Song of the Week Bo Peep Bo Peep by T-ara

This week’s number one single on the Japanese Jpop Oricon charts is Bo Peep Bo Peep by T-ara.

T-ara is a Korean girl group formed in 2009. There was huge buzz about this group before their debut with them called “super rookies”. The group had been in training for their debut for 3 years.

Bo Peep Bo Peep is T-ara’s debut Japanese single and was released on September 28. They continue the great debuts by Korean girl groups in recent years lead by Girls Generation and Kara.

Picture of the Week Suwako Nagano Japan

Suwako is the largest lake in Nagano Prefecture Japan and a popular tourist destination for travellers to Nagano. The region is famous for its abundance of onsen (hot springs) and natural surroundings.

Suwako is located in the center of Nagano and is a great place to rent a boat and cruise the beautiful waters.

Preparing Sushi Rolls

Hoso-maki (Slender Roll)

This is a basic method for rolling up sushi. Hoso-maki or Slender roll is one of the easier rolls to start with. Once you master this, try some larger or more complicated rolls.

Makes 6

Song of the Week Ai wo Tomenaide by Koda Kumi

This week’s Song of the Week is Ai wo Tomenaide by Koda Kumi which has debuted at number 6 on the Japanese Jpop Oricon chart.

Koda Kumi (倖田 來未) is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Kyoto known for her sexy image and urban and R&B songs. She has been called the Christina Aquilera of Japan.

Koda Kumi debuted in 2000 but didn’t gain fame until her 7th single “Real Emotion” which was used as the theme for the video game Final Fantasy X. She has had 8 number one singles. She is also seen as a fashion icon in Japan and has won many fashion awards. This current single is a change from her usual style and is a softer ballad.

Entertainment in Japan

There are many recreational activities in Japan but the following three would have to be the most popular.

Karaoke

Karaoke (カラオケ) was invented in Japan and is the most popular form of entertainment for young Japanese. Most cities in Japan will have some kind of Karaoke Bar or Karaoke Box. The bigger cities will have karaoke boxes that occupy several floors of a building. You and your friends can rent a room to yourself for an hourly rate that often also includes all you can drink, with refills ordered through a phone on the wall. The major chains all have a good selection of English language songs along with the classic Japanese pop songs and enka.

Picture of the Week Nio Guardians at Nandai-mon Todai-ji Nara

These two fierce looking guardian statues protect the main entrance to Todai-ji in Nara, which is the 13th century Nandai-mon. The statues were carved in 1203 by the sculptor Unkei, and are more than 8 meters tall. They are considered some of the finest wooden statues in all of Japan, if not the world. They are really impressive and look like they could spring to life at any moment.

Planning That Big Overseas Trip

Cheap flights have meant that more and more people are taking off and heading overseas.

Here is some great advice from the folks at Lonely Planet for planning that big trip.