Justin’s Japan: Nippon in New York—JAPAN CUTS, Kishi Bashi, ‘Kafka on the Shore,’ Keiko Matsui
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HIBI ROCK: Puke Afro and the Pop Star kicks off this year’s JAPAN CUTS film festival at Japan Society July 9. (© 2014 HIBI ROCK Film Partners)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
After you’ve seen the outdoor fireworks, enjoy some summer events in the cool indoors, whether it’s catching one of 28 films premiering at Japan Society’s annual festival, enjoying the new sounds of electronic and jazz veterans, or witnessing an all-new retelling of the work of contemporary Japan’s most influential novelist.
This month’s highlights include:
July 9-19
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$13, $10 Japan Society members, seniors and students (most screenings)
North America’s largest festival of new Japanese film, the ninth annual edition of JAPAN CUTS is proud to present actress Sakura Ando with the CUT ABOVE Award for Outstanding Performance in Film, presenting her latest great performances in two new films for the festival’s Centerpiece Presentation. Shingo Wakagi’s elegant Banana Yoshimoto adaptation Asleep makes its North American premiere, and Masaharu Take’s fantastic slacker-to-boxer pathos-drenched comedy 100 Yen Love is presented in its North American premiere, followed by the PUNCH LOVE Party. The festival’s Closing Film is perhaps one of the most memorable Japanese titles of the decade: Juichiro Yamasaki’s Sanchu Uprising: Voices at Dawn, being shown for the first time outside of Japan. Director Yamasaki appears at the festival to present this remarkable independent period film, which offers a valuable fable for the political consciousness of the contemporary moment.
Monday, July 20, 7:00 p.m.
$40
Having collaborated and toured with of Montreal, Regina Spektor, and now Guster, singer, violinist, and composer K Ishibashi (aka Kishi Bashi) embarks on an epic orchestral solo project. His solo live show is a dazzling array of looping and vocal/violin gymnastics. Bright and soaring avant-pop songs are prevalent, as are Eastern-tinged arrangements, gentle ballads, Philip Glass-inspired improvisations, and more than a few moments that flirt with ‘70s prog (in the tradition of ELO or Yes). Jarringly kaleidoscopic, but it works.
July 21-23
High Line at the Rail Yards, West 30th Street and Eleventh Avenue
Free
Aki Sasamoto presents Food Rental, a new performance for which she will bring a custom-built food cart to the High Line’s newest section. From her perch inside the cart, the artist will offer visitors an à la carte selection of micro performances and playful narrative demonstrations. Like an off-kilter life hacking workshop, Food Rental will continue Sasamoto’s history of performances that engage visitors with sneakily shifting stage sets and unruly props.
For the complete story, click here.
Justin’s Japan: Nippon in New York — Pokémon Symphony, Hiromi, Kamijo, ‘ROBOT,’ AnimeNEXT
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“Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions” debuts at the Theater of Madison Square Garden June 6. (Princeton Entertainment)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
After an unusually chilly spring, it’s finally starting to feel like summer. Enjoy some seasonal events this month that celebrate the best of both fine art and pop art.
This month’s highlights include:
June 4-5, 6:30 p.m.
New York Japan CineFest 2015: Program 1 & Program 2
Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue
$12, $10 students/seniors, $8 members
Co presented by Asia Society and Mar Creation, Inc., New York Japan CineFest highlights some of the most exciting new voices in cinema, presenting two nights of short films by emerging Japanese and Japanese American filmmakers. The first night features all-new works made within the last year, while the second night’s program spotlights female directors and is followed by a Q&A with Ema Ryan Yamazaki (Monk by Blood) and Hazuki Aikawa (Reflection). The first night’s program is followed by a reception.
June 4-7, 8:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
Hiromi Trio Project featuring Anthony Jackson and Simon Phillips
Blue Note Jazz Club, 131 West Third Street
$40, $55
Part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival! A native of Hamamatsu, Japan, Grammy-winning pianist and composer Hiromi Uehara is one of the world’s top young international performers in jazz. As part of the Trio Project with bassist Anthony Jackson (Paul Simon, the O’Jays, Steely Dan, Chick Corea) and drummer Simon Phillips (the Who, Judas Priest, David Gilmour, Jack Bruce), her passionate and incendiary keyboard work has been a shining light on the jazz landscape since her 2003 debut. She takes up a four-night residency at the Blue Note in support of her latest album with the Trio Project, Alive, which was released in 2014.
