From Japanese rockin' girl

Sat, 04 Aug 2007 13:09:48 GMT

I've been always busy since I started my job.I want to post entries more than now but it's hard now:(
Nevertheless I want to tell you about Fuji Rock Festival.
The biggest rock festival in Japan launged in 1997 near Mt,Fuji but big typhoon attacked it and at last the festival canncelled Day-2.It has taken place in Naeba,Niigata prefecture since 1999.
I've visited it every year since 2003.I love it because of amazing line-up,beautiful nature and cheerful atmosphire.
If you're a music lover in Japan,I highly recommend to go to the festival,although the fee is soooo expensive(3-day ticket is 38,000 yen).

At the end of MIKA's performance.

It took place in the beautiful nature.

A Muse fan draw it on the message board at the food area:D

Mon, 28 May 2007 23:38:40 GMT

Izumi Sakai from ZARD died yesterday.........
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200705280326.html

She was very popular in Japan.
Nobody don't know "Makenaide",which has the biggest sales in ZARD's songs.
Actually I grew up in the city which is Izumi's hometown.
So I've especially supported her.

I'm so shocked now......

R.I.P

Japan:Japanese sweets

Sat, 19 May 2007 10:46:10 GMT

I'd like to tell you about Japanese sweets today.

The most representive stuff is Annko which made for red beans(Azuki in Japanese) and sugar.
Annko is used for Manju(steamed bean-jam bun),Ohagi(sticky rice ball coverd with Annko),Oshiruko(sweet read beans drink with rice cakes) and so on.
All of them are so sweet.Manju is small and definitely sweets,but we eat Ohagi and Oshiruko as meals in a particular day.Ohagi is for Ohigan(similar Obon festival)and Oshiruko is for New year's day.

Yokoan is also traditional and nice sweet.There are several flavours of Yokan.
Annko flavour is of course the most popular one.Some are with chestnuts.Yokan made for white beans paste(Shiro Annko) is the second popular.However my favourit Yokan is Imo Yokan made for sweet poteto paste("Imo" means the kind for poteto in Japanese).

You might know Osenbei(rice cracker),but I don't know if I could call it "sweets" because actually it's salt flavour.

It's Ohagi.

It's Oshiruko.

R:Yokan(Annko flavour) L:Yokan(Shiro Annko flavour)

It's called "Onsen Manju".It's actually general Manju,but it's sold in Onsen areas,that's why we call it xDD.

Japan:Sakura

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 22:28:36 GMT

The most beautiful season has come to Japan!
The pic was took in Roppongi 2 weeks ago.
It was stunning,wasn't it?
It is "Yozakura" which means seeing cherry blossom at night.

If you want to come to Japan,I recommend coming in Spring,especially the beginnig of it.
You'll see incredible sceanary such pic around Japan!

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:26:50 GMT

I went to prescreening of "Sunshine" in Tokyo on 29th of March.
It was very special because Cillian Murphy and Hiroyuki Sanada promoted the film there!!
Happily I could saw them!!!
I'm a big of fan of Cillian and I've never expected that I could see him in my life,so I was like in heaven!
He looked modest and gentle unlike lots of Hollywood stars,so I became a huge fan of him xDD.
I hope he enjoyed himself in Japan.

BTW,I'll talk about the film.
I really enjoy it although I don't like SF films.
The beginning of it was so boring and complicated as there were 8 crews haveing different backgrounds.
However,I coulnd't think anymore after docked with the old space shuttle "Ikaros 1".
I just conceived something from the film.
The film had lots of suggestions,suspections and all that jazz.
They were about the environment issues and religions,for example.
I was so serious whole the time I watched it,but,as I said,I just FELT something but considered them.

After the film,I was quite dispressed because it was too hard to enjoy myself.
Even so I recommend it.
You should watch,and think issues which we're facing.

What is the difference?

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 23:10:46 GMT

I'll talk about the differences between the Japanese and foreigners,especially people who speak English.

I learned English at an English language school in Japan for 1 year.
There were some teachers and they were Scottish,Irish,French,Canadian and so on.
First of all this is the most biggest difference:My teachers were resolute.They like to insist something every time while the Japanese don't like to say something strongly.The relationships are very important in Japanese society,and people like to avoid any argument.I mean we build good relationships by not saying so strong.
It's almost a big difference that Japanese women like "Kawaii" while Western women like "Sexy".We behave unconsciously like "Kawaii" girls.I've never concerned about it until I went to the school,but I gradually recognized it and I'm embarrassed to do "Kawaii" behavior now.

I recognized other differences,but it's enough today.
I'll write such things again.

