A blend of races - white, black, Hispanic, and Asian - emanated powerful energy as I flew southeast from Los Angeles International Airport on American West Airlines for about an hour. Suddenly, Las Vegas emerged amidst the sun-baked desert, with neatly planned streets, vibrant green golf courses meticulously maintained by sprinklers, and beautiful residential areas with houses topped by orange-tiled roofs. And of course, the colorful array of massive hotels and casinos.

The population was about a million in 1998. The desert weather was always sunny, often with not a cloud in the bright blue sky. However, being in a basin without trees, when it did rain, the whole town was drenched, leading to floods. I remember once when the water came up to about 20 centimeters below the window while I was in a car.

The first casino hotel built in Las Vegas was the Flamingo, by a New York Jewish mafia member named Benjamin Siegel. It incorporated the idea of lounging by the hotel pool during the day, enjoying a luxurious show and a meal at night, and indulging in gambling. This concept ultimately defined the city's image. While Japan was still recovering from the war, glamorous resorts were already starting in Las Vegas.

Interestingly, "Las Vegas" actually means "the meadows" in Spanish, and the land is not entirely barren. Traces of the Native American hunting lifestyle are preserved in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Even now, wild animals like rabbits, deer, and squirrels inhabit Las Vegas.

During the westward expansion period, the first settlers were a group of Mormon followers led by Brigham Young. They had escaped religious persecution, but faced it again in Las Vegas, prompting them to move their base to Salt Lake City, Utah, north of Las Vegas. However, currently, there are many Mormons living in Las Vegas, with a significant number working in intellectual professions like lawyers, accountants, doctors, and computer programmers.

The explosive urban growth was primarily due to the construction boom of enormous casino hotels that began in the early 1990s. The tourism industry demands a large workforce, and so a flood of people came to the city in search of jobs. Many of them said:

"What I'm doing is an 'Everybody's job,' but it helps with income."

Their average annual income was around $30,000. A friend of mine who worked as a waiter in a hotel restaurant earned about $3,000 a month. Las Vegas is particularly inexpensive compared to other parts of America, especially when it comes to owning a home. You can purchase a splendid house for around 10 million yen.

Despite the harsh nature, once you step into an air-conditioned home, even in this desert town, you can comfortably stay. Since the casinos operate around the clock, supermarkets do too, considering the employees. Surprisingly, fitness gyms also do the same.

In supermarkets, I can get my favorite seafood - fresh shrimp, catfish, and salmon. Soy sauce and natto are also available. However, except for buses, there are no trams, so a car is necessary to go anywhere. But once you have a car, although there may be some traffic, the roads are wide, and the city is laid out in a grid pattern, making it easy to navigate.

Furthermore, although Las Vegas originally developed as the seedy side of Los Angeles, the suburbs are actually quite safe. However, trouble can arise in the casinos. I don't know if there was originally a conflict, but I once saw a group of about 50 kids glaring at each other. Security rushed to the scene.

Another surprising thing I heard was that, in search of safety, companies in Los Angeles moved their manufacturing offices, factories, and all employees, including executives, to Las Vegas.