http://www.seekjapan.jp/on-japan Haunted by dark shadows, blackened soul, happy-go-lucky... GMT en-us http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1930/Tokyoland:+January+09 http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1930/Tokyoland:+January+09 Sat,27 Dec 2008 GMT THREE DIMENSIONAL PAINTING Last month, painter Joshua Galliano of the Inventreation Art Group / Movement / Revolution presented to Tokyo his first three-dimensional painting – The Most Beautiful Sunset Ever. As you can see, due to the nature of a perfect three-dimensional painting, it becomes impossible to view anything but the backs and frames of the canvasses. To remove one of the cubes canvases and take a peek is not an option. "By that action, the painting would cease to ... http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1929/Tokyo+Live,+January+2009 http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1929/Tokyo+Live,+January+2009 Sat,27 Dec 2008 GMT And so we come to the final Tokyo Live in its current incarnation. It's been a thrilling 6 months, full of joy (Tenniscoats), pain (Lenny Kravitz), mirth (The Watanabes) and experimentation (anything involving Cal Lyall). So, before we brace ourselves for this month's aural frenzy, allow me a few words. I've had great fun teasing The Watanabes in these pages, but the truth is they're a hard-working band giving it their best shot on a notoriously tough music scene. It takes some guts to do what ... http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1928/Nick+Vroman's+Silver+Screen:+Love+Exposure http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1928/Nick+Vroman's+Silver+Screen:+Love+Exposure Sat,27 Dec 2008 GMT Introducing his 4 hour opus at its world premier at Tokyo Filmex last November, director Sono Sion assured the audience it would, “be over in flash.” He was right. His new provocation, Love Exposure (Ai no Mukidashi) assuredly touched as many flashpoint bases as he could throw in and left the audience wanting more. Sion, whose roots and avant-garde poetry and experimental film blasted into the mainstream with his 2002 Suicide Club (Jisatsu Sakuru), has kept fans on edge ... http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1927/Pirates+of+the+Dotombori+ http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1927/Pirates+of+the+Dotombori+ Sat,27 Dec 2008 GMT Hey Mike! First off, introduce yourself and tell me what you’re up to in Japan. Born and raised in Minnesota, Mike Staffa is hardly the sea-faring vagabond you'd expect to find captaining a pirating vessel. A veteran of the international comedy scene, however, he is the perfect helmsman for an improv comedy troupe, and that's exactly what he's been doing for the last 3 years in the comedy basin of downtown Osaka. Founder and performer with the celebrated Pirates of the Dotombori ... http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1926/Hugs+and+Kisses+from+Britain+ http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1926/Hugs+and+Kisses+from+Britain+ Sat,27 Dec 2008 GMT What? Another bloody British pub? I sighed as I walked along Hirokoji Dori from Nagoya Station. I come to Japan, determined to immerse myself in all pleasures 'Wa', and I end up eating steak from Australia, watching movies from America and drinking Irish beer in British pubs. Well, I've done just about enough cultural backflips in my time here, time to put my rather largish Aussie foot down and say, "No! I'm off to sip shouchu and chow down on sushi like the ... http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1925/Out+&+About+Nagoya:+January+09 http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1925/Out+&+About+Nagoya:+January+09 Sat,27 Dec 2008 GMT Happy New Year, youse beautiful Nagoya peeps! We’ve hit double-oh-nine - I can hardly believe it. My brain has gone into live overdrive at the prospect of seeing some huge acts in the next few months – Beck! Oasis! Coldplay. I don’t think I can handle the deja vu rock nostalgia feelings I’m experiencing. I feel like I’m back in my high-school bedroom surrounded by posters of the Gallagher brothers (pulled from my Dolly magazines), having an ... http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1924/Nihon+Rockers:+Death+Sentence:+Panda!++ http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1924/Nihon+Rockers:+Death+Sentence:+Panda!++ Sat,27 Dec 2008 GMT "Don't be quiet, or be killed", was the warning written all over the show. Luckily, no one was at risk of death ... http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1923/In+it+for+the+Monet+ http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1923/In+it+for+the+Monet+ Sat,27 Dec 2008 GMT Japan loves modern art, just none of its own. In the past year, the Nagoya City Art Museum has staged exhibits by the likes of such European luminaries as Modigliani, Picasso and Klee, and now it’s everyone’s favorite fuzzy French landscape painter Claude Monet’s turn. Japan’s love affair with the godfather of impression was returned fervently by monsieur Claude himself; he amassed an impressive collection of Japanese ukiyoe prints by masters like Hokusai ... http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1922/Meet+the+Kansai+Team http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1922/Meet+the+Kansai+Team Sat,27 Dec 2008 GMT In lieu of our usual What's Poppin' column (apparently nothin's poppin' this January), we'd like to introduce you to 2 new reps currently helping Sam Zipursky to bring a well-informed Japanzine to your door. Ladies and gents, please give it up for Aiko Yoshida (Osaka) and John Harden (Kobe). Feel free to get in touch with them if you have anything you want to know about, or if you know something we don't.  Hey, Aiko! Tell us a bit about yourself and what you're doing in the Big ... http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1921/Kansai+Calling,+January+2009 http://www.seekjapan.jp/article/1921/Kansai+Calling,+January+2009 Sat,27 Dec 2008 GMT For most of us gaijin, the first week of January is about as exciting as watching paint dry in slo-mo. Sure, New Year’s Eve’s a blast; be it countdown parties, traditional nocturnal temple-hopping or just sitting around the old boob tube watching the ridiculous torture comedy on Downtown’s yearly epic Gaki no Tsukai special, there are ways to pass the time amicably enough. But then what? I mean, you have the days off, but with all the stores closed, how’s ...