From AFWJ February Journal - Music Blogs 2

Fiona has a similar opinion about karaoke: “People would pay me not to sing karaoke.” She sings the Anpanman song at home until everyone tells her to shut up.

Rebecca “love, love, loves” Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra! She doesn’t know many songs for karaoke, just one or two folk songs*

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Skaravan:

Amanda: “I used to like plenty of Japanese artists and songs, but recently, all I see is the crap put out by overly-populated idol groups such as AKB48 and their multitude of copycats. I know there are talented artists out there somewhere, but it gets annoying to wade through the crap. I used to listen to Kyosuke Himuro...that is the one I most remember from my high school days.”

Kyousuke Himuro, Kiss Me:

For karaoke, Amanda likes Ue o Muite, otherwise known as Sukiyaki (see below for link) in the West. She taught her daughter how to sing it, and now they enjoy singing it together.

Bessie says she is not good at karaoke, but cites ‘chanson (French lyrical song)’ Ai no Sanka

Okuda Aikko; Ai no Sanka (Hymne a L’amour):

Lynda declares Spitz’s Cherry is the only one she likes enough to mention! For karaoke, she cites Cherry, plus “all the really well known songs that you can’t escape in Japan!”

Spitz, Cherry:

Charmaine also likes Spitz:

Spitz, Kaede

Rachel likes Angela Aki, especially Sakura Iro and Tegami, and that’s about it! She loves music of many different genres, but doesn’t really enjoy Japanese pop music. She doesn’t do karaoke, but would not do any Japanese songs if she did. She only knows kids’s songs well enough to sing them.

Angela Aki, Sakura Iro:

Angela Aki, Tegami:

Marybeth likes some Arashi and SMAP because the tunes are everywhere and they grow on her. She also thinks Ken Hirai is good and enjoys Ayaka Ide along with her daughers, and Dreams Come True, because “they all have actual talent”. She adds: “SMAP members should ONLY sing as a group—never with solos”

A very cute video from Arashi:

SMAP the singles:

Dreams Come True, Winter Song (in English

Video of Ayaka Ide’s previous single, featuring the wild horses that live around where she and her mother, an AFWJ member, live in southern Miyazaki prefecture.

Ken Hirai, Pop Star, live

From AFWJ February Journal - Music blogs

We asked on femail and facebook for members (and non-members!) to post their favorite Japanese songs, both for listening to and for singing at karaoke.

Here are the results! Please click on the links to be taken directly to YouTube to have a listen to this incredibly diverse selection

The songs Sandra likes are: Nadasoso, Ringonouta, Amahikoue, plus many others. All the songs she likes, she can sing at karaoke.

Natsukawa Rimi, Nadasoso:

Kuroshitsuji, Ringonouta:

Nakashima Miyuki, Chijou no Hoshi

Vivian likes Nakamura Masatoshi. She leaves it to her daughter to recommend more recent songs, but doesn’t remember their names. She hasn’t been to karaoke for a long time, but used to sing Shiroetto Romansu, and English songs with other foreign wives.

Nakamura Masatoshi, Fureai

Kisugi Takao, Silhouette Romance:

Kisugi Takao, Goodbye Day

Vicky also recognizes songs that her kids play, but doesn’t remember the names! She likes Angela Aki and Ayaka Ide. And karaoke: “You couldn’t pay me enough to sing karaoke in ANY language!”

Ayaka Ide’s single, Hikari, featured on a Pantene shampoo ad:

Ayaka Ide’s single, Kitto Zutto, featured on NHK drama 'Tightrope Woman':

Ayaka Ide’s previous single, Sukoshi Zutsu:

Angela Aki, One Family, which she sang on the Kohaku Uta Gassen last year, nine months pregnant!

Two AFWJ members' exhibitions

Member Irena Keckes will hold a solo art exhibition in Nihonbashi, before leaving Japan. Don't miss this last chance to get to meet her once more and take in her beautiful artwork. Irena will be at the art gallery on the opening day.

