Gutland poster art by Gilles Vranckx. — *Gutland* poster art by **Gilles Vranckx.**

In 'Gutland,' the Vibes Are Bad in the Good Land [TIFF-JP 2017]

November 1, 2017

“One day a fugitive appears in a village. He enjoys the calm, friendly atmosphere there, but also senses that something is not quite right.”

This is the simple but intriguing setup for the movie Gutland, provided by the official guide to the 30th Tokyo International Film Festival (hereafter referred to as TIFF-JP, in order to differentiate it from the Toronto International Film Festival, where Gutland made its world premiere in September).

Writer-director Govinda Van Maele, who hails from Luxembourg, first emerged on the film festival circuit ten years ago with a short film entitled Josh. It seems only fitting, then, that the winsome gut lord behind The Gaijin Ghost — coincidentally also named Josh — should take a quick stab at reviewing Gutland. The film screened in competition at TIFF-JP yesterday, and it marks a very assured debut feature for Van Maele.

Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku's 'Memory Lane,' and the Question of Tokyo's Real Influence on 'Blade Runner'

October 29, 2017

Tourists, even locals of the right persuasion, often invoke the movie Blade Runner when talking about Tokyo. Director Ridley Scott’s 1982 science fiction film is full of evocative images, some of them clearly Japan-inspired, like that of a geisha popping pills on a giant advertising screen above a rain-drenched neon metropolis. Our first introduction to Rick Deckard, the film’s main character, played by Harrison Ford, comes outside a noodle bar, whose elderly counterman beckons him with Japanese greetings, like “Irasshai,” and “Dozo.” But to what extent, really, did Tokyo inspire the look of Blade Runner?

Goodbye to the Old Tomorrowland: StarJets & Grand Circuit Raceway

October 11, 2017

This year, Tokyo Disneyland retired two of its opening-day attractions, StarJets and Grand Circuit Raceway. Since 1983, both of these rides have formed an integral part of the backdrop for Tomorrowland. Now, they’ve closed in order to make way for the expansion of Fantasyland and redevelopment of Toontown—an ongoing project that is scheduled to be completed in 2020, just in time for the Tokyo Olympics.

Photo Tour of Toyville Trolley Park at Tokyo DisneySea

September 27, 2017

It’s been five months since The Gaijin Ghost first had an article published on another site. In a guest post dated April 27, 2017, yours truly wrote for TDR Explorer about Toyville Trolley Park, which is sort of a sub-port within the larger port of American Waterfront at Tokyo DisneySea. This post was submitted on a trial basis, prior to entering the WordPress system as a contributor over there. Writing it involved referencing some translated information from the official Tokyo Disney Resort blog.

For the author, it was as much a learning experience as it would be for readers, inasmuch as the Tokyo Disney Resort blog called to attention certain unsung details of the Toyville Trolley Park area, things I had never noticed, such as the trolley track and the mock box office windows built into the entrance arch. On a trip to DisneySea earlier this year after the opening of Nemo & Friends SeaRider, I managed to catch Toyville Trolley Park at a time when it was relatively deserted, since its star attraction, the park’s most popular ride, Toy Story Mania!, was temporarily closed for refurbishment.

Clockwise, from left: Star Wars kazariyama float on display in a shopping arcade; men racing a smaller kakiyama float; and the main branch of the ramen chain Ichiran in Fukuoka. — Clockwise, from left: *Star Wars* *kazariyama* float on display in a shopping arcade; men racing a smaller *kakiyama* float; and the main branch of the ramen chain Ichiran in Fukuoka.

Floats & Food in Hakata, Fukuoka (Towering 'Star Wars' Float Included)

August 31, 2017

Hakata is a ward of Fukuoka City that is famous for its ramen. Back in June, The Gaijin Ghost reported for TDR Explorer on a 42-foot Star Wars float that was coming to the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival. Upon returning from a two-day trip to the festival last month, yours truly also posted a breaking news item to /Film about the float’s appearance at the festival.

Some of the pictures in that article, however, appear to have lost resolution. Here you can see better quality versions, along with some additional pics/video that were not included in the article.

The March of the First Order at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida. Photo by Marcus Meyer.

'Snow Star Wars,' ANA's C-3PO Jet, Droids Rice Paddy in Aomori, and More

July 25, 2017

In this post, The Gaijin Ghost takes a step back, photo-wise, and joins the reader in living vicariously through the experiences of TDR Explorer contributor John Himpe, fellow travel blogger and Star Wars fan Tokyo Fox, and Walt Disney World Annual Pass holder Marcus Meyer.

Airplane Book Recommendation: 'The Spy Across the Table' by Barry Lancet

June 13, 2017

With three previous novels under his belt, former Kodansha International editor Barry Lancet has made a name for himself as an author by tapping into the niche of thrillers set in Japan. During a recent event at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan (FCCJ) in the Yurakucho Denki Building in Central Tokyo, The Gaijin Ghost had an opportunity to meet the author, hear him speak, and obtain an advanced reading copy of his latest page-turner, The Spy Across the Table, which is due out in the states one week from today.

Polite, But Firm: The Picture Police at Tokyo Disney Resort

June 1, 2017

Veterans of Disney parks in the U.S. will probably be well-acquainted with the words “no flash photography,” having heard the words ad nauseam as part of the regular spiel before rides and shows at Disney. What first-time guests at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea might be surprised to learn is that there are some places inside these two parks where the staff can be downright militant in enforcing a rule of no photography ... period! It all depends on which attraction or show you are in, and which Cast Member you are dealing with at any given time.

The Greatest 'Star Wars' Music Video That Never Was

May 25, 2017

The 40th anniversary of Star Wars is almost upon us. May 25, 1977 was the date of the original movie's theatrical release. In honor of this 40-year milestone, The Gaijin Ghost would like to share a special lyric video from the Sea Flats, a mock-rock act whose singer went on to become "big in Japan," as they say. After the jump, you can also read the original 500-word treatment for the unfilmed music video of the band's song "If I Could Live in the Movie Star Wars."

Susukino Crossing at night, with Nikka Whiskey's King of Blenders sign visible on the side of the Susukino Building.

Susukino: Sapporo's Realm of Ramen and Ice - In 500 Words

May 15, 2017

Like Kabukicho in Tokyo, the Susukino neighborhood in Sapporo holds the distinction of being one of Japan’s major red-light districts. Here we will focus on a different side of Susukino: namely, its role as a ramen mecca, and a site for ice sculptures during the Sapporo Snow Festival.