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Video Interlude: The Tokyo Sky Tree in Time-Lapse

The value of the Japanese Yen to the US Dollar has recently slipped so far that it's nearing its lowest point in four years. Plus, the currency exchange rate has never been easier to do in your head: 100 JPY is just about 1 USD.

All of this means that if you've been planning to head to Tokyo but "Japan is so expensive," now's the time to impulse-buy an airline ticket and head on up the Tokyo Sky Tree, the broadcasting/observation/restaurant tower which only opened at this time last year.

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Travel Cat / Animals / Japan Travel / Hakone Travel / → All Tags

The Adventures of Travel Cat: Ōwakudani Valley of Hakone, Japan

Kitty cats. They rule the internet and, whether we realize it or not, pretty much the world too. Ever noticed how cats sometimes stake out the coolest spots in a city? This new feature—Travel Cat—focuses on exactly that. Submit a photo to be featured by tweeting or Instagramming it to us (details below).

Travel Cat spotted in:

This week's Travel Cat is from Sharon Pierson who, while on an "Ice and Heat" tour through Japan, China, Cambodia and Thailand, captured this image of an apparently antisocial feline. Of him she says:

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Japan Travel / ANA / All Nippon Airways / Travel Websites / Tourism / → All Tags

Will Becoming a Manga Character Make You Travel to Japan? ANA Thinks So.

You’ll need to act quickly if you still want to escape on a spring break of your very own, and All Nippon Airways (ANA) is trying their very best to help you out by pointing you in the direction of Tokyo. A slick new website and interactive elements are part of the whole promotion called “Let’s Do Japan.”

Sure you can check out what’s available both on board and on the ground, but the way in which ANA is involved is pretty creative. They’re using what they’re calling the "Manganizer" to help you create your own manga—like a Japanese comic. Upload your photo or take a new one, and then you’re free to modify your image accordingly. Add glasses, snazzy eyebrows, and maybe even a little facial hair. After a brief load time you’ll be starring in your own comic, and the next thing you know you’ll be booking a trip to Japan—well, maybe.

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Japan Travel / Travel Politics / Politics Travel / Booze Travel / Tourism Boards / → All Tags

Japan Tourism Becoming More Affordable (and More Alcohol-Soaked)

We have an inexplicable fondness for stories about how there are bad things happening over there, and how those bad things are making tourism affordable, and how people should totally take advantage of that. The perennial version of this plot involves Greece travel, which takes a hit every time the country goes on strike, which reduces hotel prices by huge amounts, which if you get your timing right can be awesome (if you get your timing wrong, of course, you'll have be absolutely nothing to do; so it goes!)

Japan has something similar going on, but it's even better because it comes without the risk of the country shutting down. It's not that Japan is rioting or anything (you would have heard), but there are two things driving down prices. The first is that tourism has been low since the Fukushima, and the travel industry has had to adjust its prices accordingly. The second is that Japanese policymakers are making a concentrated effort to fix the country's anemic growth by devaluing the Yen. That, apparently, has been awesome for tourists. We just kind of figured this was something you'd like to know.

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In-Flight Meals / Food Travel / JAL / Japan Airlines / Airline News / Airline Food / Fast Food Travel / → All Tags

In-flight Fast Food: Japan Airlines Adds a 'Teriyaki Egg Burger' to the Menu

It seems like just the other day we were talking about Colonel Sanders and his finger lickin' good adventure at 35,000-feet. As a quick reminder, the fast food giant KFC sent some of their famous fried chicken up into the friendly skies, as they partnered with Japan Airlines to add a little fried fun into their in-flight menu. Now it looks like the carrier is reaching out into the fast food community once again, as they’re looking to serve up some mile high burgers.

This isn’t the first time, either; it's actually the third time Japan Airlines is collaborating with MOS Burger. It’s just the latest installment in the carrier’s Air Series in-flight meal service, and now all you need is to smuggle on a side of fries.

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Jaunted Awards 2012 / Travel Awards 2012 / The Jauntys / Travel Cat / Animals / → All Tags

Travel Cat of the Year 2012 is...

It's that time of the year again, the time when the year just plain ends. Alas, we can't just let 2012 go that easily, especially since travelers spent it both up in the air and up in arms over a crazy range of topics. Needless to say, we're ready for 2013, but first we're taking a brief look back at the best of 2012 with the Jaunted Travel Awards,—or as we fondly refer to them—The Jauntys.

In only a few more months we'll already be marking the one year anniversary of our Travel Cat series and, while it's not exactly hard-hitting journalism, it is fun for everyone. What's more is that we can now safely declare Turkey as Travel Cat capital of the world, since that country's fluffy strays claimed six Travel Cat features in 2012, far more than any other destination.

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In-Flight Meals / Food Travel / JAL / Japan Airlines / Airline News / Airline Food / Fast Food Travel / → All Tags

Colonel Sanders Joins the Mile High Club with Fried Chicken on Japan Airlines

Last year we saw Japan Airlines develop a taste for junk food, offering Mos Burger on select long-haul flights from Japan. Now the airline will be getting into the festive holiday mood with some KFC meal boxes for US routes, including Dreamliner flights.

