Zombies in Tokyo!

Today there was an event at the Tokyo Tower to promote the U.S. TV series “The Walking Dead”.

About 1,200 celebrities and locals were made-up as zombies!

Cultural Heritage

UNESCO has listed 和食 (Japanese cuisine) as one of the world’s integeral cultural treasures.

Some countries have one or two of their national dishes listed as such … but the list of countries whose entire cuisine is listed is very short!

Along with Japan, I believe there is only France, Mexico, Italy  and Turkey.

I love Japanese, Mexican and Italian food best!

Halloween Kit-Kat

Kit-Kat Japan is famous for their numerous unique flavors.
(Click here to see a post I wrote about some of the many different flavors.)

Right now, Kit-Kat Japan is offering 「パンプキンプリン味」 (“Pumpkin Pudding Flavor”) Kit-Kits for Halloween.

KISS “Monster Tour”, Japan

I saw KISS in concert yesterday!  I have seen KISS a bunch of times…but this was one of their best shows!

They changed their stage, costumes and set list!  They played a number of songs that I’ve never heard in concert before!

The setlist:

• Psycho Circus
• Shout It Out Loud
• Do You Love Me?
• I Love It Loud
• Hell Or Hallelujah
• War Machine   (Gene’s fire breathing)
• (Sukiyaki)
• Heaven’s On Fire
• Calling Dr. Love
• Say Yeah
• Shock Me / Outta This World
• (Tommy’s guitar solo / Eric’s drum solo & bazooka)
• (Gene spits blood , bass solo and “flies” to rafters)
• God Of Thunder
• Lick It Up
• (Paul “flies” over audience to mini-stage)
• Love Gun
• Rock N Roll All Night

Encore:

• Detroit Rock City
• I Was Made For Lovin’ You
• Black Diamond

Here are some photos that I took:

Have you ever seen a KISS show?

23 Years Ago

Today is 2013 October 17th.

I came to Japan on 1990 October 17th.
Exactly twenty-three years ago!

I’ve lived most of my life in Japan.
The first 20 years in America… but the past 23 years here in Tokyo.

Tokyo has changed lot since I first came here.

Here’s a picture of Tokyo in 1990:

Another typhoon

Another typhoon is headed for 本州 (mainland Japan).

It’s forecast to hit the 関東地方 (Tokyo area) tonight and tomorrow (Tuesday, 2013 October 15th – Wednesday, October 16th).

Here is a recent meteorological map of Japan.  The yellow areas are under a “typhoon advisory” and the orange areas are under a more serious “typhoon warning“.

Tokyo, on this map, is colored orange.

Which shirt?

The members of KISS have landed at Narita Airport near Tokyo a couple hours ago (at about 5PM JST on Monday, October 14, 2013).

Tomorrow (October 15th), the Japanese convenience store chain “Sunkus” will begin selling “KISS spicy chili tomato” buns until late October.

I’ll be buying one tomorrow.

And next Saturday (October 19th) is their first show on their 2013 Japan Tour!
It’s sold-out but I have a ticket!

I saw the merchandise that they’ll be selling on their Japan tour … many things, including ten T-shirt designs.

There are two shirt designs that I like.
Which do you think is nicer?

Summer in October

Today the temperature got up to 31℃. That’s the warmest it’s been in Tokyo in the month of October since records have been kept (since 1885).

It’s forecast to return to “normal” autumn temperatures tomorrow.

Baskin-Robbins Halloween

In Japan, Baskin-Robbins is popular.

It has been popular in Japan for at least as long as I’ve lived in Japan (which is since 1990).

Halloween, though, wasn’t very well-known or popular in Japan when I first came here…but it has become increasingly popular over the years.

Japanese children don’t knock on their neighbors’ doors asking for “Trick ‘R Treat” candies like they do in America. But Halloween events at Tokyo Disneyland and other places are popular.

Also, in Japan nowadays, many famous brands, such as Kit-Kat, Starbucks, etc. offer special Halloween treats.

So of course, the aforementioned popular American ice-cream chain Baskin-Robbins has been offering a limited-time Halloween menu of treats every year.

Godzilla 2014

In 1998, Hollywood made a 「ゴジラ」 (“Godzilla“) movie.

Or, I should say, they tried to make a Godzilla movie.  It wasn’t very good. Most people, especially die-hard Godzilla fans disliked that movie.

So, it was a bit of a surprise when another Hollywood studio announced that they will release another big-budget “Hollywood” Godzilla movie.

But, they assure us, this one will be a “true” Godzilla film. It’s going to more like the Japanese Godzilla movies.  In fact, it isn’t going to be entirely made by an American studio…the Hollywood studio “Warner Bros.” and the Japanese studio “Toho” (who made the original Godzilla movies) have collaborated to make the upcoming Godzilla movie that is scheduled for release in 2014.

The movie flyer even has the name 「ゴジラ」 written in Japanese