Exploring the History of Japan Airlines

Tickets cost 1,000 yen for adults (for the general factory tour) and need to be booked online well in advance, usually about a month out, as spots fill up fast. The museum area sits right alongside Haneda’s bustling runways; you can watch planes landing and taking off just moments after walking in while waiting for the tour to start. While photography and filming are restricted across several security-sensitive areas, I managed to capture plenty of memories in the vibrant Museum Zone! This interactive exhibition space breaks down every aspect of JAL’s operations and storied history. You can trace their fleet evolution through miniature models, check out vintage flight attendant uniforms, step inside real cockpit mockups, and browse exclusive official merch at the shop. The museum even houses immersive attractions like the “SoraCruise” interactive theater and retro displays showcasing historic aircraft. I especially enjoyed dressing up as a Japan Airlines pilot and pranced around like I was 9 years old again!

The Hangar Tour Was the Highlight

As awesome as the exhibition floor is, the absolute highlight of the visit is without a doubt the Hangar Tour! Walking onto the massive hangar floor, you are greeted by giant Airbus and Boeing jets undergoing maintenance up close. Standing just a couple hundred meters away from active runways while multi-ton aircraft roar past nearby is an absolute rush.

If you love aviation or simply want to experience a unique side of Tokyo near Haneda, make sure to add the JAL Sky Museum to your itinerary. I might even put aside my JAL vs. ANA rivalry and check out the ANA Blue Hangar tour next to see how it compares! Have you ever visited an aviation museum or taken a hangar tour before? Let me know in the comments below!

Tokyo Metro Museum Exhibits

The Tokyo Metro Museum has 7 separate exhibit spaces, each displaying a different theme. The exhibits cover the history of the metro, the creation of the metro, metro safety, passenger service, a playground, and more. I want to collect more model trains in the future. I wonder which Metro line will be my first; my Narita Express will need company soon.

I will be back

I visited the Metro Museum and enjoyed a couple of hours there, including collecting the special 40th anniversary Ekitag, and I definitely want to go back. You can get to the museum via the Tozai Line and come off a Kasai Station. More details on the Tokyo Metro Museum website.

Honestly, I was running on fumes this year. Work travel in the days leading up to the weekend completely drained my battery. Still, I had my ticket in hand, and there was no way I was skipping it, so I dragged myself out the door to Makuhari Messe anyway. Walking the halls made me a bit nostalgic.

A Dash of Nostalgia: 15 Years Later

The last Tokyo Game Show I attended was back in 2011, which was also the very first time I visited Japan, an unbelievable 15 years ago this month. While modern hardware has evolved and the industry is massive now, I am happy to report that TGS itself has not changed much at its core. And that is a very good thing.

Upcoming Games on My Radar I saw at Tokyo Game Show 2026

I wandered past dozens of booths of Tokyo Game Show 2026 and caught glimpses of so many upcoming titles on my radar:

• Gundam Rogue Orbit
• Final Fantasy Resonance
• Crazy Taxi
• Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance
• …and plenty more that kept my gamer heart happy despite my aching feet.

Real Floor Energy Beats Livestreams

By the time TGS 2027 rolls around, I plan to be well-rested and fully charged so I can take it all in properly. At the end of the day, I’m just glad this expo is still healthy, packed, and strongly supported. Digital-only livestreams with stiff hosts and shallow award segments simply cannot capture the real awesomesauce of gaming culture in person.

Did you follow any of the TGS announcements this year, or is there an upcoming game you’re counting down the days for? Let me know in the comments below!

Needless to say, I was super excited when Sekiro No Defeat, the anime based on the Sekiro video game, was announced. I frantically followed the news, and when tickets went on sale in June 2026, I was up at 3am, refreshing repeatedly until I snagged one. Fast forward to September 5th, 2026, and I was skipping to the Toho Theatre in Ueno to see the anime, finally.

I don’t want to spoil much, as it will be released in episodic form later, but my notes right after leaving the theater were:

– The anime follows the story, partially
– Gyoubu got his Epic 30 seconds in the film, and I may have chuckled a bit
– Our unkillable samurai, Hanbei, plays a big role
– Isshin owned every scene and was my favourite character (again)
– Voice acting and music were perfect
– Some additional story bits flesh out parts of the narrative that are unique to the anime
– Some story bits from the game missing or made shorter like Senpou temple
– Owl and Genichiro just as hated as in the game
– Disappointing omissions of Lady Butterfly and other fan favourites
– Only passing mention of Hirata estate and No Fountainhead Palace

I think Sekiro No Defeat is a great adaptation of the Story of the Sekiro Shadows Die Twice video game. It is accessible for those who never played the game, and fans like me should be very satisfied.

