Chanson Strikes Again in Tokyo!

Yoshiro Uchida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The evening of Tuesday, August 18, saw my going to see the great Yoshiro Uchida perform chanson on a humid evening. Regular readers of this blog know that this is a regular ritual of mine, and it is one I quite enjoy.

I brought a DVD set of Gamera movies for Uchida-san to sign, which had already been signed by Destroy All Planets (1968) star Carl Craig. It was wonderful to add Uchida-san's signature to the disc. While Uchida-san was signing it, other patrons were fascinated to learn that he had been in a Gamera movie and were amused by it. See, folks, Gamera brings people together!

Not only that, but I also had a brief chat with an employee who shared her memories of living in Idaho around the year 2000. After the show, I hung out outside the venue with Uchida-san as we had a fun chat. He commented on my wearing shorts, which is a bit rare for me, so it made me laugh. What a fun night!

Chanson on a Humid Tokyo Evening!

Yoshiro Uchida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight, Tuesday, July 21, was another musical night of chanson with Yoshiro Uchida. I'm sure I say it a lot, but these performances are always a blast to attend.

Uchida-san sang two of his staple songs, "Ame" and "Ikiru," which I told him were beautifully performed. He thanked me for my praise, and we took the above photo. Not much else to say, other than these nights on the town are always something to look forward to.

Another Great Night of Chanson Entertainment!

Yoshiro Uchida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Tuesday, June 30, I attended another chanson performance by the one and only Yoshiro Uchida. It's been great to get into the rhythm of attending his performances again after being away for about two years.
 

There were some new performers on hand who came up and introduced themselves to me. I guess it's a rare sight to see an American at shows like this. It's always nice to be surrounded by such friendly and pleasant people when you're unwinding from a long day at work.

Not a whole lot to say, other than it was another fun night hearing Uchida-san perform. After the show, I had dinner at Gusto -- the perfect way to end an evening like this.

Another Evening of Chanson in Tokyo!

With Yoshiro Uchida.

On Thursday, May 14, I paid a visit to Gamera series star Yoshiro Uchida, who was performing chanson at a local venue in Tokyo. I hadn't seen Uchida-san in well over two years, so it was great to see him again. 

I had originally planned to show up unannounced at one of his performances and surprise him, but by coincidence Uchida-san learned that I was back in Japan and contacted me about my return. Oh, well, at least it was a fun thought!

All that aside, it really felt like old times again, and I was overjoyed to see Uchida-san sing chanson. What a fun evening it was!

Seeing 'Gamera' in 4K at Toho Cinemas!

My ticket to see Gamera in 4K. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Friday, December 5, I made my way to Toho Cinemas Susukino in Sapporo, Hokkaido, to check out a screening of Giant Monster Gamera (1965), which was later Americanized as Gammera the Invincible (1966). The screening was of a 4K restoration that -- spoiler alert! -- looked incredible.

The Toho Line will not take you to Toho Cinemas. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In order to get to Toho Cinemas Susukino, I had to take the Namboku Line from Sapporo Station and completely bypass the Toho Line. (How can you not have Toho Cinemas along the Toho Line?!) Oh, well, at least we can say that Toho Cinemas puts the kino in Susukino. (Hyulk!)

Godzilla merch for sale. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Naturally, there was merch aplenty at the theater, and I have to confess that I bought my share of it, including at Gamera 50th anniversary T-shirt. I guess I did a decent job of not overindulging, but I still don't want to accumulate too much clutter.

Gamera merch for sale. Photo by Brett Homenick.

What was pretty fun was being able to look out the window of the theater lobby (which was situated on the 5th floor) and basically being able to see Gamera 2 (1996). Visiting Sapporo in December has its perks!

Gamera in 4K. Photo by Brett Homenick.

As for Gamera, what can I say? It's a wonderful movie, and, while it may not quite be my favorite Gamera movie, it's right up there. Of course, I've always preferred the Showa era to the Heisei era (by a country mile and then some), so that shouldn't surprise anyone. For what it's worth, it was also kind of cool seeing the flick in Hokkaido, given that's where a good chunk of the story takes place. 

I wonder if Legion (for they are many) are still hiding out in the "underground malls of Sapporo." Photo by Brett Homenick.

After Gamera, it was Saizeriya time, which made me happier than you could possibly imagine. There's not much more I enjoy in life than scrolling through my phone and guffawing at the goony nonsense I read while dining on some fine Italian cuisine at this even finer establishment. (This time, some social media post about Fishbone at WrestleMania XI legit made me laugh out loud.)

A really fun evening. Had a blast.

The Night Sings in Tokyo!

Yoshiro Uchida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight (Tuesday, March 19), I attended another chanson performance by Yoshiro Uchida. I always enjoy his performances, and I've become rather familiar with some of his songs, none of which I'd known about before.

One amusing moment happened when one of Uchida-san's fans, whom I really got to know last month when we had a pretty long conversation, suddenly asked me if I was the boyfriend of one of our acquaintances. This question came out of nowhere and was totally unexpected. I laughed and said of course not. I have no idea where she got that idea.

After the show, Uchida-san came up to me and asked me when my date of departure was, which I told him. When I was about to leave, I asked Uchida-san to autograph a Gamera postcard, as well as to pose for some obligatory photos, which he graciously did. He asked me about what my living situation will be like overseas and wished me good luck on my travels. He also remembered that we first met just two years ago -- a lot has happened since then!

I will certainly miss seeing Uchida-san's performances, but I'm grateful for the memories. The photos certainly help keep them alive.

Chanson Warms Up a Cold January Evening!

Yoshiro Uchida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Last night (Tuesday, January 16), I attended another chanson performance by Yoshiro Uchida. As usual, I arrived a bit late due to work, but I managed to catch most of the performance. The evening was cold and windy, but the performance made it all worthwhile.

