AVEX Concert

Here are more pictures from the annual AVEX Stockholder Concert that took place last Sunday at Saitama Super Arena (さいたまスーパーアリーナ) just north of Tokyo. AVEX Group (エイベックス) is a Japanese record giant and its shareholder-only concert was a star studded event, featuring several internationally known J pop artists.

After more than a decade, Namie Amuro (安室奈美恵), the girl who is credited with starting the contemporary Japanese fashion as we know today can still rock the stage

The humble looking Japanese diva Kumi Koda (倖田來未) performed gracefully while shedding some tears, no doubt reflecting on her “rotten womb” comment scandal from earlier this year

AVEX mega popular artist Ai Otsuka (大塚愛) looks cute no matter what she’s wearing, even in this pajama inspired outfit

Former Morning Musume Maki Goto (後藤真希) made her first official appearance as an AVEX Nation artist

Ethnic Tibetan alan (アラン, or 阿兰) was discovered recently when AVEX held an audition in China and was quickly signed to the label

Sleepy Japanese

I get sleepy quite often but my need for a little shut eye pales in comparison to the Japanese. They seem to have this uncanny ability to fall asleep on command, regardless of where they’re at! Here are a few snapshots I took of them sleeping:

At Narita International Airport…check out the stylish pose!

At a bus stop in the Tokyo business district of Nihonbashi

Spotted this salaryman on my way home along a busy street

Even on the mountain…slope side sleeping at its finest!

Sleepy John In Japan, Part 2

Look what poster I ran into in the station upon my arrival? It’s Hello!Project’s new unit Milky Way advertising their new single “Anataboshi” (アナタボシ).

Hello!Project is still representing in full effect! Yu Kikkawa (L), Koharu Kusumi (C) and Sayaka Kitahara (R)

Front entrance to the legendary Shibuya 109 building…the center of Japanese fashion

A shot of the historic Nihonbashi at night. The structure above it is the Tokyo Metropolitan Highway, known to racers as “Shutoko” (首都高).

I thought this photo shows the clash of different Japanese cultures really well. On the left is the entrance to a traditional shrine and immediately to the right is a love hotel, where horny Japanese who can’t wait to get home go to do the nasty.

Sleepy John In Japan

Here’s a few more pictures I took while salivating in the Land of the Rising Son (yes, pun intended)!

One of my favorite ramen joints in Tokyo…it was good to be back!

Okay, so this is not the best example and I was only able to get a few stealth shots of the school girls.  I’m not down with getting arrested for stalking and taking upskirt shots of every single uniform wearing cutie I saw!  But believe me I got my share of creamy thighs & plenty of panty flash!

What else can I say about Japanese school girls except they’re HOT!

Rainbow Bridge, the famous Tokyo landmark that leads to Odaiba

The man-made island of Odaiba (mostly from landfill) hosts various entertainment spots such as Decks Tokyo, Aqua City and Venus Fort in addition to Tokyo Big Sight convention center where all those cosplay anime conventions take place, Ariake Colosseum sports arena and several warehouses and industrial complexes. I have a strong suspicion that most of the trash Tokyo produces end up here as the island keeps expanding.

Fuji TV headquarters, where so many of the Japanese TV shows you’ve come to love is from

Sleepy John Hits Tokyo

Yes fellas, like I previously announced I arrived in the land of milk and honey & rising skirts! Sorry about the unexpected delay…I was busy having too much fun and wiping the drool off my mouth. Here are a couple teasers for your viewing pleasure. I will throw up a lot more pics in the days to come so be sure to check back!

Hachiko Crossing in Shibuya, the mecca of Japanese goodness

The lovely Aki Hoshino was everywhere…here she is pimping body spray on a train

Sleepy John Heads Over To Japan

Japan, land of the rising miniskirt and loose socks wearing school girls

That’s right. The Japan-holic you have come to know and purveyor of all Japanese goodness is headed for The Land of the Rising Sun soon, real soon.

Maybe I’ll run into some of these cosplay loving maids

What spots am I going to hit up?  How will I make my presence felt?  How many hot girls am I going to encounter?  What kind of trouble will I get myself into?

Stay tuned and you shall find out.:)

Aki Hoshino Orange Princess

Aki Hoshino was crowned “Orange Day Princess”. Previous recipients include Misako Yasuda.

Busty Japanese gravure idol and talent Aki Hoshino was in Tokyo yesterday to promote the “Orange Day” event put on by Sunkist. During the interview the babyfaced sexy model said even though she’s had good relationships before, she hasn’t been able to find any eligible bachelors recently. She added that these days people around her are getting married, so she’s starting to feel anxious.

In the end the 31 year old F-cup cutie proclaimed, “I shall get married before 40, I haven’t turned rotten at all!” while possibly taking a jab at Kumi Koda’s “women’s womb turn rotten after 35″ comment earlier this year.

