Upon my arrival on Thursday, November 16, I wondered if the intimate space of the Amsterdam Bar & Hall in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota would be able to contain the massive personalities of ATARASHII GAKKO! The four members never hold back–either on or off the stage, it seems–and as fans began to arrive en masse, it was clear that the Twin Cities wasn’t lacking a fanbase for the dance-vocal group currently taking the world by storm.

Just under three weeks prior, ATARASHII GAKKO! had performed for a whopping 8,000 fans at their first arena concert, held at the famed Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Now, they were preparing to walk out to a crowd of only a few hundred, most with cocktails in hand and lyrics memorized. The majority of the concertgoers seemed more than passingly familiar with the group, though a few bewildered onlookers couldn’t possibly have been prepared for what the night would bring. Needless to say, although the stage was quaint, the concert was anything but. None of the members’ usual energy had diminished, and despite this being the final stop on the U.S. portion of the tour, there wasn’t a hint of fatigue to be found during the hour-long set.

The show was sold out weeks in advance, and plenty of eager fans equipped with glowsticks and wearing the group’s signature socks rushed toward the stage to secure the best spot. Other attendees swarmed the merch booth, eager for a hoodie or bag to show their pride.

For the show to be standing room only was a boon–it’s unlikely anyone in the audience could have remained seated once the four girls appeared following the intro, quickly leading into the high-energy number Seishun wo Kirisaku Hado. Fans were instantly chanting in unison, responding eagerly as Suzuka addressed the room, her enthusiasm bordering on contagious.

Nine years after its formation, ATARASHII GAKKO! Recently announced that the group would be making its Kouhaku debut at this December’s 74th Kouhaku Uta Gassen. The New Year’s Eve staple features performances from the most popular musical acts of the year, proving that the group has found its footing both domestically and abroad.

Fans swatted balloons around and jumped in time to the beat as saisyu jinrui, one of the group’s older songs, began to a sea of applause. Suzuka, Rin, Mizyu, and Kanon didn’t seem phased to hear the largely American audience singing along in Japanese, though their appreciation and joy were palpable as they moved in perfect unison. CANDY and The Edge followed, with the members taking turns asking the audience to raise their hands or clap along. Anyone who wasn’t already a fan was likely converted by the commanding energy sweeping the room, making it impossible not to move along.

During the MC portion, the members showed off their English, asking the audience “do you know Seishun?” They explained that it means “to live your life to the fullest,” and quickly invited the audience to celebrate this important idea. Throughout the show, they would often initiate a call and response, teaching those assembled a few words in Japanese and expressing their interest in returning to America for another tour in the future. Given how quickly the tickets sold out this time around, the sky’s the limit for concerts in the future.
In January, ATARASHII GAKKO! will perform at Nippon Budokan for the first time, ushering in a new era of popularity for the four members. It makes me wonder what massive U.S. venues may someday play home to another of their unforgettable shows. Madison Square Garden? Radio City Music Hall? The Hollywood Bowl?

As the question “Suki?” rang out, the crowd cheered, as Suki Lie has become a fan favorite since its release earlier this year. The girl’s choreography, as usual, was a highlight of the show, with Fantastico and the Yohji Igarashi remix of Pineapple Kryptonite quickly sending the audience into a rhythmic frenzy.

Just in front of me, I watched a couple mimic the vast majority of moves in perfect unison, taking time to laugh and joke when they failed to hit the mark. That’s the essence of ATARASHII GAKKO!–fun. The group represents ‘fun’ in its purest form, asking fans to recall the freedom of youth and to reach out to grasp it one more time, without fear of failure or embarrassment. Dance as if no one is watching, sing along in a language you cannot understand, and dress up in a school uniform despite being in your upper 30s. Why not?

As expected, the entire building shook as fans marched along during the group’s newest release Tokyo Calling. It had been enough of a warm-up, and as each of the girls placed a hand behind their heads, Otona Blue, the group’s magnum opus, rang out to a sea of screams. The track has amassed an incredible response on TikTok over the past year; this, despite being released way back in 2020. ATARASHII GAKKO! performed the song on THE FIRST TAKE, with the YouTube video now sitting at 50 million views. Everyone likely woke up with a sore neck after mimicking the classic choreography during the chorus.

