On January 9, a ceremony was held at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to unveil the completed handprint and footprint of X JAPAN leader and musician “YOSHIKI.” It is highly unusual for a living artist to unveil such engravings.
View More Japanese Rock Star YOSHIKI Announced Auctions of Crystal Piano to Benefit Japan Earthquake Victims at the Handprints and Footprints Unveiling Ceremony
What do you do in Japan? Can you talk about your job in Japan?
I first came to Japan to do Karate! I was lucky to have a Japanese instructor at my university and he recommended that I train in Japan. I trained with 2 of the most famous masters and have a 3rd-degree black belt. I studied Japanese very hard and got a very good job working for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry promoting Japanese crafts and culture overseas as well as helping with press releases and media communications. I studied wine with the Japan Sommelier Association and the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and changed my career to working with wine. I now teach WSET courses at a famous wine school in Tokyo and am a Senior Wine Ambassador for Pernod-Ricard. I do training for staff, educate consumers and sommeliers, do wine-tasting events, and promote wine in general. My dream is to become a Master of Wine (Japan only has 1 MW at the moment).
View More I LIVE IN JAPAN / Nicholas Gardiner / Senior Wine Ambassador
The Life of a Man Devoted to the Future of Japan, and His Unfortunate Death Before He Saw the Meiji Era
View More JAPANESE SAMURAI / Shintaro Nakaoka
JapanUp! Attends Conference Unveiling New Star in Iconic Dodger Blue
View More Shohei Ohtani Officially Joins the Dodgers
Karaage (Japanese fried chicken) using soy meat chunks.
Very juicy, tasty yet delicious!
Perfect Holiday Gifts! & How to Tie FUROSHIKI
View More Holiday Gifts! / Japan’s Gift Giving Custom (How to Tie FUROSHIKI)
There are four major Ukiyo-e artists: Sharaku for kabuki actor portraits, Hiroshige for landscapes, Hokusai for the world, and Utamaro for paintings of beautiful women.
View More JAPANESE SAMURAI / Kitagawa Utamaro
What do you do in Japan? Can you talk about your job in Japan? I work as a winemaker for a premium winery called `Niki Hills Winery` in Hokkaido; Japan`s northernmost region. We make six wines: Kerner, Bacchus, Zweigeltrebe, Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Merlot.
View More I LIVE IN JAPAN / Mariko / Winemaker
YOSHIKI is a composer, pianist, rock drummer, and the leader of Japanese rock bands X JAPAN and THE LAST ROCKSTARS. Consequence calls YOSHIKI “one of the most influential musicians and composers in Japanese history,” and Billboard says he is “a musical innovator.”
In this interview, we asked him how he continues to take on challenges at a time when hope is hard to see.
View More YOSHIKI’s First Classical World Tour in 9 Years: What the Music He Has Created While Continually Facing Grief Shows Us