YeinJee's Asian Blog » Japanese Pop Culture

Shojo Jidai, K-pop, Japan

Yein Jee — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:06:22 +0000

Korean pop group Girls’ Generation – known as Shojo Jidai in Japan – is featured on August issue of Japanese Sky magazine…

The girls are set to make their official J-pop debut next month, and they’ll not be the only Korean girl group to do so. Kara has already had a special gig in February, while 4minute has just kicked off their promotion in Japan. Others like Brown Eyed Girls and After School etc. are going to try their luck too in coming months.

It’s going to be an interesting month to see if these K-pop girl groups could rival their J-pop counterparts e.g. Perfume, Momusu and AKB48 etc.

Shojo Jidai, K-pop, Japan from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Miss Universe Japan 2010 costume

Yein Jee — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:55:47 +0000

Miss Universe Japan 2010 Maiko Itai shows the costume that she will wear at the finals in Las Vegas next month. Intriguing stuff…

The costume was designed by Yumi Katsura and styled by Ryoko Kishimoto; hair by Sunao for Toni & Guy Harajuku; make-up by Tomofumi Itokawa; and photo by Matsuki Kohei [via Japantoday].

Miss Universe Japan 2010 costume from YeinJee's Asian Blog

International Tokyo Toy Show 2010

Yein Jee — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:24:43 +0000

Video coverage by The Japan Times at the 2010 International Tokyo Toy Show…

International Tokyo Toy Show 2010 from YeinJee's Asian Blog

1/1 real scale Gundam in Shizuoka

Yein Jee — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 00:29:10 +0000

Japan’s 1/1 scale Gundam is back by popular demand, standing tall in Shizuoka this time. Nice preview video by Darwinfish105 [Jp]…

A 18-metre model, based on the ever popular Gundam anime franchise, was erected in Tokyo’s Odaiba last year and created raves around the world. The Gundam was however taken down after two months as it was not built to last.

The Shizuoka Gundam is scheduled to open on July 24. It can move a bit as per the previous one; not sure how long this new Gundam is going to stay though.

1/1 real scale Gundam in Shizuoka from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Perfume leggy album jacket

Yein Jee — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:43:54 +0000

Limited edition album jacket for Japanese techno-pop trio Perfume’s latest single Voice. What can I say? It’s leggilicious…

Perfume leggy album jacket from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Aya Ueto on Circus (July 2010)

Yein Jee — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 17:29:33 +0000

Japanese actress Aya Ueto is featured on July issue of Circus magazine [Jp]…

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Aya Ueto on Circus (July 2010) from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Japan Cup horse racing animated parody

Yein Jee — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:32:54 +0000

Funny Japanese animation by Cinema Keiba [Jp] which parodied the Japan Cup, the most prestigious horse race run in Japan…

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Japan Cup horse racing animated parody from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Japan’s banana vending machine

Yein Jee — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:35:54 +0000

Japan has got its first banana vending machine – installed in Tokyo’s Shibuya subway station on June 23 – courtesy of Dole…

Wonder what took them so long… considering that Japanese folks could buy almost everything (so I thought) from vending machines. Seems like I might have been a bit over-optimistic about the significant of their vending machines.

Image from Shibukei [Jp], via Tokyotrends.

Japan’s banana vending machine from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Erika Toda, Coach Poppy, New York

Yein Jee — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 19:00:31 +0000

Japanese actress Erika Toda is featured on recent issue of Non-no magazine, modelling for Coach Poppy handbags and accessories. Photos shot in New York with a travel diary concept; there are hits and misses, but nice pics overall…

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Erika Toda, Coach Poppy, New York from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Super GT Malaysia 2010 race queens

Yein Jee — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:30:19 +0000

Japanese auto racing series Super GT is in Malaysia again. I’ve been to the 2008 and 2009 event at the Sepang Race Circuit, but decided to pass this year. Sharing a few Japanese race queens pics by Demon instead; sexy stuff…

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Super GT Malaysia 2010 race queens from YeinJee's Asian Blog

iPhone advertising in Tokyo subway

Yein Jee — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:52:39 +0000

Brilliant stuff from Apple. Image from Kirai…

iPhone advertising in Tokyo subway from YeinJee's Asian Blog

AKB48 – Go! Fight! Japan!

