The popular female rock band BAND-MAID will perform for the first time at KNOTFEST JAPAN 2023, scheduled for April 1 and April 2 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba.

KNOTFEST was begun by the American heavy metal band Slipknot, and the festival has been held yearly since 2012. BAND-MAID will perform on Day 1 along with headliners Slipknot, Trivium, and MAN WITH A MISSION.

Tickets for the May shows to be held in the United States as part of the BAND-MAID 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR are none on sale. The group managed to bring in over 20,000 fans during their solo U.S. tour in 2022. In addition to performing at Pointfest 2023, Welcome to Rockville 2023, and the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, BAND-MAID will also perform six solo shows. With some venues selling out instantly last year, you’ll want to snag tickets while you can!

The online sake shop KURAND is now selling TIGER & BARNABY SPARKLING, a special sparkling sake made in collaboration with the TIGER & BUNNY 2 anime series. 

TIGER & BARNABY SPARKLING is a sparkling sake that will surprise customers with its delicate bubbles and light flavor. The label features an outline of the city of Sternbild, the setting of TIGER & BUNNY, and each bottle will be delivered in a decorated box. This is perfect for Christmas and New Year’s celebrations!

Those who purchase TIGER & BARNABY SPARKLING will receive a TIGER & BARNABY Champagne Stopper as a gift. The bubbliness of this sake is sure to impress, so kick back and relax with friends and family this holiday season with a few glasses of this limited-edition goodness.

On October 29, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu took part in Porter Robinson’s Second Sky Music Festival in Oakland, California. The following day, the popular singer also appeared at Porter Robinson + Friends, an afterparty event held in San Francisco. American fans are finding their excitement at a fever pitch as the Harajuku-based artist continues to perform abroad!

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu recently made headlines when she performed an unprecedented 62 songs at Nippon Budokan on October 19 during the final stop on her 10th-anniversary tour. Following this impressive feat, Kyary performed at yet another festival in Japan before hastily returning to the United States following her show-stopping performance at Coachella half a year ago.

Porter Robinson’s Second Sky Music Festival was hosted by and featured performances by internationally acclaimed DJ and producer Porter Robinson. Other important figures in the dance music scene also appeared including SKRILLEX and RL GRIME.

The event took place in a large parking lot adjacent to the Oakland Coliseum, home of the Oakland Athletics MLB team. Since the show took place close to Halloween, plenty of decorations could be found, and fans lined up from the early morning to get inside.

Although Kyary’s performance was scheduled for quite early in the day, the audience sprawled out as far as the eye could see. As DE.BA.YA.SHI. 2021 began to play, fans began to excitedly call out Kyary’s name. In Japan, regulations are in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus, meaning that audience members are forbidden to yell during concerts–but no such precaution exists in the U.S. It was clear that Kyary was beyond excited to hear the audience’s enthusiasm, and as the show began, the artist called out “Second Sky,” to which the fans responded with excited cries. 

The audience danced wildly to Candy Racer and Dodonpa, two of Kyary’s most peppy tracks, which played in succession. The singer did her best to speak English. “Hello! I’m Kyary Pamyu Pamyu from Japan,” she began. She then complimented a fan in full Kyary cosplay. “Wow! Nice costume! PONPONPON costume, so nice,” she said.

During CANDY CANDY -Remix-, the audience raised their hands high in the air as they followed Kyary’s instructions to jump, swaying from left to right. As the audience moved in sync, a number of hit tracks began to play, including Harajuku Iyahoi and Tsukematsukeru. However, nothing could match the excitement of the moment that the intro to PONPONPON began to play. Porter Robinson, who was watching the live performance from the side of the stage, was moved to tears, and everyone could feel how big Kyary’s presence was for local fans.

Kyary’s performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April of this year became a hot topic, showing that Kyary is still incredibly popular in the U.S. ten years after her major debut.

In addition to her largest national tour to date, Kyary has made numerous appearances at music festivals in Japan and abroad in 2022. The artist’s first overseas performance during her 11th year as a performer was an incredible success and bodes well for Kyary’s future.

＜Setlist＞
2022.10.29 “Second Sky Music Festival”
OP. DE.BA.YA.SHI.2021
1. Candy Racer
2. Dodonpa
3.Invader Invader
4. CANDY CANDY –Remix-
5. Ninja Re Bang Bang –Steve Aoki Remix-
6. Harajuku Iyahoi
7. Tsukematsukeru
8. PONPONPON –Extended Mix-
9. Fashion Monster

2022.10.30 “Porter Robinson + Friends”
OP. DE.BA.YA.SHI.2021
1. Candy Racer
2. Ninja Re Bang Bang
3. CANDY CANDY
4.Crazy Party Night-Pumpkins Strike Back-
5. Kira Kira Killer
6. Isshin Doutai
7. Harajuku Iyahoi
8. Fashion Monster
9. PONPONPON

The Nippon Foundation has been supporting people with disabilities in Japan and abroad for over fifty years. To mark this incredible milestone, True Colors Festival THE CONCERT 2022 will be held on November 19 and 20 at Tokyo Garden Theater. The performance aims to inspire fans to express their uniqueness. 