Cillian Murphy will come to Japan soon!

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 04:47:28 GMT

Cilliam will come to Japan next week!!!Yeaaaaaaaah!
Most of the Cillian fans don't know abou it because Japanese fans don't often go to Cillian's fansite in English.
He'll promote his latest film "Sunshine" in Japan.
Besides he'll appear a pre-screening in Tokyo on 29th with Hiroyuki Sanada who acted as Kaneda in the film!!!
How lucky of Japanese fans!
I may go the pre-screening,but I'm not sure now.
I really want to go that because Japanese fans have no chance to see him directly!!
If I can go,I'll tell you how is that.

Now,you might not know that Cillian Murphy isn't so popular in Japan although he has lots of fans around the world.
I'm not that expection.
I basically don't often go to the cinema(because it's quite expensive in Japan!!!),so I didn't know about him until last year.
However,I've hooked on him since I watched "The wind that shakes of the barley".
Unfortunately,as I said,there're not so many fans of Cillian here Japan,so I don't have any friends who like him;(

I only hope that I get the ticket for the pre-screening.

Japan:What do you want to know?

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:04:06 GMT

I'm hectic to do something recently.
I've just started to a full time job from yesterday.
Then I was so busy to attend Muse's gig last week as well now.
In addition I'll go around lots of places to do something next week xDDD.

BTW,now I'm thinking what sort of things foreign fans of Japan want to know about Japan.
As you know that I'm Japanese and I really know about here,of course.
Sometime I think that fans of Japan don't know about "real" Japan so much.
That's true that Japanese animes,comics,V-rock music, and very traditional culture are very very Japanese things.
But actually what Japanese things the Japanese like are different from that foreign big fans of Japanese like.
As I mentioned before that,for example Dir en gray and Miyabi aren't so popular in Japan.
I should tell you that lots of Japanese rock fans HATE them.

What things about Japan do you want to know?
If you ask me,I'll tell you on this blog.

Japan:Natto is good for weight loss?

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 06:07:33 GMT

Hey,I haven't wrote any posts from 1st of this month.
I was pretty busy until last week because I had to hand in my graduate thesis.But I all finished it,so now I have much free time.

Most of fans of Japan must know about Natto.Natto is my best food!I love it!!Fortunately all of my famlies like Natto,so we often eat that,especially in the morning.

Do you know the news(http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200701220131.html)?
"Aruaru Daijiten", whichi is one of the most popular TV program,was broadcast that Natto was good to losing weight.After broadcasting,Natto was sold so much around Japan and Natto became scarce.
But it was revealed that "Natto diet" wasn't proved.Besides TV station admitted that they told 6 lies at least.

I didn't watch the show about "Natto diet".But one of my friends tried that.Yesterday I met her and said to me"I'm angry!!Trying Natto diet was waste of time!!"

You know many many TV stations make fabricated TV programs.I often think that which TV show I should believe.I don't trust now most of the TV shows.

Now I just hope that people enjoy eating Natto as before they do.

A Happy New Year!

Sun, 31 Dec 2006 22:27:02 GMT

Heya!!Finally 2007 come to me!!come to us!!
This piture is the thing in my Japanese room.It's "Kamidana" in Japanese,"Household altar" in English.It's decorated for New Year's day.

I know some people are still in 2006.France,where my sister lives,the UK,the State,Brazil,Mexico and so on,for example.But people who read it are in 2007,I guess.So, maybe everyone who reads it must be happy!!If you're not so,you should think that you can be happy!!Positive thinking is very important,as you know.

This year,2007,is very important for me.Next spring,I'll take the test for getting the sholarship.If I get it,I can go abroad from next year.But I don't worry if I fail it.If I do so,I'll aim to go abroad 2 years later.
This is another big point;I'll be full-time worker from next spring.I work at Japan Agricultural Cooperatives in Kawasaki city.I'm not sure which depertment I work in.But I hope I work at teaching agriculture dept.I want to know about agriculture and what famers think.

I want to write more in this blog than last year.

Have a happy new year!!

Japan:For New year's day

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 10:21:46 GMT

New year's day is the most important for us,Japanese.We have to prepar to welcome to new year.Do you know what we do for that?I'll tell you about that.

At first,we clean up our house.Everyyear I get a day off of my part time job after Christmas and clean up whole my room.Most of people who work can't take a new year's holiday until 30th of Dec.So they clean their house 31th.How busy!!

We also prepar "Shimenawa(a kind of ornament)".We buy from a shrine or make it,and then decorate it,usually top of our own house's doors or our own cars.It affect to prevent every devil to come in our house or car.The picture that is top of the entry is precisely Shimenawa.