June 5-6. 7:30 p.m.
Kota Yamazaki/Fluid hug-hug OQ
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$25, $20 Japan Society members
Global traditions flow together in this latest work by Bessie Award-winning choreographer Kota Yamazaki. Inspired by Japanese ritual poetry readings held at the Imperial Palace, Yamazaki’s OQ (ōkyu is the phonetic reading of the Japanese word for “palace”) features dancers from diverse cultural and dance backgrounds including Western contemporary, butoh and hip-hop. Within a space designed by award-winning New York architect collective SO-IL that complements the dancers’ fluid motions, Yamazaki’s palace, with its own rituals and customs, comes to life before your eyes. The Friday, June 5 performance is followed by a MetLife Meet-the-Artists Reception.
For the complete story, click here.
Justin’s Japan: VAMPS, ‘Monkey Business,’ AKB48 at Japan Day @ Central Park
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J-pop superstars AKB48 return for their first New York performance since 2009 at Japan Day @ Central Park May 10. (@AKS)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
As spring continues and the weather continues to warm, New Yorkers can enjoy activities all over the city both indoors and out.
This month’s highlights include:
Friday, May 1, 8:00 p.m.
Best Buy Theater, 1515 Broadway
$35
Japan’s most daring rock band, VAMPS is fronted by vocalist hyde of L’arc~en~Ciel and guitarist K.A.Z of Oblivion Dust. Now touring in support of their latest album, Bloodsuckers (available on iTunes), VAMPS returns to take another bite out of the Big Apple for their first area performance since 2013.
Monday, May 4, 6:30 p.m.
Monkey Business: Japan/America Writers’ Dialogue in Words and Pictures
Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue
$15, $10 Asia Society members, $12 students/seniors
Join this annual conversation between contemporary Japanese and American authors in which Asia Society hosts an international dialogue, curated and moderated by the co-founders and editors of the Tokyo-based literary journal Monkey Business with writers who are featured in the latest edition of Monkey Business (#5), a unique, cutting-edge annual literary journal which showcases newly-translated Japanese as well as contributions from contemporary American and British writers.
Thursday, May 7, 6:30 p.m.
The Magical Art of Translation: From Haruki Murakami to Japan’s Latest Storytellers
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$12, $8 Japan Society members, students/seniors
Since 1989, Jay Rubin has translated many of Haruki Murakami’s most successful and prize-winning novels, including The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood and 1Q84. In this program, he is joined by Ted Goossen, translator of Murakami’s most recent U.S. publications, The Strange Library and Wind/Pinball: Two Early Novels, and co-editor of Monkey Business literary magazine, which showcases the best of contemporary Japanese literature for an international audience. They will discuss the unique challenges of translating modern Japanese literary works into American English, and vice versa. Rubin will also talk about his transition from translator to novelist vis-à-vis his debut novel The Sun Gods. Joining the discussion from Tokyo will be authors Aoko Matsuda and Satoshi Kitamura, and Motoyuki Shibata, friend and translating partner of Murakami. Author Roland Kelts, co-editor of Monkey Business, moderates the discussion. Followed by a reception.
For the complete story, click here.
Justin’s Japan: Nippon in New York — ‘Attack on Titan,’ Isamu Noguchi, Mitsuko Uchida, Sakura Matsuri
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Escape from the Walled City, a live team puzzle solving challenge based on Attack on Titan, comes to Richmond County Bank Ballpark April 11. (SCRAP Entertainment Inc.)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
Spring has sprung in the Big Apple, and that means one thing: a new season of sounds, colors, and spectacular performing arts to match the blossoming sakura trees throughout the city.
This month’s highlights include:
Now through April 26
Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue
$12/$10 seniors/$7 students; free on Fridays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Takahiro Iwasaki creates detailed miniature landscapes using towels, toothbrushes, used clothing, and other found and recycled materials. This exhibition is a part of Asia Society Museum’s ongoing In Focus series, which invites contemporary artists to create new works, often in conversation with the Asia Society Museum’s permanent collection of traditional Asian art.