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will perform as a guest performer on both days of the concert, which stands to be one of the largest live events in the world put on by artists with disabilities.

Kyary became a smash hit with audiences worldwide after Katy Perry praised her PONPONPON music video on Twitter, and the two are said to be fans of one another. This will be the first time that the two pop icons will perform on stage together. 

“I’m looking forward to performing with so many unique artists from around the world,” Kyary said in a statement. “I’m so happy that I’m going to live my dream of performing with Katy!” 

Shiragiku Sake Brewery will release a special sake made exclusively to mix with soda water on October 1, 2022. The beverage will be available in Okayama Prefecture.

The company’s interest in creating a new sake culture led them to develop &Soda, a delicious sake made to be mixed with soda. This may be helpful for those who don’t know much about sake, or who may feel intimidated by the many different types. Being able to mix it with soda will make sake drinking feel more casual. 

Sake Made Exclusively for Mixing with Soda Water, ‘&Soda’

“Many people may like to mix sake with soda water or drink it on the rocks. By doing this, however, a nice sake may lose its flavor, and the drinker might be wasting a nice sake for the sake of a more easy-drinking beverage. &Soda was made exclusively to be mixed. Using Asahi Rice, a specialty in Okayama Prefecture, and water from the brewery, we’ve created a sake that has the proper aroma and sweetness. These characteristics will come through even after being mixed! The alcohol content has been increased to 18 percent, and the package will make the product easy to find and understand,” a statement from the brewery reads.

For more information on how to enjoy &Soda, please see the special website below!

To celebrate the debut of Dev-c, the new VTuber unit from VEE, a giant ad has appeared in Shinjuku Station! Fans should head to the Promenade connecting Shinjuku Station to Shinjuku 3-come from September 5 until September 11 to catch a glimpse of these new talents!

The ad shows Uriyone, Anew Uparu, Cotonoha, Luminous Sweet, and Aomiya Yozuri strolling down a Tokyo street.

Spread out behind them are images of the members of Dev-a and Dev-b, who previously debuted.

VEE has managed to bring together some incredible talents so far. On the right side, fans will see Dev-c’s key visual and a message from VEE to fans, so if you’re near Shinjuku, be sure to check it out!

From September 1 until October 31, the District Brasserie, Bar, and Lounge at the Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo will be offering a spooky Halloween-themed afternoon tea set. The tasty treats won’t be the only scary thing on the plate–the event will incorporate AR technology! By holding up your phone, you’ll be able to see monsters moving around on your plate.

The goodies will also be available for take-out, making them perfect for souvenirs or at-home Halloween parties! Nine types of Halloween sweets, six small dishes, and two tea sachets will be included. Why not spend Halloween in a more elegant way in 2022?

Amazon Music Live: DEAD POP FESTiVAL 2022 was originally held on June 25 and 26, 2022. Those who missed out on SiM’s outdoor festival will be able to watch it on the Amazon Music Japan channel on Twitch on August 16 at 20:00 along with exclusive commentary from the members. In addition, Shuhei Igari (HEY-SMITH), GEN (04 Limited Sazabys), and Takuya Yamanaka (THE ORAL CIGARETTES) will appear. 20 artists who participated in the festival will give their personal thoughts on the June event including behind-the-scenes stories.

Fans of Attack on Titan won’t want to miss the first live performance of SiM’s track The Rumbling, used as the opening theme for The Final Season Part 2.

Prior to the event on the Amazon Music Japan channel, a playlist consisting of songs performed at DEADPOP FESTiVAL 2022 is available on Amazon Music Unlimited. Be sure to check it out!

NIJISANJI Fes 2022, the largest NIJISANJI event to date, will be held on October 1 and October 2 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba. Ahead of the festival, ANYCOLOR has announced the 118 VTubers that will be participating, along with new illustrations showing some popular personalities wearing class T-shirts which will be available at the venue.

NIJISANJI Fes 2022 Special Announcement Video
https://youtu.be/st-m1G_DYS8

The image song for NIJISANJI Fes 2022, Hurrah!!, is now available to stream. The music video for the track will feature fan art which will also be displayed at the venue, so get your entries in by August 28!