That is very popular for us,we eat Toshikoshi-soba at New year's eve night.Toshikoshi-soba means "the soba that is eaten just before we welcome to new year."Unfortunately I can't eat soba so much because of havig a soba-allergy.But many Japanese are lokking forward to eating it.

From this week,I'll be quite busy!!I have to do many many things until New year's day!!

The wind that shakes the barley

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:18:37 GMT

Yesterday I went to the movies.This was "The wind that shakes the barly"(http://www.thewindthatshakesthebarley.co.uk/).

It's the movie about Ireland in 1920's.UK occupied Ireland at the time.A man,his name is "Damien"(Cillian Murphy),was going to be a doctor in London.But when he took the train,"The black and tans",who were British soldiers,came the station and tried to take the train.But Irish train's staffs rejected their taking.Irish men was attacked by British men.However,Irish men never stop to fight to British men.Damian made up his mind to fight with Irish republicans to get freedom when he had seen the accident.

I have been into Ireland for 9 years.I know about Irish history,including about the period.But I didn't know about it well.So I thought watching the movie was a studying for me before I watched it.

The movie was really shocking.It was like real documentary film.In fact many acts were real Irish,including Cllian Murphy,who starred in the film.I cried many times!I really thought why they had to fight each other.You know Irish culture is so great.But they suffered from many many sad and scary accidents.I know the fact in my brain,but I might I don't really know in my mind.

I have to study about Ireland more and more.I really know about Ireland well.I love Ireland,anyway.

mumbling...

Sun, 12 Nov 2006 08:55:39 GMT

Hi,I'm writing it after a long time.

Recently I'm very tired.Actually I'm not busy,but my head isn't clear.I don't know the reason.Until 9th,I have been in Hawaii for vitising,but I couldn't relax because Hawaii isn't suit me and I was tired to be with my friends.I have to clear my head,otherwise I can't study English well...

I need to relax...mmm

Japan:It's a shame...

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 10:11:22 GMT

I knew that students at some high schools in Iwate and Toyama are not taking enough subject.
You can read the detail here(http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20061025p2a00m0na023000c.html)

For Japanese university hopefuls,Japanese,English and Mathematics are very important to enter a university of their choice.So in some private high school,social studies regard as unimportant subject.It's a shame.I'm really like social sutdies since I attended elementary school.I especially like geography.Many Japanese think that social studies,especially geography, is a memorization-only study.But I don't definitely think so.When I studied about a life of farmers,I imagined what they think or it is different from my life, or something.It was very interesting.Of course sometimes we have to memorize the technical terms,names of mountain,river or cultures etc.,for example.But if you memorize it,you can know other cultures,countries,people or something.It's wonderful,isn't it?

I hope that as many students as possible to like social studies .

MUSE: Japan tour!!

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 11:08:12 GMT

They'll be back to Japan!!
This website(http://www.creativeman.co.jp/index.html) say they plan to Japan tour in March,2007.
The detail is not announced yet,but I'm convinced that they'll perform in Tokyo and Osaka,at least.
Now they're more popular than before SS06 because the show,at SS06, was so great and many people was into them.
I wonder if I can get the ticket...

Will anyone come to Japan for the gigs?

Japanese:"Nekura"

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 21:50:10 GMT

There're many Japanese slang.I supposed that introducing these is very interesting.So I'll try it.

Today,I picked up "Nekura"(almost noun.But sometime be used as an adj.).
If you say to someone "Nekura",the person is actually gloomy even if s/he looks like cheerful.
It's used by young people,about under 30 years old.Both of men and women can use it.It's actually negative meaning,but,many time,it's used when people want to make someone laughing.

We often use "Ano hito ha Nekura da"(S/he is Nekura person).You can't say it seriously.You should say it as a joking.
It is also often used "Watashi ha Nekura seki ni suwaritai"(I want to sit "Nekura-seat").
"Nekura-seat" means the seat which is on the coner or at an angle.The reason why these seats are said it is that these position is gloomy.

Gigs:Feeder at Shibuya-Ax

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 09:36:51 GMT

I went to the Feeder's gig at Shibuya-Ax on 7th of this month.
Shibuya-Ax is one of my favorit venues.The capacity limit is about 1,200 people.It's not small,but it's a little new and the sound system is better than other similar capacity of venues.

Well,their show was good.Almost of setlists were singles.The sound was tough and skillful.But I didn't think it was very very good.I wanted they to play more passionatly and I guessed they would do so.