Passengers flying from Tokyo-Narita in economy and premium economy will have the option for some original recipe fried chicken on the second service. The specially designed meal box will feature a drumstick, breast filet, coleslaw and lettuce leaves. The folks of KFC have even created an exclusive flatbread for the Air Kentucky Fried Chicken menu.

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ANA / All Nippon Airways / Boeing 787 Dreamliner / Boeing / 787 / Airlines / Airline News / → All Tags

Happy Birthday to the ANA 787 After a First Year of Flying

We don’t know where the time has gone, but it’s been roughly a year since the first Boeing 787 took flight into the world of commercial aviation. Just in case you can’t remember that far back it was All Nippon Airways that scored the inaugural, and since then there’s been a lot of flying for ANA and their new planes.

There’s no birthday cake—at least not yet—but ANA was pretty eager to share some facts and figures about their newest toy, and as always we’re suckers for anything and everything related to the 787. In the last year the carrier has had around 9,000 flights with the plane, and they’ve shared the new airplane smell with about 1.8 million paying passengers.

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Train Train / Japan Travel / Osaka Travel / Tokyo Travel / Photo Gallery / Max Graham / Shinkansen / → All Tags

Taking a Ride on Japan's Shinkansen Bullet Train with DJ Max Graham

Hopping between club nights in Japan, international DJ Max Graham faced a dilemma. Train or plane? Here, he shares his impression of a first trip on the fast train:

Faced with a trip between Osaka and Tokyo, I weighed my two main options. Would it be 2.5 hours on a comfortable train with no security or a 1-hour flight plus 1.5 hours of driving (city to airport on both ends) and another 90 minutes of security, check in and waiting at the gate? The train was winning already, but add to this that it’s the famous Shinkansen Express—one of Japan's shiny bullet trains—and it was a no-brainer.

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Airline News / Airlines / ANA / Airplanes / Livery / Boeing / All Nippon Airways / Travel Contests / → All Tags

Bust Out the Crayons: ANA Wants You to Design Their Next Livery

You know we’re pretty critical of an airplane’s paintjob, and to be honest we’re still not so sure about the design United picked after merging with Continental. Anyway, it’s now time for everyone to put their crayons and colored pencils to the test, as there’s one carrier actually looking for input when it comes to designing the outside of one of their planes.

ANA is stumped over how to decorate one of their Boeing 767s, so they’re asking for a little bit of assistance. As the airline celebrates its 60th anniversary, they’re looking for a design they can utilize. We’re not sure if they want to paint the plane like a giant birthday cake, but we’ve got to say that’s the first thing that came to mind.

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Airline News / Japan Airlines / JAL / Boeing / Airlines / In-Flight Comfort / Seats / → All Tags

New Seats and New Interiors Bring the New Plane Smell Back to Japan Airlines

Over in the hangars at Japan Airlines there may just be a little airplane jealousy, especially as some of the carrier’s older planes check out the new looks of those Boeing 787s. In order to ensure they're still on big happy family, it sounds like JAL is sending some of their older planes in for a little bit of a refurb and refresh.

New seats are coming to their entire fleet of Boeing 777-300ERs, as the airline hopes to keep things cutting edge and comfortable across all different cabins of service. They’re planning to reveal a few more details next month, as well as some of the dining delicacies that you’ll be able to enjoy from the comfort of your seat.

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Flight Reviews / ANA / Tokyo Travel / Airplanes / Max Graham / 787 / Boeing / 787 Dreamliner / Boeing 787 / Boeing 787 Dreamliner / Photo Gallery / Star Alliance / → All Tags

An Extreme Frequent Flyer Reviews ANA's Boeing 787 Dreamliner

A 767 wing on the return trip

Note: This story is a review of a trip including several segments, one of which was on a 787. Max also flew on a 767 and included this wingtip photo with the gallery as a whole trip. This was not made clear when first published, but explains the 767 image above.

International DJ, frequent flyer extraordinaire and Jaunted contributor Max Graham just flew from Tokyo to Hong Kong and it happened to be on one of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Here, he drops his thoughts on the ANA flight:

Pre-flight, in the lounge:

It began in Canada, flying up over the country and down into Tokyo onboard an Air Canada 777. Thanks to my Star Alliance status, I headed straight for the ANA lounge at Narita, which is not huge but just lovely with very pleasant local staff. Technically my first stop, in preparation for boarding the 787, was the lounge shower. Thankfully these are as nice as many showers in boutique hotels, complete with the awesome Japanese heated toilet contraption that’s a must for any “lost in translation” traveler.

Other awesome bits that put me in an great mood was the six noodle bowl options, free wifi and a nice cold Sapporo after the shower. Sadly the lounge's Sake Bar was closed (I was there in the morning), but it seemed quite well set up, again feeling like a bar within a cool boutique hotel.

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