Unicorn Gundam and Gunpla

I have gone to see Unicorn Gundam in Odaiba many times, the first time being my first winter in Japan, a couple months after moving to Japan. In a way I feel a special connection to the Unicorn Gundam in Odaiba, as it has been on display as long as I have lived in Japan. I have built the 1/100 scale and Chibi/SD version of the Unicorn Gundam.

What’s next after the Unicorn Gundam in Odaiba?

While it’s bittersweet to see it go, the big question on every mecha fan’s mind is, “What comes next?” Surely this can’t be the end of life-sized Gundams guarding Tokyo Bay. Hopefully, Bandai has plans to roll out another mobile suit to take its place. What suit do you think should take over the plaza next? Nu Gundam, Aerial, or something totally unexpected? Drop a comment below and share your predictions!

Otome Inari: Miniature Torii Gates and Sacred Fox Messengers

My main highlight was visiting Otome Inari Shrine within the complex. It features a hillside tunnel of vibrant red torii gates, similar to Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari, which I recently checked off from my goshuin wishlist. These torii, though no less spectacular, are not as tall as the ones in Kyoto, so please watch your head when walking underneath, or you can also stroll alongside them. Stone fox statues (kitsune) are all over the grounds of the Otome Inari Shrine hill, as foxes are said to be sacred messengers of Inari, the deity of rice and business prosperity.

Nezu Shrine’s Cultural Treasures & Collecting the Goshuin Stamp

Many structures of the main Nezu Shrine, such as the gates, wall, and other artifacts, are designated Important Cultural Properties by the government, having survived centuries of Tokyo’s history. Before leaving, I picked up a Goshuin (honorable red seal) with the shrine’s name and the date to remember the day. I am quickly filling out my Goshuincho I picked up in Hokkaido!

10 Video Games to Get to know me

Super Metroid
Still my best game of all time, even though it is more than 30 years old now. I replayed in recently while streaming on Twitch and fell in love with it again. I love games about collecting power-ups and making yourself into an overpowered badass in the end.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Speaking of being a badass, Sekiro is an amazing experience. It unfolds almost like a movie and shows how video games can be works of art. Sekiro interactions with all the main characters, bosses, locations, etc., come together to make a masterpiece in my eyes.

Final Fantasy 8
Everyone raves about Final Fantasy 7 but Final Fantasy 8 is the better game in my eyes. It arrived at a time when I was an angsty teen, and the story of Squall and Friends was my 100+ hour 4-disc escape. Those summons looked amazing in CGI and Ultimecia is bae.

SWOTOR
MMORPGS were all the rage not long ago. I could quite get it the fantasy ones like Warcraft and Everquest, but give me the world of Star Wars to prance around in, and I played that game like a job for almost 3 years, to where I was leading a 100+ member guild with members all over the globe. Good times.

XCOM 2
Turn-based and strategy games have been a staple of my PC gaming journey since my mom spent a small fortune to get me a PC in 2001. XCOM 2 is the turn-based strategy game that I have revisited time and time again to play. It is a genre-defining title.

Valkyria Chronicles
Video games made from anime are a dime a dozen, but the best adaptation of an anime to a video game, to me, is Valkyria Chronicles. The anime itself isn’t a classic, but the video game is very unique and really engulfs the player in the story. I really felt I was a member of Squad 7 defending against invasion from an evil empire.

Sword of Hope
This game, to my knowledge, is the first RPG I ever played. Stubbling through the story, fighting the bosses, and figuring out the puzzles on a Game Boy in an era when you couldn’t just search for the answer online when you were stuck made this game have a great impact on me.

Clair Obsure Expedition 33
Expedition 33 has all the ingredients of a video game I would really like. An amazing story, unique graphics, engaging mechanics, high replay value, and interesting characters. Highly recommended and always a joy to experience even if playing on the easiest difficulty or watching someone else play.

Monster Hunter Tri
The gateway drug to my Monster Hunter addiction. Monster Hunter was still unknown in the West but huge in Japan. I followed it for months and bought it as soon as I could. I played Monster Hunter Tri mostly solo but would love to replay it one day. Also, it has some of the best box art for a video game ever.