Before they play the last song "Just A Day",Taka,on bass,called the crowd to come on the stage.At the moment many people,including me,run to there and went up on stage.It was the pretty happening.Maybe they can't do the same "performance" in UK because they're one of the most popular bands there.Oddly enough,in Japan,they're not popular less than in UK despite Japanese bassist,Taka Hirose,belongs to Feeder.

News23 interview with Thom Yorke

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 06:35:40 GMT

News23 is a popular TV news program at night.The interview with T.Yorke was broadcast a few days ago.What is interesting is that the program is not Music program.I assume that the reason why he decided to interview is that is News program.I heard it is so rare that he just interview on TV,so I was lucky.

I have seen Radiohead's performance on TV.But to see his interview was for the first time.In the interview,he cautioned about some international problems.The most interesting things is what he answered "Any futures are Ok,if only there is future" when he was asked "How the future do you want to leave for your children?"When I heard it,I got a little sad.He is a slightly pessimistic,I think.I know he act about many difficult problems,Iraq war,ecological problems or something,for example.So there is no point in getting pessimistic.

I could know by it what he think now.So that was good interview,I thought.Some his fans said that the questions for him were very stupid and too easy.But I don't think so because News23 is very popular program and many Japanese watch it.So it's not good to ask him very complicated questions.If it was really so,some people wouldn't understand about his opinion or intent of the director.

You can watch here(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-I3tlQUnQk&eurl=)
Interviewee spoke Japanese,but you'll be able to listen T.Yorke's speaking clearly.

Review:"From The Sky"Blackbud

Thu, 28 Sep 2006 11:52:12 GMT

I finally got this album today!!
I listened their songs for the first time the beginning of this year,on their Myspace,actually.I got into them at once!

When I heard that they released the album on June,I was really happy!But the date of releasing delaied.Besides, I tried to buy some CD shops in Japan,I have never found it...So,I finally ordered it on Amazon.co.jp.However I didn't receive for long long time.
But, actually now I could hand it.I waited for the time for loooong time!
I came back home,then I tried to listen it at once.

At first I felt the mixing was good.The sound like jumping out from CD.That made me bring their gigs in my mind.

The songs are great,of course.Notable thing is that I felt that they want to express their message seriously.Do you know newcomers who want to do like Blackbud?I don't know except them.You know, as for rock music,passion or emotion is the most important stuff.I don't like a band who haven't serious passions even if they write any good songs.But Blackbud don't include those bands.They have both of stuff.

I especially like "1:5:8"(what does the title mean?)and "Heatbeat"(that is my first Blackbud's song!!)I really want Japanese to listen these songs.Maybe they like ones.

Art work is also good.That has little bit Japanese stuff,I think.The red sun make me imagine Japan's national flag,the rising sun. There is a white pine which plan many in Japan on the left angle.That's interesting!

Anyway I recommend it to many rock music fans!
If you try to listen,please access their Myspace.

Myspace>>http://myspace.com/blackbud
official website>>http://www.blackbud.co.uk/

MUSE: In the United States.

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 21:26:59 GMT

A couple of days I bought "BUZZ" which is rock music
magazine in Japan.It is feautured rock festival in this summer in Japan,especially FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL and SUMMER SONIC because there are the biggest rock festival in Japan.

It have interview with MUSE.The content isn't special,but pretty good.
They mainly told about getting popular in US.MUSE have been popular around european countries and Japan from their debut.But,you know,in US it was hard to get popular.They said there are problems with American record rebel so that it's hard to sell their CD in US for a period of time.It's one of the reasons that they sufferd from the toils in US.
However I think it is also the reason that American sense of rock music is different from British or many Europeans.In the interview Matt said "rock" for American is very old-fasioned rock.And Dom said each music categories are definitely independent in there.In my opinion it means each these aren't made good relationship each other.I suppose
the differnce is from both of stuffs.So it is difficult to be accepted to MUSE in US because MUSE is too characteristic to classify.

I know there are lots of good rock bands in US.I like Foo Fighers,Weezer,Zebrahead and so on, and US is very attractive.But as Matt said in the interview, British are more flexible than American about music,I think.

Review:"Costello Music"The Fratellis

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 13:02:57 GMT

Last month,I knew them for the first time on the internet,a blog which is written by Japanese.I tried to listen on their Myspace and I got into them at once!

I finally bought their new album"Costello Music" before a couple of days.The sounds is shinny,pop and a little bit bluesy!I like it!If I listen these songs at their gig I'll be dancing with grin while gig!
And I was surprised because they're young but the perfection is high!I felt it from the CD that they were influenced by many kind of music.The CD based on such their greatful grounding of music.

