Billionaire Yusuke Maezawa has purchased a Stradivarius violin. His promise to send it around the globe has netizens humming, but not in a good way.
violin
Paralympic swimmer and nurse Manami Ito has more talent up her sleeve – a prosthetic violinist’s bow. A perfect fit to play heart-rending melodies!
They’d never met before, but when they rocked out together they made some incredible music.
Musical and visual tributes to anime including Your Name, Sailor Moon, often require her to cosplay as two different characters in the same video.
Coming to the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Theater Concert Hall on 2 November is the Ultraman Symphony Concert 2015. At this event music from the high-culture tokusatsu masterpieces of Ultraman and related shows will be performed by a full orchestra.
It’s sure to be a luminous evening of sci-fi splendor, but to mark the occasion a single Ultra Violin, the only official Ultraman violin in existence, will be sold to one lucky buyer.
Even if you don’t recognize the name Taro Hakase, you’ve probably heard his world-renowned violin music before. Ever flown All Nippon Airlines (ANA)? Then you’ve heard him. Ever been put on hold? You’ve heard him. Every played Final Fantasy, watched anime, or heard of Celine Dion or Ariana Grande? Yep, you’ve heard him.
But this time around it’s not one of Taro’s masterpieces, but instead one made by his eight-year-old son Mantaro, that’s getting people excited online.
The Super Mario Bros. theme song has got to be among the most covered melodies online. From guitars to ancient Chinese shengs, it’s hard for anyone to not want to knock out those opening notes: d-do do d-do DO do.
So with all the videos of people playing the song online, it’s hard to stand out. Hard unless you’re Teppei Okada (a.k.a. Teppei Sensei) of Fukuoka Prefecture. This guy not only does a subtly beautiful rendition of the classic platformer’s background music, but he recreates the sound effects of the game such as collecting coins and breaking blocks.
And Mario is only the tip of the video game iceberg for Teppei Sensei. His skills reach out to a variety of titles on generations of Nintendo consoles and beyond.
If you love classical music, and you love Australia, then the name Ayako Ishikawa, is a name you are familiar with. However, if you aren’t familiar with “Devils Ayako”, you’re missing out on an artist that has been given the honorary title of “The Best Performer in Australia“. Already a phenom on the classical music stage, she has recently been making a name for herself on the Internet. Since she began posting her videos to Niconico back in 2013, her popularity has blossomed into a real fan following and she is just hitting her stride now with a string of well-known songs in Japan. Today she takes you “To Zanarkand”…
Meet Machi Okabe, the gorgeous violinist whose music is just as beautiful as her face (or is it the other way around?). Her exceptional musical talents combined with her breathtaking beauty have been attracting a lot of attention from netizens around the world this week.
Watch the following videos to see for yourself what’s everyone’s been talking about!
There’s no shortage of brilliant musicians on the Internet putting their unique spins on popular songs or performing in unusual locations. From shamisen duos playing on moving vehicles to symphonic video game music, it seems like there couldn’t possibly be anything new for us to discover.
Emphasis on the “seems like,” because you are not going to believe what this Japanese violinist manages to pull off!










Japanese-style afternoon tea in this Japanese manor house outside downtown Tokyo is something special
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Move aside, convenience store egg sando – there’s a better version of the iconic sandwich in Japan
Haikyu fan event lets you step onto the court, see what it’s like to play with the anime athletes
Studio Ghibli croquettes not to eat, but to keep your stuff in, going on sale in Japan[Photos]
New Totoro carabiner pouches are ready to clip/tag along with you on all your adventures[Photos]
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Police in Japan warn of scam artists posing as cops to collect fines for breaking new bike rules
Pokémon hot spring footbath opening in Japan this spring
Oh shiitake! How to grow your own with Japan’s super-easy mushroom cultivation kit【Photos】
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Japanese bento shop sells croquettes for 13 cents, but are they any good?
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
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
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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
New Totoro carabiner pouches are ready to clip/tag along with you on all your adventures[Photos]
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Police in Japan warn of scam artists posing as cops to collect fines for breaking new bike rules
Pokémon hot spring footbath opening in Japan this spring
Oh shiitake! How to grow your own with Japan’s super-easy mushroom cultivation kit【Photos】
Here comes a new katsudon: ice cream katsudon?!?
What exactly is the treat known as a “kougnané” that’s sold outside Tokyo’s Yurakucho Station?
The most preposterous “adult” gacha capsule toys at Akihabara Station
In Kyoto, “Hey, you’ve got a really nice watch” is NOT a compliment, Japanese businessman says
Unusual vending machine in Akihabara sells drinks you won’t find anywhere else in Tokyo
This is Japan’s, and the world’s, first capsule hotel, and you can still stay there
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Lawson convenience stores selling drinkable mapo tofu, spicy meat and tofu