Approaching infinity with Keiji Haino
By • June 18, 2008
‘I use the electric guitar as a weapon to express myself’
June 2008
The nonsense machines of Maywa Denki
By • June 18, 2008
To look superficially at any of Tosa’s work would likely mean to miss the meaning. Once the surface “nonsense” of his complicated machines, goofy toys, and self-playing instruments has been put aside, serious commentary, humor, and revelations about some of Tosa’s innermost puzzles are revealed. Through this, he is simultaneously taking a peek inside himself and creating one of Japan’s more recognizable brand names for kitsch, a commodity he hopes to soon expand overseas.
Asakusa Jinta march back in time
By • June 18, 2008
Unless in search of a cheap, dusty souvenir for a relative, Tokyo’s historic Asakusa district isn’t on the radar of too many folks under the age of 70. But Asakusa Jinta, a seven-piece band that mixes elements of ska, swing, punk and chindonya (traditional street performance), is hoping to bring the area’s time-honored sensibilities to the international stage.
Jail talk
By • June 18, 2008
Thus begins “Sekken” (Jail Talk), a 70-minute monologue performed by Takayasu Komiya, who, as the compassionate yet bumbling Hinoki, seeks to find just what led to the arrest of the accused for assault and battery on that drunken night. Staged in Europe and across Japan, the comedic drama is Komiya’s “life’s work,” a project that finds him identifying with the lead more than he may care to admit.
Honoka takes top prize at Adult Broadcasting Awards
By • June 18, 2008
Honoka is the queen of Japanese porn
Classy ads lure quirky Japan audiences
By • June 18, 2008
TOKYO — Despite Sofia Coppola’s popularity in Japan after “The Virgin Suicides,” Kanae Rai, executive vice president of independent theater Cinema Rise, knew …
Hosts set hearts beating in Kabukicho
By • June 17, 2008
“This is an original space,” says host Ageha, 21, who is dressed in a velvet coat, curly black bow, and lip ring. “Providing a dreamlike environment, as with the champagne toast, is something special. That is the most important thing. You can’t do this at an izakaya.” Back in the vinyl booth after the floor show has finished, the hosts sit opposite the four ladies to gently feed them compliments about their personality, dress, and demeanor. Fanned out in all directions, other young women giggle as they receive similar treatment from their doting attendants.
Yuko Tojo: Grandfather not a war criminal
By • June 17, 2008
The granddaughter of former wartime Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who was hanged as a war criminal following the Tokyo tribunals, believes that modern Japan is a nation bereft of dignity.
Delicious vinyl
By • June 15, 2008
Even with his work resembling food, his shop is quite different from a kitchen: rubbery silicon molds lie in pyramids off to the side; dozens of dish soap bottles sit covered in layers of multi-colored goop; brushes, cans of paint labeled with names of vegetables, and jars of chemicals cover nearly every square centimeter of the tops of the shop’s two central tables.
A bar with all the answers
By • June 15, 2008
Started a year and a half ago within Tokyo’s woolly Roppongi entertainment district, Bar Answer is staffed entirely by private detectives sourced from its sister agency FAXtantei.com. “This is a bar,” says proprietor and detective Ryuhei Misawa, “but it is also a place where people in trouble can receive consultations.”
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Out-call sex services in Tokyo compete for piece of papa-sans’ pensions
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Osaka ‘girl’s bar’ employed 12-year-old girl
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Younger set discover the forbidden delights of virtual enjo kosai via cybersex
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Osaka association offering gangster research services busted for fraud
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Fukuyama tragedy spurs fire safety hints for hot-sheet hotels
