U.S. Burger Chains With Unusual Items In Japan

Above, an Asakusa, Tokyo toy shop with some familiar golden arches next door.

Okay, chow-hounds!  Japan Today has an interesting article on American burger chains who are also in Japan.

The article starts with:

TOKYO —
Famous American hamburger chain restaurants such as McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s have had varying degrees of success in Japan over the years. Many foreign food chain restaurants have flopped (Nathan’s, Arby’s) because they have not been able to adapt their menus to suit Japanese consumers. 

The hamburger chains generally have had better success than most. While their menus are predominantly the same as in the U.S., they are also selling original items for Japan.

What are the "original items"?  Take a gander at the article and find out!  Go here.

Bank of Japan Weakens Yen

The Bank of Japan took action today that slightly improved the U.S. dollar's exchange rate against the yen.

From Japan Today:

TOKYO — The yen weakened against major currencies in Asian trade on Tuesday afternoon following the Bank of Japan’s surprise decision to further ease monetary policy.

The unit softened to 102.55 against the euro, compared with 102.34 late Monday in New York, while it also weakened to 77.91 against the dollar, from 77.58.

The central bank on Tuesday increased its asset purchase program by 10 trillion yen ($130 billion) to about 65 trillion yen, as it looks to put an end to the deflation that has wracked the economy for years.

Additional easing by a central bank increases the supply of money in the economy, weakening the currency.

Weakening the yen further would make Japan more attractive to would-be tourists. They would gain more purchasing power as they'd be able to buy more yen.

To read the full story, go here.

Masami Nagasawa In New Detective Series

Masami Nagasawa has been a rising star in Japan. Godzilla fans know her as one of the Mothra fairies (shobijin) in Godzilla x Mothra x Mechagodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003) and Godzilla Final Wars (2004).

Left, Masami Nagasawa (right) with Chihiro Ôtsuka in "Godzilla x Mothra x Mechagodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S."

Now, she is set to star as a television detective.



From Japan Today:

TOKYO — Masami Nagasawa says she is very happy to play a detective in her newest TV drama, “Toshi Densetsu no Onna,” which will air on TV Asahi on Friday nights from April.

It has been three years since Nagasawa appeared in a TV drama series. “Toshi Densetsu no Onna” is a mixture of comedy and mystery. Nagasawa plays Tsukiko Otonashi, a police detective who is obsessed with urban legends and who works on unsolved cases behind the legends.

Right, Masami Nagasawa in “Toshi Densetsu no Onna.”







To read the Japan Today article, go here.

Monster Japan Travel Guide Review In Gadget Samurai

Above, Yuu Asakura with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan." Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It's been a trifle over a year since it was posted, but only now I managed to stumble upon the Gadget Samurai website's posting of Japan Today's review of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

The Gadget Samurai covers "news, gadget, otaku, kawaii from Japan."

To view the site, go here.

Monster Japan Travel Guide Article In Japan Travel Today

Above, Yuu Asakura with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan." Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan Travel Today posted the Japan Visitor article on The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan from last winter.

Japan Travel Today is a blog that, as its name implies, specializes in Japan travel.

To view the article, go here.