TPR in Japan - 2018 - Theme parks and Japanese Fun!

[bert425Why do I still have a donkey title???]

Bert, Kura Sushi is expanding into the US so it may be the same chain! Kind of like how Gyu-Kaku is also making a stronger presence in the US. I am totally cool with more Japanese chains moving our way!

Bert - It looks like the one in Austin is the same chain: https://kurausa.com/

that's really cool, they're expanding into the USA.

and it means I've had (sorta) the same experience as y'all, right here (in TEXAS of all places!).

note: it seems the one in Austin goes by *two* names at the moment: Kura and Kula (looking onilne, both names appear to be on the jackets).
hanve't been in a few months. . time to go back

[PKI JizzmanJizzy jizz jizz jizz jizz]

Such a fun trip to follow! As a bunchacrunch fan, the Chocolate Crunch looks fantastic! Bonus that it comes in different flavors. The park looks beautiful, especially Tower of Terror! Thanks for sharing everything.

[hauntguyI know quite a lot about Donkeys!]

Thanks for another amazing trip report, Robb!

Japan is on my bucket list. Every time I read about Japanese efficiency and friendliness, I want to retire to there, not just visit someday. Watching those videos is like watching 50's American society, but with super advanced technology.

Been a long time since I logged in last, and pardon me if I am wrong, but I recall Elissa being a vegetarian. Is she an omnivore now? I saw her hungrily eyeing that delicious red cow flesh...

[805AndrewCan you see the donkey in my toast?]

Awesome start to your Japan trip. Going several days early to do stuff on your own is a good idea. It was nice having three full days on my own to roam around Tokyo before meeting up with the group in 2015 although even more days would've been nice.

At Tokyo Disney I want to try the garlic shrimp popcorn then the blueberry one for dessert.

My favorite yakatori restaurant of all time is the one I tried in 2015 in Fukuoka that you told us about that was underground and near the main train station. I had just came back from a day trip to Nagasaki on our free day and I was starving and since there was no English menu I saw a picture of the sampler with a bunch of different types of yakitori on the menu and ordered it. I got some surprised looks and laughs from the non-English speaking staff and the patrons at the bar as I was by myself but I ate everything I ordered and it was so oishii.

I tried a revolving sushi restaurant in Tokyo in 2015 that wasn't remarkable but the one you went to looks better. I noticed Kura Sushi has a location in San Jose minutes away from CGA, so I know where I'm going for dinner after I ride RailBlazer later this week.

[MayTheGForceBeWithYouStar Wars is gay.]

Kura Sushi is expanding into the US so it may be the same chain! Kind of like how Gyu-Kaku is also making a stronger presence in the US. I am totally cool with more Japanese chains moving our way!

There are so many companies and concepts in Japan that I'd love to see internationally, and it's nice to see a few of them trickle into the US (though a lot only seem to go as far as Hawaii to cater to cater more toward the Japanese tourists). To namedrop one more company, Coco Curry expanded into the Los Angeles area with a few different locations, and I'd absolutely love to see some more US mainland locations.

note: it seems the one in Austin goes by *two* names at the moment: Kura and Kula (looking onilne, both names appear to be on the jackets).

Probably to help accommodate the fact that the ら in くら (Kura) is usually romanized as "ra", but has a pronunciation somewhere between a hard English R and a hard L. US locations apparently operate under a subsidiary that uses the hard L romanization, while the restaurants are branded with the hard R one, which probably explains why you see both.

[805AndrewCan you see the donkey in my toast?]

^ Another Japanese chain I've seen here is Pepper Lunch (known as Pepper Lunch USA here) which does inexpensive hot plate meals were the food is served sizzling hot on a plate to your table. Several years ago I found the first US location by chance in Milpitas in the Bay Area which had a map on the menu showing over 500 locations in Japan, many is another parts of Asia, and one in the USA (at the time). I'm not sure if they expanded further here in the US.

[better_by_designI'm a know-it-all about donkeys!]

Robb,

Thanks for the amazing trip reports - loving living vicariously through you guys!

And love all the non-theme park stuff as much as the theme park stuff!

PS: Amazed at the turnover of Disney Sea popcorn flavors since I went last! Crazy! Glad curry is still there!

[bert425Why do I still have a donkey title???]

note: it seems the one in Austin goes by *two* names at the moment: Kura and Kula (looking onilne, both names appear to be on the jackets).

Probably to help accommodate the fact that the ら in くら (Kura) is usually romanized as "ra", but has a pronunciation somewhere between a hard English R and a hard L. US locations apparently operate under a subsidiary that uses the hard L romanization, while the restaurants are branded with the hard R one, which probably explains why you see both.

yet another reason to love TPR. . .I learn all kinds of interesting things!

thanks for the explanation, that makes total sense.

[MayTheGForceBeWithYouStar Wars is gay.]

note: it seems the one in Austin goes by *two* names at the moment: Kura and Kula (looking onilne, both names appear to be on the jackets).

Probably to help accommodate the fact that the ら in くら (Kura) is usually romanized as "ra", but has a pronunciation somewhere between a hard English R and a hard L. US locations apparently operate under a subsidiary that uses the hard L romanization, while the restaurants are branded with the hard R one, which probably explains why you see both.

yet another reason to love TPR. . .I learn all kinds of interesting things!

thanks for the explanation, that makes total sense.

Joy of having learned a decent amount of Japanese; it's not often I get to use it here, but it's nice knowing it when relevant things come up.

[RollertoasterWhat's with the donkeys anyway?]

Every time you do a Tokyo DisneySea TR, I wish I could be there! That place looks like curry popcorn with two helpings of awesomesauce and a side of loaded cheesy fries! I probably won't ever get to go there myself, but the next best thing is seeing it here! Great TR !