Nerdtour 2012 quickie: Ameyoko enka store

I’m a big fan of Japanese Enka music, which is an original Japanese style of music often called “Japanese blues”, because it was influenced by American blues, and because it’s usually about the same types of subjects that blues covers: Lost loves, old friends long gone, “the good old days”, drinking. Older enka songs tended to be accompanied by a few instruments, including traditional things like shamisen and flutes, but after the 70’s they became more “Las Vegas”-like. In some ways some of the songs remind me of country songs, at least for the songs of “lost love and drinking”!

"Rhythm", the enka store, in 2007
“Rhythm”, the enka store, in 2007

On my first trip to Japan in 2007, I learned about an enka store in the Ameyoko shopping district of Ueno, near Tokyo, called “Rhythm” (リズム). At the time I was pretty deficient in Japanese and only knew of one enka singer by name, but the shopkeeper was very helpful in finding a couple of CDs of the singer. I thanked them as best I could, and promised myself I’d come back. I didn’t get a chance to in 2010, but in 2012 I went back with my friend John, also an enka fan. This time I could communicate much better, and talked to both the owner, Kazuhiko Kobayashi and his wife, and was able to tell them things like where I was from, how much I liked certain singers, and to tell them in more detail what kind of enka I was interested in. They were very surprised to know that there were Americans who had even heard of enka, much less being fans of the music, and they happily let me and John get pictures made with them. Even better, they took pictures of John and me and posted them on their wall of photos.

The reason I know this, there is a cable channel called NHKWorld, which is an English-language re-broadcast of select NHK programs from Japan, and one episode of “Tokyo Eye” covered enka. The TV crew went to Rhythm and interviewed Kobayashi-san, who told them of how surprised he was that foreigners would come to his store. The cameraman happened to pan down the wall of photos, and I saw part of the photo of me and John. Needless to say, it was quite a feeling to see a picture of oneself, in a tiny store in Japan, broadcast literally all over the world.

At any rate, this is Kobayashi-san and his wife, with some ugly foreigner! My next trip, I will go back to visit them again!

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DC Sakura Matsuri 2013 – Matsuri!

Well, after walking and walking and walking, I made it to the end of the parade route, where I was able to finally cross Constitution Avenue to the side where the matsuri was taking place. Then it was another 4 block or so walk to get to the nearest entrance to the matsuri, where I stopped to rest for a few minutes. I decided to pace myself after looking in on the huge crowds of people milling about (or trying to!) inside the matsuri fence, because there would be no sitting inside! I managed to spend about 4 hours there, got to see some interesting booths, inflicted my Japanese on some poor folks, and basically had fun. I saw a very high-energy J-Pop band called “M’sh”, and watched some friends perform in a cosplay “fashion show”. After that was over I decided it was time to start the long walk back to my car in the Potomac Park, so I headed back to the Tidal Basin, taking a few more photos along the way. I did stop at the Jefferson Memorial to buy a soft drink and take another short rest, but since I was so close to the car I figured it would be better to keep going. Finally I got to my car at about 5 PM, after starting at 8:30, drove home, unloaded my SD card, and promptly went to sleep!

So, one week later I managed to upload some more photos here! As always, click to see the full-size photo!

Enjoy!

There were a few people at the matsuri...
There were a few people at the matsuri…
... just a few...
… just a few…
... thousand...
… thousand…
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And you thought DC *traffic* gridlock was bad...
And you thought DC *traffic* gridlock was bad…
Dancers performing a traditional Hokkaido fisherman's dance
Dancers performing a traditional Hokkaido fisherman’s dance
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DC Japan Model Railroad Club
DC Japan Model Railroad Club
Some cosplay friends at the NHKWorld booth
Some cosplay friends at the NHKWorld booth
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A couple of Cherry Blossom Queen candidates
A couple of Cherry Blossom Queen candidates
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I have a bag, it's a pink bag, others may have other bags, but this one is mine.  Any questions?
I have a bag, it’s a pink bag, others may have other bags, but this one is mine. Any questions?
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M'sh!
M’sh!
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Rock Guitarist Face #1
Rock Guitarist Face #1
Rock Guitarist face #2
Rock Guitarist face #2
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ValNika vlogs!
ValNika vlogs!
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Chillin' at the Tidal Basin...
Chillin’ at the Tidal Basin…
It was... a little crowded...
It was… a little crowded…
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Kenji Kawai concert: Ghost In The Shell Soundtrack

I don’t know how long this will stay up before the Copyright Commandos remove it, so watch while you can.
Continue reading “Kenji Kawai concert: Ghost In The Shell Soundtrack”

Music discovery: Mongol pop music!

So, pop music from Mongolia, that you can buy on iTunes, how 21st Century is that! (update, bonus video!)(another update, fixed video sizes)
Continue reading “Music discovery: Mongol pop music!”

An impossible mission…

I’m talking about how impossible it is to not like this collaboration between ‘The Piano Guys” and Lindsey Stirling, performing their own version of the “Mission Impossible” theme.
Continue reading “An impossible mission…”

Dance like you just don’t care…

At the DC Sakura Matsuri in 2011, I happened to catch this couple as they danced to the music of a band playing at one of the music bandstands in the plaza of the Reagan building. They had obviously been dancing together for quite a while, and they were having so much fun that I had to catch a few shots of them. I’m hoping the Matsuri this year goes well, and I really hope I can catch some good views of the cherry blossoms down at the Tidal Basin.

couple preparing to dance
“Shall we?” “Let’s!”
couple dancing
couple dancing

“Hazy Shade of Winter”

One of my favorite songs by Simon and Garfunkel, later performed in the 80’s by The Bangles for one of those “Brat Pack” movies, which I never saw (being too old to appreciate the subject matter).
Continue reading ““Hazy Shade of Winter””