April 1966: Rita Clark Trip Days 1-3

The following is a reprinting of the content taken directly from Rita Clark's Travelogue seen in the picture link below.  Please note the map at the top of this picture is different and incorrect from the one on the original post of this trip.

TRAVEL WORLD - 67 DAY ESCORTED AROUND-WORLD-TOUR APRIL 14, 1966

1st Day Thurs. Apr. 14, 1966 - Left Los Angeles by Japan Airlines DC-8 Jet for Tokyo via Honolulu.  At Hawaii we crossed the International Date Line and lost a day for we arrived in Japan at Tokyo the same afternoon tho it was
2nd Day Fri Apr. 15 - We were taken to the Tokyo Hilton Hotel - a beautiful hotel!  This capital city of Japan has a population of over 10 million.
3rd Day Sat Apr. 16 - Breakfast in room - then lunch with the group at the Gardens of Chinzan-so restaurant famous for its barbecue meats.  In the afternoon we visited the Imperial Palace Plaza, Asakusa Amusement Center, Ueno Park and Picture Gallery, Meiji Shrine Outer Garden and the Ginza famous shopping area.  At 7:00 P.M. we had a cocktail party for our group of 16 and here I met Dr. & Mrs. Laurence White and Mrs. Swanson of Canoga Park, Cathy Smith of Culver City, Bill Nordhoff of Santa Monica, Gertrude Bernhard of Seattle, Jeanne Eddy from Chicago, Mr. & Mrs. Ward Sumpter of Kentucky, Mr. & Mrs. Max Baele of Fla., Capt. & Mrs. Bert White from S.F.  Bob Davis of No. Hollywood joined us from Korea, and Ken Dunne, Australian Conductor.

My Observations:  First of all, I came across the following beautiful color picture on the internet (it was not in Rita's Travelogue) of a JAL DC-8 parked at San Francisco airport in 1968.  Just thought you might want to see what this plane looked like!

Upon further research, I have come to find out that the original Hilton Hotel in Tokyo, which was the first global chain hotel in Japan, was built in 1963 not too much before Rita's arrival.  It was probably considered "new" at the time.  In 1984 the Tokyu Hotel Chain, Ltd. bought this property and renamed it the Capital Tokyu Hotel.  It ceased operation in 2006, due to the area redevelopment project of Nagata-cho 2-chome.  It reopened in October 2010 as "The Capital Hotel Tokyu".  Today the main Tokyo Hilton is over in Shinjuku.  Lastly, the Gardens of Chinzan-so, which were created in 1877, are still alive and well in the Bunkyo area of Tokyo.  While I have never been there, there appears to be seven restaurants on the grounds also known as "Camilia Mountain", and a Four Seasons hotel sits on a corner of the extensive 66,000 square meter site.

More Random but Related Trivia:  Just a short month and a half after Rita touched down at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda), a famous group of people did the same.  Can you guess who they were?  If you said The Beatles, you would be correct!!!  They were there to play concerts at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo on June 30th, July 1st and 2nd.  And where did the Beatles stay during their only trip to Japan?  Why the Tokyo Hilton of course!!!!

The Beatles Haneda Arrival - June 29th, 1966

As long as we are talking about the Beatles trip to Japan, here is a little taste of their first concert on the evening of June 30th.


Interestingly the Beatles only played 30 minute sets in these concerts. I guess when your songs average only a couple of minutes that works out. They had an afternoon and evening show.  Notice how simple the stage is set up.  Quite different from today's major productions!  Shows you that if your music is so beautiful you don't need anything else.  Sadly just a short two months after these shows the Beatles would play their final concert at San Francisco's Candlestick Park on August 29th.  Why couldn't those screaming girls just be quiet so everyone could hear the music?