-
Music: Respect Record to release Seijin Noborikawa original album in January 2008
Respect Record has been the record label most associated with original album releases (as opposed to compilations or reissues of an artist’s earlier recordings) of artists from Okinawa that’s readily available outside of Okinawa on say iTunes or from my personal favorite online stores like CDJapan. The label’s release of Seijin Noborikawa’s fantastic “Spiritual Unity”…
-
Music: FUZZY Quartet Row, J-rock
Always on the lookout for new music from Okinawa, bounce.com has a write-up on an upcoming band called FUZZY Quartet Row (or ‘FQR’) who are signed to the HIGHWAVE — the same label of popular rock band MONGOL800. A single of FQR’s, “Mahiru no Hoshizora”, is being streamed on the band’s MySpace page. FQR have…
-
Community: Congratulations to Kenton Odo, June Nakama and Calvin Nakama
There’s a nice story by Steve Murray on Midweek.com (‘SHAMISEN’) on the accomplishments of three musicians from Hawaii who are “the first foreigners to earn a master’s certificate in the Okinawan shamisen.” Definitely worth a read. All three musicians will be performing in Hawaii on Tuesday, November 27 as part of the 14th annual TOBE!…
-
Gakky to become next blog queen? – Tokyograph
Popular teen idol/actress Yui Aragaki opened her official blog just over a week ago, but it has already jumped to 2nd in the popularity rankings of celebrity blogs hosted by blogging site Ameblo. Aragaki is outranked only by Chinatsu Wakatsuki, who has long been at the top of the Ameblo rankings. Other celebrities on the…
-
Tokito stars in Churaumi drama special – Tokyograph
On December 14, Fuji TV will broadcast a drama special titled ‘Churaumi Kara no Nengajou.’ It revolves around Okinawa’s Churaumi Aquarium, which opened in 2002 and was the largest in the world until 2005. Actor Saburo Tokito stars in the drama as the aquarium’s director. The story begins when he announces the plans for the…
-
YouTube: U-DOU & PLATY
I first heard about U-DOU & PLATY a while ago but never really gave them a look until they were featured on NHK’s wonderful English-language music program J-MELO (its current VJ is J-pop singer melody.). Their music is a champloo (mix) of Okinawan folk music and J-reggae (dancehall) and I if may add, quite infectious.…
-
Music: Toru Yonaha’s 3rd album ‘Utage’ 12/19 release!
Still waiting to see the album cover but that’s beside the point as we finally have a release date for Toru Yonaha’s much-anticipated 3rd solo album: 12/19/07. Titled ‘Utage’ (Party), the album will feature collaborations with artists like Masamune Kusano (from the J-rock band Spitz), Kyogo Kawaguchi (J-pop), Naomi Tamura (J-pop), Kiyosaku (of the punk…
-
Desktop: Aya Ueto for Supreme Court of Japan
And no, it’s not a joke. Aya Ueto is the image girl for Japan’s Supreme Court and they’re even cool enough to have made a desktop (kabegami) available in three different sizes. How ’bout the US’ highest court hiring Yvonne Strahovski as our own image girl. 😛 (Via 壁紙fan!)
-
Announcement: Chimugukuru: The Soul of Okinawan Dance
Ryusei Honryu Ryuko Kai Presents Chimugukuru The Soul of Okinawan Dance Dance performance from the school of Kaishu Toguchi Mitsuko Ryubu Kenkyusho and guest dancers from Okinawa Date: December 1, 2007 (Saturday) Time: 2:00 p.m. Hawaii Okinawa Center Admission: Free (Complimentary tickets available) You know the drill by now, if you’re interested in tickets contact…
-
Announcement: TOBE! Uta Sanshin 2007 in Hawaii
On Tuesday, November 27, Ryukyu Koten Afuso Ryu Ongaku Kenkyu Choichi Kai and Afuso Ryu Gensei Kai Hawaii Shibu will present the 14th annual TOBE! Uta Sanshin 2007 in Hawaii and Afuso Ryu Gensei Kai 80th Anniversary Commemorative Performance. The evening show will be held at the Hawaii Theatre and will be the only performance…
Karakui 