Specials
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Special
Sounds of Japan Vol. 3: Niigata’s Winning Combo of Idols, Enka and Music Festivals
Fast-food stories centered on wacky new menu offerings go viral every week, but last December one of these novelty creations originating from Japan stood out ...
February 17, 2016
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Japan’s Latest (Revival) Music Buzz, New City Pop
Like any other country on Earth full of young people seeking coolness and who boast a bit of expendable income, Japan loves trends. And, as ...
January 29, 2016
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2015 in Review: Japanese Music Looks Across its Borders
Just as with other years, 2015 had its ups and downs. But at MTV 81, we care most about the music. With 2013’s Japanese Vogue ...
January 20, 2016
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Sounds of Japan Vol. 2: Aomori’s Tsugaru-jamisen Unites Enka, J-pop and Rock
The Tsugaru Peninsula sits on the northern tip of Japan’s main island of Honshu in Aomori Prefecture, separated from Hokkaido by a stretch of ocean. ...
January 16, 2016
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Special
The MTV 81 Guide to a Merry Japanese Christmas
So you’ve made it to Japan for the winter holidays, congratulations! Now for the full J-winter experience, why not celebrate the Yuletide season like the ...
December 21, 2015
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Ryukougo Taisho 2015: Japan’s Most Vogue Words of the Year
How do you define a year’s worth of moments, and trends in flux? Japan has its own ingenious way of wrapping things up, and it’s ...
December 16, 2015
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Sounds of Japan Vol.1: Ainu and Pop Music in Hokkaido
The northern island of Hokkaido is arguably Japan’s premier winter destination. The coldest area in the country, the large landmass boasts the best ski locations ...
December 9, 2015
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What’s the Deal with Anisong?
Anime has become one of Japan’s biggest cultural exports, rivaled only by soft-power giants video games and sushi globally. Yet the cartoons themselves aren’t the ...
September 30, 2015
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Special
What’s the Deal With Enka?
Japan has cultivated an image of a country hurtling into the future, all robots and fancy cellphones and heated toilet seats. Yet the past remains ...
June 30, 2015
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Special
What’s the Deal With Idols?
Japan boasts plenty of unique cultural quirks – extreme politeness, high-school girls and even karaoke. But you can’t truly comprehend the country’s contemporary pop culture ...
March 31, 2015