April 5-May 3 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Blue Note Jazz Club, 131 West Third Street
$35
Blue Note Jazz Club and the Japan Foundation present the East Meets West Brunch series to introduce Japanese jazz to New York audiences. This brunch series will take place on five consecutive Sundays this spring, and features food, music and a drink. Performers include Mika Mimura Group (April 5), Hiromi Suda (April 12), Martha Kato Trio (April 19), Sumie Kaneko (April 26), and the Takeshi Ohbayashi Trio (May 3).
Saturday, April 11, 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m.
Richmond County Bank Ballpark, 75 Richmond Terrace (Staten Island)
$30, $35 at the door
The titans are coming, and they’re hungry. Based on the manga megahit Attack on Titan, the newest Real Escape Game (REG) takes players to a world inhabited by giant, humanoid creatures that live for no other purpose than to make a snack of all of us. The high walls of the stadium are the only thing keeping you safe…for now. Experience the latest edition of SCRAP’s interactive storytelling and puzzle-solving games on a scale never seen before. Join thousands of other players as you decode clues inside a real stadium! Be warned, though: survival isn’t easy, and teamwork will be essential if you hope to survive. After already hosting over 40,000 players in the U.S. to date, Escape requires participants to use their best detective skills as they race against the clock.
For the complete story, click here.
Justin’s Japan: Nippon in New York — Ghibli Premiere, L’arc~en~Ciel, Steve Aoki, Rinko Kikuchi
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When Marnie Was There, the newest film from Studio Ghibli, premieres in North America Feb. 27 at DGA Theatre. (© 2014 GNDHDDTK)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
Stay warm this winter with some hot local events, from an unmissable North American anime premiere, a documentary on one of Japan’s hottest acts, and concerts featuring some of the biggest names in electronic music, taiko, and indie rock.
This month’s highlights include:
Friday, Feb. 27, 8:30 p.m.
DGA Theatre, 110 West 57th Street
$16
North American premiere! The newest feature from Japan’s famed Studio Ghibli is a sweeping story of friendship, mystery, and discovery that delivers stirring emotions and breathtaking animation as only Ghibli can. When shy, artistic Anna moves to the seaside to live with her aunt and uncle, she stumbles upon an old mansion surrounded by marshes, and the mysterious young girl, Marnie, who lives there. The two girls instantly form a unique connection and friendship that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. As the days go by, a nearly magnetic pull draws Anna back to the Marsh House again and again, and she begins to piece together the truth surrounding her strange new friend. Based on the novel by Joan G. Robinson, and directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi (The Secret World of Arriety), When Marnie Was There has been described as “Ghibli Gothic,” with its moonlit seascapes, glowing orchestral score, and powerful dramatic portrayals that build to a stormy climax. In Japanese with English subtitles.
Sunday, March 1, 3:00 p.m.
Over the L’arc~en~Ciel: Documentary Films “World Tour 2012~”
Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Avenue
$10
This new documentary follows a legendary rock band who never fear to take challenges on the international stage, when they have already reigned over the domestic music scene. L’Arc~en~Ciel, after celebrating their 20th anniversary, embarked on a massive world tour that no other Japanese rock band had ever done before. From March 3rd to May 31st, 2012, L’Arc~en~Ciel’s 14-city world tour hit Hong Kong, Bangkok, Shanghai, Taipei, New York, London, Paris, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, Yokohama, Osaka, Tokyo, and Honolulu with a total attendance of 450,000 people. The band became the first solo Japanese act ever to perform at Madison Square Garden. In Japanese with English subtitles.
Monday, March 9, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, 10 Columbus Circle
$25, $15 students
Renowned Japanese pianist Chihiro Yamanaka is one of her native country’s most popular. Luckily for us, she recently moved to New York City. She’s especially well-known for leading trios, and with Jazz at Lincoln Center favorite Yasushi Nakamura on bass and rising star Kush Abadey on drums, this group stands up to those high expectations. On top of virtuosic, light-speed chops, Yamanaka has an irresistible bounce to her playing and writing.
For the complete story, click here.
