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July 16, 2024
 

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SOUND OFF

Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Jun 12, 2020
The summer of our discontent
With the news that this year’s Fuji Rock Festival would be postponed until 2021, summer 2020 became the season of no music in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
May 8, 2020
Live music needs structural change to survive COVID-19
With footfall having dropped dramatically at Japan's live music venues, many are turning to crowdfunding. But whether this will help mid-sized spaces remains to be seen.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
May 1, 2020
Musicians and DJs fight against COVID-19 closures and learn to live it up online
With gigs off and venues closed, Japanese artists are getting more creative in staging shows for fans staying at home.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Apr 24, 2020
Racking up the views on YouTube with The First Take
There’s nothing complicated about The First Take, and perhaps that’s why it has become an online hit. A notable Japanese musician enters a sparse room, banters with the crew and performs a song in front of a high-end microphone in one take.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Apr 17, 2020
'Lofi hip-hop — beats to study to' genre also provides an escape from coronavirus mania
While the world succumbs to COVID-19 panic, some musicians are keeping things calm with a range of live and recorded output aimed at retaining a level or normality.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Apr 10, 2020
Orchestrating a COVID-19 stopgap for classical concerts
Facing cancellations and postponements as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra has taken to livestreaming its concerts.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Apr 3, 2020
Ensuring live music survives the pandemic
While the COVID-19 pandemic has all but shut down Japan's live music scene, innovative acts and labels are still reaching fans in the country.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Mar 20, 2020
Fuji Rock keeps calm and carries on despite coronavirus fears
You can’t fault the organizers of Fuji Rock Festival for failing to predict how thoroughly the COVID-19 outbreak would engulf the planet when they released a solemn announcement in late January, titled “Festival Crisis.”
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Mar 6, 2020
ASMR in Japan is burning brightly
Nippon Cultural Broadcasting jumps on the ASMR bandwagon with a weeklong special dedicated to the soothing sounds of bonfires.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Feb 26, 2020
COVID-19 fears hit live music in Japan
With fears over the COVID-19 outbreak increasing, a slew of overseas artists have cancelled live shows in Japan, while others are determined that the show must go on.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Feb 14, 2020
SXSW ramps up its Japan game
A slew of Japanese artists are set to appear at the South by Southwest Music Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas, between March 16 and 22.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Jan 24, 2020
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Hatsune Miku help Coachella's Japan contingent to grow
The California festival adds two Japanese pop heavyweights to its lineup, following a successful appearance by Perfume there last year.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Nov 22, 2019
Bringing politics into Japanese clubs
Dance music has always had a political edge, but recent events in Tokyo show that clubs and politics are clashing on a more frequent basis
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Jul 18, 2019
Japan jumps into the music stream
The biggest moment for streaming music in Japan this year came via a handwritten letter. In late June, Kenta Matsumoto of pop-punk trio Wanima shared a note on Twitter announcing that his band's entire catalog would be uploaded to streaming music platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
May 30, 2019
Rino Sashihara: Can one 'idol' beat the system?
...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Apr 4, 2019
A look at some of Japan's lesser-known idol-pop players
I made my first trip to Japan just over 10 years ago to see concerts by Morning Musume and AKB48, two of the country's biggest idol-pop groups this century. What struck me most about the experience was the camaraderie among the fans, it was a closeness that was unlike anything I'd seen with Western pop...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Mar 28, 2019
Hip-hop's anime crush is beautiful
Takashi Murakami's work on Billie Eilish's new video for "You Should See Me in a Crown" is the latest example of Western music's ongoing love affair with Japanese anime. And while it may seem obvious — American kids who like anime and grow up to be musicians are going to pay respect — it's...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Mar 21, 2019
Tower Records goes all in on the vinyl trend with its new store, Tower Vinyl
Last year proved to be a pivotal one for streaming music in Japan. According to a report by the Recording Industry Association of Japan, 2018 saw plays via platforms such as YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify overtake digital downloads.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Feb 7, 2019
Where will fans go after Arashi?
Fans of Arashi still haven't come to terms with the news that the J-pop group will go on a hiatus at the end of 2020, bringing a close, at least temporarily, to one of the 21st century's most popular Japanese acts.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Feb 3, 2019
An idol's fans have the power to make change in Japan
Being a fan of any entertainer in 2019 can be a challenge, as scandals both old and new make blindly supporting artists an impossible task. That might be doubly true for Japanese idol-pop acts, who inhabit a corner of the country's entertainment industry made up predominantly of young women, which has...
Bloodied Trump survives assassination attempt at political rally
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is surrounded and evacuated by Secret Service agents at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Trump was rushed off stage at the rally after shots rang out.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
Amid same-sex marriage ban, LGBTQ couples opt for 'photo weddings'
A lesbian couple, consisting of a 35-year-old woman (left) and 40-year-old woman, cover their faces with bouquets as they pose for wedding photos in Yokohama on Nov. 1.
China and Russia conduct joint Pacific military patrol
The Russian corvette Gromkiy enters the Chinese port of Zhanjiang as part of a joint China-Russia naval exercise on Saturday.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
After Trump shooting, U.S. presidential race might take a violent turn
United States Secret Service Counter Snipers stand guard on a rooftop during a campaign rally for U.S. President Donald Trump in Avoca, Pennsylvania, in 2020.
No AC this summer? No problem (for me).
Think air conditioning is a requirement for a Tokyo summer? Think again.
She’s paying ¥1 million to help behind the scenes at the Paris Olympics
Mai Tarumi, who previously volunteered at the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has a travel budget of ¥1 million for her trip to volunteer at the Paris Games.
How to tweak your diet when temperatures spike
Most people think of hydration as a strictly liquid-based concept, but eating foods with high water content is an essential part of making it through a Japanese summer unscathed.

Podcast

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.
Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Longform

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
By Tomoko Otake

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