arashi
One of Japan’s pop princes has started his own channel, but he’s heavily implying that he’ll borrow a little help from some of his famous friends.
Arashi, Hey! Say! JUMP, KAT-TUN, and former Smap member Kimutaku are just some of the members to appear in these videos.
The number-one multifaceted male pop group in Japan has inadvertently broken the hearts of millions.
Disney is getting its hands on all it can this year—you’ll even be able to catch a special performance by Star Wars characters and Arashi at annual singing contest Kohaku Uta Gassen this year.
Rumors are flying around the Japanese internet that facial recognition technology may be introduced at least partially at the Arashi concerts being held later this month.
With a large music market and some of the world’s highest prices for physical releases, Japan has been very slow in adapting to digital distribution. Rights holders are finally warming up to the idea, though, and it doesn’t look like it’s ruining the industry in Japan. What downloadable music does seem to be doing, though, is splitting the country’s pop music market into two distinct parts, as the lists of Japan’s top 20 single downloads and CD purchases for the year are almost completely different.
For many of Japan’s most successful music acts, there’s a huge gap between their popularity at home and abroad. Five-man vocal unit Arashi has been at the top of Japan’s boy band heap for years, and while they’ve picked up a few ardent devotees in the U.S., their fan base there is miniscule compared to their legions of followers in Japan.
This became even clearer than usual last week, when Arashi had a concert in Hawaii. The effective cost of a ticket bought in Japan for the event calculates out to some 100,000 yen (US$925), but in Hawaii, you could pick up a ticket for less than a fifth of that price.
Arashi is a common Japanese word meaning “storm” but utter it to any Japanese person and images of the top male idol unit in the country will likely cross their minds before those of cloudy skies and overflowing gutters. Not a day goes by without Arashi appearing on some television show, and every album they release is pretty much guaranteed to hit number one.
However, the thing is… we don’t understand why they are so successful. Not to take anything away from Arashi as performers – they’re good looking chaps who have a sound easier to digest than a cup of warm yogurt. We just don’t get why they stand above all of the other boy bands on the scene in Japan who seem to be and do exactly the same thing. So, we sent our reporter P.K. Sunjun to interview Arashi fans and get to the bottom of the group’s appeal.
Diehard fans of popular Japanese idol groups like Arashi, Hey! Say! Jump! and AKB48 may want to double-check that signed poster they bought online. Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Chiba prefectural police arrested three people last week for an elaborate idol merchandise scam. It seems that the scheming trio forged signatures of eight popular idol groups onto merchandise, put the fake goods on online auctions, then defrauded the winning bidder. Police believe that the three made about 3,700 of these items, which duped people out of 6,700,000 yen (US$67,000)!
MOST POPULAR
Now
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
Which Japanese beef bowl chain’s near-identical demon grater onioroshi ponzu gyudon is the best?
Poké Ball cakes here for limited but long time to celebrate Pokémon franchise’s 30th anniversary
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
Japan’s two-month Shut-in Pilgrimage – A 1,200-year-old way to deal with a modern issue
Nintendo and Lego team up for an awesomely accurate the Lego Game Boy kit【Photos】
Start saving room now – Japanese grocery store’s biggest sushi roll yet is coming for Setsubun
Gacha capsule machines now dispense perfumes in Japan
A first for Japan: feminine care kit geared towards the first period or sudden emergencies
Weekly
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Totoro cream puffs and Catbus cookies are finally available in downtown Tokyo
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
What’s inside Starbucks Japan’s fukubukuro lucky bag for 2026?
Monthly
- Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
- 10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】- Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches- Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】- Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home- Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Japan’s two-month Shut-in Pilgrimage – A 1,200-year-old way to deal with a modern issue
Nintendo and Lego team up for an awesomely accurate the Lego Game Boy kit【Photos】
Start saving room now – Japanese grocery store’s biggest sushi roll yet is coming for Setsubun
Gacha capsule machines now dispense perfumes in Japan
A first for Japan: feminine care kit geared towards the first period or sudden emergencies
Look stylish while working out on the daily with these crazy geta sandals
We try an unusual buffet of dishes made from wild game at a roadside stop in Chiba
New sanitary panties for crossdressing men come complete with sanitary pads!
Starbucks Japan releases the new Soupuccino, but is it everything it’s cracked up to be?
Awesome Pokémon osechi New Year’s meals elegantly blend Japan’s traditional and pop culture
New KitKat pizzas are coming to Pizza Hut Japan
Studio Ghibli’s kodama ready to leave the Princess Mononoke forest as a squeezable keychain【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan’s banana milk sparks controversy over deceptive packaging
-
