Anything exciting happen in the last 3+ years?
Nov 13, 2014, 1:21 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Moreno Valley, CA/Kyotango, Japan
Programs: Marriott, KrisFlyer, VA Elevate, and others
Posts: 41
Anything exciting happen in the last 3+ years?
It's a silly question, I know, but I am honestly curious. I lived in Japan from July of 2008 to August of 2011, and I've finally scraped the funds together to go spend a week and a half to visit friends and finally go visit a few places I missed in February of 2015. When I left, Tokyo still had power saving signs everywhere due to the disaster a few months prior, the water panic was only just starting to calm down, acquaintances were asking how irradiated I was...
My short question is, is there anything significant I missed that I should probably know? I know the tax rate has hiked to 8%, and the yen is now in the US traveler's favor, but is there anything else? Did McDonalds ever bring back the original Texas burger? Inquiring minds would like to know! :P
Thank you!
My short question is, is there anything significant I missed that I should probably know? I know the tax rate has hiked to 8%, and the yen is now in the US traveler's favor, but is there anything else? Did McDonalds ever bring back the original Texas burger? Inquiring minds would like to know! :P
Thank you!
Nov 13, 2014, 8:08 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota,USA
Programs: UA, NW
Posts: 3,752
As I was taking a cab from Shinagawa to my hotel, the cabdriver told me that the street my hotel was on had been built new, but he didn't tell me what it was called, if it had a name at all.
Nov 14, 2014, 12:04 am
#4
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,402
A Flyertalker took a cab from Shinagawa to their hotel and told us that the cabdriver had said that the street the hotel was on had been built new, but hadn't said what it was called or if it had a name at all, and... get this, the Flyertalker didn't tell us what the hotel was called, if it had a name at all.
Nov 14, 2014, 10:56 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Moreno Valley, CA/Kyotango, Japan
Programs: Marriott, KrisFlyer, VA Elevate, and others
Posts: 41
Works for me! 
I was hoping for silly anyhoo~
Lessee:
Wasn't there always a million knockoffs of AKB48?
Eh, Japanese BK was fun, but it was always out of the way. I have fond memories of Japanese Outback, though.
I used to go to Japanese doll collecting events, and half the crowd was Chinese resellers, so I'm pretty used to it.
I don't drink, but that's what I've heard! :P
Ghost hotels in Shinagawa? Sounds a bit risky, personally.
I did forget about Tokyo Skytree, though, it was a few months shy of completion when I left, I believe.
Thank you, everyone!
I was hoping for silly anyhoo~Lessee:
Wasn't there always a million knockoffs of AKB48?
Eh, Japanese BK was fun, but it was always out of the way. I have fond memories of Japanese Outback, though.
I used to go to Japanese doll collecting events, and half the crowd was Chinese resellers, so I'm pretty used to it.
I don't drink, but that's what I've heard! :P
Ghost hotels in Shinagawa? Sounds a bit risky, personally.
I did forget about Tokyo Skytree, though, it was a few months shy of completion when I left, I believe.
Thank you, everyone!
Nov 14, 2014, 11:40 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,402
It's Hello Kitty's 40th Anniversary this year. The usual ubiquity has reached infestation levels in scattered pockets of Tokyo.
Since your last visit, Kumamon has joined the top Sanrio Characters in infiltrating a proportion of every prefecture's merchandising and marketing paraphernalia and souvenir tat, not just items and produce from Kumamoto.
Any popular music performance with classical instruments now includes a rendition of "Let it Go" from Frozen.
Youkai Watch is the new Pokemon.
Since your last visit, Kumamon has joined the top Sanrio Characters in infiltrating a proportion of every prefecture's merchandising and marketing paraphernalia and souvenir tat, not just items and produce from Kumamoto.
Any popular music performance with classical instruments now includes a rendition of "Let it Go" from Frozen.
Youkai Watch is the new Pokemon.
Nov 14, 2014, 12:27 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 873
Sushi has evolved and can now transform and kill you.
Nov 14, 2014, 4:00 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota,USA
Programs: UA, NW
Posts: 3,752
A Flyertalker took a cab from Shinagawa to their hotel and told us that the cabdriver had said that the street the hotel was on had been built new, but hadn't said what it was called or if it had a name at all, and... get this, the Flyertalker didn't tell us what the hotel was called, if it had a name at all.
Nov 14, 2014, 6:37 pm
#11
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, CX Gold, Mrs. Pickles travels for free
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A Flyertalker took a cab from Shinagawa to their hotel and told us that the cabdriver had said that the street the hotel was on had been built new, but hadn't said what it was called or if it had a name at all, and... get this, the Flyertalker didn't tell us what the hotel was called, if it had a name at all.
Nov 14, 2014, 7:34 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
- More tourists
- More good restaurants
- No Japanese employees at convenience stores
- More new buildings
- Higher taxes
- Uber
- More international flights to HND
- Amazon has taken off
- All young Japanese are glued to their smartphones
Still a great but very quirky place.
(sorry, I couldn't resist)
Nov 15, 2014, 1:09 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,402
I thought you were joking
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_...AJ201407260009
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_...AJ201407260009
Nov 15, 2014, 8:26 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Moreno Valley, CA/Kyotango, Japan
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Posts: 41