[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #92 Quiet Rise to Global Fame. Just How Far Across the World has the Obento Spread?

I’ve asked countless people at events held in the US, “What aspects of Japanese culture or lifestyle have you picked up on through watching anime?”

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ Other Areas｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Anime｜ Trends｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2014.02.26

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #91 Japan’s Otaku Girls Paving the Way for a Better World with Anime Cultural Diplomacy!

It was the lectures I gave on a tour of Italy and the Czech Republic in December 2007 that set the stage for my career in cultural diplomacy. Now, in January 2014, I’ve headed various projects in 25 countries and 125 cities all over the world.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ Fukuoka｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Manga｜ Talent/Idol｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2014.02.19

[Report from Kobori in Bangkok] The "Harajuku Kawaii" and "Shibuya fashion" apparel team that has made its way to Bangkok finds extreme popularity!

Harajuku Kawaii and Shibuya fashions that are popular among young girls have been joined to form a new apparel brand and this venture has started to make it's way overseas with an increasing amount of speed. Last month, we decided to go in for a look at the first "Fashion Port@ Tokyo" shop in Thailand!

Kobori 's Bangkok Report | Japan｜ Thailand ｜ Bangkok｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Fashion｜

2014.02.18

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #90 Interview with Morning Musume ’14 Member, Kudo Haruka – Part Two – What is it that “Silver Spoon” and Morning Musume Have in Common?

A world-loved manga magazine teams up with Japan’s top idol group. This is the second part in my interview with shōnen manga loving, Kudo Haruka, on her cover shoot with Morning Musume ’14 and Shōnen Sunday magazine.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ Fukuoka｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Manga｜ Talent/Idol｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2014.02.12

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #89 An Exclusive on the Morning Musume ’14 Photo Shoot for “Weekly Shōnen Sunday” Magazine and Interview with “Silver Spoon” Fan, Kudo Haruka

There are many things in Japan that are so mundane for Japanese people but are completely novel for the rest of the world. One of these things are weekly manga magazines.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ Fukuoka｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Manga｜ Talent/Idol｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2014.02.05

A.s.Kitsune's Taipei Report

Latest reports from our correspondents around Asia

FROM ASIA - The latest in pop culture from around Asia! | INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜

2014.01.31

[Report from A.s.Kitsune in Taipei] "Misako & LoliTaiwan" - Tea Party in Taiwan with Aoki Misako -

Misako Aoki's lolita fashion tea party with over 80 lolita fans!

A.s.Kitsune's Taipei Report | Japan｜ Taiwan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Fashion｜ Event Reports｜ Talent/Idol｜

2014.01.31

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #88 There’s More to Japan Than Just Tokyo! Loco-dols “LinQ” Sharing Their Love of Fukuoka with the World

I first began my work in cultural diplomacy in 2008, and as I discovered, the more countries I visited in this line of work, the greater my feelings towards my own country, Japan, grew.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ Fukuoka｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Talent/Idol｜ J-POP｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2014.01.29

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #87 Up-close with Idol Cover-Dance Teams – The Gems of Cosplay Events in Asia

I have written about the popularity of cover-dance in Asia one of my previous articles.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Thailand ｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2014.01.22

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #86 Sakurai Takamasa & Uesaka Sumire’s New Year’s Discussion – Part Three – Otaku Girls in China and Uesaka Sumire are Very Much Alike

This is the final installment in the three-part series of my talk with Uesaka Sumire as we discuss the paths we look to follow in our line of work in cultural diplomacy.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Other Areas｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Anime｜ Talent/Idol｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2014.01.15

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #85 Sakurai Takamasa and Uesaka Sumire’s New Year’s Discussion – Part Two – Is the Popularity of Japan Overseas Just a Minor Fad? Is it Niche?

This is the second installment in my talk with Uesaka Sumire following our stage appearance at Moscow’s J-FEST, as we discuss the paths we look to follow in our line of work in cultural diplomacy.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Other Areas｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Anime｜ Talent/Idol｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2014.01.08

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #84 Sakurai Takamasa & Uesaka Sumire’s New Year’s Discussion – Part One – “Even in Different Countries, Otaku are Otaku. We’re the Same all Over the World”

It took three years, but voice actress, Uesaka Sumire, has finally fulfilled her dream of performing on stage at Moscow’s “J-FEST.”

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Other Areas｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Anime｜ Talent/Idol｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2014.01.01

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #83 Why Uesaka Sumire and I Both Love “J-FEST”: The Largest Japanese Pop Culture Event in Moscow

I never imagined that after arriving in Moscow, following the completion of the Barcelona and “Salon del Manga” leg of my tour in November 2009, that it would go on to become a place I would come back to each and every year.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Other Areas｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Anime｜ Talent/Idol｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2013.12.25

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#82 Breaking Down Genre Barriers with Kageyama Hironobu, Tanaka Reina, SU-METAL (BABYMETAL) and Colleagues I’ve Met Through Cultural Diplomacy – Japan Pop Culture Carnival – Part 4

This is the final installment for my series on the “Japan Pop Culture Carnival in Matsudo 2013” (herein JPCC) – an event which I produced that was held in Matsudo Mori no Hall 21 on November 4th, 2013.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Music｜ J-POP｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2013.12.18

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#81 The “Urbangarde×Uesaka Sumire” Collaboration! Genre is Irrelevant! Japan Pop Culture Carnival – Part 3

This week I will follow up on the events that transpired at my self-produced, Japan Pop Culture Carnival in Matsudo 2013 (held at Matsudo Mori no Hall 21 on November 4th, 2013, herein referred to as JPCC).

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Music｜ J-POP｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2013.12.11

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#80 Dots, Lines and Shapes! From Amami Songstress to Today’s Leading Idols – Japan Pop Culture Carnival – Part 2

On November 4th 2013, a live event called the “Japan Pop Culture Carnival in Matsudo 2013” (herein JPCC) was held at Mori no Hall 21, in Matsudo, Japan.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Music｜ J-POP｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2013.12.04

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#79 Voices of the Idols Fighting on the Frontlines! - Japan Pop Carnival – Part 1

November 4th 2013 – the “Japan Pop Culture Carnival” (herein JPCC), an event which I produced, was held at Mori no Hall 21, in Matsudo.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Music｜ J-POP｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2013.11.27

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#78 Three Years Since My Last Visit to Barcelona and the “Salón del Manga” Has Now Grown into an Event of 12,000!

At the end of October 2013, I visited Barcelona, Spain, for the first time in three years.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Other Areas｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Manga｜ Anime｜ Cosplay｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2013.11.20

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#77 The Potential and Diversity of Japan Resonates Through Amami

While I travel around the world I reflect on Japan as a country and one thing that I’ve come to notice is Japan’s “diversity.”

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Music｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2013.11.13

[Report from Robin in Hong Kong] Gundam Docks at Hong Kong

Not only in Hong Kong but Japanese anime has become such an intrinsic part of Asian culture. Now, however it is the live-action counterparts to the characters that has taken this part of the world by storm.

Robin’s Hong Kong Report | Hong Kong｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Anime｜ Event Reports｜ Hot Spot｜ Hobbies｜

2013.11.12