That desire is already realized in the concerts.  Some many know it but for anime beginners it could be a hard thing to understand.

Japanese people like to bring any kind of dreams into being, with the endless efforts, the engineers and animators again did such a great job.

They finally brought the anime characters into real world.  Characters sing and dance in the concerts, which was not rare in the past either, but this time they look like real human with complete 3D figure.  Faces changes along with emotion, and detail expression like hairs, fingers, foot steps, eyes blinks, and natural looking body moves impress us just like we are enjoying their concerts in the real world.

This concerts were already carried out in 2010, however, the rumors of this concerts never fade away from fans topics.  Some say Miku and Luka should have shows in the 2012 Olympic games in London, which is not a joke but fan’s serious request.

Just one look at the show, like it or not, this instantly takes your attention and after all you would be surprised with the quality of the show.  I, too, was amazingly impressed with this show, and I could not move from the screen for views by repeating many times.

Also about the music of Hatsune Miku or Megurine Luka is made by using Vocaloid machine, which was invented by Japanese music instruments company called Yamaha. Through Vocaloid, no singers for the CD is required. The voice is made by synthesizing the computer sound, however, the “voice” really matches well with the animation characters.

Actually, the CDs of Hatsune Miku were accepted all over the world, not only in Japan. This new production can easily go over the language barrier that used to exist when the real human voice was recorded.

As this way, the singers are sold through CDs, online download, and ” real concerts ” of 3D characters.

This time Yoshiki composed the theme song for Golden Globe Award of the United States for the first time in the history of Golden Globe Award.  Yoshiki says that it’s such an honor to do that, and he added that he never dreamed this kind of event over himself when he started X JAPAN.

Yoshiki is already recognized as the icon of Asian rock stars, but fans and people around him know his talent is not limited only in rock music.  Yoshiki’s talent has no border.

Together with the increasing popularity, Yoshiki once composed a song for Emperor of Japan.  It means, at that moment, nobody in Japan can deny his irreplaceable talent of music. Also Junichiro Koizumi, the ex-prime minister of Japan, often said he is a fan of X JAPAN. After all, Prime Minister Koizumi invited Yoshiki to the welcome meeting for American President, George Bush in Japan.

As we all know, X JAPAN broke up in 1997. However, their fans never forgot their music.  When they got back in front of us as X JAPAN by reunion, lords of fans filled the concert stadiums of Japan in 2007.

More than 35 countries gave them concert offers soon after the reunion. This is really incredible.  Who imagined this phenomena when they said ” that’s it ” in 1997?

Yoshiki writes super hard rock music, moreover, he also writes tear-dropping beautiful songs that never leave from human heart.

He is already in the middle of 40′s in his age.  But he never looks old.  Anything related with Yoshiki, or X JAPAN never gets old.  Fans know it.

It’s still in the middle of the champion battle race, as today is the 13th day of 15 day competition,   he won championship with no loss without waiting for the final day match.

Congratulations !

It’s easy to suppose how his life was hard in this far east land without knowing language or custom of Japan.  Now he speaks fluent Japanese and behaves like a champion in a gentle and traditional way that Sumo champions should be.

I hope fans in his country, Estonia, also is glad to hear this news.

Tonkatsu is a simple deep fried pork dish. But the quality of pork is really tender and juicy when you eat it at Tonkatsu restaurants ( I don’t recommend you eat at ones with variety of menu, you should choose Tonkatsu only restaurats ).

There are some type of the pork, which you choose in ordering. Rouse ( or Louse is closer to the pronunciation )　is tender pork loin part, and Hire ( or Hile) is the fillet part.  If you don’t like fat part,  hire katsu ( fillet cutlet) is the best choice for you.

Tonkatsu us served with cabbage salad as you see in the photo, and some like the sauce so much. It’s not a special sauce in Japan because we all have the same one at home, but it’s certainly original sauce made in Japan.  The matching of Tonkatsu and the sauce gives is really delicious experience.

If you come to Japan, I really think it’s a nice choice for one of your meals.

Some months ago, a new unique film reached my attention. That was a film making story about a famous Japanese Sushi Chef, called JIRO.

He runs a small sushi restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, the name of it is Sukiyabashi Jiro.  But the Sushi restaurant is always full of sushi lovers who made reservations for dinner some months before the tasting day.

Jiro is renowned not only in Japan but also worldwide.  Michelin gave Jiro 3 stars, which means this restaurant is ranked as the top level in the world.  In Tokyo there are more than 1000 or maybe much more sushi restaurants, and it’s said Tokyo has 160,000 restaurants approximately.  Among them, only 11 restaurants got 3 stars in Tokyo. Jiro is the one out of 11.

He was sometimes  picked up as focus of TV program before in Japan.  With all he is over 86 years old,  his sense of talk was incredibly sharp and he had absolutely strong philosophy in the work of sushi chef.  He says he has not yet seen the top of the sushi cooking,  what’s more,  he says he doesn’t know when he would be able to see the satisfactory taste as the final top level.

In a sense, he might be said to be stubborn.  However, that’s really a nature of Japanese chef’s nature.