Justin’s Japan: Nippon in New York — Kawaii Central, Japan Week, Mr. Big, the Last ‘Naruto’
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The Last: Naruto the Movie premieres at Village East Cinema Feb. 21. (VIZ Media)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
Stay warm this winter with some hot local events, from an exhibition for the whole family that’s perfect for introducing kids to Tokyo life, a big-screen anime farewell to a certain ninja you won’t want to miss, and an annual showcase that brings the sights (and tastes) of Japan to vivid life.
This month’s highlights include:
Now through May 17
Children’s Museum of Manhattan, 212 West 83rd Street
$11 children/adults, $7 seniors
Experience Tokyo’s vibrant culture in a new interactive exhibit! Children will have fun learning about life in present day Japan in this playful, highly immersive environment that transports families to two distinct areas of Tokyo that exist side by side: one serene and exquisite, the other, too cute for words. Kawaii Central is a streetscape inspired by Tokyo’s bustling Harajuku district, bursting with color, trendy shops and cuter than cute styles. Kids sing karaoke, smile for the photo booth camera, serve up a seasonal Japanese meal, and design adorable mascots for their families. Plus, learn more about contemporary Japan through special programs for the public, free with admission.
Jan. 29-31, 7:30 p.m.
Miwa Yanagi Zero Hour: Tokyo Rose’s Last Tape
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$35, $28 Japan Society members
Stranded in Japan during World War II, a young Japanese-American woman was forced to serve as a radio broadcaster for a propaganda program controlled by the Japanese Imperial Army, and was subsequently tried for treason. Seventy years later, this historic incident is brought to life through a visually stunning whodunit, conceived, written and directed by internationally renowned visual artist Miwa Yanagi. Brimming with iconic imagery from her rich body of photographic work, Zero Hour tells the multi-layered story of a woman caught between two nations during the war. This presentation marks Yanagi’s North American debut as a theater artist. Performed in English and Japanese with English subtitles.
Feb. 7-8
Music from Japan: East Asian Vibrancy and Highlights of MFJ Commissions III
Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue
$20-$40
Over two days, Music from Japan’s 40th anniversary will be commemorated with exciting cross-cultural collaborations between musicians from Japan and its neighboring countries, China and Korea. Three internationally acclaimed traditional instrumentalists from Japan, Korea, and China will perform contemporary and classical repertoire on their respective instruments. A series of solo works will be followed by a group improvisation and the world premiere of Unkai (Sea of Clouds), written by MFJ-commissioned composer Ned Rothenberg especially for the occasion. The following afternoon, to celebrate MFJ’s long history of commissioning Japanese and American composers to create new work, two new MFJ commissions will be presented alongside a retrospective of compositions from prior years.
For the complete story, click here.
JQ Magazine: JQ&A with Grammy Winner Arnie Roth on ‘Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy’
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“I can honestly say that I currently spend much of my career involved with Japan on so many projects, that I almost cannot imagine what it would be like without all of our Japanese friends and colleagues.” (Courtesy of Attila Glatz Concert Productions)
By Vlad Baranenko (Saitama-ken, 2000-02) for JQ magazine. Vlad is an avid photographer.
Sephiroth, meet Maestro Roth.
On Jan. 31, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center will hold a double performance marathon of Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy, an official concert program of the beloved video game series, also coming to Boston (April 24) and St. Louis (May 15). Featuring special guest series composer Nobuo Uematsu and featured soloists RIKKI and Susan Calloway, the show will feature game clips playing to the performance of a symphony orchestra, choir and renowned vocal talent, all under the direction of Grammy Award-winning conductor (and Mannheim Steamroller member) Arnie Roth.
Roth’s resume includes a long list of music direction for television, film, and video games. A veteran collaborator on pop, classical, R&B, rock and musical theater, Roth has also worked with some of the world’s greatest ensembles like the Tokyo Philharmonic and with legendary video game composers including Uematsu, Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts), Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill), Yuzo Koshiro (Streets of Rage), and Koji Kondo (Super Mario Bros.).
In this JQ exclusive, Roth shares the experience of bringing together 27 years (and counting) of Final Fantasy to the concert stage, working with Uematsu and others in the Japanese game industry, and his all-time favorite Japanese food.
How did you get involved with the Final Fantasy franchise?
