JapanSugoi

Japanese celebrity magician Cyril Takayama is popular around the world thanks to his youtube videos and appearances on TV shows like MTV’s Room 401. Some of Cyril’s signature tricks include the hamburger in the menu trick, having his head fall off his shoulders, and the card in the window trick. His most dramatic trick was above a Las Vegas hotel, where he bungee jumps into the hotel pool with a sword and spears the chosen card of his co host from a deck floating in the water.  And yes, good klooks and magic tricks always impress the Japanese ladies.

Cyril Takayama Magic Tricks

moving objects through glass

Sexy Japanese race queen Mika Orihara 折原みか has continued being a popular TV talento with appearances on Japanese TV show Goro’s Bar, releasing a bikini video Love Potion (April 2007), her first Jpop single Eternal (Jan 2007) using the stage name Kaori Yamazaki 山崎かおり (but not to be confused with the AV actress of the same) and a new 2008 calendar. She is known in Japanese entertainment industry as the idol with great abs who enjoys cosplay.

Mike Orihara Videos

monomane special

Many western pop acts like Bon Jovi and Madonna have been coming to Japan for many years. Another global pop star that has always toured Japan is Mariah Carey who first visited in 1996 with her DayDream tour. She’s also been interviewed a few times on Japanese TV, mostly by Karube Shinichi 軽部真一, a reporter for Japan’s popular Mezamashi めざましテレビ ( morning breakfast) TV (Fuji TV). In her latest interview for the album E=MC2, Karube visits her large NY apartment full of awards, dogs, shoes, clothes and where she promises him to go an onsen (hot spring) with him next time she travels to Japan.

Maria Carey on Japanese TV

Interview on Japanese morning TV promoting Touch My Body

Did you know that the Japanese have dominated the world yo-yo championships over the last few years? Champions and top placed contestants include Shinji Saito, Yuki Tanami, Eiji Okuyama, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Daisuke Shimada, Takayasu Tanaka, Maya Nakamura, Takahiko Hasegawa, Tsubasa Oonishi, Makoto Numagami and performance artist Tomonari Ishiguro who also goes by the name”Black”

Black is similar to performance magician Cyril Takayama in that he has used his performances to become a celebrity on Japanese TV shows (and in the process also be very popular with Japanese women).

To see if Japanese yo-yo domination continues, we’ll have to wait for the results of the 2008 World Yo Yo Contest to be held in Orlando USA in early August.

Japanese Yo-Yo Champions Videos

Black on NTV’s Kuchikomi Johnny program doing tricks

“Hooping” is a term for hula hooping with larger and heavier hoops which rotate slower around your body which means everybody can hoop, regardless of age, size, or sense of rhythm. Hooping allows you to dance while hooping which is why the sport/exercise/dance (like yoga, belly dancing, lap dancing and pole dancing) has become popular in Japan. Instructors like Mario who is a licensed Hoopgirl instructor, have been featured on Japanese TV shows. If you can sway your hips like him, you’ll have no problem finding a Japanese girlfriend at a dance club.

You can find more info about hooping in Tokyo at Hooptokyo.com and the blog TokyoHoopstars , photos of hooping here.

Hooping in Japan videos

Hoop Store Tokyo Hooping Class on NTV’s Kuchikomi Johnny TV show

Part 1

Thinking about asking that cute Japanese girl or guy for a date? Wonder what dating in Japan is like? We haven’t got all the answers but we found a clip from Japanese TV on what a Japanese celebrity couple Anna Nose 能世あんな のせ あんな (actress and JJ magazine fashion model and older sister of model Karina Nose 香里奈 かりな ) and Yusuke Kamiji 上地雄輔 かみじ ゆうすけ(baseball loving actor) get up to on a date.

It seems dating in Japan is like anywhere else, impress the lady with your charm, wit, manners, dedication, sensitivity and plan a date she will never forget. In this case, Yusuke takes Anna to see a killer whale at Kamogawa Sea World, picks delicious strawberries for her and ends up trying to hit a home run for her at the baseball stadium. We think he scored big points.

Anna Nose and Yusuke Kamiji Dating Video

Part 1 Kamogawa Sea World

If you’re an Ultraman ウルトラマン, Otaku who loves playing golf and drinking wine (why not?), then why not drink a special Ultraman Merlot (from Japanese winery Lumiere) after hitting some super fast Ultraman golf balls at the driving range.

Last year Bandai sold a limited edition Ultraseven 40th Anniversary Wine Set, packaged with Italian Ultraseven glassware and the signature of Koji Moritsugu, better known as “Dan Moroboshi.” The wine set commemorated 40th anniversary of the series. The super cool golf balls were produced by Tsuburaya Productions 円谷プロダクション, , the maker of the Ultra series who license the Ultraman logo.

Ultraman Agul Video