**quotation from Gilbert Rodman's thread was here**
Thank you Gil for putting me on the right track.
Now I try to explain 'why' I love them in order to ask Gil's and others'
favour to know a bit more about me.
My Five Fave were:
YES: FRAGILE
KING CRIMSON: LARKS' TANGUES IN ASPIC
a tribute to led zeppelin: ENCOMIUM
PAGE/PLANT: NO QUARTER
LED ZEPPELIN: symbols (4th album)
I guess the selection is heavyly influenced by my demographic background.
I was born in 1958, and have spent all my life so far living in Japan.
Here, it is typical for kids to start listening to 'foreign' music
somewhere in their junior highschool days (age13-15). In my case, my
parents bought me a casette-tape recorder/radio receiver for my birthday
of14, in 1972. It changed my access to music in general (and especially
that of other countries). Until then, I was a lover of music mainly
through TV programs where most of the music are of Japanese then, and my
parent disc shelf contained almost no non-Japanese popular music discs
except an EP of the Ventures' Pipeline and Pat Boon's Christmas song album.
I started listening to the radio, taped favourite music, and start learning
the guitar. As for the radio, FEN (the Far East Network of American Forces
Radio & Television Service, Tokyo) soon became my most important source of
my knowledge on music currents of US & UK then. At that time, I understood
almost no English (English was quite Greek or Chinese to me !), but I could
tell what's in & what's out through the multitude of playing rotation of
FEN. It was impossible for me of 14 to understand what Neil Young tells in
his song, but the striking sound of Hard Rock and sophistication of
Progressive Rock were quite inspiring. I could read no line of the
Stairway to Heaven, for example, when I first heard the song. I started
wondering what its lyrics mean only very later, and I should admit it still
is quite a maze or rebus for me what it really tells. Still I feel some
serious power of its sound.
In my case, my favour in teenage years has a strong staying power, and it
rules the types of music I love afterwards. Yes's Fragile was the very
first rock album I bought myself at a used record shop (I had no enough
money to buy a new one). The reason I didn't buy Zep's album very first
was simple. I've already taped most of my favourite tunes of them. As for
Yes, however, their songs are seldom played in full length on the radio.
I used to listen to Fragile and Close To The Edge albums over and over
while preparing for school exams, and later, while writing my thesis.
They, and especially Fragile, are still often played on my player. (I love
most of later Yes albums, too)
Yes at the time of Fragile was a kind of dream team, but I was especially
attracted by the voice of Jon Anderson and the unusual or magical drumming
of Bill Bruford. My interest in Bruford attracted some concern from one of
my friend at university somewhen around 1977. He was a committed
progressive rock mania, and he introduced me several albums where Bruford
played including some albums of UK & King Crimson. While in highschool,
when most of my 'foreign' music favour was dominated by Zep, Yes & Kiss, I
didn't feel attraction of King Crimson so much. Perhaps, Zep & Yes were
more catchy and easy to accept as a total sound, when compared to King
Crimson (of course so was Kiss). King Crimson was more speculating and
intelligent, and I became of proper age for that only after I became a
college student. The sequence of The Talking Drum/Larks' Tangues in
Aspic, Part Two, at the end of the album, especially shook me hard with its
tensed atmosphere, and encouraging or uprising powerof the sound. (Most
progressive rock fans in Japan would place King Crimson and Pink Ployd at
the top of their list. My preference to Yes is not common among 'real'
progressive rock fans. And probably, my choice of The Talking Drum/Larks'
Tangues in Aspic, Part Two may also be rejected by the most committed
enthusiasts in Japan.)
And now, close to the edge of my thirties, I have already become the age to
tint my favour in music with a dash of nostalgia, while I still young
enough to have interests in new sound from new artists. The Encomium was
something just come out in the right timing for me (thanks to the marketing
research !). A Japanese weekly journal SPA! recently had a feature story
upon the boom of rock music among middle-age males (and I'm one of them).
It may sound strange for non-Japanese to hear this, but in Japan, it is (at
least it has been) quite natural for a boy to be a rockmania while in
schools, and abandon all that rock after get employed. There is a Japanese
term Shakaijin, literally a man of society, which is an antonym to a
student. The term reflects some traditional idea that you can enjoy
anything while you are a student but it's not the case afterwards.
