Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune… and Mixed Messages

No, this isn’t a food-themed anime, although you’d be forgiven for thinking it was. Based on a Japanese novel of the same name by Carlo Zen, Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune is a sci-fi action adventure following the journey of unit K321, a group of human soldiers tasked with supporting the Trade Federation (a collective of hyper-intelligent aliens that resemble animals) in their colonization efforts.

A Space Adventure

Humanity’s future is speaking in the world of Yakitori. Earth is now considered a “third world” planet due to its lack of intellectual and technological progress compared to other more advanced galactic civilizations. As a result, humanity’s main exports are food and foot soldiers. Enter Akira, Tyrone, Zihan, Erland and Amalia, members of unit K321, also known as “Yakitori,” the most expendable rank of soldiers, more often regarded as equipment rather than people. Through two interchanging timelines, viewers get a sense of this

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Sudbury news: French River travel trailers bylaw comes into effect

Travel trailer owners in French River are being reminded that they need to start thinking about whether they need a license for their camper – the implementation of the municipality’s new bylaw starts July 15.


Travel trailer bylaws have been a contentious issue across the northeast as several communities have begun to more regulate the practices around these mobile homes.

Mayor Gisele Pageau told CTV News this new requirement is only for those residents who set up permanent trailers – on lots for people to reside within. Those visiting the community will still be allowed to come and go without a license.

“They’re either hooked up to a field bed or whatever septic system they have to be approved,” said Pageau.

“What also has to be approved is how close they are to their neighbors because we don’t want neighbors to be disturbed by families going into a trailer

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List of 7: Real-Life Locations that Inspired Hayao Miyazaki Films

with How Do You Live? — Hayao Miyazaki’s first film in a decade — set for release this week, we thought we’d look at some of the real-life locations that inspired his movies for our latest List of 7. With this one, we’re going global, featuring both domestic and international destinations.

Rhonda Heritage Park | Billy Stock via Shutterstock

Laputa: Castle in the Sky — Rhondda (Wales)

Miyazaki visited Wales for the first time in 1984, the same year the UK miner’s strike began. Witnessing firsthand the industrial class working fighting back against Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government left a deep impression on the Japanese director. “I admired the way they battled to save their way of life, just as the coal miners did in Japan. Many people of my generation see miners as a symbol; a dying breed of fighting men. Now they are gone,” he said in an

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Power outage at Calgary airport results in travel delays, passenger frustration

Several flights headed out of Calgary’s international airport were delayed on Tuesday following a temporary power outage that started earlier that afternoon.

The Calgary Airport Authority said on social media around 2 pm that a temporary power interruption was affecting the baggage system and the International Terminal Building.

It was said later that “all flights” had been delayed and asked guests to coordinate with airlines regarding flight information.

A number of passengers took to social media, posting messages about the hold up, with some saying they were stuck in airplanes on the tarmac for hours.

“This is insane,” wrote Kamran Aslam on Twitter. “Does this airport not have emergency power backup generators and some sort of business continuity plan?”

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CBSA prepares for Canada and US Independence Day weekend travel surge

With Canada Day and US Independence Day approaching, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has shared a reminder and expected border procedures for travelers in order to have a smoother trip traveling between the two countries.

According to the reminder issued on Monday, CBSA employees will be monitoring travelers to ensure the prevention of entry of harmful goods into Canada.

CBSA says that its employees facilitated the arrival of over 60 million travelers in 2022 while keeping more than 1,100 firearms and 24,400 prohibited weapons off the streets and seized over 41,000 kg of illegal drugs.

To ensure a smooth border crossing experience, CBSA recommends considering the following tips:


Plan ahead: Check the border wait times web page and avoid traveling during the peak hours – Monday of holiday long weekends tend to be the busiest – instead, cross the border during non-peak hours such as early in

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Cristina BanBan’s “Figura” Is an Expansion Into Abstraction

Cristina BanBan’s first ever exhibit in Japan, “Figura,” is a non-narrative exploration of form and freedom, reflecting her growth as an artist. Her paintings, though consistently spotlighting the female form, have historically been more narrative. In older pieces, her subjects lounge in plazas or sit in kitchens, their bodies voluptuous and their gazes thoughtful. However, BanBan insists on moving away from naturalism’s need to tell a story. This shift is clear in her newest piece “Figuras III,” which is on display at Perrotin Tokyo — along with other works — until mid-August.

