, go here. 

Tyrannosauridae Teeth Fossils Found In Nagasaki

Above, the Godzilla slide at the Kurihama Flower Word in Yokosuka. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Mainichi Shimbun has posted an interesting story on the finding of two dinosaur teeth fossils in Nagasaki Prefecture.

According to the article:

FUKUI (Kyodo) -- Two fossilized teeth of what could be the largest carnivorous dinosaur that existed in Japan have been found from a layer of earth some 81 million years old in Nagasaki, the city and a Fukui prefectural museum said Tuesday. 

The teeth belonging to the dinosaur, estimated to be about 10 meters long, are the first fossils of a large dinosaur among the Tyrannosauridae family to be found in Japan, according to the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum. 

"Other fossils have been found in Nagasaki as well, leading us to reaffirm that various dinosaurs existed there," said Kazunori Miyata, chief researcher at the museum. 

The teeth fossils were unearthed in May 2014 from the same area but whether they belong to the same individual remains unclear, the museum said.

Beginning Friday, the fossils will be put on display at the Nagasaki Science Museum and replicas at the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum.
.
To read more, go here. 

Japanese Government To Seek Visitors' Information

Above, the garden of Kyoto's Nijo Castle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Striving to be at their peak in hospitality in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, the Japanese government will be asking foreign tourists some personal information so that services can be better tailored to them.

According to The Japan News (Yomiuri Shimbun):

The government will establish a system that transcends language barriers and smoothly provides “omotenashi” hospitality services to foreign visitors. 

Foreigners will be asked to volunteer personal information such as their religion, languages, food preferences and chronic diseases. 

This information will then be passed on to hotels, restaurants, hospitals and other institutions in Japan. 

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry has included funds in its fiscal 2016 budget request for a prototype system.

To read more, go here. 

Eurozone and Greece Reach Bailout Deal

It looks like Greece dodged a bullet (at least temporarily) this morning as the debt-ridden country reached a bailout deal.

According to Japan Today:

BRUSSELS —Greece reached a desperately-needed bailout deal with the eurozone on Monday after marathon overnight talks, in a historic agreement to prevent the country crashing out of the European single currency. 

The country’s leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras agreed to tough reforms after 17 hours of gruelling negotiations in return for a three-year bailout worth up to 86 billion euros ($96 billion), Greece’s third rescue program in five years. 

EU President Donald Tusk announced the deal for debt-stricken Greece on Twitter, ending a bitter six-month struggle between Tsipras’s anti-austerity government in Athens and the rest of the eurozone. 

“EuroSummit has unanimously reached agreement,” former Polish premier Tusk said. “All ready to go for ESM program for Greece with serious reforms and financial support.”

To read more, go here. 

Boom In Foreign Tourism Boosting Japan's Economy

Above, Ginza's Wako department store. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It has been posted on this blog before, but now USA Today has an article on how foreign tourism has boosted Japan's economy.

They wrote:

TOKYO — When Peng Jia Wei stepped off the plane from southern China last month, he wasted little time in heading for the tony Ginza shopping district. 

By the following afternoon, he and his wife had spent several thousand dollars on clothes, home electronics and gifts for themselves and a wide circle of friends back home. 

"Relatives, neighbors, co-workers. Something for everybody," said a weary-looking Peng, outside a duty-free retail shop in the heart of the Ginza district. 

Big-spending visitors like Peng are responsible in part for Japan's boom in foreign tourism. 

A record 13.4 million people visited Japan in 2014, an increase of nearly 30% from a year earlier. Records were set in each of the first five months of this year; arrivals were up 50% in May alone.

The article also states that Japan expected 15 million foreign visitors in 2015. But, according to the article, they are on a pace to reaching 18 million. Their goal was to reach 20 million visitors by 2020.

To read more, go here.