Tag Archives: entertainment

Collaboration between Kumamon and Hatune Miku

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The Hatune Miku version of “Kumamon Dance” was released this month.    Miku just sings the theme song.   I want her to dance with Kumamon.   Kumamon is very good at dancing.    His dancing looks very cute.   I wonder who the man inside the stuffed suit is.   For your information, Miku sings the song of Bon Dance Festival of Koshi City in Kumamoto.   Additionally, Kumafes that I mentioned before will be held this year again.    Kumamoto might be a unique place.

The Liebster Award

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Happy New Year!   I hope you have a great year!

At the end of the last year, when I struggled to write a blog in English,  a comment came in from a Canadian man known as “angrygaijin”.   He said “I nominate you for a Liebster Award”  I replied, “What-  Liebster? not Lobster?”   Reading it over quickly,  it was written about some rules and works.    What kind of game?  I complained him that he gave me an extra work during the busy year-end.  hahaha   Now I understand his favor behind the award.  Thank you very much, angrygaijin (*^_^*)

Then, several days later, I received another award from Sharifah.   She  nominated me for The Versatile Blogger Award.   Wow,  again!  I can’t believe it!  Thank you so much,  Sharifah.   My efforts at writing in English have been well rewarded.   I’ll nominate bloggers for these awards in two posts.

Let’s begin with The Liebster Award.

leibster-blog-award

The Liebster Award is given by bloggers to other bloggers with fewer than 200 followers. The award comes with rules and requires some work.

How does Liebster work?

  •  You are not allowed to nominate the blog who nominated your blog.
  • When you receive the award, you must post 11 random facts about yourself.  (why 11?)
  • Paste the award picture into your blog.
  • Answer the questions posed by the blogger who awarded you.
  • Pass the award onto 11 other blogs (while making sure that you notify the blogger that you nominated them).
  • Write up 11 NEW questions directed towards your nominees.  (11 again!)

I think I should introduce Angrygaijin to you.   He is a Canadian living in Japan.    He writes his blogs in English  Cameron Ohara  and Japanese 外人Blog.

Here are 11 random facts about myself:

  1.  I don’t like alcohol except wines and cocktails.
  2.  I like coffee.
  3.  I don’t like milk.  But I like milk with coffee or cocoa.
  4.  I don’t like raw tomato.  But I like cooked tomato.
  5.  I never get bored in my life.
  6.  I need to drive everyday.
  7.  My car is light blue.
  8.  I have an allergy to pollens.   I have a hard time every March.
  9.  I lived in America for one year.
  10.  I lived in Tokyo for ten years.
  11.  I want to live somewhere abroad in the future.

Here are angrygaijin’s 11 questions answered:

  1.  Have you ever been to Japan?    I live in Japan.
  2.  If yes, how long?  If no, what do you like best about Japan, if anything.    Pretty long
  3.  What languages can you speak?  Japanese: pretty good    English: learning   Korean and Chinese: greeting level
  4.  Have you been to Canada?  If yes, what was your favourite place?    My family has stayed in Vancouver only for several days.   Stanley park.
  5.  If anything, what do you like about Canada? (Please don’t say “Maple Syrup!”)  Speaking of Canada,  NATURE.  Bear, deer and Jastin Beaver (I’m not a fan of him)
  6.  Where you are in the world right now, who was there before you?  Think wayeeee back.    Foxes, raccoons, rabbits… no human
  7.  What upsets you?  What really makes you boil?     Attitudes of my husband and children
  8.  Does your family originate in the place you now live in?     I grew up here.  My husband is from Nagano.
  9.  If you are a blogger, why are you blogging?     Guard against senile dementia.  Mental exercise.
  10.  If you could rename yourself, what name would you change to?    I’ve never thought about it even though I don’t like my name.   I have a policy not to think nonsense. 
  11.  What was your first impression of me?    First impression: interesting   Second impression : versatile   Third impression: what a nice guy! (He nominated me )

And NOW for the main event:

Only half a year has passed since I started my blog.  I was occupied with writing and I couldn’t afford to read other blogs enough.  I’d like to improve my English and read blogs more this year.  In no particular order I nominate the following bloggers including three Japanese.   Most Japanese don’t know this award.   I’d like to spread it in Japan.