Gallery Saoh & Tomos
Dates: Jan. 24 (Mon) - 29 (Sat) (open every day)
Hours: 11:00-19:00 (final day until 17:00)
1-3-1 Hon-cho, Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-3271-6693 http://www.jpin.co.jp/saoh/location2.htm (map)

additional links of interest:
http://www.irena.jp/
http://www.jpin.co.jp/saoh/future2.htm#Irena%20KECKES

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Kanto member Cornelia (Connie Koyama), who was featured earlier on this blog, will also be participating in another exhibition. She describes it as "a rather large group in a rather small art gallery in Kichijoji, so each of the 39 artists gets to show one rather small artwork :-) "
The art gallery is ~5min. walking distance from the Park Exit of Kichijoji Stn. C

Gallery Face to Face
Dates: Jan.19 (Wed) - Feb.13 (Sun), 2011
Hours: 13:00-19:00 (final day until 17:00)
Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays
1-18-8-101 Kichijoji-Minamicho, Musashino-shi, Tokyo
Tel: 0422-70-0885 http://ftf2000.com/gallery (in Japanese only)

Introducing... Makayla S.

Kanto member Makayla S. is a pottery artist.

Let her introduce herself: "My name is Makayla and I am a Bulgarian who has lived in Japan for 25 years. My greatest passion is pottery and I have been fortunate to live in a country that has such a rich tradition in ceramics. I also love to travel and allow the beauty and culture of each place I visit to touch and inspire me. Then reflect that in the pottery I make."

You can follow her on her Etsy Shop...

Introducing... Amy Nakazawa

You can follow member Amy Nakazawa, a long term Tokyo resident, online on her blog, twitter, etc.

These days, she blogs about Japanese cooking, life as a mom, etc.

Enjoy !

Introducing Regina Altherr, ceramic artist

Shiga member Regina Altherr is a Swiss ceramic artist. She has been working in Japan for over 30 years, exploring her creativity in different ways, such as ceramics, vessels, sculptures and glass works.

She will be showing her latest Ceramic and Glass Work in Tokyo for her first exhibition at Glass Gallery KARANIS.
The exhibition will be held from July 2nd to July 10th. Open from 11-7 ( also open on Monday.)
The artist herself will be at the gallery on July 2, 3, 4 and 5 from 12noon to 7pm.

Gallery contact information:
Glass Gallery KARANIS
FROM 1st 2F (name of building)
Minato-ku , Aoyama 5-3-10 tel/fax: 03-3406-1440

You can follow Regina on her homepage:
http://www.smaral.com/

Introducing Cornelia, artist

Kanto member Cornelia (Connie Koyama) is an international-minded Swiss artist specialized in printmaking, who has lived in Switzerland, US, Germany and Japan.

She is participating currently in an exhibition at The National Art Center in Roppongi, Tokyo.
She received an 'Award for Excellence' for one of the two prints on display there.

Art Mirai International Art Exhibition
The National Art Center, Tokyo
June 23 (Wed) - July 5 (Mon), 2010
10:00-18:00 (final day 10:00-12:30)
closed: June 29 (Tue)

1A Exhibition Hall & Out-door exhibition
Roppongi 7-22-2, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-6812-9921
Web http://www.nact.jp/english/index.html

You can follow Cornelia on her homepage:
http://www.corneliasart.com

Introducing Barbara Hoskins Sakamoto

Kyushu member Barbara Hoskins Sakamoto is an English teacher, teacher trainer and author.

She is co-author of a children’s English textbook series called Let's Go. 

You can follow her on her blog or her wiki, where she shares information about teaching and learning English as a foreign language.

Introducing Jane Joritz-Nakagawa, writer and poet

Chubu Tokai member Jane Joritz-Nakagawa new book of poems, titled "incidental music", was just published by BlazeVOX.

It is now on sale at Amazon USA.

Congratulations !

Introducing Sheila M. Asato, Coach

Overseas member Sheila M. Asato is a certified Embodied Imagination coach and a Dream and Art Facilitator. She also teaches at the Monkey Bridge Arts Center in St. Louis Park, MN, USA.


As Sheila writes on her homepage, "the emphasis is on how dreaming connects us more deeply with the creative process for healing and spiritual development."

You can find more information on her homepage and follow her on her blog.