Popular Japanese actress and singer Takako Matsu (30) and musician Yoshiyuki Sahashi (46) have tied their knots on Friday (Dec 28). The couple made the announcement on their respective websites [Takako's announcement].
The couple has completed their civil marriage registration at a Japanese municipal government office… which simply means that they are now husband and wife.
Takako Matsu and Yoshiyuki Sahashi
Matsu and Sahashi met each other in a musical event in 2001, but started their relationship in 2004. They were various reports over the years that their relationship had ended; one of the major reasons was said to be the disapproval of Matsu’s father about the relationship.
Some Japanese papers however reported in November that the couple is still together and were planning for their marriage, but Matsu’s agency had denied the reports.
According to Matsu… their marriage was not a sudden decision, but was thought carefully. She has no plan to retire from her entertainment career and hope that her friends and fans would continue to support her as always.
Japanese actor Joe Odagiri (31) and actress Yu Kashii (20) have announced on Thursday (Dec 27) their surprise engagement. The celebrity couple announced the news through their respective agency before meeting the press later at night for the official announcement.
Odagiri and Kashii meeting the press
Odagiri and Kashii met each other and started their relationship in late 2005 when filming for movie “Pavillion Sanshouo”. The press had suspected their relationship back then, but didn’t follow up with their story as both of the stars had other saucier rumours instead.
Odagiri is one of the most acclaimed Japanese actors; his recent movie “Tokyo Tower – Okan to Boku to Tokidoki Oton” is a great hit across Asia. Kashii is a rising star in Japan; her most noticeable role is probably from popular movie “Death Note”.
[Update] The couple tie knots on Feb 16, 2008 – the birthday for both Odagiri and Kashii.
“The Forbidden Kingdom” (功夫之王) is the first film collaboration between 2 Asian superstars – Jackie Chan and Jet Li. The martial arts fantasy movie is scheduled to premier in April 2008.
Mumin Papa Cafe in Akashi, Japan, has something special to offer their guests beside their food… an experience to relieve yourself in an underwater restroom surrounded by a giant aquarium filled with exotic fishes and a sea turtle.
Video – the aquarium toilet featuring on a Japanese TV show [Hat tip to Pinktentacle]
The luxurious toilet cost the restaurant owner 30 million Yen (~ US$263,000) to build it.
The idea seems cool, but I am not sure if I would be comfortable using the restroom. Besides, I don’t really have the chance to use it… it’s for ladies only.
For the first time in the 400 year history of the (Japanese) Geisha, a Westerner has been accepted, and on December 19, made her formal debut under the name Sayuki.
Geisha (芸者) are traditional female Japanese entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance.
Hong Kong star Chow Yun Fat has confirmed to join the live adaptation of “Dragon Ball”.
Master Roshi
Chow Yun Fat will play the comedic Master Roshi, Goku’s mentor; Goku is the main character in Dragon Ball.
Dragon Ball is one of the most popular manga (and anime) of all time. Hollywood studio Twentieth Century Fox creates a huge buzz among Dragon Ball fans when they announced the making of the live movie in Oct 2007.
Hong Kong star Stephen Chow is the producer, James Wong the director.
This is the first time that Stephen Chow and Chow Yun Fat have joined hands in a movie; both of them are among the biggest stars for the past 2 decades in Hong Kong (probably Asian) entertainment world.
Other main casts that have been confirmed include Justin Chatwin, James Marsters, Emmy Rossum, Jamie Chung, Joon Park and Eriko Tamura.
A replica of Paris’s famous Eiffel Tower has become a new nighttime attraction in Hangzhou, eastern China, after it was lit up on Saturday (Dec 22).
Eiffel Tower replica in Tianducheng, Hangzhou, China (Image courtesy of Crienglish)
The replica is one third the size of the real Eiffel Tower and is located in the Tianducheng residential area in the outskirts of Hangzhou, where rows of European-style houses also have been built. The replica created worldwide debates when it was featured on Reuters in Sept earlier this year.
The 108-meter steel structure is the second-largest Eiffel Tower replica in the world after the 165-meter-high tower in Las Vegas in the United States.
Japanese pop diva Kumi Koda is crowned the best selling Japanese artist in 2007 according to an Oricon report.
Kumi Koda
Kumi has a total sales of 7.35 billion Yen (~ USD65 million) from her CDs and DVDs, just above her arch rival Ayumi Hamasaki (7.05 billion Yen) for 2nd year in a role. The remainders of the Top 10 best selling artists are Mr. Children, Exile, KAT-TUN, Ai Otsuka, Kobukuro, KinKi Kids, Arashi, and L’Arc-en-Ciel.
The best selling album of the year belongs to Mr. Children’s “Home” with 1.18 million copies sold. Best selling single belongs to tenor singer Masafumi Akikawa’s Sen no Kaze ni Natte (千の風になって).
