Here is a  summary of the Republican debate  two months before Iowa votes.   Time  magazine  feels Nikki Haley won. Our entire five week journey will be spent only in Japan.  I really don't know much about the history of Japan, so learn with me: Human life in Japan began nearly  40,000 years ago  during the Stone Age.  Tools first came from Northern China about 34,000 years ago, then advancements were introduced from Siberia 20,000 years ago. The Jomon period began in 14,000 BC and continued to 300 BC. By the start of 300 BC, rice farming and the metallurgy of iron and bronze arose during the Yayoi period. The documented history goes back to 250 AD, the Kofu period, when Shintoism was introduced and the Imperial House began to rise.  A Torii Gate sits at the entrance of a Shinto temple.  If in the water, then adjacently on land. From 538 during the Asuka period, when there was a big leap in political, social and artistic aspects of the society.  Buddhism was brought to the country

In my youth, the Woody Woodpecker Club had Saturday morning shows in the Kewalo Theater of Kakaako in Honolulu.  Then again, my mind is faulty, could have been a matinee.  It started with previews, a newsreel, cartoons, a serial (around 15 chapters, one per week), then a war, Tarzen or cowboy film.  Sometimes two.  Somewhere during that period there were audience participation contests.  Cost?  I think 12 cents.  A drink and popcorn cost an extra 15 cents or so.  Today, a typical movie outing would set you back $20/person, and more. I particularly remember cowboy chapters that captured our attention and kept us hanging to the next week.  Remember Donald Barry de Acosta.?  Of course not, because he was Red Ryder.  Or Charles Starrett Better (Durango Kid), William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy), Harold Smith (who became Jay Silverheels, who played Tonto), Renaldo Duncan (Cisco Kid, left)...Jack Moore (The Lone Ranger)? So tried to find a list of best actors in westerns, and found one by  Slash

Tomorrow I will focus on everything you might want to know about Japanese samurai, the real ones and films.  Today, simply the highest rated Japanese movies and series by Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes best Japanese films 100%   The Tale of the Princess Kaguya  (2013, animated) 100%   Seven Samurai  (1954), maybe the best movie ever made 100%   Still Walking  (2008), complete movie, wonderful family film 100%   Only Yesterday  (1991, animated) 100%   Tampopo  (1985), complete movie, with a younger Ken Watanabe 100%   Tokyo Story  (1953), complete movie, said to be about the best made, by Ozu ( frankly, I found this film to be drawn out and boring ) 100%   Grave of Fireflies  (1988, animated) 99%     Shoplifters  (2018) 99%     Jiro Dreams of Sushi  (2011), one of my all-time favorites, especially since  he once personally served me  , and only me, for the entire lunch. 99%     The Twilight Samurai  (2002) 98%     Your Name  (2016, animated) 98%     Rashomon  (1950), with Kurosawa, Mi