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#44 Impressions of China with a Miss Japan Finalist

Since engaging in cultural diplomacy activities with China in January 2010, I have visited the country a total of 12 times (up until December 2012). That’s about one trip every two months.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2012.02.01

#45 The power of song! Teresa Teng’s “Give yourself to the flow of time”

Over the past two years, from January 2010 to December 2011, I've made 12 trips to China and there's always been one particular song that has been right there by my side the whole time: the late Teresa Teng's "Give yourself to the flow of time."

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2012.01.31

#43 From Russia to Japan with Love: Moscow's J FEST!

This year marked the third staging of the Japanese pop culture event, "J FEST," and this week I would like to express the importance of this, and such other, events which are so crucial in fostering cultural and diplomatic relations with people overseas.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2012.01.24

#42 The Kawaii Maids of Moscow

In November last year I made my third consecutive visit to Moscow in three years. The thing that surprised me most this visit was the establishment of a maid café that had recently opened in Moscow not but 2 months prior. It made me wonder just how far Japan’s maid café culture will disperse throughout the world.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2012.01.12

#41 Japanese Idols and Moscow’s “Morning Musume” Cheer Squad

One of the things that Japanese pop-culture fans overseas long for most is to see Japanese idols perform live, but unlike anime songs and genres such as visual-k which have found strong support all over the world, Japanese idols and their live performances are still yet to find a place on the international scene.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2012.01.06

#40 Russian Girls Love Harajuku Fashion! "J FEST" Fashion Show Audition Photos Revealed

“J FEST” is Moscow’s biggest Japanese modern culture event and the part of the event that everyone hangs out for every year is the fashion show that showcases various brands straight out of Harajuku.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.12.27

#39 The Moscow University Student who takes her own Bento to School! “I can’t make it as good as Japanese people do, though…”

As I’ve mentioned in a previous article, every year, the Japanese consulate in Moscow holds a Japanese modern culture event called “J FEST” and I made my way there in November to take part.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.12.27

#38 Italy – A Cosplay Super Power! Cosplayers Flock to Italy’s World Cosplay Summit Qualifying Round

When it comes to cosplay, Italy is right up there with fellow cosplay super powers, China and Brazil, and when I visited Rome’s “ROMICS” in September 2010, Italy’s cosplayers were out in force.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.12.20

#37 Let us join in too! Middle-age men and Rome's ROMICS 2011

This year, for the first time since 2009, I took part in Rome’s premier Japanese pop-culture event, ROMICS, which was held over four days: from September 29 to October 2, 2011.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.12.13

#36 Interview with Ai Takahashi Pt.3 – Japanese Idols and the Overseas Market

This is the third and final part in the three-week, successive series on my interview with Ai Takahashi after her graduation from Morning Musume – the idol group that has been leading the idol scene in Japan for more than 10 years.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.12.06

#35 Interview with Ai Takahashi Pt.2 – On Performing Live

When talking about Ai Takahashi it’s hard not to refer to the showmanship and sheer talent that she displays during live performances. That same showmanship is what captivated me when I saw her perform in Paris in 2010.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.11.29

#33 Interview with Ani-song Industry Revolutionary and Lantis CEO, Shunji Inoue

This episode first begins in October 2008, in Barcelona, where I met with three particular girls: Haruhi, Mikuru, and Yuki – cosplayers of the “Haruhi Suzumiya” anime series.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.11.11

#32 Linlin and Akari Saho team up for a performance in Harbin, China!

I reported in issue #26 of this column that Morning Musume graduate, Linlin, and Akari Saho of Up Up Girls, recently took part in an event in Harbin. Now I’m going to fill you in on all the finer details of that event.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.11.08

#31 Northern China’s Huge Anime Fair – the Changchung International Anime Festival!

I doubt there would be a weekend in the year when there isn’t a cosplay event of some kind happening somewhere in the world.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.11.01

#30 World Cosplay Summit 2011!

Nagoya’s annual World Cosplay Summit (WCS) was this year held on August 6 – 7, 2011.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Nagoya | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.10.26

#29 OTAKON: Chock-full of Japan!

“Which overseas J-culture event would you recommend I go and see?” This is one of the questions I’ve been asked most frequently in the past 4 years I’ve been involved with cultural diplomacy.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.10.19

#28 Popular Japanese Brand “Sixh.” on Show! Japanese Fashion and it’s Gender-free Appeal!

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.10.11

#27 Otaku Girls of Japan: the Most Popular Girls in the World!? DJ Saolilith at OTAKON

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.10.04

#26 Flash Report! Former “Morning Musume” Member, Linlin, Returns to the Stage in Harbin!

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.09.22

#25 KINTOKI-CON. Japan-related Events held Overseas are just like Real-life Akihabara & Harajuku Simulators

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan | Other genre | J-Pop Culture 見聞録

2011.09.20