Just outside of Soshigaya-Okura Station on the Odakyu Line is Ultraman Street. The area has been called several names in English (Ultraman Shopping District, Ultra Town, Ultraman Town, Ultra City, etc.), but whatever you choose to call it, it's a great place to soak in Tsuburaya Pro's greatest superhero. More info on the district can be found here, but in the meantime, here are some pics I took earlier today. Enjoy!
Posing with Toho star Katsuhiko Sasaki in Narita Airport in July 2014.
Today is a day off from work, and when I left home to grab some lunch, I had a surprise meeting. While walking along the sidewalk, I suddenly heard some shout my name. I looked toward the street and saw none other than actor Katsuhiko Sasaki smiling and waving at me from his car!
I was so surprised that I started laughing, but naturally I greeted him back. As he drove off, he motioned that he'd give me a call.
Sasaki-san starred in Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) and Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975), and he's as nice a gentleman as you'll ever meet. Overall, these surprise meetings don't happen very often, but they're always memorable. What a day, and it's not even over yet!
A few days ago, I stopped by Ultraman Town near Soshigaya-Okura Station in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward and took a leisurely stroll to Toho Studios. Two years ago, I made a similar trek during autumn and enjoyed the fall atmosphere. I decided to do it again this year and (once again) brought along my camera to capture some of the sights. They are shared below. Enjoy!
Toho Studios underwent a recent makeover, adding Godzilla's likeness to another side of the studio. It's sure to become another hotbed of selfies and other photo ops, so if you're ever in Tokyo, get your cameras ready. I took some photos today of the new mural, and they are below. Enjoy!
Near Futako-Tamagawa Station in Setagaya, Tokyo, is a bar owned and operated by actor Shunichi Okita, best known to Western fans as Terrible Monster Attacking Crew (TAC) member Ichiro Yamanaka from Tsuburaya Productions' Ultraman Ace (1972-73). While that is Okita-san's primary tokusatsu credit, he is also known in Japan for being one of Nikkatsu Studios' 1964 New Face actors (as Tsuyoshi Yoshida), working with celebrated director Seijun Suzuki on Tokyo Drifter (1966) and later with Kihachi Okamoto on Battle of Okinawa (1971) at Toho Studios.
So, for those of you who are interested in Japanese entertainment, La Shion is most definitely a place to check out. It's very similar to the now-defunct Kaiju-ya in Shibuya, in that the bar is adorned with pictures, books, autographed shikishi boards, and assorted memorabilia from Okita-san's career. Karaoke is also part of the festivities, and yes, English-language songs are available.
That's me posing with Okita-san. While I wasn't the first foreigner who's ever visited his establishment, I was the first to seek it out specifically because of Okita-san. I was quite pleased to hear that. He's a welcoming and charming gentleman, and it was very cool to meet him. I'll most certainly be back!
Happy Halloween from Ultraman Town in Setagaya, Tokyo!
Soshigaya-Okura Station (on the Odakyu Line) offers fans of the hero from M78 a lot to see. Not only is it at the heart of Ultraman Town, but Toho Studios is a (relatively) short walk from the station. I've covered Ultraman Town in a previous blog post, so I won't go into much detail here, except to say that I enjoyed seeing the Halloween theme so prevalent among the regular Ultra-sights. Moreover, I noticed a couple of changes at Toho Studios when I stopped by for a visit, but I'll let my photos do the talking. Enjoy!
Shoowatch! Ultraman takes flight on Ultraman Street.
Down the road from Toho Studios in Setagaya, Tokyo, is what promises to be a major tourist destination for kaiju eiga fans. Ultraman Street truly lives up to its name with decor straight from M78!
G-TOUR II members photograph the entrance to Ultraman Street.
Like most kaiju-related sights worth seeing in Japan, Ultraman Street isn't well-known in the West. But, unlike this building or that bridge featured in the background of a monster movie, Ultraman Street is a must-see attraction for G-fans visiting Tokyo.
Are street lights this cool in your neighborhood?
Ultraman Street is a walk down memory lane for kaiju enthusiasts!
Look out! Baltan Seijin wreaks havoc in Ultraman Street!
It's not just the CBC Building in Nagoya; Ultraman Street has its own Ultraman statue!
Worth the trip itself: How come kaiju fans who tour Japan don't know about Ultraman Street?
A picture is worth a thousand words, but there's video, too! Here's a look at Ultraman Street, featuring G-FAN regulars J.D. Lees and Skip Peel. Enjoy!
