[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #97 Idols Want to do More Sightseeing, Too! Guiding a Group of Popular Idols Around Taiwan

Being an idol is no walk in the park. At home in Japan they’re constantly busy, but when they also take part in activities overseas and they’re given such tight schedules over such a short period of time, they’re even busier still.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ Taiwan｜ Taipei｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Manga｜ Anime｜ Event Reports｜ Talent/Idol｜ Hot Spot｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2014.04.02

Interview Now - Kensho Ono (小野 賢章) -

In this exclusive interview with Ono Kensho, who is the voice of Kuroko Tetsuya from the anime "Kukoko no Basuke (Kuroko's Basketball)," we learn some more about his new CD debut and what he has to say about his hometown - Fukuoka! For a couple lucky people we'll also be holding an autographed card giveaway, so stay tuned!

Interview Now | INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Music｜ Anime｜ Talent/Idol｜ J-POP｜

2014.03.20

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #95 Exploring the X and Y Axis of Western and Japanese Paintings! Wada Ayaka’s (S/mileage) Guide to Paintings Goes on Sale!

“Manet has given me something that I will cherish for a lifetime.” S/mileage leader, Wada Ayaka, often speaks of her discovery of art just like this.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Talent/Idol｜ Art｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2014.03.19

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!] #94 A Popular Idol with the Heart of a True Anime Otaku!

In my previous articles, I’ve written about the popularity of “loco-dols” (local idols). I’ve said many times that one of the greatest assets that Japan can boast to the world is our “diversity,” and nothing within the idol genre embodies this greater than locodols.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ Fukuoka｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Anime｜ Cosplay｜ Talent/Idol｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2014.03.12

[Featured] The theater release of ”The Idolmaster Movie: Kagayaki no Mukogawa e!”

The popular game, "The Idolmaster" has now also been adapted into anime. There are things about the story-line and the girls that have only been revealed at the theater release, of which we'd like to give you a brief summary along with an introduction to social games here!

anime | Japan｜ Music｜ Manga｜ Anime｜ Game & e-Sports｜ Talent/Idol｜ J-POP｜ Movies｜

2014.03.04

[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

[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

[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!] #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

[Photo Report] Eir Aoi's Autograph Session @ Animate Fukuoka Tenjin & asianbeat's exclusive interview

Eir Aoi, who is very popular not only within Asia but throughout the world held an autograph session in Tenjin, Fukuoka. We later had the chance to ask her for an exclusive interview. Please have a look at our photo report!

EVENT SNAPS | Fukuoka｜ Music｜ Anime｜ Event Reports｜ Talent/Idol｜ J-POP｜

2013.12.05

Japan Lolita Association Tea Party - photo report (Part2)

Japan Lolita Association Tea Party - photo report (Part2)

FASHION SNAPS | Japan｜ Fukuoka｜ Fashion｜ Talent/Idol｜

2013.07.12

Japan Lolita Association Tea Party - photo report (Part1)

Japan Lolita Association Tea Party - photo report (Part1)

FASHION SNAPS | Japan｜ Fukuoka｜ Fashion｜ Talent/Idol｜

2013.07.08

Lolita Fashion Feature

Lolita fashion is one area of Japanese cute culture that is in the spotlight on the world stage. So here is asianbeat's complete collection with lectures, outfit ideas and photo galleries that even beginners can understand! After reading this whole feature you might even fall prey to lolita fashion yourself.

feature | Fashion｜ Talent/Idol｜

2013.07.05

A cover song with Japanese traditional instruments

A YouTube video of a cover version with nearly 300,000 views in just one month!

Culture Watch (Latest News & Info) | Japan｜ Music｜ Talent/Idol｜ Media (TV / Magazines)｜ videos｜

2013.06.14

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#44 Idols and Satoyama Life – Interview with Mitsui Aika, Wada Ayaka (S/mileage) and Sayashi Riho (Morning Musume)

“Ookami kodomo no Ame to Yuki” (in English: Wolf Children) was one of the big-hit anime feature films of 2012. The film depicts the story of a human woman who falls in love with a wolf-man, gives birth to two of his children and then raises them alone over a period of 13 years. The story centers on themes of childhood independence and a mother’s love for her children, and heavily features scenes of Japanese “satoyama.”

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ Other Areas｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Talent/Idol｜ Trends｜ J-POP｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2013.03.27