  1.  hibiscus rosa noor
  2.  cupcakesakura
  3.  wewanttotellyousomething
  4.  Susie
  5.  tukusigal
  6.  Sharifah
  7.  Jovana
  8. It’s only P!
  9. Ultramarine
  10.  EkaterinaYoghurt
  11.  AdakoMg

Here are my questions for my nominees:  (please correct my grammatical mistakes on your blog if any

  1. What is your New Year’s resolution?
  2.  What time do you go to bed?
  3. What foods do you like?
  4. Which celebrities do you like?
  5.  When is your happy time in your life?
  6. What is your favorite color to wear?
  7. Do you collect anything?
  8. What kind of music do you like?
  9. If you were given USD 10,000 and had to spend in a few days, what would you spend for?  (convert your country’s currency calculator )
  10. What do you think of your blog?
  11. What do you think of my blog?
 
I look forward to nominees’ answers (^^)/~

Japanese Anime Festival “Kumafes” Concert

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Kumafes Report, Part 7

The concert was held after the dance.     Unfortunately I couldn’t see it , but  found a good video on YouTube.   It was absolutely hilarious.   Please watch a dancing yellow-man appears in the middle of a song.   I can’t restrain my laughter. 　 I remember the man and smile over it.   His facial expression was wonderful!!!

Additional information
I let my friend watch the video and after I asked her impression of it.   She said  “Sorry,  it’s an unknown world and incomprehensible to me.  I don’t know what to say.”    I was surprised  there are people who exists that don’t  feel anything toward a  video which I think is really funny.   In addition, what surprised me most was  the man turned out to be Hinausa, who was in the previous post.

Japanese Anime Festival “Kumafes” Hip Hop Dance

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Kumafes Report, Part 6

The next performance was a Hip Hop dance by HIGOm@tic.   They were very skillful dancers.    I know how hard it is to memorize  dance moves and move quickly to the rhythm of Hip Hop music.    But I’m sorry to say that the supporter’s  weird dance attracted my attention.   I ‘m used to seeing  Hip Hop instructors dance at the fitness club.     For me, dancing by myself is more fun than watching Hip Hop dances.   In fact, I went to the fitness club and did a Hip Hop  workout today.   Middle-aged ladies are dancing vigorously in the day time!

Japanese Anime Festival”Kumafes”Pretty Cure

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Kumafes Report, Part 5

After the Japanese dance, “Teizoku Kigekidan” appeared on the stage.   How should I translate their name?  Low Comedy Duo?   Their names are  Hinausa and BurenD.   Their performance were great!!!   They made the audience roar with laughter.   I became a fan of Teizoku.    I heard they are Itasha owners.  Look at their dance!   Especially pay attention to Hinausa,  the rabbit-man on the right.   What a funny man!   How can he move so sharply?

The song was the theme song of Pretty Cure(PreCure).  This anime is very popular with little girls.   Little girls must have been disappointed that it wasn’t a real PreCure show.

The following video is more exciting.   Teizoku and the supporters did the unique dance called “Otagei”.  Don’t miss it!

Look!   They can jump incredibly high!

Teizoku Kigekidan

I think you want to watch  the full version of Hinausa’s dance.  OMG!  Hilarious!

There are more videos on YouTube  happyuanblog

Japanese Anime Festival “Kumafes” Japanese Dance

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Kumafes Report, Part 4

After Hatune Miku, Masahito Hishiki did Japanese dance to the tune of an anime theme song.   It brought me a fresh sense combined a Japanese traditional culture and the latest one.    I hope he will inspire the  Japanese traditional dance field.  His dance may have a positive impact on young people who aren’t interested in Japanese dances.     I think his dance would have been better if he had sharper movements.    I couldn’t help comparing with my mother’s dance, who is learning a  Japanese dance for decades.   I hope he will be a help to preserve Japanese culture.   I hear he is also an actor.  I look forward to his activities in the future.