I hope Aki’s fabulous tits will never go rotten!

Dancing Stormtrooper Part II

Woo…look what I found! I didn’t know Tokyo resident and otaku extraordinaire Danny Choo was itching to get his Stormtrooper cosplay fix again and went out on to the street of Shibuya recently.

This time he’s busting out moves what the Japanese refer to as “uma uma dance” ( ウマウマダンス) while dancing to the track “Caramelldansen” by Swedish pop group Caramell. This catchy eurobeat has caught on like wildfire in Japan since the latter part of 2007 and the origin of the simple yet cute dance moves can be traced back to the characters from the Japanese PC game (later turned anime) “Popotan”.

The Caramelldansen / uma uma dance has the person sway his / her hip from side to side while having the hands flap around over the head to simulate rabbit ears. Only in Japan can they come up with cutesy stuff like that! :)


I think the sight of a Stormtrooper doing the uma uma / Caramelldansen dance is just too funny! Ah Danny, you’re a genius! xD

Stormtrooper Takes Over Tokyo

Check out this Stormtrooper dances his way through Shibuya (in case you don’t know, the mecca of Japanese coolness) in Tokyo while the amazed crowd gawked. The dude underneath the helmet is Danny Choo, a multi-talented and successful Briton living in Tokyo who is also a self professed otaku when it comes to everything Gundam, anime figurines and bishojo goodness.

Ahh…this brings back so much memory! Shibuya was my stomping ground and I used to go there all the time. I had a lot of good times there. Watching the video not only put a smile on my face, now I can’t get this Uniting Nations song out of my head! xD

Danny picked the right location to display his moves and a good song to go with his video. With the start of his new company he might not have time to grace us with any public dancing for a while, but next time I’d like to see him hit up Kabukicho or in front of ALTA Studio in Shinjuku!

Go Danny, show ‘em what you got!

Ryoko Hirosue Axes Hubby

Ryoko Hirosue called it quits on her marriage

Japanese model and fashion designer Takahiro Okazawa, 32

The now 27 year old mother of one was among one of the hottest commodities in the Japanese entertainment world toward the of 1990s and at the turn of the century!

Japanese actress and former idol Ryoko Hirosue announced on her website today that she has divorced her husband of more than 3 years, Japanese model and fashion designer Takahiro Okazawa. Ryoko burst onto the Japanese showbiz scene when she was only 14, appearing in commercials and photo shoots. 2 years later the Kochi Prefecture native got an even bigger break when she debuted as a singer with the hit song “Maji de Koi Suru Go Byo Mae”.

Ryoko and Takahiro caught in 2001 in Sendagaya district of Tokyo

A young Ryoko Hirosue pitching for Japanese wireless giant DoCoMo

Ryoko stirred up a media frenzy when she enrolled in the prestigious Waseda University back in 1999 but didn’t bother to show up on campus until almost 3 months later. She never really attended any of the classes and ended up dropping out.

Ryoko’s first day at Waseda University was a carefully orchestrated event by her management agency

Posing with French actor Jean Reno at the press conference of their 2001 international hit movie WASABI

But Ryoko blew it by getting knocked up by then boyfriend Takahiro Okazawa in 2003. They subsequently had a hurried wedding ceremony in January of 2004 after Ryoko held a press conference at the end of 2003 to confirm the rumor that she was pregnant. This was really ironic because the plain looking girl I had nicknamed “koala face” since she first surfaced had starred in a popular Japanese drama back in 2001 on Fuji TV with Japanese heartthrob Yutaka Takenouchi titled “Dekichatta Kekkon” (Shotgun Wedding)!

Ryoko Hirosue at the press conference in December 2003 to announce her pregnancy and marriage

I remember Ryoko’s sudden pregnancy and marriage drew a lot of criticism from both fans and media back then. Many on going projects related to her had to be put on hold indefinitely, altered or scrapped altogether. And just like I thought, her popularity and career took a nose dive when she tried to make a comeback after the birth of her boy. As a matter of fact, her status has never been the same ever since.

Ryoko cited work related issues as part of her reason to divorce

Rina Akiyama

The lovely Rina Akiyama

The 22 year old Japanese gravure model / actress first made it to the main stage of showbiz through the Kamen Rider series, playing Mana Kazaya. But these days she’s more well known for her sexy ass. While Rina doesn’t have any “junk in the trunk”, the slender Tokyo native has been given nicknames such as “oshirina” (a play off the Japanese word for butt), “pretty butt idol” and “queen of pretty butt”.

Personally I don’t think her butt is *all that*, but it does go with the rest of her body quite well. You be the judge:

Rina Akiyama proves that you don’t need a huge booty to get attention from guys

Street Fighter IV Is Coming

Ryu as he appears in Street Figher IV. The game will be presented in “2.5D” with cel-shading effect.

