CANDY TUNE, the newest idol group from KAWAII LAB., just debuted in March. On April 7, the girls released their first single, TUNE MY WAY.   The song promises that just as candy comes in many flavors and shapes, each member of CANDY TUNE will let their individuality shine through more going forward. TUNE MY WAY is an avant-garde rock dance number that is sure to impress new fans.   The track was produced by Naoki Kubo, a former member of SILENT SIREN and the sound producer for SILENT SIREN’s songs. TUNE MY WAY marks a complete change from the two songs Kubo provided for CANDY TUNE's debut album, released in March. The song will be performed live for the first time at Mizuki Kirihara and Natsu Minami’s Birthday Festival to be held on April 8 at KeyStudio Shinjuku.   CANDY TUNE will hold its first solo live concert at Spotify O-WEST on June 27. Since their debut only a month ago, the group has received several offers to perform at upcoming idol events, making them a group to watch!

SILENT SIREN will release two all-time best albums on December 15, and the song list for all 64 tracks have been uploaded to the special release website! The group has also found popularity abroad, so this release won’t be something to miss if you’re a fan.    Trailer

  The fan club will also release 3,131 sets of the ‘SILENT SIREN PREMIUM BOX - 11 Years of HIstory.’ These are selling quickly, and those able to grab one will also get extra merchandise and bonuses.    The group will hold their final LIVE TOUR 2021 ‘FAMILIA’ performance on December 30 before going on hiatus. Naoki Kubo, the band’s sound producer since before their debut, will be on stage as a guitarist for the show. Shinji Matsuda of THE BACK HORN will be the support drummer for the Fukushima and Osaka shows, and Yu Watanabe for the Nagoya and Tokyo shows. 

Sai Sai Jaran Jaran is a featured series here on MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON from the members of the all-female band SILENT SIREN (aka Sai Sai) who visit various hot spots in Japan and experience different things, the Sai Sai way.   In Episode #11, SILENT SIREN’s keyboardist Yukarun will try her hand at decorative fruit cutting, something she’s always wanted to try. The musician, who enjoys munching on fruits every single day, traveled to Nakano to take a trial lesson at the Fruit Academy. Fruit cutting is the art of cutting different fruits into pieces that are both beautiful to look at and easy to eat. At the Fruit Academy, visitors can take different courses in fruit cutting from beginner to advanced, the latter including more artistic techniques. One-day trial lessons are available for beginners, so it’s easy to give it a try. Bring your favorite apron, put it on, and you’re ready to start your fruit cutting experience!Fruit and a small knife are provided. Today, the teacher is explaining how to prepare an incredible fruit platter.      Boat-Cut PineappleThe lesson begins with pineapple, which has been cut into eighths. Placing the skin side down, insert the knife just under the harder core and cut along it. When you reach the end, cut along the skin, leaving the center hollow. Removing the hollowed-out fruit, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and simply place those pieces back in. Alternate pulling each piece out to the left or right, and then…Voila, the boat-cut pineapple is ready! By holding the pineapple vertically, the pieces won’t fall out.      Kiwi and Fig WedgesRemove the stem and the core from the kiwi and cut into six equal wedges. Cut the wedges diagonally to make a sharp corner. Place the kiwi skin side down, and insert the knife along the skin. While keeping the blade against the cutting board, move the fruit around so that the skin peels cleanly and evenly. Cut the figs into wedges and peel them the same way.      Grapefruit CupCut the grapefruit in half and remove the bottom. Placing the grapefruit on its side, insert the knife and hollow out the pulp while carefully rotating the fruit. Place the previously removed bottom piece into the center to make a cup. Scrape off the white parts of the pulp and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Serve the pieces in the newly made cup for a gorgeous treat!     Cutting Shine Muscat (Grapes)While it’s completely fine to eat these grapes whole, cutting them brings out more of their natural sweetness. After cutting off any stems, cut lengthwise with force. It’s easy to get a clean and crisp cut. Yukarun couldn’t help but look a little smug!     Flower-Cut Piones (Grapes)To peel these purple grapes, carve the skin on the wider side with a cross. Peeling these four sides back, the fruit becomes a flower! Play with these pieces gently to really make them stand out, and when you’re ready, stick a toothpick in the backside and place it anywhere you like for a tasty decoration.    Leaf-cut AppleAfter cutting the apple in half and then into thirds, insert a knife into the edge of the skin side and make a slit, tilting the knife back and forth like a seesaw. Turn the apple over and make a cut on the other side, eventually connecting them. Repeat this step a few times. Finally, stack the pieces on top of each other and play with them until they resemble a fall leaf!    