In 2004, as music director of the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra, I was researching various possibilities for new and exciting programming for our concerts. A colleague mentioned that concerts of video game music had been taking place in Japan on a very regular basis for many years, since 1999 or maybe even earlier. After checking into Final Fantasy concerts, we decided to try a concert in Chicago in February 2005. That concert was titled Dear Friends: Music from Final Fantasy, and our concert sold out completely. That was my first time meeting Nobuo Uematsu and conducting his music, and we immediately connected. Immediately after that concert, I was engaged to conduct several more of the Dear Friends concerts in North America, and then my relationship with [Final Fantasy publisher] Square Enix (SQEX) and Uematsu grew to be a very important factor, with concerts in Japan for SQEX, and ultimately the development of the Distant Worlds project.
Did you have any exposure to the Final Fantasy games before directing and conducting the Tokyo Philharmonic in 2006?
Yes. See above for my earlier involvement with the FF franchise and SQEX and Uematsu. Another little-known fact was that I worked on the original release of the Halo video game music score, both as a violinist and arranger.
What do you think about Final Fantasy and the musical choices for the games?
The music is stunning! Final Fantasy is a role-playing game, and the combination of this type of game, along with having individual themes or leitmotifs for every character, battle, quest, relationship, and environment, has made the music of this franchise extremely beloved for the players.
Justin’s Japan: Nippon in New York — Akira Toriyama Returns, Final Fantasy, Video Games Live
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Jaco the Galactic Patrolman, the latest manga from Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, arrives Jan. 6. (VIZ Media)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
Start 2015 off right by heading down to your local concert hall, consulate, or arts center for some fantastic new year’s fare. Whether you enjoy kendo, classic film, or orchestral performances from the greatest video games of all time, treat yourself and catch a break from the cold.
This month’s highlights include:
Tuesday, Jan. 6
$9.99 print/$6.99 digital
Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama is back with this quirky new interstellar comedy, collected in English for the first time! Retired scientist Omori lives alone on a deserted island while continuing his research into time travel. His quiet life is interrupted when galactic patrolman Jaco crash lands and decides to move in with him. This agent from space claims to be elite, but sometimes it can be a little hard to believe. Can Jaco get along with the old man long enough to save the earth from a dangerous threat?
Jan. 9-10, 7:30 p.m.
16th Contemporary Dance Showcase: Japan + East Asia
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$28/$25 Japan Society members
This bi-annual favorite, hailed by the the New York Times as “a hot ticket,” returns with a standout line-up of groundbreaking artists from the other side of the globe. This year’s showcase includes from Japan: Nobuyuki Hanabusa’s group enra performing Newton, an out-of-this-world amalgamation of motion graphics and choreography; Mikiko Kawamura’s street style solo Alphard set to a bold soundscape with J-pop and classical music; and Kaori Seki’s quartet Marmont, in which bodies morph into nebulous creature-like positions. From Taiwan: I-Fen Tung’s fresh duo How to Say grapples with communication through words and dance and Shang-Chi Sun’s Traverse, in which graceful martial arts-like movements oscillate between combat speed and tranquility. The Friday, Jan. 9 performance is followed by a MetLife Meet-the-Artists Reception.
Jan. 13-Feb. 12
Views of Kendo: Photographs from Japan
Consulate General of Japan in New York, 299 Park Avenue, 18F
Free
A series of photographs taken on a recent trip to Japan for research by filmmaker Amy Guggenheim, who is currently working on When Night Turns to Day, a fictional story about kendo, the art of the Japanese sword, slated for production late 2015. Although competitive, the purpose of Kendo isn’t winning or losing, but bu, a state of (enlightened) mind. In a dramatic relationship, two people face each other sword to sword, up close and personal, both seemingly immovable. Through these photos—shot in November at the All Nippon Kendo Tournament in Tokyo—witness the exhilarating encounter of first-rate players that captures the spirit in motion as the match unfolds. A special benefit party for the making of the film will be held at the Kitano Hotel on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7:00 p.m. Click here for details.
For the complete story, click here.
From JET to NPR: An Interview (and Playlist) from Producer Robin Hilton
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“The best you can do is be fearless and open. If you find yourself avoiding a possible career path because you’re afraid of something, stop. Take a deep breath and jump into it. You can’t expect to grow or get anywhere by playing it safe.” (Courtesy of Robin Hilton)
By Sheila Burt (Toyama-ken, 2010-2012) for JQ magazine. Sheila is a grant proposal writer at the Center for Bionic Medicine at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Read more of her reporting and writing at her blog.
