From May 2008, this is either the best thing ever or your worst nightmare – Jpop super group SMAP performing with an ABBA cover band ABBA Gold (who are one of the most known ABBA-tribute bands in Europe)

The ultimate combination does a Special Medley (Mamma Mia; Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!; Dancing Queen).   Not for ABBA fans if you want to hear butchered lyrics but still fun to watch.

SMAP and ABBA Gold on Japanese TV show SMAPxSMAP

It’s all about musical creativity when you mash the Sex Machineguns (punk), Paul Gilbert (heavy metal Guitar god from Mr. Big) and squeaky clean Jpop duo Kinki Kids together on stage and see what music comes out!

Sex Machinguns & Paul Gilbert & Kinki Kids – Song Of MIKAN

Christmas is coming soon!  Here are some photos of the gals from Jpop group AKB48 エーケービー フォーティーエイト wishing you a very Merry Christmas! Photos from Visual Young Jump magazine – No.094 AKB48 Santa’s White X’mas 2010

AKB48 Yoyaku Shita Christmas music video 予約したクリスマス
http://www.dailymotion.com/videoxhnxjz

Yoyaku Shita Christmas 予約したクリスマス live
http://www.dailymotion.com/videoxg61dp

Talented Japanese R&B  singer  Satomi’ サトミ (who also under the names Satomi and Satton) is a 22 year old rising star in the R&B scene.  Satomi’ whose real name is Satomi Misumi 三隅 理美（みすみ さとみ） and who was born in Yamaguchi prefecture debuted at the age of 15 when she was chosen to perform live at the MIDEM festival, after beating many established names in Japan. This live performance was documented in a national newspaper and has been the center of attention of the Japanese media ever since.   Her first international single, released in the United Kingdom in 2005 was the song “Love Shouts” under the hiptones label as the label’s first featured artist.

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Popular Jpop singer Goto Maki appeared in last year’s TVCM for the PS3 game, “Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD Ver“.   The TV commercial also stars Japanese comedian Inoue Satoshi who is known as the number one hunter in the entertainment industry as he has put in over 7,000 hours into the series.

Goto herself is a big fan of “Monster Hunter” and has put in over 3,000 hours into the games.

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Finding the perfect match in Japan like anywhere else in the world can be tricky.  However, dating in Japan can be a little bit easier through GOKON 合コン  which is a popular popular way (almost a rite of passage) to meet new people.  Gokon is typically a group blind date over drinks and food for men and women  their 20s and 30s.

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If you’re a guy, you won’t mind watching these 3 Japanese beauties promoting a health tea aimed at Japanese women in their 20s.   Fashion models Jun Hasegawa 長谷川潤, Sayo Aizawa 相沢紗世 and former Jpop singer  Takako Uehara 上原多香子 promote Coca Cola’s Beauty Tea (Sokenbicha 爽健美茶 そうけんびちゃ) in these  TV commercials from 2007.

Beauty Tea TV Commercials

Love ラヴ are a cutesy and talented Jpop duo comprised of former Paradise Go!! Go!! パラダイスゴーゴー member Misaki Matsumoto and  Stephanie.  The group was formed in 2008 when the 20 year old  Osaka born Misaki met the 22 year old Tokyo born Stephanie through production agency LDH when they were given the roles of the two vocalists in a dance performance group called Real Force. When the plans Rea Force fell through, the duo formed Love.

The group’s songs have been popular through digital music downloads markets, with all lead tracks from their singles reaching the top 5 on the RIAJ Digital Track Chart.  Read more...

Wondered what Japanese pop music was like in the old old old days? Before there was SMAP there were these guys – an unknown group of traveling musicians.  Photo taken around 1900 by an unknown photographer for the Kilburn View Company.

Pretty Japanese singer,  gravure idol and actress Nao Nagasawa 長澤奈央 has that cute girl next door look that Azusa Yamamoto has.   The 27 year old Tokyo native who likes baking, calligraphy and golf started in showbiz in 2002 when she landed a role in Super Sentai series Sentai Hurricaneger (as Nanami Nono/Hurricane blue).

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