Has it really been that long since the first Street Fighter video game came out?! At last month’s Amusement Expo 2008 held at Makuhari Messe convention hall in Chiba (just east of Tokyo), Japan, Japanese video game giant Capcom made the official announcement that they will indeed be releasing part 4 of the game that has become a cultural icon worldwide.

Street Fighter IV is brought out just in time to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the original Street Fighter debut in the video arcade. Capcom hopes to capture older fans from its earlier series (mainly Street Fighter and Street Fighter II). I hope this latest version will be easier and less distracting to play than Street Fighter Alpha / Street Fighter III, which to me was just too complicated to play and all the eye candies on the screen make things really confusing.

Chun Li looks hot as ever, new character Crimson Viper is standing next to her

Misako Yasuda In Kimono

How can you not stare at a pretty Japanese girl in kimono, especially when it’s kawaii Misako Yasuda?

Popular and super cute Japanese gravure idol and actress Misako Yasuda met with the press in an elegant kimono on her 25th birthday to promote her photo essay. When asked if she wanted to get married Misako replied, “For a while I felt a bit anxious but not anymore. I’ve got a dog now so I’m fine.” The slender hottie with a soft, gentle look from the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto added, “Recently my twin brother moved to Tokyo and he’s like my boyfriend. He cooked for me when I got sick!”

Misako Yasuda promoting her photo essay collection in Tokyo on her 25th birthday

The beauty from Kyoto was discovered when she was in college

Maki Horikita

The graceful teenage beauty from Tokyo has made the nice transition from an idol to an established actress.

Maki Horikita at her photo essay press conference on her 18th birthday

ManaKana Twins

I thought I’d break away from the norm today. Instead of the typical idol, glamorous gravure model or slutty, big tittied j-birds, I’d show you another side of Japanese girls.

Mana Mikura (L) and Kana Mikura (R)

Mana Mikura and Kana Mikura are identical twins that just turned 22 yesterday. The lovely and wholesome actresses from Osaka are known to everyone as “ManaKana” (マナカナ), and their graceful and reserved demeanor offer a refreshing change to the Japanese people.

Mana Mikura & Kana Mikura in Tokyo yesterday at their photo essay release and autograph signing event

The Mikura twins can sing too, having released 3 singles

Japanese Idol Ranking, Part I

The purpose of Japanese weekly TV show CDTV (Countdown TV) on TBS (no, it doesn’t belong to Ted Turner) is to compile rankings out of anything and everything from the most popular high school bags to body shampoos to crepes that are served in the trendy Tokyo district of Harajuku. And CDTV has just released their semi annual list of “girls you’d like to make your girlfriend”.

Okay, so not all of the fine ladies that made the list are idols. Without further adieu, here is the list of the top 20 girls that Japanese guys would like to make their chick:

No. 1 - YUI

For some reason, for the third time in a row, the often gloomy looking singer / songwriter from Fukuoka captured the top position

No. 2 - Kaori Mochida

The vocal for now disbanded Every Little Thing takes the 2nd spot for the second time in a row. I guess Kaori still has a lot of pull even though she’s not that active anymore.

No. 3 - Ai Otsuka

The funky singer / songwriter from Osaka has an infectious voice and has butted heads with Kumi Koda who’s also from the same record label Avex

No. 4 - Rika Ishikawa

The leader of Viyuden and former Morning Musume possesses a hot body and her ass has been known to make fanboys cream in their pants!

No. 5 - Ayumi Hamasaki

The 29 year old Japanese diva with a sultry voice needs no introduction. She’s also often known as “Ayu” to her fans.

No. 6 - Ai Takahashi

The leader of Japan’s most popular girl group Morning Musume has a beautiful voice and a cheery personality

No. 7 - Natsumi Abe

Everyone in Japan knows “Nacchi“. The former leader of Morning Musume holds the record with 6 consecutive number one positions. The 26 year old Hokkaido native still melts the heart of men everywhere with her soft voice and warm personality.

No. 8 - Namie Amura

I can’t believe this 90s mega j-pop icon is 30! The singer from Okinawa forever changed the culture, fashion and language for young people in Japan.

No. 9 - Hitomi Yoshizawa

Also known as “Yossie“, the former leader of Japanese super idol group Morning Musume with boyish charms has blossomed into a fine young lady

No. 10 - Kumi Koda

Sometimes referred to as “Japan’s Britney Spears“, the chart topping singer from Kyoto has been in hot water as of late over her careless “womb” comment. (please see my blog on 2/4, 2/6 & 2/14) It’s no wonder that the 25 year old queen of “dirty pop” listed Christina Aguilera as one of her favorite artists.

Shokotan Going Nude?