Illustrations Highlighting Class T-Shirts

NIJISANJI Fes 2022 Image Song, Hurrah!!

Music: Mito Tsukino, Sasaki Saku, Kuzuha, Lize Helesta, Sara Hoshikawa, Minato Fuwa, Axia Krone
Lyrics / Composition / Arrangement: Jin

On the special website, newly-drawn illustrations of the 118 participating VTubers are featured. Each member is a part of a different class, and these class T-shirts will be handed out at random to those with tickets to the event as a bonus. They will also be available for purchase, so don’t worry if you don’t get the one you want!

▼Green
Manami Aizono, Uiha Aiba, Youko Akabane, Axia Krone, Akane Asahina, Hina Asuka, Momo Azuchi, Kokoro Amamiya, Sayo Amemori, Almal Ars, Katrina Ange, Mugi Ienaga, Inui Toko, Ibrahim, Ichigo Ushimi, Muyu Amagase, Vox Akuma

▼Indigo
Kou Uzuki, Albio Ex, Emma★August, Eli Conifer, Elu, Haruka Onomachi, Oliver Evans, Haru Kaida, Hayato Kagami, Kanae, Shoichi Kanda, Hisui Kitakoji, Gilzaren III, Gwelu Os Gar, Kuzuha, Yotsuba Umise, Aza

▼Blue
Natsume Kurusu, Kuroi Shiba, Mirei Gundou, Tojiro Genzuki, Touya Kenmochi, Akina Saegusa, Ritsuki Sakura, Sasaki Saku, Yuika Shiina, Shellin Burgundy, Rin Shizuka, SisterClaire, Hajime Shibuya, Joe Rikiichi, Tomoe Shirayuki, Akira Shikinagi, Eine

▼Red
Sango Suo, Kana Sukoya, Utako Suzuka, Masaru Suzuki, Aki Suzuya, Miyako Seto, Kirame Sorahoshi, Rion Takamiya, Mito Tsukino, Debidebi Debiru, Kohaku Todo, Dola, Kyoko Todoroki, Kei Nagao, Naraka, Kanato Fura, Elira Pendora

▼Orange
Naru Naruse, Chigusa Nishizono, Sociere Nui, Fuyuki Hakase, Hanabatake Chaika, Sou Hayase, Marin Hayama, Air Harusaki, Kaede Higuchi, Gaku Fushimi, Tamaki Fumino, Furen E. Lustario, Fuwa Minato, Belmond Pandelas, Nei Ponto, Pomu Rainpuff

▼Yellow
Sara Hoshikawa, Himawari Honma, Keisuke Maimoto, Ririmu Makaino, Meme Mashiro, Chima Machita, Mao Matsukai, Moira, Alice Mononobe, Kazaki Morinaka, Rine Yaguruma, Kizuki Yashiro, Karuta Yamagami, Chihiro Yuki, Seraph Dazzlegarden, Mysta Rias

▼Violet
Riri Yuhi, Mahiro Yukishiro, Roa Yuzuki, Kakeru Yumeoi, Ratna Petit, Lize Helesta, Ryushen, Mikoto Rindou, Lain Paterson, Luis Cammy, Levi Elipha, Vincent Leos, Lauren Iroas, Hibari Watarai, Finana Ryugu, Hyakumantenbara Salome

New performers and events have been announced ahead of the start of Tomakomai Mirai Fest 2022 in Tomakomai, Hokkaido on September 17 and 18. The event will be held in one of the most gorgeous towns on the island and excitement is building!

The purpose of this event is to promote the appeal of the Tomakomai region, not only to those living in Japan but to those living abroad. In addition to music, the event will also feature art, food, technology, and more content that can be enjoyed by kids, families, and people of all ages and genders.

Tomakomai Civic Hall, Large Hall

Incredible live performances will be held in a futuristic setting. Along with Awesome City Club, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, and Little Glee Monster, guests can look forward to seeing HY, Wednesday Campanella, Taichi Mukai, and Atarashii Gakko!

Tomakomai Civic Hall, Parking Lot

DJ performances and food trucks will welcome guests to the futuristic area, and the illuminations are sure to impress!

Kirakira Park

An AR system accessible by smartphone will allow guests to take pictures of the Tomakomai Mirai Fest logo for a surprise. During the daytime, a food truck area will provide visitors with different types of gourmet offerings and a stage will showcase local dancers and musicians from Tomakomai. A family-friendly picnic area will allow guests to relax and enjoy good food and live music.

At night, in addition to impressive illuminations and a live stage showcasing Hokkaido’s best talent, an island bar will amplify the mood.

