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.

The Yo-Kai Express ramen vending machine at Haneda Airport has introduced two new menu items in collaboration with the popular ramen chain Ippudo! Guests can now enjoy Ippudo’s Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen and Ippudo’s Plant-based Tonkotsu-style Ramen. 

Guests can also enjoy Chicken Yuzu Shio Ramen, Tokyo Shoyu Ramen, Kyushu Tonkotsu Ramen, and Sapporo Spicy Miso Ramen. Each order only takes 90 seconds to prepare, so if you’re rushing to chow down before your flight, this is the way to go!

*Yo-Kai Express is a start-up company headquartered in Silicon Valley developing ramen vending machines. The company’s name comes from the word yokai (monsters) and reflects the brand’s desire to entertain people whenever and wherever they are. 

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!

teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM, located in Toyosu, Tokyo, have completed the refurbishment of their outdoor food stand, opening Vegan Ramen UZU Tokyo on October 8 2021. The new shop allows customers to eat vegan ramen from Kyoto in a new art space from teamLab. In addition, the teamLab Flower Shop & Art will be opening, a shop where customers can purchase orchids previously used in one of the group’s art pieces to take home with them. 

Menu

Vegan Ramen Flower (Cool): ¥1,980 (Tax Incl.)

Vegan Ramen Tea: ¥1,650 (Tax Incl.)

Vegan Ramen Soy Sauce: ¥1,320 (Tax Incl.)

Vegan Ramen Miso (Spicy): ¥1,320 (Tax Incl.)

Newly Released Works

Reversible Rotation – Non-Objective Space, teamLab, 2021

Table of Sky and Fire, teamLab Architects, 2021

Floating Flower Garden: Flower, Myself and Cognate, Garden and Myself as One

teamLab Planets Original Tote Bag

The menu at Vegan Ramen UZU uses no animal products like meat or fish, instead condensing the taste of vegetables into a delicious ramen that you can enjoy in a space designed by teamLab. Vegan Ramen UZU Kyoto first opened in March 2020 to great popularity, with many customers queuing for over an hour to get inside the store. 

At the new Tokyo store, customers can enjoy a bowl of vegan ramen while enjoying teamLab’s latest art installations, the Non-Objective Space and the Table of Sky and Fire.

Not only that, you can also take home some of the orchids used in the Floating Flower Garden: Flower, Myself and Cognate, Garden and Myself as One exhibit that was held from July 2, along with a section of teamLab merchandise such as stickers, patches, postcards, and more, at the newly opened teamLab Flower Shop & Art store.

Look forward to tasting this healthy ramen while immersed in an artistic space!

Gion’s Tatsumi Bridge, a picturesque area plucked straight from a painting. From there, continue south and into the backstreets, you’ll find the popular Kyoto Ramen store, Ramen Muraji.

The bridge takes you over the Shirakawa River which flows into Lake Biwa, with the connecting street spanning a distance of only 180m, with paths the width of three adults. Once you head into the alley, the scenery will completely change. 

The asphalt becomes cobblestone, surrounded by Kyoto-style lattice windows. Here you’ll find Ramen Muraji, located in a renovated 100 year old Kyoto-style building, perfectly blending into its surroundings. 

At first glance you wouldn’t believe it to be hiding a ramen shop,  with many people calling their discovery of the shop a once-in-a-lifetime encounter as they wander the streets of Gion.

The back alleys of Gion retain the history of Kyoto, with hidden shops shrouded by curtains, gently glowing lanterns, and carefully handwritten signboards. Each spot has been crafted to become a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with those who visit.

Ramen Muraji was built in the alley

Tatsumi Bridge, an area famous for retaining the distinctive Gion look.

Muraji’s Speciality White Chicken Ramen

Gion has been popular with Kyoto tourists for years, surrounded by attractive buildings and cityscapes. Located here is the Yasaka Shrine, a world heritage site which hosts the annual Gion Summer Festival. 

While the locals rarely explore the area, Gion is full of traditional beauty that has inspired many novels, maintaining the culture and history that has been passed down for generations. 

Why not relive the splendor of Gion at Ramen Muraji, a shop that was born 、

With its long history and culture that weaves towns, humans, and spirits together, why not relive the splendor of Gion with a historical cup of Muraji ramen? 

Ramen Muraji is a space where anybody can enjoy ramen, surrounded by Kyoto-style interior decor and Japanese-style decorations. 

Their chicken ramen, boiled in a plain water soup, boasts a selection of carefully selected ingredients that condenses the taste of Kyoto’s unique food culture. Kyoto Sake matched to the flavor of the ramen is also available.

Enjoy the charms of Kyoto’s food for yourself at Ramen Muraji.

As a company aiming to bring a new kind of happiness to many people, Ramen Kourakuen have announced their new slogan: All New Happy! 

In order to spread the message even further, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has been appointed as Kourakuen’s new CKO – Chief Korekara (Future) Officer. 

Their new goal is to work towards each step of the New Happy 5 Plan in order to spread cheer across Japan.

Plus, a new Kourakuen commercial featuring Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will be released nationwide.

The special commercial will be promoting the new student discount set, where students will be able to enjoy ramen meals for ¥550 on weekdays, plus the mobile order service which allows customers to order their ramen in advance, meaning it’ll be ready when you arrive.