Apple Carving

Finally, the fruit carving begins! Actually, fruit carving is a traditional craft from Thailand, with these decorative pieces often prepared for entertainment and hospitality. This specially-shaped carving knife is held and used just like a pen. Cut an apple into six pieces. Then, cut horizontally and vertically across the skin. Insert the tip of the blade into one of these cross-sections and carefully remove pieces of skin in an alternating pattern. When you’re finished, you’ll be left with a gorgeous grid pattern!Placing all of the fruits she prepared onto a platter, Yukarun’s work is done! The trick to fruit cutting is to make sure that each cut is precise and sharp. By lining up the pieces with the sharper edges facing outward, the finished product looks like it was made by a pro!The teacher commented that Yukarun did a great job for her first-ever fruit cutting attempt, and praised her proper technique. So, how did you like it?    “I’ve been wanting to give this a try forever, and it was a blast! It was great to learn how to peel certain fruits to make them taste even better. I can’t wait to try this at home! Even before digging in, the way it looks just puts me in a good mood. My favorite part was carving the apples, so I’ll keep practicing until I’m a pro!” (Yukarun)   Yukarun had such a great time, she bought a carving knife on her way home. If you’d like to give it a try, be sure to stop by the Fruit Academy for a trial lesson!     Photo: Haruka Yamamoto Text: Sayoko Ishii

Last Thursday, SILENT SIREN performed at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA in Tokyo for Symphonic Concert 2021, a special collaboration show with the Tokyo New City Orchestra who have performed with countless international opera singers, international ballet groups, with the Paris Opera Ballet, and more.   The concert was held with a live audience and saw SILENT SIREN perform with the 50 orchestra members. During the show, SILENT SIREN announced a new date for their 10th anniversary concert which had to be cancelled last year due to COVID-19. The new date is scheduled for September 25 and the venue is Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall in Tokyo.   SILENT SIREN Kirara Revenge ~Sai Sai 10th Anniversary Festival~

  Premium pre-sale tickets are now available exclusively to members of the official SILENT SIREN fan club, Sai Sai Family.     Photo：Makiko Takada

Sai Sai Jaran Jaran is a featured series here on MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON from the members of the all-female band SILEN SIREN (aka Sai Sai) who visit various hot spots in Japan and experience different things, the Sai Sai way.   In Episode #10, SILENT SIREN drummer Hinanchu wanted to go and stay at a hotel in Tokyo, so she decided to take a trip to sequence MIYASHITA PARK, a new hotel inside Shibuya's new landmark shopping complex MIYASHITA PARK which itself opened in August 2020. The newly-reborn MIYASHITA PARK is a four-storey shopping complex with stores located on the first three floors and the top floor being home to the park. The park houses a range of exercise and sports sites like a skate park and bouldering wall as well as the green area and even a Starbucks. This park is so spacious that it's easy to forget it's right next to busy Shibuya Station. It has been open for three months now and is already adored by the community. sequence MIYASHITA PARK is an 18-storey hotel that stands on the north side of MIYASHITA PARK. It can even be accessed from the complex's fourth floor park which leads visitors to the lobby lounge. The park side of the hotel is also home to a cafe called VALLEY PARK STAND. VALLEY PARK STAND can be used by non-guests at the hotel too and is open from morning to night time. The windows tower from the floor to the ceiling, allowing plenty of natural light into the cafe. There's plenty of seating areas with table seats, sofas, and benches.