O-machi/Nishiki-machi

During the daytime, a gourmet area will feature Tomakomai’s famous curry ramen, local craft beer, craft spices, and more. At night, visitors can enjoy restaurants in the O-machi and Nishiki-machi areas while still enjoying the vibe of the event.

And More!

A stamp rally will be held during the event, and guests finding stamps at each location will be eligible to win fantastic prizes. A bus service is also planned.

More performers and details will be announced soon, so stay tuned!

On July 18, the upscale teppanyaki and yakiniku restaurant Honten Yamashina opened a new location in Ginza! The hybrid restaurant has taken over the entire top floor of GINZA PLACE, which is directly connected to Ginza Station. Overlooking the Ginza 4-chome intersection, it’s a gorgeous place to enjoy some authentic Japanese cuisine. 

Honten Yamashina mainly uses fully-matured Omi beef, the highest grade available among Shiga Prefecture’s top-tier beef, from Okazaki Farm. The cows are allowed to fatten for a considerable amount of time and live stress-free lives for over 40 months. Less than 1% of all Wagyu cattle are shipped after 24 months of age, and this delectable meat is characterized by its sharp taste and fattiness. 

Luxurious Wagyu and Sea Urchin Sushi

Early Summer Plate to Enjoy with Seasonal Flowers

Selected Extra-thick Beef Tongue Steak Made with Refined Attention to Detail

Grilled Spiny Lobster Made on a Charcoal Grill

The Playful Yamashina Wagyu Slider

Melt-in-your-mouth Sweet Amala Tomato (Vegetable of the Day)

Hand-selected Omi Beef Steak

Truffle Omurice

Japanese-style Teppanyaki

Guests can enjoy authentic Japanese teppanyaki cuisine with a modern twist. While sitting at the contour, visitors will enjoy a live performance by Taku Osada, a teppanyaki chef with over 20 years of experience.  

The wide variety of meat can be enjoyed in a number of different ways, whether it be raw, grilled, stewed, or properly cooked. From tongue and rump to filet and sirloin, you won’t leave hungry. Visitors can also enjoy seafood and seasonal Japanese vegetables along with their meat, and the flowers and leaves that adorn each plate will change depending on the time of year.

In addition to rare teppanyaki dishes like skirt steak and 3cm-thick beef tongue, Honten Yamashina also offers some playful dishes such as sliders. As the temperature differs on different parts of the steel cooking plate, each item can be cooked to a temperature that maximizes its specific flavor. Honten Yamashina also has a massive cellar housin over 1,000 bottles of wine and hard-to-find spirits. 

Japanese-style Yakiniku

For those looking for a more private experience, guests can enjoy yakiniku in a completely separate room. Each private room has a grill that will cook meat to the perfect temperature, and only at Honten Yamashina can you enjoy fully-matured Omi beef. The signature cutlet sandwich is made with chateaubriand cooked at a low temperature and deep-fried in a thin batter, then served on crispy bread with a soft, fluffy interior.

Teppanyaki and yakiniku are typically thought of as meat-based dishes, but the restaurant can accommodate vegetarian guests if contacted in advance. 

When Japan opens up to tourism, will you be visiting this incredible restaurant in the heart of Tokyo?

Yamanashi’s Fuji Motosuko Resort is home to the yearly Fuji Shibazakura Festival, one of the most popular spring flower events in Jaapn. From July 16 until October 10, 2022, guests will also be able to enjoy the Rainbow Flower Festival, with over 80,000 blooms decorating the land around Mount Fuji. 

From Left: Coneflowers, Common Zinnia, Begonia, Ageratum

From Left: Scarlet Sage (Sirius), Scarlet Sage (Bonfire), Scarlet Sage (Deep Blue), Coleus

The theme for the inaugural event is ‘Seven Colors of Mount Fuji.’ Visitors will be able to take incredible pictures, with a variety of blooms springing from the Earth in seven beautiful colors. Whether you love begonias or zinnias, you won’t want to miss this one. 

The venue will also feature photo spots that will be perfect for social media, from a rainbow circle bench to the ‘Yellow Door of Happiness.’ A campaign will also be held to choose the best photos of the event posted to Instagram.

Koppe-pan (with Yamanashi Peach Butter and Whipped Cream) / Lava Fried Tofu / Bellflower Mochi Ice Cream / Jewel Soda

A unique food menu featuring everything from lava-shaped fried tofu to fluffy bread with local peach butter will appear at the event.

*Sample image.

Pictures aren’t the only thing you’ll leave with–a selection of souvenirs will be on sale, including ‘Stick Jelly’ made with five types of local fruit puree. These will only be available at the event, so come have a wonderful time visiting Mount Fuji this summer!