Yein Jee — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 04:26:47 +0000

Members from Japanese pop group AKB48 are featured on a special B.L.T. photobook with a world cup theme. The blue T and white pants are the iconic uniform for the Japanese national football team.

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AKB48 – Go! Fight! Japan! from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Yes We Kan

Yein Jee — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 03:08:58 +0000

Naoto Kan has been elected the new Japanese Prime Minister on June 4, and entrepreneurs are capitalising on the new appointment with various Kan souvenirs.

And here’s one from online retail store ClubT with the slogan “Yes We Kan”, a pun to American President Barack Obama’s famous election motto “Yes We Can”…

Amusingly Kan is the the fifth PM since 2006, showing how volatile the Japanese politics have been in the past few years.

Yes We Kan from YeinJee's Asian Blog

AKB48 – Ponytail, bikini, sunshine & beach

Yein Jee — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:27:53 +0000

Music video of Ponytail to Shushu (ポニーテールとシュシュ; Ponytail & Scrunchy) by Japanese girl group AKB48. Plenty of bikinis, sunshine and beach; filmed in Guam…

Contrary to their conservative neighbours, it’s pretty common for mainstream Japanese idols to don in bikinis for MV/pictorials beside the fact that most of them are doing so at teen age. It’s almost a cultural thing; you can hardly find a popular Japanese female star who has never shot a bikini video or photobook.

The single is doing well with over 500,000 copies sold in the first week after it was released (on May 26). It’s one of the year’s best selling singles to date.

AKB48 series

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AKB48 – Ponytail, bikini, sunshine & beach from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Kaela Kimura – NTT docomo commercial

Yein Jee — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:49:00 +0000

Japanese commercial for mobile photo operator NTT docomo’s 2010 summer collection, starring singer Kaela Kimura who recently revealed that she’s five months pregnant and is ready to get married with actor Eita. Congrats.

Colourful commercial, catchy tune… I like it.

Kaela Kimura – NTT docomo commercial from YeinJee's Asian Blog

UNIQLOCK dancing Japanese girls screensaver

Yein Jee — Mon, 31 May 2010 07:10:20 +0000

Cool screensaver, pretty Japanese girls, wacky dances, noisy music, digital clock, lovely Paris. Brilliant viral marketing by Japanese fashion powerhouse Uniqlo.

Turn on the volume at the bottom right of the display for full viewing pleasure. Available for download at Uniqlock’s official site, with other versions too.

Btw, it’s not something new. I think the first version was introduced in 2005/06, and the one above was from 2008 if not mistaken. It’s still pretty epic regardless.

UNIQLOCK dancing Japanese girls screensaver from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Japanese girl drinking vegetable juice commercial

Yein Jee — Mon, 17 May 2010 12:51:27 +0000

Definitely one of the wackiest commercials ever, with a cute Japanese girl drinking a carton of vegetable juice for one full minute (while doing nothing much else)…

It’s a commercial for Japan’s Kagome drinks, featuring Mariko Shinoda from girl group AKB48. To top it off, there are 25 similar versions of the commercial, each with different members dressing up as the 25 vegetable ingredients of the juice.

Japanese girl drinking vegetable juice commercial from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Keiko Kitagawa – Kanebo SALA commercials

Yein Jee — Wed, 05 May 2010 08:11:57 +0000

Collection of Japanese commercials featuring popular actress Keiko Kitagawa for Kanebo’s SALA haircare products…

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Keiko Kitagawa – Kanebo SALA commercials from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Top 20 Japanese horror movies

Yein Jee — Wed, 05 May 2010 07:31:19 +0000

A decent compilation by GothTatsumaki@Youtube. Watch at your own discretion…

Top 20 Japanese horror movies from YeinJee's Asian Blog

AKB48 will perform in LA at the Anime Expo

Yein Jee — Tue, 04 May 2010 09:25:09 +0000

Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime & manga convention, has announced that Japanese pop group AKB48 will be official guests at the 2010 convention.

The 2010 Anime Expo is scheduled for July 1–4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. AKB48 will perform live in Nokia Theater on July 1, and the members will also participate in attendee panels, meet-and-greets and autograph sessions.

AKB48 series

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Snippet: Mariko Shinoda @ Japanese girl drinking vegetable juice commercial

AKB48 will perform in LA at the Anime Expo from YeinJee's Asian Blog