I said before I like TMGE whici is Japanese rock'n'roll band.Their rock'n'roll is very bluesy,and I think The Fratellis have a similar stuff as them.I think I can say The Fratellis is one of garage rock bands,but their sounds isn't light.It's a little heavy,like a smell of cigarettte smoke.That is the same of TMGE.By the way I think TMGE's sounds,especially the latter of them, is heavily than The Fratellis ones.

On November Japanese ver.'s CD will released.It means that Japanese record company expect they'll get popular,and also means the percentage that they come to Japan for gigs is getting higher!I expect it'll realize in next year.
If they have gigs in Japan,I'll go,of course!

Study: In my brain.

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 08:46:58 GMT

I've been studing English in language school for the last 7 month.Until on July I just go and learn in there.But now I study seriously because I have a big dream.It's going abroad to study in a college,maybe about the recording skills or some kind of stuff.I certainly made up my mind to go there on August, just after SS06.

But,actually,learning English is so hard.
When I try to understand English sentenses,conversations ect. I always translate to Japanese at first,after that I can finally understand English ones.The way of understanding is ,of course, very bad.It's not natural.For example,When I see a add I can understand what it say for a split second despite of just seeing.It's very natural.But ,in English,I can't do that except very easy words,"an apple""an elehant" or such kind of words.

I have to improve that my vice.
Anyway I'll keep studing.

Japan: Which band is poplar?

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 23:11:04 GMT

In MUSE Board it is the latest topic that which Japanese band you like.

When I have read or heard about which Japanese one is popular for foreigner I always wondered because it's deiffernt in Japan.And then I read the thread, I really thought it's exactly differnt.

In general,it is said waht is called VisiualBands is popular for foreigner like bands Dir en gray,L'arc-en-Ciel,Miyabi,and so on.
But if you're Japanese you know it's differnt from "popular" though these bands have many fans.

I think Japanese vigorously bands are like Asian kung-fu generation,Ellegarden,Bump of Chikin and so on these days.There are popular the young rock fans as well as people who aren't interested in rock music.

But,personaly,I though Japanese real rock fans have the big two.One is Thee Michelle Gun Elephant,the other is Blanky Jet City.Both of them have been headlined in main stage at Fuji rock festival'00 which is the biggest and the most famous rock festival in Japan.Both of them already broke up but they still have influence on japanese rock music scene.

And now,in my opinion,the band Quruli get the highest valuation from Japanese rock fans.They started their carrer as professional artist from 1998.They have performed in main stage at FRF05.It mean they are bigger band in Japan because it is said what Japanese artist performe in the stage is so difficult.

Japanese music scene is very active.There're many kind of bands.I hope that you'll try to listen many kind of band's songs.

MUSE: You can watch "Starlight" in SS06

Fri, 08 Sep 2006 13:42:17 GMT

"muse.mu" was renewed today.
Immediately I accessed it.
It's so high quality and nice.As MUSE's official website, it's the best stuff I think.

I especially want to say that you can watch their Live performance in Japan if you access muse.mu!!
This is "Starlight" in Summer Sonic06, Tokyo.
Of course I was in there and saw it in advance.
I watched the video again and again because it was very great!
At that time many people were in there to see LINKIN PARK who was the next to MUSE actually, I remember.
So I worried how was warm up.
But I was relieved because I found almost people looked like to be warm up.

Perhaps it's the only video which people can watch their performance in SS06.
The end of this month, I'll be able to watch other MUSE's performance clips on MTV JAPAN.
But I really wanted to watch it, so I was verry happy today!

Summer Sonic06, Osaka (from Kerrang!)

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 09:39:08 GMT

I bought "Kerrang!" for reading the article which is about Summer Sonic06(SS06),Osaka.
As I read interview with MUSE in foreign magazine and website, the article said much information that isn't know by Japanese Musers.

In Japan, it is said the show in Osaka was so great and MUSE was the best band in SS.
Many people who didn't know MUSE until SS06 said "I could had listened MUSE early...!!"
I went to SS06 in Tokyo,not Osaka, so I didn't know how was great in there.
But unless I looked for some comments about Osaka on the internet, I could trust Osaka was good.

However the article said that Osaka's gig wasn't good because Matt's guitar set-up wasn't right, that was he was a little irratated.
Besides because of it they desided to discountinue "Map Of Problematique"

I was shocked because I didn't know that and I quite trust Osaka's was good.

If I didn't read the article, I have never known that serious fact.
I don't read it in detial yet, so I shold do that.