Yoshiro Uchida sings. Photo by Brett Homenick.

It was another fun evening. After the performance, Uchida-san and I had a brief chat about my plans for the end of March. Those plans will certainly keep me busy for the next few weeks. Uchida-san's kind words very very encouraging.

And that's a wrap! It's always great to see Uchida-san, and I look forward to doing it again next month.

Ending the Year on the Right Note!

Yoshiro Uchida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Earlier tonight (Tuesday, December 26), I attended the last chanson performance by Yoshiro Uchida to be held this year. As always, I arrived late due to my work schedule (gotta make a living, after all), but I was able to catch more than half the show.

In between sets, after seeing that I had finished my drink, Uchida-san offered to get me another one. He asked what I wanted, so I said ginger ale. Uchida-san was a bit surprised by my response (since it wasn't an alcoholic beverage) and asked, "Plain?" I told him yes. Afterward, he joked to a couple of Japanese ladies sitting near me about his English ability.

Speaking of those young ladies, it was their first time at the venue, and we struck up a conversation. One of the women told me about her trip to New York City a couple of years after 9/11. The other lady told me about her trip through Europe around the same time. We made a bit of small talk, and it was interesting getting to know them.

One of Uchida-san's fans gave him flowers for his recent birthday. After the show, I asked him when his birthday was, to which he replied it was December 14. So I wished him a belated happy birthday, as well as a happy New Year. (It was a milestone birthday, too, as Uchida-san turned 70.)

The evening's other singer snapped the above photos of Uchida-san and me together. He asked what my name was, and, when I told him, he commented that it was difficult to pronounce. (He's not the first Japanese to say so!) 

And that's a wrap! I've had a lot of fun seeing Uchida-san perform chanson throughout the year, and I look forward to seeing more of his shows next year.

A Chance Evening of Chanson!

Yoshiro Uchida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Last night (Tuesday, November 21), I went to another chanson performance by Yoshiro Uchida. Even though I arrived late due to my work schedule (as usual), I still caught a good chunk of the performance, so I'm happy to report that I got my money's worth.

Yoshiro Uchida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Last month, I asked Uchida-san to sign the above release of Gammera the Invincible (1966), but I didn't think it ask him to pose with it for a photo. Talk about a missed opportunity! So I brought the DVD back with me just for the photo opportunity.

Afterward, Uchida-san was intrigued by the DVD, even reading some of the names listed on the cover (such as those of his Japanese co-stars). He expressed interest in seeing this version, so I told him that I'd send him the YouTube link when I return home, which I did. Generally, though, he was curious about Gamera's level of fame in the U.S.

And that's a wrap! It's always fun to attend these shows, and Uchida-san is a great singer!

Another Fun Evening of Chanson Songs!

Yoshiro Uchida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Monday, October 30, I was fortunate enough to catch another performance by Yoshiro Uchida, who sang some chanson songs. I've seen several of his performances, and I enjoy his quiet style.

Yoshiro Uchida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The highlight for me was, when I brought out a couple of American Gamera DVDs for him to sign, he started singing the Gamera song. Now that's something I wish he'd sing in its entirety during his next performance!

And that's a wrap! I'm already looking forward to seeing Uchida-san again in concert.

An Evening of Singing and Merriment!

Yoshiro Uchida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Last night (Tuesday, September 19), I attended another chanson performance by Yoshiro Uchida. It was another enjoyable night of music.

One notable thing was that, after Uchida-san finished his performance, he noticed that I had finished my ginger ale, so he offered to get me another drink. I told him I was fine and not to worry about it, but he got me another drink, anyway. Uchida-san is definitely a cool guy!

Before we took our obligatory photos, Uchida-san updated me about some of his recent goings-on. It was another great evening, and I look forward to the next one!

Another Evening of Chanson, Tokyo-Style!

Yoshiro Uchida. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I just got back from another chanson performance by former child actor Yoshiro Uchida, and as expected it was wonderfully performed. Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday evening after work!

After the show, Uchida-san and I had a brief chat, particularly a storm from a few weeks ago that looked like it would flood Meguro River. After that, we had our obligatory photo session. It was a lot of fun -- let's do it again soon!

Vantage Point Interviews Returns with Two Great Interviews!

Yoshiro Uchida in March 2022. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Vantage Point Interviews returns with a brand-new vintage account -- this time with former child actor Yoshiro Uchida, who played the young boy Toshio in the Daiei classic Gamera the Giant Monster (1965), a.k.a. Gammera the Invincible (1966). His memories of those days are few, but it's still a fascinating read. Check it out!

Yours truly with Uchida-san after the interview in March 2022.

But that's not all! The second of three interviews with Toho special effects director Eiichi Asada has also been posted! In this interview, Asada-san describes the bulk of his assistant-directing career at Toho during the mid-1970s through the mid-'80s. Asada-san describes what it was like to work under tokusatsu directors Teruyoshi Nakano and Koichi Kawakita.

Eiichi Asada in June 2021. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Asada-san's memories of the Godzilla and other tokusatsu films that he worked on during this time are rather detailed, so don't miss out on this one! Content is once again king at Vantage Point Interviews!

HOORAY FOR CHOFU! Paying a Visit to Japan's Answer to Hollywood!

A map of Chofu, Japan's version of Hollywood. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On my travels on Friday, September 30, I visited Chofu, which is where Nikkatsu Studios and Kadokawa Daiei Studios are located. Chofu Station has a Daiei tokusatsu theme to it, which the pictures I took below will demonstrate. I've posted about Chofu Station before a few years ago, but I thought it was worth revisiting. Enjoy!