Broken Lines
I’m a strange choice of a game, probably mostly unknown and very niche. Broken Lines reminds me of the days of getting PC game demos in magazines to try but unearthing a banger that brings enjoyment even if it’s not mainstream. It’s a simple, enjoyable game, short and sweet, with multiple endings depending on your choices.

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Visiting Yasukuni Shrine

Beyond the stamps, the visit itself was quite unique. Right away, I noticed the heavy security presence around the perimeter and grounds. Yasukuni Shrine is easily the most heavily patrolled and guarded Shinto shrine I have ever visited, giving the experience a noticeably different vibe compared to the quiet, laid-back atmosphere of most shrines across Japan.

Limited Summer 2026 Stamps

Given Yasukuni’s complex history, walking through the massive torii gates and seeing the grounds in person gave me plenty to reflect on. Overall, it was a memorable stop on my journey, both for the experience and the new stamps in my collection. Have you ever collected limited seasonal Goshuin on your travels in Japan or visited Yasukuni Shrine yourself? Let me know in the comments below!

The Good: Grogu, Giant Serpent, and opening night hype

I don’t regret watching it on opening night. There were definitely parts that kept me entertained, and my absolute favorite scenes involved Grogu and the Anzellans. The action sequence featuring Din Djarin and that pale water serpent was epic and felt like the high-stakes adventure I was looking for. Disney certainly profited from my fondness for these characters, and seeing them on the big screen had its moments. Even the Razor Crest is back?

The Bad: The Hutts

However, every time a Hutt appeared on the screen, I wanted to throw up. The terrible CGI worms, their voices, the action scenes involving them: EVERYTHING about them felt off. It completely dragged the experience down for me. I may have celebrated a little too much in the theater when those damn Hutt twins didn’t survive to the end of the film.

Is The Mandalorian and Grogu worth watching at the theater? If you are a die-hard fan, sure. But overall, I wasn’t satisfied, and I don’t know if I’d want to do this again.

Revisiting it, streaming the experience on my Twitch channel, and recording my playthrough over multiple sittings was something I wanted to do for a very long time, but I just couldn’t find the right time between life and other games. After recently seeing the credits in and thoroughly enjoying the single-player goodness of Capcom’s Pragmata, the urge to return to an old favourite became too strong to ignore. I needed to see if the crown still fit and if Super Metroid was as awesome as I remember it.

The Timeless Blueprint of Planet Zebes

Playing through Super Metroid after all this time truly highlights how exceptionally well the game has held up and exactly why it remains an absolute cult classic. From the moment my gaming bae Samus Aran lands on a rain-slicked and very hostile planet, Zebes, the atmosphere is unmatched.

Just like I noted in my Pragmata review, there is a distinct, unmatched brilliance to hand-crafted, tightly connected, and linear (or in this case, expertly non-linear) experiences. Modern open-world maps often feel bloated, but Super Metroid is a masterclass in level design. Every corridor, hidden wall, and elevator ride feels entirely deliberate. It doesn’t rely on modern hand-holding or maps cluttered with objective markers. Instead, it respects the player’s intelligence, guiding you naturally through its upgrade loop as you amass missiles, energy tanks, and iconic suit abilities.

Nostalgia Fix vs Modern Gaming Slop

Maybe my age is showing a bit here, but playing this classic again made me realize how much I miss the days when games were complete experiences right out of the box. I miss when video games were celebrated for their tight mechanics, immaculate pacing, and atmosphere, rather than being bloated with shiny graphics, endless DLC fests, and live service slop designed to keep you “ticking boxes.” Super Metroid doesn’t demand your attention with daily log-ins or battle passes; it captures it purely through brilliant gameplay. Stepping back into Samus’s power suit gave me the perfect nostalgia fix, but it also did something else: it left me hungry for more.

What’s next after Super Metroid? Looking Ahead

Now that the credits have rolled and my trip down memory lane is complete, I’ve realized that a switch has been flipped. One run through Zebes wasn’t enough to satisfy the craving. I’m already planning to revisit a few more of my old favorites in the coming months to see how they hold up to the test of time. But before I dig too deep into the retro archives, I think it’s time to test my reflexes again. I simply can’t get enough of this franchise, so my next stop will likely be heading back to Metroid Dread to tackle Dread Mode once more. Let’s see if my gaming skills can keep up with the ultimate challenge!

Did you play Super Metroid back in the day, or have you revisited it recently? How do you think it holds up against modern titles? Let me know in the comments below! Be sure to follow my gaming exploits live on Twitch @Jamaiplays and subscribe to the journey over on YouTube @Jamaiplays.