Robin Hilton (Aichi-ken, 1996-99) is a radio producer and co-host of NPR’s music program All Songs Considered. In this JQ exclusive, Hilton shares his experiences on the JET Program in the late 1990s and his radio documentary Big in Japan, a comical and poignant reflection on his daily life as an English teacher in Japan.
Growing up in the small town of Abilene in central Kansas, Hilton never imagined living or working in Japan. But around the same time he graduated from the University of Kansas in 1992, Abilene initiated a sister city and exchange program with Minori, Japan (now Omitama) in Ibaraki-ken. At the encouragement of the program’s director, Hilton applied for a job teaching English more than 6,000 miles away from his hometown, as he was excited to begin a new endeavor outside of his comfort zone and experience a different culture. Yet Hilton would still have to wait a few years before his new adventure in Japan could begin.
“I didn’t get [the position],” Hilton recalls, “but it planted the seed in me, so a few years later I decided to try for the JET Program. I didn’t grow up with a deep fascination with or love of the country. But it ended up being one of the greatest things I’ve ever done with my life, and I certainly have that deep love for Japan now.”
Justin’s Japan: Nippon in New York — ‘Big Hero 6,’ Babymetal, Richie Kotzen, Asa Akira, Perfume
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Babymetal brings their unique brand of “kawaii metal” to Hammerstein Ballroom Nov. 4. (Courtesy of WME Entertainment)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
From Disney to heavy metal to J-pop, November is just as colorful as the leaves tumbling through the air. Add to that a cutting-edge kimono exhibition, a Shakespearean samurai epic, and the largest event in the USA dedicated to love and sex, and you’ve got an irresistibly epic rundown.
This month’s highlights include:
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 7:00 p.m.
Hammerstein Ballroom, 311 West 34th Street
$49.50
Formed in 2010, Babymetal brings a kawaii blend of traditional schoolgirl J-pop and death metal. Hot off the heels of their debut album released in the U.S. earlier this year, the band has been burning up the charts in Japan, where their live video for “Gimmie Choco!!” (lensed at the legendary Nipon Budokan in Tokyo) has racked up over 17 million views on YouTube to date. Endorsed by shredders like Marty Friedman (Megadeth) and Jeff Walker (Carcass) alike, Babymetal are prepared for a whole new audience on the eve of their Hammerstein debut.
Wednesday, Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m.
B.B. King Blues Club and Grill, 237 West 42nd Street
$28-$32
With guitar styles ranging from rock, blues, jazz and fusion to pop and soul, Richie Kotzen has built a remarkably diverse 25-year career as a guitarist, singer and songwriter. A veteran of numerous groups including the Winery Dogs, Kotzen’s Japan cred is extensive: He wrote the number one song “Shine” as a member of Mr. Big, which was used as the ending theme for the anime series Hellsing, has recorded an entirealbum of music from the anime series Gundam, and toured as the opening act on the Japanese leg of the Rolling Stones’ 2006 tour. The Kotzen Telecaster guitar has repeatedly been the #1 selling signature model guitar for Fender Japan. This special solo show will include selections from The Essential Richie Kotzen, the artist’s latest release, which caps a career of highlights in anticipation for his next studio album coming next year.
Nov. 6-12
Nippon Club Gallery, 145 West 57th Street
Free
Kiyomi Kitagawa, a popular fashion designer and a representative of Atelier Bi-no-Sei, revives stylish and practical design dresses in harmony with modern lifestyle from traditional craftwork, a microcosm of Japanese sensibility that has been shaped by the passing of the “four seasons” since ancient times. These dresses show not only the “craftsman’s spirit” by seasoned artisans, but also her knowledge and experience as a textile garment designer. At this exhibition, 30 pieces of kimono dresses—some using fabric no longer produced—will be displayed with luxurious embroidery and a variety of techniques.
For the complete story, click here.
JQ Magazine Editor Interviewed by FCI News on X Japan at Madison Square Garden
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JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi talks X Japan outside Madison Square Garden, Oct. 11, 2014. (Courtesy of FCI NY)
JQ magazine editor/Japanese Culture Examiner Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) was recently interviewed by Alex York of Fujisankei (FCI) News for commentary on X Japan’s debut performance at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 11.
