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July 16, 2024
 

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SOUND OFF

Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Dec 6, 2018
Bridges built by the power of K-pop and J-pop
This year hasn't been a particularly warm one for the relationship between Japan and South Korea. Ongoing tension stemming from Japan's colonization of its neighbor up to the end of World War II — and efforts to complicate what happened during this period — have bubbled up once again, affecting everything...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Nov 29, 2018
Farewell Mary Jane: Grieving for a lost jazz hideout
The late Donald Richie, a legendary chronicler of 20th century Japan, once said that to accept life in Tokyo, you must embrace constant change and not give in to nostalgia. In the 60 years he lived in this great city he saw multiple transformations — from the immediate post-World War II days to...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Nov 15, 2018
Don't worry too much over BTS
Throngs of fans packed Tokyo Dome on Tuesday and Wednesday to watch K-pop group BTS perform songs from across its five-year career. The crowd cheered, bought merchandise and the two days offered the seven-member group some respite from a week of scandal.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Nov 1, 2018
SuperDeluxe provided a safe space for experimentation that Tokyo will miss
For the past 16 years, Tokyo's SuperDeluxe has been a place where it felt like almost anything could happen, and it quite often did. So when the venue announced a few weeks ago that it would be closing in January, after its building was earmarked for demolition, the news was akin to hearing that a close...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Oct 25, 2018
Amid Japan's multitude of music festivals, Frue is worth celebrating
As the opening set started at Festival de Frue last year, it was clear the organizers wouldn't be making a profit. Quirky J-pop act Wednesday Campanella, who had played to a capacity crowd at Fuji Rock Festival a few months earlier, kicked off its performance in front of an audience of just a few dozen...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Sep 7, 2018
Manga artist Momoko Sakura was also a champion of Japanese music
Following manga artist Momoko Sakura's death last week, fans and media personalities celebrated her work. Most highlighted the influence her series "Chibi Maruko-chan" had on the nation's comic and animation industries. That's a fitting tribute, as her creations not only inspired a generation of artists...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Aug 30, 2018
It'll take more than Ayumi Hamasaki to help streaming services in Japan
Ayumi Hamasaki has seen better days as a J-pop superstar, but she still carries some clout. So it should have been noteworthy that her newest release, the five-song "Trouble," would arrive on streaming services a bit earlier than in stores. That's a win for fledgling in-Japan operations such as Spotify...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Jul 26, 2018
Kendrick Lamar and the politics of Japanese PR
The news of Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar returning to Fuji Rock, one of Japan's most celebrated music festivals, was met with excitement from hip-hop fans here as soon as it was announced in February. To leverage the hype ahead of the festival, Universal Music Japan launched a politically...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Jul 18, 2018
Da Pump scores an unexpected summer hit with 'U.S.A.'
The highly coveted song of the summer needs to cut across demographics and unite one nation under a beat. Think Len's "Steal My Sunshine" in 1999, Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" in 2013 or Luis Fonsi's "Despacito" in 2017. Who'd have thought that, in 2018 Japan, the uniting beat would be Eurobeat?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Jun 21, 2018
Online media pick up #MeToo stories the major outlets miss
The Japanese media love a scandal and so far 2018 hasn't disappointed in that regard. Two recent stories centered around J-pop idols have been mostly ignored by mainstream outlets, but both have taken off online thanks to web publications, hinting at a shift unfolding in the nation's news landscape.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
May 10, 2018
Can Fuji Rock and Summer Sonic give U.S. hip-hop a boost in Japan?
This summer's slate of music festivals are putting more of a spotlight on American hip-hop. Fuji Rock Festival announced Kendrick Lamar and the group N.E.R.D as headliners, while Summer Sonic features Chance the Rapper on its main stage. It's a considerable showcasing moment for a genre having an up-and-down...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Apr 19, 2018
BTS is big, let's hope the hype helps other Asian acts
Earlier this month, an album sung mainly in Japanese landed on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart at No. 43. That's a rare accomplishment for any Japanese artist — and an even less frequent one for a non-Japanese outfit to pull off.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Mar 22, 2018
Just let Johnny's Jr. be Johnny's Jr.
Around 60 people gathered at YouTube Space Tokyo on Tuesday to welcome Johnny & Associates to the 21st century. It was a day before the launch of the talent agency's first official YouTube channel, devoted to its Johnny's Jr. acts. It's a huge development for a company that has viewed the web as...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news / Sound Off
Mar 8, 2018
Net-shy Johnny's announces deal for online channel with YouTube
Internet-shy entertainment management company Johnny & Associates said Monday it will launch an official YouTube channel on March 21.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Feb 15, 2018
Pyeongchang's pop takes home gold
Politics hovered over the opening ceremony of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The pageantry came against a backdrop of geopolitical intrigue, featuring the presence of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's younger sister, Yo Jong, who was on hand to watch a unified Korean team march into the Olympic...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Sound Off
Jan 18, 2018
Will 2018 herald a return to the 1990s?
Prognosticating something as unpredictable as the domestic music industry might appear to be a fool's errand. But what's the fun in playing it safe? Here are some predictions for 2018.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Dec 28, 2017
Namie Amuro saves 'Kohaku' ... for now
The weekly Shukan Bunshun released a survey in early November highlighting the acts its readers wanted to see perform on NHK's yearend "Kohaku Uta Gassen" music program. They chose Namie Amuro as the artist they wanted to see the most, likely because she announced her plans to retire from the entertainment...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Nov 16, 2017
The new head of the Boston Symphony Orchestra takes a bow in Japan
An orchestra is a lot like a perfect society: the instruments all have different roles and personalities, and when they come together beautiful music is created. Every society needs a leader, though, and last week the Boston Symphony Orchestra introduced its new leader to audiences in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Nov 9, 2017
Former SMAP stars find freedom online
When a wrecking ball fell on and destroyed a car, I was hooked on a 72-hour live stream starring three former members of pop group SMAP.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Oct 5, 2017
AmPm's Spotify strategy bears fruit
Japan's biggest breakout musical act of 2017 wear polar bear masks. The duo AmPm debuted this past spring, cloaked in fuzzy headgear and withholding all biographical information. In just over six months, the pair have had their easy-breezy electronic music released via Dutch label Armada Music and performed...
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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Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals
Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals

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