Aaron Kidd

Tokyo

Pacific Bureau Chief at Stars and Stripes

Pacific Bureau Chief @StarsandStripes. Tweeting about life in #Japan and the US military. @UofSC alum. Views = my own. RTs and likes ≠ endorsements, of course.

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Articles

Air Power Days return to South Korea, featuring final Warthog display

3 days ago | stripes.com | Eric Mendiola |Aaron Kidd

The South Korean air force’s Black Eagles soar in formation during an airpower festival at Osan Air Base, South Korea, May 11, 2025. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes) OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea — Air Power Days resumed over the weekend, welcoming the public for the first time in nearly six years and marking the final public appearance in South Korea of the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
Henry’s Pizza in Osaka is a love letter to New York, signed by a few famous fans

4 weeks ago | stripes.com | Aaron Kidd

The pepperoni slice is the showstopper at Henry's Pizza in Osaka, Japan. There are no frills here. Just a classic done right. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes) Near a quiet corner of Osaka’s Tanimachi neighborhood — just a stroll away from the city’s famous castle — sits a pizzeria that feels like it was airlifted straight out of Brooklyn. But this isn’t the Big Apple. It’s Henry’s Pizza, and it might just serve the best New York-style slice in Japan.
Iggy Pop wails, Sex Pistols sneer at PUNKSPRING finale near Tokyo

1 month ago | stripes.com | Aaron Kidd

Iggy Pop headlines the final day of PUNKSPRING at Makuhari Messe near Tokyo, May 30, 2025. (PUNKSPRING) If punk is dead, nobody told the 10,000 Tokyo-area fans who packed Makuhari Messe for the finale of PUNKSPRING 2025. The annual, two-day festival — a cornerstone of Japan’s punk scene since 2003 — came roaring back March 29-30 with a lineup that spanned generations, proof that the world has yet to overdose on three-chord fury.
Time travel to Tokyo in the 1840s at Fukagawa Edo Museum

1 month ago | stripes.com | Aaron Kidd

The Edo Fukagawa Museum in Tokyo reproduces the town of Fukagawa-Saga during the late Edo period. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes) In quiet Koto ward, away from the neon-lit skyscrapers and frenzied pace of central Tokyo, the Fukagawa Edo Museum offers a portal to a bygone era.
Where time stands still: Old world cafe keeps Tokyo’s kissaten culture alive

1 month ago | stripes.com | Aaron Kidd

Patrons at Tajimaya Coffee House in Tokyo can savor a variety of coffees, including the house's oriiginal blend and rare single-origin offerings featured as monthly specials. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes) Situated on the boundary of Shinjuku’s Memory Lane — a narrow alleyway of shabby but charming food stalls — Tajimaya Coffee House stands as evidence of Tokyo’s enduring kissaten culture.
In the Masters mood: Author Tripp Bowden pulls back Augusta National’s green curtain

2 months ago | stripes.com | Aaron Kidd

The grass will be Masters green at Augusta National Golf Club when the sport’s most prestigious tournament tees off on April 10, 2025. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) As another Masters Tournament approaches, golf’s annual pilgrimage to Augusta National brings with it a sense of nostalgia, reverence and an insatiable hunger for stories that illuminate the game’s traditions.
A rite of spring: Marines roll up their sleeves as warmer weather arrives

2 months ago | stripes.com | Aaron Kidd

Despite its seemingly simple nature, the process of rolling sleeves is governed by strict standards. Folds must be crisp and even, with the camouflage pattern properly aligned. (Krysten Houk/U.S. Marine Corps) The arrival of spring in the Marine Corps is not measured by cherry blossoms or rising temperatures alone. It’s marked by the annual rolling of uniform sleeves, a ritual as predictable as the Cyber Awareness Challenge.
Tsunami-struck Japanese hotel stands as a testament to resilience after tragedy

2 months ago | stripes.com | Aaron Kidd

The Taro Kanko Hotel in Miyako city, Japan, once stood as a symbol of hospitality, offering guests views of the Pacific Ocean and the nearby Sannoiwa Rocks. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes) Perched along the scenic coastline of Japan’s Iwate prefecture, the Taro Kanko Hotel once stood as a symbol of hospitality, offering guests views of the Pacific Ocean and the nearby Sannoiwa Rocks.
Tsunami memorial serves as a tribute to those lost and a call to never forget

2 months ago | stripes.com | Aaron Kidd

Silence lingers over Takata Matsubara Memorial Park for Tsunami Disaster in Japan's Iwate prefecture, interrupted only by the sound of waves. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes) Along the coast of Japan’s Iwate prefecture, where a tsunami swept away entire communities on March 11, 2011, a single tree remains as a symbol of endurance.
Raw power: Iggy Pop, Sex Pistols to headline Japan’s premier punk rock festival

Jan 16, 2025 | stripes.com | Aaron Kidd

Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1980. (Bad Religion) Time to tease up your mohawk. Iggy Pop, Bad Religion and three founding members of the Sex Pistols are slated to headline PUNKSPRING when the highly anticipated Japanese music festival returns in March. With a lineup packed with legendary acts and fan favorites, the event promises two unforgettable days of high-energy, raucous performances in Osaka and Tokyo.