Cristina BanBan, “Figuras III”, 2023. Oil, oil stick on linen. 200.7 x 160 cm | 79 x 63 inches. Photographer: John Berens. Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin

From Autobiographical Narratives to Abstract Aesthetics

A classically trained artist, BanBan’s oil paintings retain elements of realism in the faces, bodies and stances of her subjects. This exhibition shows her

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Minobusan: A Sacred Mountain and a Peaceful Mountainside Retreat

For over 700 years, worshippers have visited Minobusan, one of Japan’s most sacred mountains. An imposing sanmon gate welcomes visitors to Kuonji, the heartland of Nichiren Buddhism, while the scent of towering cedar trees helps relieve the arduous climb up the 287 “steps of enlightenment” to the temple’s main hall. Guests staying at nearby Kakurinbo, a popular temple lodging, and its sister property, Guest Villa Ebisuya, are encouraged to take this same pilgrimage, if only to savor the view from Kuonji’s extensive grounds and catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji from the mountain’s peak.

Elements of Tradition

As an important satellite temple, Kakurinbo has accommodated visiting priests and pilgrims for over 550 years. Today, Kakurinbo offers a place of relaxation for tourists and worshipers alike while maintaining a traditional environment in which guests may enjoy local cuisine and cultural experiences. Visitors to Minobusan can also choose to stay at

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Stay at an Airbnb Gassho Home in the World Heritage Site of Gokayama

Not far from the coastal city of Toyamaas you wind around some beautiful country roads and pass by picturesque rice fields, you will come across one of the most untouched and truly stunning parts of Japan in the very sleepy village of Suganuma which is part of the revered Gokayama area (a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Photo credit: Satoshi Nagare

Two very lucky people (one group of two guests) have the opportunity to stay in Suganuma for free and experience genuine local rural Japanese life for two nights from July 17 to July 19, courtesy of the Nakashima family who have resided in Suganuma for five generations. The project, in partnership with Airbnbs Japan and Nanto city, Toyama Prefecture, is located in the village’s gassho-zukuri style farmhouses, which are particular to the region. The houses are responsive with their thatched roof structures. Creating them requires a

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AAA predicts record-breaking travel volume for July 4 weekend

A record number of people will travel by car or plane during the 4th July weekend this year.

AAA projects 50.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this Independence Day weekend, setting a new record for the holiday.

Domestic travel over the long weekend will increase by 2.1 million people compared to 2022 AAA says. This year, it’s predicted that the travel volume will surpass the last record set in 2019 of 49 million travelers.

“We’ve never projected travel numbers this high for Independence Day weekend,” said Mary Maguire, Vice President of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Northeast. “More than 1.4 million Massachusetts residents will be among those traveling, 1.2 million of us by car. Both mirror the national trends and are higher than the number of travelers and drivers from a year ago.”

It is predicted that 43.2 million people will travel by car

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Maison du Musée: The Art of Fine Dining

Many of Tokyo’s museums and art galleries have a restaurant or cafe somewhere on the premises, but Maison du Musee turns the concept completely around: The elegant French restaurant is an art museum in itself. Encompassing one of Japan’s finest art deco collections, it delivers a dining experience quite unlike anything else in Tokyo.

A short walk from Omotesando Station, Maison du Musee is housed in a former Western-style residence with almost 90 years of history. In addition to fine dining for lunch and dinner at the restaurant, there is also offers a cozy basement wine bar and a French patisserie. The main restaurant opens onto a garden, where the flowers are rotated on a monthly basis to ensure a beautiful view at any time of year. Both the restaurant and the wine bar can be rented out for private functions, and the garden makes an ideal venue ideal for

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