After the explosive energy of WOO! GO! and NAINAINAI, the girls began to say their goodbyes, asking their fans to visit Japan someday and promising to return to St. Paul sometime in the future. Exiting the stage, they returned only a few minutes later after the audience demanded an encore, this time dressed more casually and eager to chat with a few fans at the front, one of whom was holding up a skilled drawing of Suzuka. The singer accepted the gift gladly, with other fans handing bouquets to the other members. As the lights in the venue brightened, the group snapped a few photos with the audience, creating the perfect keepsake for such a perfect night.

No one wanted such an energetic time to end, and the group knew just how to bid farewell to America–with the lively rock track Free Your Mind. The venue became a sea of clapping hands, and the concert came to a close on the highest possible note.

With a performance at Kouhaku fast approaching and their first-ever Budokan show only two months away, it’s almost certain that ATARASHII GAKKO! will return to the U.S. in the future. Until then, American fans will continue to support these four powerhouses from afar, eager for the day we meet–and dance–again.

Report: Carley Garcia

 

USA

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Harajuku-based artist Kyary Pamyu Pamyu charmed overseas fans during her first world tour in five years. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu WORLD TOUR 2023 -POPPP- took the artist to seven cities in four countries around the world.

In May, Kyary began the U.S. leg of her tour, stopping in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago with French DJ/trackmaker Moe Shop as her opening act.

The artist performed in Paris and London in June, along with Barcelona and Madrid for Primavera Sound 2023, one of the biggest music festivals in Europe.

NATHAN GEY – NATHAN GEY

NATHAN GEY – NATHAN GEY

The Cabaret Sauvage in Paris and the London Earth Hall in London were filled to the brim with local fans, eager to see Kyary Pamyu Pamyu live for the first time in years. The audience sang the popular track Cherry Bon Bon in unison, dancing along with the legendary choreography.

The London show featured Hannah Diamond as Kyary’s opening act. Signed to the UK label PC Music, Diamond is a leader in the HyperPop scene.

KPOP CONCERT – FANNY LE MONNIER

JAME WORLD – VANESSA LE PENNEC

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, who continues to be active around the world, wowed the packed London venue with her expert dance moves and musicianship.

At Primavera Sound, a festival taking place over two weeks in Barcelona and Madrid, Spain, a large crowd gathered in front of the stage, instantly captivated by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s unique style and Yasutaka Nakata’s addictive electro sound.

Clips of the world tour have been posted on Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s Twitter and Instagram. Also, check out the Primavera Sound playlist on Spotify.

On July 15, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will perform a solo concert at the Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall, which will also mark her triumphant return to Japan following her successful world tour. The artist will also perform at several summer festivals. Audiences around the world are enthralled with the Kawaii performer, and it’s only a matter of time before she performs for global audiences yet again.

In October 2022, maid-themed rock band BAND-MAID will embark on its largest-ever U.S. tour. The girls’ group has become massively popular overseas in recent years, with the total number of views on their YouTube channel surpassing 130 million. BAND-MAID’s previous four world tours have all sold out, and streaming videos of their shows have been viewed by audiences in more than 60 countries around the world. 

This is the first time BAND-MAID will tour in the U.S. solo. Tickets will go on general sale tomorrow, March 3. 

The tour will start with the band’s first appearance at the AFTERSHOCK Music Festival in California, which will feature many of the world’s most popular artists like KISS and Slipknot. Will you be grabbing tickets?

Hard rock band BAND-MAID has announced their first U.S. tour in two years! After holding an acoustic online live show on Christmas Day, 2021, the band announced the 2022 U.S. tour on their official website.

BAND-MAID’s Christmas live show received a flood of comments from overseas fans and was viewed from over 50 countries around the world. In 2021, the group is making its Hollywood debut in the Netflix original movie ‘KATE.’

