Free coffee

It seems that McDonalds in the U.S. had a campaign from 2009 July – Aug 3rd where they gave away free coffee.

There were a few stipulations…
– The free coffee was only iced or hot McCafe Mocha.
– It was only free on Mondays during the campaign period and between the hours of 7:00-19:00 (7AM – 7PM).
– The free coffee was only available at participating McDonalds in the U.S. that had a McCafe.
– Free coffee was limited to one cup per person per week.

McDonalds U.S. free coffee campaign ad.

McDonalds in Japan has a similar campaign, but I think it’s better.
– First of all, the free coffee at Japanese McDonalds is “Premium Coffee“. Real coffee…not the overly sweet type that the U.S. McDonalds offered (To me, types of “coffee” such as Mocha taste like “hot chocolate”. That’s why I don’t like Starbucks).
– McDonalds Japan gives the free coffee everyday for an hour a day, rather than once a week for twelve hours.
– The free coffee is available at every McDonalds in Japan.
– There’s no limit to the number of cups a person can have during the campaign period. (In fact, McDonalds in Japan always gives free refills for their coffee.

The current campaign period that McDonalds Japan is giving away free cups of coffee is from today until Thursday, August 27 from 8:00AM – 9:00AM.

McDonalds Japan free coffee campaign for August 21-27 (8-9:00AM each day)

Next week, from Friday, August 28, McDonalds Japan will give the free coffee from 18:00-19:00 (6:00PM – 7:00PM).

入場無料

今日は緑の日 (Today is Greenery Day).

Many 動物園 (zoos) and 水族館 (aquariums) in Japan were open to the public today with 入場無料 (free admission). This happens three days year…you can go in these places for free on 緑の日 (Greenery Day), the anniversary of day that the zoo / aquarium first opened, and Citizen’s Day.
For example, 上野動物園 (Ueno Zoo) in Tokyo has free admission on March 20 (開園記念日 (the anniversary of the day that the zoo first opened)), May 4 (緑の日 (Greenery Day)), and October 1 (都民の日 (Tokyo Citizen’s Day))…(Click here to see my 1 October 2009 post about the zoo.)

(BTW, 上野動物園 (Ueno Zoo) always offers free admission to children who are junior-high-school aged or younger (and who go to a school in Tokyo), and also to the disabled and one assistant.)

We decided to go to 上野動物園 (Ueno Zoo) today.
As it always is when the admission is free…it was very crowded there today!

I took a number of photos…but due to the crowds, it was difficult to get good photos. So many of my photos (including my photo of the gorillas, flamingos, and the new baby rhino didn’t turn out well).

But here are some of my photos:

鯉のぼり (Carp Streamers); a Japanese 「子供の日」 ("Children's Day") (May 5) decoration.

ありくい (Aardvark)

ハリネズミ (Porcupine)

都民の日

Today is 都民の日 (Tokyo Citizens Day).
All of the prefectures in Japan have Citizens Day at different times of the year…for Tokyo, it’s on October 1.

On this day, public schools are closed and many zoos and aquariums in Tokyo offer free admission.
(These places usually offer free admission three times a year…on 都民の日 (Tokyo Citizens Day), 緑の日 (Greenery Day (May 4)), and the anniversary of the opening of the establishment.

For example, 上野動物園 (Ueno Zoo) is open to the public for free on October 1 (都民の日 (Tokyo Citizens Day)), May 4 (緑の日 (Greenery Day)), and on March 20 (the anniversary of the zoo’s opening on March 20, 1882).

So, my daughters have the day off today (I have to go to work). My wife and kids decided to go to 上野動物園 (Ueno Zoo) today.

It’s gonna be crowded, I’m sure! A couple of years ago, we took the kids to 上野動物園 (Ueno Zoo) on 都民の日 (Tokyo Citizens Day).
And it was nice to get in for free…but it was really crowded.

Actually, when we go to 上野動物園 (Ueno Zoo), we normally only have to pay admission for my wife and I because children aged 12 and under are always free, and so are Junior High School students who live and/or go to school in Tokyo.
We live in Tokyo and my kids go to the Junior High School nearest our house.

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Anyways, our 甲虫 (Rhinoceros Beetle) that I mentioned in this post died today 😦

R.I.P. カブちゃん!