Doraemon Invades Noborito Station!

Doraemon chows down at Odakyu Noborito Station. Photo by Brett Homenick.

 

I'm not the world's biggest manga or anime fan, but I finally decided to photograph some of the fun Doraemon-related displays in Odakyu Noborito Station in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture. (Please note that JR Noborito Station doesn't have Doraemon stuff much worth pointing out.) From what I understand, the station is near the Doraemon Museum, which would certainly explain things! Anyway, here's a look at what you can see at the time of this upload. Enjoy!

Revisiting Another 'Godzilla's Revenge' Filming Location!

Signage for Kawasaki Freight Station. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today (Wednesday, July 5), I paid another visit to Kawasaki Freight Station (a.k.a. Kawasaki Kamotsu Station), located appropriately enough in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. It was my first time to visit the area in more than eight years.

You might be wondering why I would go out of my way to visit a random rail yard. The answer is quite simple: It was used as a filming location in Godzilla's Revenge (1969).

Ichiro's father, played by Kenji Sahara, is a train driver in this rail yard. It's also the location where the shenanigans with the billboard painter takes place at the end of the film.

Just as I did eight years prior, I took a taxi from Kawasaki Station to the rail yard. In fact, the taxi driver was concerned that I was going to the wrong place, so he told me that this station was not for commuters. I told him I was well aware of that and that I going there because it was used as a filming location in an old movie. He seemed quite relieved!

While walking around the rail yard, I realized that I needn't have spent the 2,100 yen on cab fare. Conveniently located next to Kawasaki Freight Station was Kojimashinden Station on the Keikyu Daishi Line, which takes commuters to Keikyu Kawasaki Station, which is an easy walk from JR Kawasaki Station. Ah, well.

Just as there was the last time I visited the area, it was lightly raining. Maybe someday I'll walk around the rail yard on a sunny day. So far, it hasn't happened.

I remember getting a sketchy vibe from the rail yard the last time I went there. There were few (if any) station employees around at the time, and it seemed there might have been a shantytown in the area.

This time, however, the atmosphere was much more positive, as there were numerous rail yard employees out and about. While the area itself is far from ideal, it seemed like a much safer place this time around.

One interesting memory from my April 2015 visit was that I had a huge nail stuck in the bottom of my shoe after walking around. This time, my shoes didn't take any souvenirs with them.

Given that more than 50 years have passed since the making of Godzilla's Revenge, it's more than a little difficult to pinpoint exact locations. I'm afraid I just couldn't do it, though the rail yard, in many ways, seems basically the same as it did in the film.

Now that I have a much more convenient way to return in the future, I just might do that -- hopefully with better weather next time! 

And that's a wrap! I've run out of things to talk about, but I still have a few pictures left to share. Bu I'll just let them do the rest of talking.

The Revenge of the 'Godzilla's Revenge' Footbridge!

The footbridge seen in Godzilla's Revenge (1969). Photo by Brett Homenick.

Given that it had been nearly three years to the day that I lasted visited it, I decided to make another pilgrimage to the footbridge in Kawasaki seen at the beginning of Godzilla's Revenge (1969). It's still standing after all these years, and it's one of the more interesting filming locations to visit. A picture's worth a thousand words, so let's get to the highlights.

 

Ultra-Series Director Akio Jissoji Celebrated in Kawasaki!

Akio Jissoji celebrated at the movie theater Cinecitta in Kawasaki! Photo by Brett Homenick.

Last night, I went to a movie theater in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, called Cinecitta in order to attend a special event honoring Ultra-series director Akio Jissoji. Episodes 15 and 23 of Ultraman (1966-67), both directed by Jissoji, were screened, as was a brand-new documentary about his career (featuring interviews with the likes of Bin Furuya, Hiroko Sakurai, Sandayu Dokumamushi, Toshihiro Iijima, and many others). After the documentary, actor Minori Terada (who appears in episode 14 of Ultraman) and veteran cameraman Masao Nakabori held an in-person Q&A about Jissoji.

Out in the hallway was a corner featuring several bits of memorabilia related to Jissoji's work on the Ultra-series. In particular, the French-inscribed Jamila plate from the last scene of Ultraman episode 23 ("My Home Is Earth") was on display, along with the French inscription as it appeared on the last page of the shooting script. Other scripts, storyboard drawings, and props were on display, as well. Below are a few of the photos I took of the gallery. Enjoy!