This will be the rock band’s first overseas tour since 2019. Their previous four world tours managed to completely sell out. The dates for the U.S. tour and other details will be announced soon, so stay tuned for more info!

Interdisciplinary art collective teamLab is joining Light and Space artist James Turrell and British artist and stage designer Es Devlin and the opening exhibition of Superblue Miami, a new art centre in Miami, Florida, beginning on December 22, 2020.

Superblue Miami is set to open as the first experimental art centre by Superblue, a new company that looks into experimental art. Superblue will kick off its launch with Every Wall is a Door where large-scale installation art created by teamLab, James Turrell, and Es Devlin will be showcased through to 2022.

teamLab: Between Life and Non-Life

teamLab will showcase a selection of installations themed on the concept of “Between Life and Non-Life” which looks at human and nature and the ambiguity between life and non-life.

Transcending Boundaries / Universe of Water Particles, Transcending Boundaries
teamLab, 2017, Interactive Digital Installation, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi

Transcending Boundaries, A Whole Year per Hour / Flowers and People, Cannot be Controlled but Live Together – Transcending Boundaries, A Whole Year per Hour
teamLab, 2017, Interactive Digital Installation, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi

“teamLab is an interdisciplinary art collective founded in 2001 in Tokyo, whose team includes several hundred specialists. At the heart of their practice lies the belief that digital art can bring people together through shared experiences. Their immersive, colourful installations fuse art and science to encourage meaningful interactions with both the work and other people. As we move around the space, our very actions—along with those of other participants—provoke flowers to bloom, waterfalls to change the course of their flow, and butterflies to twirl in the air. We are reminded that there is strength in the collective and are invited to reconnect with nature and marvel at its beauty.”
ーSuperblue

After announcing that she will invade the stage at Mexico’s music festival VIVE LATINO2020 and America’s Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival 2020, Japanese pop princess Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has now revealed that she will conquer Los Angeles with a solo live show on April 14. 

The last time Kyary struck America with a solo live show was two years ago in 2018 for Kyary Pamyu Pamyu World Tour 2018 THE SPOOKY OBAKEYASHIKI -PUMPKINS STRIKE BACK-. As she previously announced that she will perform in San Francisco on April 16, this now means that two cities are scheduled for a kawaii invasion at the same time as Coachella. 

Don’t miss out on Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s kawaii invasions of 2020. 

Burgers are becoming a big sensation in Japan. In the country’s current burger boom, some very unique burgers have been whipped up. From the atmosphere to the wallpaper, at TEN FINGERS BURGER in Sangenjaya, you will feel like you are in an American Diner.  

If that isn’t enough to excite you, then the menu sure will. The burgers come in three different sizes: 10 Fingers, 8 Fingers and 6 Fingers to represent how many fingers you will need to hold the burger.

We all love a filling burger, but TEN FINGERS BURGER has taken this to a whole new level, commemorating their one-year anniversary in June with the release of a seriously huge burger which stirred a drooling sensation. 

We recommend you demolish this burger with a cream soda to enjoy a wonderful flavour combination. 

Inviting your friends to challenge this burger with you surely would be fun. And afterwards, you can all treat yourselves to this tempting and colourful banana split.

This burger is not only huge, but also delicious. Come challenge your 10 fingers (and possibly toes) to this impossibly massive burger!

JUNKICHI ROBATA IZAKAYA, a Japanese-style bar which was opened in Seattle, USA started offering an experience-base service using the communication robot named Sota to introduce Japanese culture to their customers.

JUNKICHI ROBATA IZAKAYA is an “izakaya” (Japanese bar) which offers robatayaki (Japanese style BBQ) dishes that are popular in Japan. The izakaya is gaining huge popularity for its full-fledged traditional robatayaki dishes.

The service they started offering introduces the culture of Japan such as giving information about how to enjoy izakaya, strictly selected ingredients, dishes grilled with high-quality charcoal and information RE: Japanese sakes. A few table robots named Sota are installed at each table.

