Fun and Fascinating Fukuoka Part1: Sazae-san Street, Dante Monument & Hard Rock Cafe

From the ordinary to the extraordinary, we will be selecting some of the best spots that Fukuoka has to offer, some of which are from our very own experiences. First on the agenda: The Momochi Area – home to Fukuoka Tower and Yahoo Dome.

Culture Watch (Latest News & Info) | Japan｜ Fukuoka｜ Other genre｜ sightseeing｜ デイリートピックス週末版｜

2012.11.12

Why cats are now mainstream, a pondering with many pictures...

Cat t-shirts and accessories coupled with a bag, cat ears that move based upon your brain activity, and cat tails. If you open the following link you can see a collection of cat pictures. After objective analysis, we will be exposing the reason behind why these past few years have been most ailurophilic.

Culture Watch (Latest News & Info) | Japan｜ Other genre｜ Hobbies｜

2012.10.29

"Manga Camera" - Japan's No.1 iPhone App

It’s the application that allows you to turn photos into manga (comic) images, and it’s already causing a stir across social media networks.

Culture Watch (Latest News & Info) | Japan｜ Manga｜ Other genre｜ Hobbies｜

2012.09.20

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#8 Kawaii Radio with Sakurai Takamasa and Uesaka Sumire feat. Special Guest, Michishige Sayumi

“Tokyo No.1 Kawaii Radio,” aka “Kawaraji,” is the name of the FM radio program I host with voice actress, Uesaka Sumire.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Anime｜ Other genre｜ J-POP｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2012.07.18

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#7 Hironobu Kageyama – the Ani-song Artist Connecting Japan with the World!

It hasn’t been that long since I began this cultural diplomacy line of work but I’ve already managed to find my way to more than 100 cities around the world. I’ve visited a total of 23 countries and from summer I’ll add one more country to that list with my visit to the Republic of South Africa.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ Other Areas｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Anime｜ Other genre｜ J-POP｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2012.07.11

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#6 The Kawaii Girls of Shenyang and Their Long Awaited Catwalk Debut!

Following on from last week’s article on the auditions for the Shenyang fashion show, on the 3rd of June 2012 it was show time.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ China｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Other genre｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2012.07.04

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#5 Chinese girls in their most natural form – auditions for the Japan fashion show in Shenyang

Northern China is a very special place for me. In January 2010 I visited Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning province in northeast China. It may not be as big and well known as other cities like Beijing or Shanghai, but it does have a population of 20,000,000. It even has a direct flight route to Japan.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ China｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Other genre｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2012.06.27

“S Cawaii” – the Japanese fashion mag making waves across Asia!

With a total of 740,000 copies distributed across Asia, including 540,000 copies to China, 120,000 to Thailand and 80,000 to Taiwan, “S Cawaii” has become a leader of the Asian youth fashion world.

Culture Watch (Latest News & Info) | Japan｜ Fukuoka｜ Fashion｜ Other genre｜

2012.06.25

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#4 Do Otakus Have What it Takes to Change the World? What I learned from the Otakus in China

“Sakurai-san is an otaku’s otaku, isn’t he?” I heard a young Japanese female otaku friend say to another friend. And it was right on the mark; I am indeed an otaku’s otaku.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ China｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Other genre｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2012.06.20

#[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]3 Ai Takahashi reveals the strength behind Hello! Project's 15 year history

I've written about Morning Musume and Hello! Project's connections to the outer world on a number of occasions in my previous publication, "J Pop Culture Observations"; my interviews with Ai Takahashi in particular receiving a positive response from people in Japan and all over the world.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Talent/Idol｜ Other genre｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2012.06.13

Japanese pop culture: the summer intensive!

Experience Japanese pop culture first hand with Digital Hollywood University's 2012 intensive summer course!

Culture Watch (Latest News & Info) | Japan｜ Other genre｜ デイリートピックス週末版｜

2012.06.11

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#2 Kawaii university teacher in Nanjing tells how "Slam Dunk" and sailor-fuku changed her life.

From January 2010 I began focusing my cultural diplomacy efforts on China, and since then I’ve visited the country a total of 14 times. In April I went to Nanjing to pay a visit to Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology’s Media & Art College (established in 2008) after being awarded the position of guest lecturer.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Other genre｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2012.06.06

[JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!]#1 Interview with world loved singer and voice actress, Minori Chihara.

In my new column, “Sakurai Takamasa’s JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!” I’’ll be reporting stories and episodes of Japan’s growing connections with people and countries all over the world. For this commemorative first installment: my interview with the globally popular singer and voice actress, Minori Chihara.

JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN! | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Music｜ Anime｜ Talent/Idol｜ Other genre｜ J-POP｜ JAPAN! JAPAN! JAPAN!｜

2012.05.30

[J-Pop Culture Observations]#60 Pop Culture Diplomacy pt.2 - Touring the globe with the Kawaii Ambassadors, visits to China, and encounters with Japanese idols

Kawaii-loving French girls screaming “I want to be Japanese!” at the Japan Expo in Paris in July 2008 was one of the events that lead to the creation of the “Kawaii Ambassadors.”

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan｜ Other Areas｜ パリ｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Fashion｜ Music｜ Other genre｜ J-Pop Culture Observations｜

2012.05.23

[J-Pop Culture Observations]#59 Pop Culture Diplomacy pt.1 – Revelations in Saudi Arabia and the “World Kawaii Revolution” in Paris

I’ve been involved in pop culture diplomacy since December 2007 and this article I would like to reflect on some of the various turning points I’ve encountered in my activities thus far. More often than not, it’s not until a certain amount of time has passed that I come to realize the true significance of past events and encounters.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan｜ パリ｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Anime｜ Cosplay｜ Other genre｜ J-Pop Culture Observations｜

2012.05.16

[J-Pop Culture Observations]#58 Haruko Momoi in Boston

Haruko Momoi’s concerts are amazing. I’ve seen the singer/song writer and voice actor perform live in Mexico in February 2011, in Moscow in November and recently in Boston, and I have to say, her latest performance at Anime Boston was superb.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Music｜ Other genre｜ J-Pop Culture Observations｜

2012.05.09

Nemu Yumemi presents How to "Wotagei" 2012

Learn how to "Wotagei" like a pro with Akihabara idol Nemu Yumemi! Plus all the key terms and info on the "wota" phenomenon!

feature | Japan｜ Fukuoka｜ Tokyo｜ Music｜ Talent/Idol｜ Other genre｜ Trends｜ videos｜

2012.05.08

[J-Pop Culture Observations]#57 Anime Boston. A source of hope for the future

This year, over the three days from April 6-8, Boston held its 10th annual “Anime Boston” event. This year the event attracted a record 22,000 visitors, making it the biggest Japanese anime event in north-east America.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Other genre｜ J-Pop Culture Observations｜

2012.05.02

[J-Pop Culture Observations]#56 “Everything began with ‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.’” Speaking with Japan fans in Qatar!

In March 2012, following my trip to Jordan in February, I paid a visit to another Middle Eastern country, this time to Qatar.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Other genre｜ J-Pop Culture Observations｜

2012.04.25

[J-Pop Culture Observations]#55 Even the youth in Jordan have a thing for Japanese anime and idols

At the end of February 2012, I traveled to Amman, the capital of Jordan. This was the 22nd country I’ve visited in my cross-cultural diplomacy line of work and also the first talk I’ve given in the Middle East since my trip to Saudi Arabia in March 2008.

J-Pop Culture Observations | Japan｜ INTERVIEW / SERIALS｜ Other genre｜ J-Pop Culture Observations｜

2012.04.18