The students and workers shown in the commercial are so satisfied that their face morphs into Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s as she dons the Kourakuen logo on her cheek. Make sure to check out Kyary’s China themed hair and costume!

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Japanese ramen restaurant chain Tenkaippin. To celebrate, they have joined hands with men’s apparel brand MONO-MART to release a collection of ramen-inspired t-shirts in collaboration with Japanese illustrator Isogai Hitohisa. The limited-edition collection dropped on ZOZOTOWN on June 10.

Tenkaippin | Comment

“Thanks to all of our customers, Tenkaippin turns 50-years-old this year. It’s a turning point for us, and so we’ve decided to develop products in collaboration with an apparel brand for the first time. We hope it helps to spread word of the Tenkaippin name amongst the youth. Designs include photos of when we first opened, illustrations drawn for us, and more. Please enjoy Tenkaippin through these super rare tees!”

Each t-shirt in this collection is branded with Tenkaippin’s logo along with their ‘KOTTERI’ logo. There’s another with a photo of the brand’s legendary founder Tsutomu Kimura, another with the encouraging message ‘Righht effort,’ and more. Other designs include illustrations by Isogai Hitohisa on the back, various photos, and so on.

Kamo Dashi Chuka Soba ROKU is a new ramen restaurant set to open at GOOD NATURE STATION, a shopping facility in Kyoto, on December 12, 2020.

The restaurant is produced by Yuki Iwasaki, a chef at VELROSIER which acquired its first Michelin Star in Michelin Guide 2021 Kyoto, Osaka & Okayama. It will serve ramen in a variety of duck-flavoured dashi broths made with duck from Kyoto and France.

Duck Sei Tanmen | ¥1,000

Duck Shiro Tanmen | ¥1,000

ROKU will initially offer three types of ramen dishes which includes the two pictured above as well as a special served each season. The Duck Sei Tanmen uses a broth made from a blend of duck meats and has a distinctly refreshing yet rich taste. The Duck Shiro Tanmen uses the same broth but adds chicken to the base together with mayu burnt garlic oil. The restaurant also makes its own thick noodles to enjoy with the soup. No tare sauce is used, allowing for customers to enjoy the umami flavour of the dashi and the various ingredients added.

The ramen bowls used are original wares created by TOKINOHA, a Japanese crockery brand specialising in traditional Kiyomizu ware which are perfect for enjoying your ramen.

MENBAKA Kyoto Fire Ramen, a ramen restaurant in Kyoto that’s particularly popular with foreigners in Japan, is expanding overseas by opening a new branch on the 5th floor of Singapore Orchard in Singapore on November 24, 2020.

MENBAKA Kyoto Fire Ramen

Menbaka first opened in 1984 and has gone on to become a popular ramen bar, focusing on the use of green onion in its dishes for its flavour and fragrance enhancement. In recent years, the Kyoto branch has seen a significant increase in the number of foreign visitors to Japan dining at the restaurant, and in 2017 it ranked number six in the country on Tripadvisor as the most popular restaurant in Japan with foreigners. It has gone on to be reported on in news and media outlets, including the video created by the Japan National Tourism Organization as part of its global campaign.

MENBAKA Kyoto Fire Ramen Singapore

The Singapore branch will open as a franchise of SOUTH EAST ASIA FOOD ENTERTAINMENT PTE. LTD. with carefully-selected suppliers and ingredients to ensure the taste is as close to the Japanese as possible. The restaurant will serve not only ramen but food entertainment as well.

Singapore Orchard, where the restaurant is opening, is a shopping mall and major tourist destination of Singapore. Like other countries around the world, Singapore is having to restrict the number of foreigners entering the country as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which has also led to restaurants limiting the number of available tables, social distancing measures being put in place, and so on. The restaurant’s opening date was originally scheduled for April 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic so its grand opening is now scheduled for November 24.

If you’re in Singapore and want to try some authentic Japanese ramen at the same time, be sure to visit MENBAKA Kyoto Fire Ramen.

KADOKAWA revamped and reopened the eat-in restaurant at Narita Airport’s Narita Anime Deck on October 27. Visitors can now look forward to dining at Zenkoku Gensen! Aji no Tabi Ramen Walker.”

The Narita Anime Deck opened inside Narita International Airport Terminal 2 in November 2019. It’s an entertainment facility where travellers from around the world can experience and enjoy Japanese anime culture in various forms such as with character merchandise, food, events, and a variety of photo spots.

The new dine-in restaurant features a long ramen menu of ramen dishes carefully selected by Ramen Walker, Japan’s biggest information site for ramen. There are nine strictly-selected dishes to choose from, as well as over 50 ramens for people to buy and take home with them.

The menu will change its line-up from time to time

Customers can order any of the nine ramen dishes on their own, or they can order from several set menus which enables them to taste different ramen dishes from around Japan. There are also over 20 ramen toppings to choose from, so guests are sure to be spoilt for choice.

The restaurant will also sell their own range of exclusive ramen-related merchandise.

But that’s not all, as Ramen Walker Chicken is also set to open at Tokorozawa Sakura Town in Saitama on November 6 as the world’s first booking-style facility where you can book a table at the most popular ramen bars across Japan.