This is the theme song of anime “Gunslinger Girl” sung by Kokia.  It has a beautiful sound with sadness.   Masahito Hishiki chose  good music.  Did you dance on the last post?  Then, sing a song this time!

Japanese Anime Festival “Kumafes” Hatune Miku

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Kumafes Report,  Part 3

The next performer was  “Mito” impersonating Hatune Miku.   She mimicked Miku’s dance moves.  Hatune Miku is one of the  vocaloid  characters.   Vocaloid is a singing synthesizer program, which can create a natural sounding voice.  My daughter likes Hatune Miku very much.  She prefers songs by synthetic voice to human voices.  Hmmm strange.

I know the feeling that people want to mimic her dance.    I used to dance with my daughter, playing a Wii dancing game of Japanese songs.   To get a good score, we waved, swung and shook the wii remote control to the beat of the songs.  lol   Furthermore, I wanted to dance to American music, so I bought “We Cheer”.  But the reaction of remote control wasn’t as good as Japanese one.  I wonder if  the latest We Cheer has improved?

Back to Mito,  she was cute dressing up and dancing as Miku.   I pasted the nice Miku’s dance video along with Mito’s one.    I’m tempted to synchronize these videos.    Doesn’t this video make you want to dance?   Let’s dance!

Dance Party Night

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The last posting was about belly dance.  I learn flamenco too.  My flamenco teacher told me to go and see a dance party and gave me the ticket.   However it was not a dance in disco or nightclub.  It was a ballroom dance.  I’d never seen it except for TV.  I was just curious what it was like.

When I entered the party room,  oh dear!  there were many elderly people.   People in their 60s and 70s? created a peculiar atmosphere.  Why is a ballroom dance popular in elderly people in Japan?   Is it the same situation in overseas?   Pre-retiree men may be busy at work.   How about young women?   It must be tough to dance with an old man.   Senior adults are vigorous.   They looked very happy.  They held up their heads and stepped well to the music.   Women dressed in their flashy dresses.  Men dressed in … How should I say…

At this point enter SOUNDCLOUD!  Please look at the picture while listening.

The chairs were placed along the walls.   While sitting quietly, I was asked to dance by various men.    I politely refused each time.  I was embarrassed.   They must have looked quizzically at me.   I should have worn jeans, not a long skirt.   When I regretted it,  a younger good-looking man came up and said, “Would you like to dance?”  “I can’t dance.  I’m just looking.” “Don’t worry. It’s all right.”  He took my hand and led to the center of the hall.   “First, move sideways.  That’s it!  You’re doing great. ” “Then, move back and forth.  Now you’ve got it!”  I was able to move naturally with him.  He must be a teacher.   After music ended, he brought me back to the seat.   “Wow!  he is like a prince!  Then am I a princess?”   What an old princess!  But the image in my mind was like this. lol

If I can always dance with a handsome man like him, I will learn a ballroom dance.   But I ‘d like to decline the dance with complete strangers.  It would make me sick to be my hand and back held.  ( In Japan, it’s not the custom to kiss and hug.  There is no physical contact even in family)  I think a ballroom dance itself is attractive though.  I reaffirmed a solo dance is the best for me.   After dancing, I went home right away.  But I guess I should have asked his school name…

That night I recommended my husband learning a ballroom dance after retirement.   He said “I don’t want to dance with an old woman.”   No problem!  You’ll be an old man by that time.

High School Sports Day

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In Japan, there is a school event called “Wundoukai” Sports Day once a year.   On that day, students’ family members go and see the results of their children’s effort and enjoy a picnic lunch together.  My daughter’s high school held it this month.  There were standard plays such as relay and running races, a tug-of-war, dance…

Relay race

Tug of war

There was a costume parade too.

“Ohendan” cheering squads attract people’s attention.  No mini-skirts and pompons, the all-male groups (there are exceptions, though) are disciplined.  Squad members wear team-color costume and compete on their performance to the beat of a Japanese drum.

If you want to watch the whole performance, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TS4SdH-lXk

All students sing their shool song at the end of a sports day.

I created YouTube account to upload these videos.  It was very easy.  I hope overseas readers will find them interesting.