Sota which analyzes the sex and age of each customer with AI technology provides information RE; Japanese culture.

Sota can also make a recommendation by saying “how about drinking another glass of alcohol?” or celebrate customers by saying “happy birthday.”

By visiting this izakaya, you can experience their brand-new service provided by this cute robot, Sota which seems like it popped out of Japanese animation works symbolizing“COOL JAPAN.”

Milk is a popular store in Japan selling products filled with fresh cream. If you’ve come across it, you’ll have seen the lines of people waiting to get their fingers into some tasty treats.

Doors to a new branch of the store are opening at Shibuya Marui on April 29.

The centrepiece of the desserts sold here – the fresh cream – is made with milk from Hokkaido. It uses an original blend that gives it a full-bodied but refreshing aftertaste.

Air is also delicately beaten into the cream to make it smooth and fluffy so it melts in your mouth.

Milky Cream Puff

Price: ¥350 each (pre-tax)

The menu has plenty to offer, all packed with the store’s special fresh cream. Enjoy the Milky Cream Puff sticks which are crunchy on the outside, or the Milky Soft Parfait which comes which lets you taste tapioca, milk purin, fresh cream and soft serve all at once.

Fuwatoro Chiffon Cake

Price: ¥780 (pre-tax)

Soft Cream Shake

Price: ¥680 (pre-tax)

The menu also includes Fuwatoro Chiffon Cake and as well as the Sofr Cream Shake, aka the soft cream you can drink. Lovers of fresh cream won’t be able to resist this line-up!

Why not stop by Milk to indulge in the trust deliciousness that fresh cream has to offer?

Ichiran is a ramen chain with stores all across Japan. They have announced that they will open their second branch in the US,ICHIRAN NY Midtown West, on March 28th, 2018 at 11am.

Ichiran currently operates 74 stores, with one in Hong Kong, the US and Taiwan. The new branch in Midtown is situated right in the center of New York, making it a very accessible location. Since opening their first US branch in Brooklyn, NY the store has bustled with people from all over the world. ICHIRAN NY Midtown West opened in response to demand from customers wanting a branch in Manhattan, the center of New York.

ICHIRAN NY Midtown West incorporates 46 of the familiar individual counter seats which also have their own order systems and a refill system. By offering the same flavours and standards of service as in Japan, the people of America can experience Ichiran’s famous tonkotsu ramen, as well as a completely new kind of food culture.

Experience the flavours of Ichiran for yourself.

The wait to know how long anime fans in North America will have to wait is finally over.

If you enjoy anime or Asian cinema, odds are you’ve been hearing a lot about Your Name, director Makoto Shinkai’s latest completed project. After all, it’s been shattering all sorts of box office records since it opened in Japan at the end of last summer.

However, if you’re a North America-based anime fan, the many times you’ve heard about Your Name is probably in stark contrast to the precious few opportunities you’ve had to actually see it. While the film had its world premiere at Los Angeles’ Anime Expo in July, and also showed briefly at a single theater in the City of Angels to qualify it for consideration for an Oscar nomination, those are the only two screenings that have been held for Your Name thus far in North America, even as theatergoers in the U.K., China, and South Korea have already been able to watch it on the big screen.

Tokyo Otaku Mode Inc. started selling as well as periodically purchasing Japanese snack service  for North Americans. 

Periodically purchasing service is monthly fee and once every month, the Japanese snack will be delivered to your home. 

There are 3 plans, monthly fee starting from $12~$35 and the types of snack from 4 ~ 12 types. You can enjoy Japanese snack such as matcha pocky popular among foreigners who live in Japan, even in North America. Don’t miss the chance to savor Japanese snacks!  

■Information

TOKYO OTAKU MODE：https://otakumode.com/shop/subscriptions/snacks

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■Related article：Pom Pom Purin becomes a delicious caramel & custard with marshmallow McFlurry!

■Related article：The new sweet Matcha Latte from Ayataka containing uji matcha and milk hitting shelves soon!