MIYA PITA CHICKEN SHAWARMA ¥900 | FRENCH FRIES & COCKTAIL COMBO ¥800 (Tax Included)

VALLEY PARK STAND is a cafe themed on a fictitious valley park, acting as one big park situated in the middle of bustling Shibuya. Adventuring through the valley park is best done with one of the cafe's signature "MIYA PITA" pita sandwiches in hand. The cafe offers a selection of coffees, pastries, and pitas for lunch and breakfast. In the evenings, customers can switch to the bar to enjoy something alcoholic. Their original craft cocktails are very popular and are made by a bartender who honed their craft while working in New York.   Hinanchu ordered the "Park & Pomegranate Bellini." Normally hotel cocktails are small, but the ones served at VALLEY PARK STAND are much more generous. The cafe even sell their own merchandise, from mugs to tumblers and even picnic blankets so you can have a picnic in MIYASHITA PARK if the weather calls for it!   For more information about VALLEY PARK STAND, check out our full breakdown here.   VALLEY PARK STAND Address: sequence MIYASHITA PARK 4F, 6-20-10 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo Opening Hours: 7:30-23:00 (Last Orders 22:30) TEL: 03-6712-5442 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valleyparkstand/   The hotel check-in lounge can be found on fourth floor, the same as VALLEY PARK STAND. Check-in uses a new unmanned self-service system so all you need to do is follow the instructions. Guest rooms are simple but the furniture and fixtures are of high quality. Hinanchu stayed in the 4-person "BUNK BED 4" room. Prices vary depending on the season, but it can cost less than ¥5,000 for one person to stay in a 4-person room which is a bargain! The wide windows in guest rooms look out across MIYASHITA PARK. Depending on the hotel room you're in, you'll also be able to see landmarks like Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree. The windows also read "Hi, TOKYO!" on them which makes for the perfect photo opportunity. All rooms are also fitted with reading material by young authors. If you scan the QR code next to their piece, you can learn more about them and even make a donation. Check-in is at 17:00 and check-out is 14:00 so guests can enjoy their stay leading into the early afternoon of the next day. The MIYASHITA PARK shops open at 11:00, so after checking-out, guests can go straight to shopping or lunch.   So, how did you find MIYASHITA PARK, Hinanchu?   "I've always lived in Tokyo, so I never imagined I'd stay in Shibuya, but you can really feel like a queen staying here! Despite it being smack bang in the middle of Tokyo, it's right next to the park which feels good. I definitely recommend it to those who live in rural areas that want to come and play in Tokyo since places like Shibuya and Harajuku are close by. The hotel is littered with art and stylish design, so it's not simply a stay but a creative experience too which I think will be popular with foreigners. I want to come here again on my own for a relaxing time!" On the fifth floor of the hotel is the restaurant and bar Dōngxī Restaurant & Sakaba which offers both breakfast, and dinner. The new entertainment restaurant and bar SOAK is also opening on November 13.   If you're thinking of staying in Tokyo or Shibuya, be sure to look up sequence MIYASHITA PARK.   Photo: Kayo SekiguchiText: Sayoko IshiiTranslation: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga 

SILENT SIREN dropped their 10th anniversary album mix10th digitally on Tuesday, and the hotly-anticipated record finally hit shelves physically on Wednesday (September 2). The band released a new music video for their song she which was written and composed by SILENT SIREN vocalist and guitarist Suu, who wrote the track when visiting Los Angeles at the start of the year on her break while overlooking Santa Monica beach. The video is a melancholic solo performance by Suu on acoustic guitar, imagined underwater.  

mix10th album cover art by up-and-coming illustrator Hime

SILENT SIREN have received congratulations for their 10th anniversary from all corners of the industry, from fans to musicians, idols, comedians, YouTubers, and other supporters of Sai Sai. Here's to another 10 successful years.