Godzilla head and Godzilla Road (Photo by Luis Samayoa/Stripes Korea)
Our community products are geared toward giving you the tools to make the most of your time while stationed in the Pacific.
Whether you are in mainland Japan, Okinawa, Korea or Guam, we’re going to help you get off base and explore. We’ll help you find that tasty restaurant, eye-popping day trip or fun festival that really lets you dive into the local culture.
And don’t worry, we’ll take it step by step. We’ll show you how to get on a train, bus or taxi. Or, if you are driving, we’ll show you where and how to park. Seriously, we’re here to hold your hand, help you take some baby steps and then set you free, with the knowledge that if you ever get lost or are looking for some travel tips, destinations or anything else, all you need to do is pick up this paper, one of our magazines or special supplements, or click on one of our community websites or Facebook and Instagram pages to get all the free information you seek.
So how do we compile the thousands of stories that are at your fingertips? Well, besides partnering with dozens of outside organizations from around the world, we also count on you, our military community, to submit stories. And you always come through! Hey, like we fond of saying, “We’re going to make you famous!”
Illustrations of PMD writers and an editor (From left to right): Shoji Kudaka, Takahiro Takiguchi, Denisse Rauda, Hyemin Lee and Luis Samayoa. (Illustrations by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Korea)
And then there’s our team: writers Hyemin Lee (Korea), Shoji Kudaka (Okinawa), Takahiro Takiguchi and Luis Samayoa (mainland Japan) and their editor, Denisse Rauda (mainland Japan). Yes, that’s an illustration of them on front page. And they love what they do. You see, for us to do our job properly, we go out and experience things first-hand so we can tell you about it, offer tips and give you directions. During a 5-day gathering at our headquarters in Tokyo, our writers, page designers and web team joined forces to brainstorm story ideas and discuss how to best display and tell the tales of our adventures.
Denisse Rauda: I’m Denisse Rauda from El Paso, Texas, but now living in Tokyo. I have been with Stripes for 12 years. My interests include binge-watching TV shows, karaoke, tennis and exploring Tokyo. Nice to meet you! (Illustration by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Korea)
Takiguchi Takahiro: I’m Takahiro Takiguchi from Yokosuka City in mainland Japan. I have been with Stripes for 13 years. My interests include food, drinks, travel and music. Nice to meet you! (Illustration by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Korea)
Shoji Kudaka: I’m Shoji Kudaka from Okinawa. I have been with Stripes for 10 years.
My interests include travel, sports, movies, photography, TV shows, cats and dogs. Nice to meet you! (Illustration by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Korea)
Hyemin Lee: Hi, I’m Hyemin Lee, a Seoul native based in Pyeongtaek. I’ve been with Stripes for 4 years. I love sharing Korea’s destinations, culture, history, local tips and fun things to know with the U.S. military community. Nice to meet you! (Illustration by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Korea)
Luis Samayoa: Hi, I’m Luis Samayoa, from San Diego, California. This is my 3rd and last year with Stars and Stripes as their military staffer. My interests are traveling, eating, exploring Japan and collecting souvenirs like Sake and Milk Bottles everywhere I go. Nice to meet you! (Illustration by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Korea)
And it was a week for them to do some team reporting. And what better way to do that than take a day trip? But unlike years’ past when they hit the road to explore Kamakura, Enoshima, Yamanashi and Shizuoka, they decided to be city slickers and explore Tokyo, hopping on trains, buses and taxis, or just letting their legs do the work. When we planned the trip, we considered our Okinawan, Shoji, and what his tropical paradise-influenced take might be on city life, especially since he lived in Tokyo for a while decades ago. And, of course, we were also excited to get Hyemin’s point of view on things as a Korean, just like she did two years ago during her first trip to Japan.
To explore as much of the city as possible, Shoji and Luis paired up, as did Hiro and Hyemin. As for Denisse, she split her day between the two pairs.
The five of them, a motley crew from different generations, cultures, backgrounds and interests, hit the streets to explore Tokyo. In the next four editions, you’ll read all about their excursions, what they learned, what they liked and what they would probably skip next time. So, sit down, and let our crew tell you about themselves and show you how to enjoy a day of window shopping, visiting temples, shrines and museums, hitting the batting cages (you need to work on your swing, Luis), touring a beer brewery (Hiro’s favorite pastime), eating local cuisine, picture-taking, lots of walking … and plenty of laughs. Yes, they have a tough job, but they do it for you.
– Chris Carlson, Publishing and Media Design Manager
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Shinjuku
On the hunt for daytime fun in Tokyo’s nightlife central
Japan map (Illustration by Stripes Korea)
Tokyo map (Illustration by Stripes Korea)
Shinjuku, a city known for its neon lights and nightlife, is filled with many seedy alleyways and people from all around the world trying to check out this red-light district. I always wondered if there was more to do here than just its well-documented night scene, so with my co-worker from Okinawa, Shoji, we took a daytime trip there.
My first thought when walking through the city in the light of day was how empty the walkway was. Perfect for introverted people like me.
For those into shopping, Takashimaya Mall, NewoMan and Lumine fit the bill. If you are searching for a luxury brand and don’t want to deal with the crowds, coming to the city in the daytime is a great option.
Luis taking a picture of Shinjuku streets. (Photo by Shoji Kudaka/Stripes Korea)
We found it easy to watch the 3D Calico Cat billboard do its thing every 15 minutes on the big monitor outside the East Exit of Shinjuku Station and get a closeup view of Godzilla’s head on the Kabukicho strip. In the evening, these areas are packed with people taking photos and videos.
We also enjoyed the fact that dining establishments are not packed like they are in the evening, allowing you to walk in and grab a table. We managed to try a delicious Taiwanese restaurant during our stop. No wait and the food was great. We also had an absolute blast swinging the baseball bat in some batting cages and visiting Gyoen Park during our daytime visit to this nightlife city.
Disclaimer: The night still lingers on in some places.
Although coming to Shinjuku in the daytime is relaxing – less crowds, no lines and space to roam freely – there is still some seediness lurking. There were times it reeked like the bathroom or something very pungent, but that can be expected in a red-light district.
The shop signs were much easier to examine in the day. Bars and clubs with the occasional love hotel in between. As a married man who no longer drinks, I have no interest in coming to these types of places. (Reminder: Under USFJ policy, entering off-limit establishments or paying for prostitution is against the rules for Military, Civilian contractors and dependents.)
Shoji and I set out to explore Shinjuku in search of things that didn’t include drinking. We accomplished that mission and are excited to share our findings with you.
– Luis Samayoa
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Read rest of their stories at the links below:
AloJapan.com