Shoko Nakagawa’s 4th single “Snow Tears” reached No.2 on the Oricon chart

Super popular Japanese gravure idol and singer Shoko Nakagawa aka “Shokotan” made a startling announcement at a recent promotional event for her new single “Snow Tears” and blog collection turned book “Donyoku Days” (貪欲デイズ). When Shokotan revealed to her fans that her first album titled “Big Bang” will drop on the 19th of next month, she added that she shall run through Nakano’s (a popular spot in western Tokyo, 1 express train stop from Shinjuku) Broadway shopping arcade naked if her album reaches No.1 on the Oricon chart!

From Shokotan’s blog…this is one cutie I’d love to keep!

Good things are happening to the 22 year old self made Japanese idol who hails from Tokyo. The self-professed “otaku” completed the transition from an underground cosplay (costume play) legend in the Akihabara district to a mainstream talent and artist last year, ending the year with a performance on NHK’s Kohaku Utagassen. The total number of hits on her blog reached over 100 million, with the site receiving as many as 4.5 million hits per day!

Mariya Yamada to Wed

Mariya Yamada started the “big titties” craze along with Akiko Hinagata and Fumie Hosokawa that still continues today

It has been revealed that 90s Japanese pin-up model turned actress Mariya Yamada will most likely get married next month. Her fiance is 40 year old stage actor Tooru Sano. The two began dating a few years ago shortly after Mariya sought his advice regarding acting (heheh…how convenient!).

Recent shots of Mariya

Mariya debuted back in 1996 when she was only 15 years old. She was recruited while shopping in the fashionable district of Harajuku in Tokyo by Yellow Cab, a Japanese entertainment agency famous for scouting young girls with big tits. Needless to say, Mariya’s claim to fame were her large breasts.

Mariya was selected as the annual spokesperson for Oiso Long Beach, a water park near Tokyo back in the 90s which shot her to stardom

Mariya was quite a popular gravure model for the rest of 1990s then began appearing on TV more as a panelist on talk shows. In recent years she has been active on stage for production plays (similar to our Broadway shows).

While she was cute and had a bubbly personality, I don’t think she’s got what it takes to make it today with a rather average body. Even her boobs come dime a dozen these days.

According to people close to Mariya, she has been preparing for her wedding and has already notified several working associates about her pending marriage, including Suns Entertainment president Yoshiharu Noda (former president of Yellow Cab), her long time confidant and supporter. Mariya’s relationship was first revealed last May and the tabloids reported her living with Tooru in August.

Ryoko Yonekura Dating Monkey Boy

A major Japanese tabloid has exposed a romantic link between the beautiful Japanese model turned actress Ryoko Yonekura and popular Japanese comedian Atsushi Tamura of London Boots. The couple was spotted dating in the posh Tokyo district of Roppongi in early December. Reportedly Atsushi gleefully told his co-workers that “spring has arrived for me”, which in Japanese means he’s fallen in love.

Ryoko Yonekura

The sexy Ryoko Yonekura is no stranger to the tabloids. She has dated A+ guys in the past including Japanese soccer star Hidetoshi Nakata and kabuki performer Ebizo Ichikawa. Atsushi Tamura himself is often in the headlines too. He had a long term relationship with idol / talent Nanako Fujisaki. He’s also famous for arranging mixer parties for Japanese celebrities and entertainers, one of them resulted in the infamous meeting between ex- Morning Musume leader Miki Fujimoto and Tomoharu Shoji of the comedy duo Shinagawa Shoji.

London Boots: (L) Atsushi Tamura, (R) Ryo Tamura

On a recent episode of Fuji TV’s “Mecha Iketeru” variety show they even made fun of Atsushi by sticking a photo of him and Ryoko together on his forehead with the caption that read “I’m the dude who beat out Ebizo!” (note: top kabuki performers in Japan are treated like rock stars) It is believed that the couple first got to work together in the beginning of last year on London Boot’s show “London Hearts” airing on TV Asahi and that’s when sparks flew.

Atsushi Tamura, the monkey boy that’s dating the leggy Ryoko Yonekura

In Japan - “5 die, 8 others choke on mochi rice cakes”

So umm,… yesterday, 5 people died while eating mochi rice cakes. Can you say, WTF? I mean, the article does make sense, but I mean, seriously,… where was the water? What about tea? If it’s the elderly, they must’ve had tea around. C’mon now. And where were their children when they were eating such a dangerous substance?!
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TOKYO — Tokyo Fire Department officials said Thursday that five elderly people had died and at least eight others had been hospitalized after choking on mochi rice cakes in the metropolitan area on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The dead included a 59-year-old man, an 83-year-old man, two other men in their 70s and a man in his 60s, fire department officials said. Each year, the health ministry warns elderly people to be careful eating the sticky mochi which is a traditional New Year food.