When the director of the film first came to Jiro,  it’s said that Jiro refused it because filming often disturbs his work, and he has no more interest in promoting himself through media.  As the time runs, Jiro noticed director’s passionate attitude to get to know the secrets of sushi.  After that, gradually Jiro changed his mind and started becoming friends with the director.  And with the friendship,  the filming finally started.

The film of sushi chef Jiro is finally completed.  I’m also a sushi lover.  I want to see it somehow.

**a little note:  His restaurant is crowded and needs reservation. Also it’s expensive.  There are not many menu.  Usually when we take our seat, chef starts making sushi after some confirmation for favorites. Then we just eat when he makes for us.   This is not usual style in Japan, but this style certainly exists especially when the chef has pride in his cooking.

Japanese fans seem very glad to know this news,  although some of his fans would miss him as they can’t see his pitching live in Japanese stadiums.

Many Japanese players went across the Pacific Ocean to Major League Baseball of the USA.  Among them, I personally think Darvish is the most expected player with such ability on both sense in physically and mentally.

He controls himself to construct ideal body structure for best pitching form, and it’s carried out under perfect planning targeting on the playing term in a year.  He is a given talent player indeed, but we know he is at the same time smart in achieving his ideal results.

It’s fact that we are deeply impressed to see his play.  He has various types of pitching.  Fast ball is amazing, also carve, slider, sinker, and more wondrous breaking balls leave us stunned.

HIdeo Nomo was also a fabulous pitcher,  however,  Darvish could top the record of Hideo Nomo in the Major League baseball.  Daisuke Matsuzaka went to Boston Redsox with high expectation some years ago but no good result since then.  I didn’t expect him at all, at the time, I wondered why many said Daisuke Matsuzaka would be great in the USA.  Apparently Darvish is far greater than Daisuke Matsuzaka.

We all expect Darvish with much loving support.

It means Japan is not that popular travel destination judging from the numbers of travelers.

When I think the reason for this, maybe some of the reasons are:

1. It’s very far and air fare is expensive to go to Japan
2. There are not many attractive aspects for foreigners.
3. English or other languages are not so available in Japan
4. Japanese Yen is always stronger these days and it costs much for traveling.
5. No interest

Actually numbers of travelers have been increasing in the last several years, but last year, Japan had serious disaster, the earthquake and tsunami. Probably the travelers to Japan would not be back soon.

We Japanese like traveling. For example I saw a lot of Japanese when going to overseas, but recently I see more Chinese or more other countries people where I go. I think the numbers of travelers from Japan are still the same but some of the other Asian countries already outnumbered the Japanese. So now China is the most famous Asian country for the rest of the world.

China already has much travelers from outside, it probably mean that travelers are interested in China more than Japan when they choose an Asian country for their travel.

I came back to Japan 2 years ago after a long time stay abroad. Now I found good things in Japan more than some decades ago. I hope Japan could have more travelers just like China does.

Firstly,  Okinawa is small islands situated in the south part of Japan being far from the main island.  It’s a tropical weather place just like in Hawaii.

Long ago when I was first in Hawaii, I thought these 2 places, Okinawa and Hawaii, are pretty similar, especially in the heart of the people.

That’s why people in Hawaii also like this song of Okinawa, Nada sou sou.

There are 2 good cover versions, which are by Teresa Bright and Kealii Reichel.  Both are really great Hawaiian singers.  Please enjoy.

Click here for Kealii Reichel’s Nada Sou Sou or Ka Nohona Pili Kai.

Also a New Zealand singer, Hayley Westenra also sings this song in her beautiful voice.

I don’t often watch TV in Japan, so she might be on Japanese TV programs sometimes but as far as I know, I’ve never seen her on TV.

A news says that she has career as a  Japanese AV ( adult video ) actress in the past, and if it’s true, that might be a reason for less exposure in Japanese TV programs.

Probably she has been focused in the magazines or some fans’ media also in Japan.  Actually I found some videos of her works on YouTube. They seem to have been uploaded by Japanese fans.

If the news is true, she is the most famous or popular Japanese girl in China now.  I don’t know the reason for that popularity in China.

I remember that in China some Japanese stars, such as Momoe Yamaguchi and Noriko Ssakai, became famous through TV programs of Japan.  But the news says that Sara Aoi is the most famous ever in China among Japanese girls.

I will try to collect more information about her from now on.

I have several countries in my interest now. Not yet decided. I’ve been to 10 or more countries or areas in my life, some of them are still interesting through, maybe I should explore more other countries than those I’ve visited.

In Asia, if I need to choose, some of those I’ve never visited and am interested are Taiwan, Vietnam, Thai ( once visited but only one place in Thai ), Palau, China including Hong Kong ( once visited but too short time ), Turkey, and Philippines.

In Europe, they are Italy, France, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and more. Actually only country I’ve visited is UK in Europe. And Russia is also in my list now. It’s extremely hard for me to choose some in this situation.

Africa and South America is too far and air fare would be really expensive now for me. I have big interest in those area, but now I need to give up.

North America including Hawaii and Oceania countries already gave me good memories, so not now. Also Middle East countries are really fascinating for me but again, it’s far to go there as it needs some transits and much time required. Maybe next time.

As a matter of fact, I would like to know more people in the visiting country because I travel alone.