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Toru Yonaha getting back to his Roots
This upcoming release from Toru Yonaha is the perfect companion to his 2007 album “Utage ~party~” which was heavily influenced by J-pop. The 11 track album titled “Roots ~Ryukyu Iwaiuta~ (Best of Okinawan Traditional Songs)” will be released on 9/24/08 in Okinawa. Dude, I am so buying this. (Via 沖縄三線日和.)
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Star Bulletin features Hui O Laulima’s 2nd cookbook, Chimugukuru
To embrace Okinawan cooking is to embrace its holy trinity: pork, bittermelon and the purple sweet potato. The first and the last, not so hard, but when it comes to goya — that bumpy, bitter staple veggie of Okinawan cuisine — well, you love it or you hate it. (Link: Everything Okinawan on starbulletin.com by…
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New album from Parsha cluB on 10/3/08!!!
OK, I’m sounding like a broken record here what with all of the great releases coming out at the second half of 2008 but Parsha cluB is one of our favorite O-pop acts and god we’ve been waiting for this one. “PapiRu” will be Parsha cluB’s first album in six years following the release of…
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OLIVIA to release a new mini album on 9/17/08
OLIVIA (Olivia Lufkin) is a favorite of ours here at Karakui.com and while we’d complain about seeing yet another mini album from any other artist, if it’s from her we say “bring it on!” The six track album, *ahem*, mini album will be released in a limited edition package and features the ending theme song…
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Mamoru Miyagi’s latest album “Shimakaze” released on 8/20/08
OkinawanFestival2008-4032 Originally uploaded by tiarehi Gosh, he was just here and he sounded great, didn’t he? Well, fans of his probably already know that he released a new album on 8/20/08 titled “Shimakaze.” The 12-track album features the single “Yunion (Union) desu kara!” (Image is from photog tiarehi on Flickr from this year’s Okinawan Festival…
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New album from Nenes: “Sai”
Well, we may not know the names of the current lineup of Sadao China’s Nenes (shame on us!) but hey, they’ve gone and released a new album called “Sai” — their first in four years! “Sai” is on Sadao’s own record label, DIG Records, and features a total of 13 tracks including the hit song…
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OMG! Ayano Uema to release a new album?
One of our favorite utasaa (唄者) here at Karakui.com, Ayano Uema, announced (well, it was more of a blurb) on her blog that she just completed shooting photos for a “new CD.” Now whether that means it’s a CD that she’s featured in or if it’s her own album remains to be seen but further…
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Kuninaka, Tokito to star in “Tengoku no Soup” – Tokyograph
This fall, WOWOW will broadcast a drama special titled ‘Tengoku no Soup,’ based on a book by writer Michiko Matsuda. Matsuda, who generally writes nonfiction, is also known as the first wife of the late actor Yusaku Matsuda. ‘Tengoku no Soup’ follows an OL (Ryoko Kuninaka) who has to take care of her sick mother,…
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Yukie Nakama to star in the film “Watashi wa Kai ni Naritai”
Yukie Nakama will be in the film “Watashi ni Kai ni Naritai” which is set to be released in Japanese theaters on 11/22/08. She plays the wife of the main character played by Masahiro Nakai of the J-pop group SMAP. Directing the film is Katsuo Fukuzawa who isn’t a stranger to Okinawa having done the…
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Aya Ueto to play “Japanese Paris Hilton” – Tokyograph
This fall, Fuji TV is producing a drama series called ‘Celeb to Daihinmin,’ a romantic comedy starring Aya Ueto and Yusuke Kamiji. Ueto’s role is said to be inspired by American celebrity Paris Hilton. The story revolves around Alice Hirata (Ueto), the spoiled and naive daughter of a wealthy hotel magnate. On the other hand,…