The spectacular three-hour show (see JQ‘s review of the concert here) was X Japan’s first and only American concert in four years, and the first to retain the band’s signature full stage production outside of Japan. Check out the video here or click on the image for Justin’s comments, and read his exclusive interview with X Japan’s leader Yoshiki here.
Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWptyvtYCXM#t=43
X Japan take a triumphant bow at Madison Square Garden, New York City, Oct. 11, 2014. (Vlad Baranenko)
By Vlad Baranenko (Saitama-ken, 2000-02) for JQ magazine. Vlad is an avid photographer. For his photo gallery of X Japan’s concert at MSG, click here.
On Oct. 11, Madison Square Garden was ignited by the amazing energy of the sensational Japanese rock group X Japan. Realizing a lifelong dream of its founding members—vocalist Toshi and superstar drummer/pianist Yoshiki—X Japan overcame years of behind-the-scenes drama to finally play the World’s Most Famous Arena, as one of the most successful Japanese music groups of all time brought down the house in NYC.
For the first time ever outside of their native Japan, X Japan culminated their dream to perform an all-immersive concert, armed with a full array of fireworks, pyrotechnics, confetti, and incredible light effects. According to Yoshiki in one of many heartfelt messages delivered to the crowd that night, never before their performance at MSG has the group invested so much to awe an overseas audience, which he said was being broadcast live to Japan and other Asian countries.
Playing to a nearly packed arena, the group that started with a dream of two four-year-old boys almost 45 years ago kicked off the show with a pyrotechnic bang, letting the excited audience rock hard to “Jade.” By creating an all-immersive experience for their concert goers, X Japan’s mix of rock and the classical genres appealed to the emotions of young and old attendees alike. For their second appearance in NYC after their legendary show at the now-defunct Roseland Ballroom in 2010, the band’s deep appreciation for their fans’ support rang loud when Yoshiki shared the story of the group’s history and ups and downs. The death of former members Hide and Taiji hit everyone in the group hard, and as Yoshiki spoke about his late friend Hide as still being part of the group, many in the audience shed a tear.
Justin’s Japan: Interview with Yoshiki of X Japan on the Band’s Madison Square Garden Debut
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“At an X Japan show, we create a show with the audience—it’s not ‘the band is performing and the audience is just watching,’ so we create the show together. We’re going to try to make Madison Square Garden like a huge club.” (Courtesy of ID PR)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
For Yoshiki Hayashi, this Saturday (Oct. 11) will go down in J-rock history, as one of the biggest bands in Asia makes their debut at Madison Square Garden. Formed over 30 years ago, X Japan first gained notoriety in the mid-’80s by ushering in the visual kei movement, a style that continues to evolve through other Japanese megastars like L’Arc~en~Ciel (who headlined the World’s Most Famous Arena themselves in 2012).
At the center of it all is X Japan’s founding member, Yoshiki. An equally talented songwriter, heavy metal drummer and classical pianist, he is both the heart and soul of X Japan, and, having lived in Los Angeles for two decades, the ideal mouthpiece for the band’s American tours, which started with a bang in 2010 at Lollapalooza and included a sold-out gig at New York’s now-defunct Roseland Ballroom.
In this exclusive, expansive interview, I spoke with Yoshiki about how the group’s original hopes to play the Garden in 2008 were dashed by personal health and management troubles, his favorite, anime, manga and X Japan songs, and his experience working with legends like Stan Lee, KISS, and the Emperor of Japan.
How did this concert for Madison Square Garden come together? I know there were plans to do this in 2008; can you talk about this history?
Our band reunited around the year 2008. We did our reunion concert in Tokyo Dome, three days or so, I think. At that time, we were also thinking of performing [shows] outside of Japan, and Madison Square Garden was one or two of [the ideas]. But for some reason they didn’t happen, so since then, that venue was always in our minds. A few years ago, we decided to try schedule Madison Square Garden. I think we were kind of confirmed last year.
It’s a long road.
Yes. Well, considering that X Japan was not doing anything—I mean, the band broke up around the end of 1997, so when we reunited we had almost 10 years of a break. We started doing a bunch of arena shows, and then we started touring the world when we went to 16 countries or so. Considering this, the [last] six or seven years have been tours [laughs].
Are there plans for X Japan to play any other concerts for the remainder of the year?
Not now. We just announced our shows in Japan, this place called Yokohama Arena, so we [performed] there Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. It’s kind of like a prelude to Madison Square Garden and a kickoff to [that] show, about 10 days before that. As of now, Madison Square Garden is the only American show, but [depending] on how it goes, we may start another world tour. We’re just talking about it right this moment.
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Justin’s Japan: Nippon in New York — Studio Ghibli, New York Comic Con, X Japan, Hatsune Miku
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Catch the New York premiere of Studio Ghibli’s “The Tale of Princess Kaguya” at IFC Center Oct. 3. (GKIDS)
By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Examiner.com. Visit his Japanese culture page here for related stories.
The Japan-centric events of the month ahead promise to be as rich and full as autumn itself—brisk and colorful, with a dash of unpredictability.
This month’s highlights include:
Friday, October 3, 6:30 p.m.
IFC Center, 323 Avenue of the Americas
$14
New York premiere! Legendary Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies, Pom Poko) revisits an ancient Japanese folktale in this gorgeous, hand- drawn masterwork decades in the making. Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter (James Caan) and his wife (Mary Steenburgen), a tiny girl grows into an exquisite young lady (Chloë Grace Moretz). The beautiful princess enthralls all who encounter her—but ultimately she must confront her fate. The film will have a “sneak preview” screening in Japanese at IFC Center on Thursday, Oct. 16 prior to its regular run Oct. 17. Click here for additional showtimes.
Sunday, Oct. 5, 4:00 p.m.
Best Buy Theater, 1515 Broadway
$42
The 10-member Morning Musume ’14, also known as Momusu, are one of the most successful Japanese all-girl idol groups, produced by the famous rock writer-producer Tsunku. Their music style is poppy and upbeat, matched only by their elaborately choreographed dance performances. Their story began in 1997 after a TV audition and they made their major debut in 1998.The following year, their single “Love Machine” was their first to sell over one million units. Morning Musume ’14 have already performed in China, Taiwan, South Korea, France and the USA (Los Angeles), and are poised to make their New York stage debut.
Sunday, Oct. 5, 7:00 p.m.
Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway
$40/$30 members, students and seniors/$22 children
Experience the thunderous rhyhms of the ancestral Japanese taiko drums and the magical sounds of the bamboo flutes, as Taikoza returns with richly authentic performances and colorful Japanese dances. The international touring taiko group, led by Swiss-born director Marco Lienhard, will present new compositions as well as traditional pieces in this unique concert featuring special guest from Japan Ichiro Jishoya, who was recently featured in the documentary film Drum Out the Drum of Happiness – Inclusion. This concert will celebrate the 150 anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Switzerland and Japan.
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Justin’s Japan: J-Rocktober
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By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for Shukan NY Seikatsu. Visit his Examiner.com Japanese culture page here for related stories.
This October is set to be a landmark month for New York City, as it welcomes to the stage some of the most celebrated Japanese musicians performing today.
Things kick off on Oct. 5 with girl group Morning Musume ’14 at the Best Buy Theater. The forerunner to today’s mega-member pop acts like AKB48, Momusu has been spinning off hits since 1997, launching the career of songwriter-turned-record mogul Tsunku in the process.
On Oct. 11, X Japan, the country’s best-selling rock band of all time, becomes the second Japanese act to headline Madison Square Garden, following L’Arc~en~Ciel’s historic debut there two years ago. Led by the charismatic drummer (and classical pianist) Yoshiki, X Japan has sold out the 55,000 seat Tokyo Dome a record-setting 18 times.
The venerable Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, which has been on the scene since the late 1980s and has collaborated with artists as diverse as Puffy, Shiina Ringo and Shakira, plays Irving Plaza on Oct. 14. If it’s cutting edge you crave, virtual idol superstar Hatsune Miku makes her New York bow at Hammerstein Ballroom on Oct. 17-18 with a special concert featuring 3D projection technology and a live band.
Seeking something heavier? Stadium act Maximum the Hormone, which appeared at Ozzfest Japan last year alongside Black Sabbath, Slipknot and Tool, invades the Best Buy Theater Oct. 27.