Perhaps, the mood is changing in a better direction. For me of 38, the
Encomium is a convenient CD where you can enjoy it with a dual sense of new
sound/old song. Sheryl Crow's D'yer Mak'er (well, she is a bit famous in
Japan), and Never the Bride's Going To California are gems. It would be
quite different if you ask the impression of this album to me of14, but as
I write my first Five Faves thread, the list is of current favourites.
As for Page/Plant's No Qurter, there was, and still is, heavy and bitter
debates going on among Japanese music critics/journalist or Zep enthusiasts
(They tour Japan pretty soon). Such debates are seen, for example, Honoo,
a Japanese quarterly for serious opinions on HR/HM, or Music Magazine, the
Japan's most established popular music critique monthly. On one side there
are the majority denying the value of the album for it being old men making
money by humiliating their own glory days, and for its ciltural imperialism
over arab/asian music. Those who support the project being experimental
are minority. And those who admit and justify their own nostalgia, like
myself, are quite rare. It seems most Zepmania in Japan share a kind of
elitism for they believe that they were those who had supported most
serious rock music. Most of them may think they are more serious people
than those who had been the fans of Deep Purple or of Kiss (and of course
of any other Japanese artists). And such elitism prevent them from openly
enjoying the art of Page/Plant. Page/Plant tour was sold out very quick,
but some of those who think they are the real Zep followers seem to have
felt difficulties in reserving their place on the arena for different
reasons. With the same reasons listed for the Encomium, and with my taste
for acoustic music rocking inspirit, I love the album. I love the CD, but
I didn't reserve the ticket.
Although, Najma Akhtar has a powerful and attractive voice, and I love her
British-Asian music, her beautiful and unique performance in The Battle Of
Evermore of No Quarter only makes me realize how great Sandy Lenny was.
Zep's 4th/symbols album is no doubt a masterpiece with tension and style.
The whole album was so tightly constructed that whenever I hear the
Stairway to Heaven on the Radio I'm deeply incurred by frustration for not
to hear the opening bars of Misty Mountain Hop. It is impossible for me to
conclude my Five Faves without Zep, but it is extremely hard to choose one
as the best or the most favourite. Maybe I should have name the Box Set.
As the lines above show, I also love Kiss for their simple and happy
rock'n'roll Americanism. MTV Unplugged appearence of Ace & Pete was a
prettey happy experience of nostalgia (here again, I use the term in good
sense). I also like surf music of 60's, maybe for some functional reason.
They seem to make me work more efficiently while I'm doing paper works (The
worst BGM for work is anything sung clearly in Japanese!!!!!! I can't
concentrate for the lyrics rush into my brain). When compared with the
music mentioned above, however, those music filled with Americanism seem
just a bit superficial. I don't know whether this is my unique personal
feelings, or something delives from general Japanese perception of
difference between UK & US rock tradition.
I wonder if the writings above would make sense to Gil or everybody here
around. It is quite difficult to answer 'why' for any answer may face
another 'why'.
I'm afraid this is not academic in some way, but it might be possible for
some people to read my biographical explanation of favourites
scholastically. I believe there are some points to start discussion over
cross cultural experience of rock music in my text.
The text may contain any mistake or improper usage of grammar and/or vocaburary.
Please be tolerant enough to forgive me, for I'm writing in a foreign language.
-------------------------
Harry (Harumichi) YAMADA
-------------------------
yamada@tku.ac.jp
-------------------------
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ?
ALL WRONGS REVERSED !
-------------------------
**quotation from Tony Dillof's thread was here**
Thank you, Tony.
Page/Plant played at the Budokan (Tokyo's most well-known hall of rock, and
of martial arts). As I mentioned before, I didn't go, but some of my friend
surely did. Yeasterday, on our campus, I was asked by an administrative
staff of my university 'what ticket (of PAGE/PLANT) have you got, sir ?'
Well, Zep-mania is more a phenomina of thirties/forties male culture in
Japan. Of course, there should also be younger fans, but those who can
afford to buy Box Sets are not young.
I would like to answer Tony's enquiry in two ways.
1)Japanese rock music tastes with Zep and other heavy metal bands of that sort
and
2)Beatles/Stones in Japanese youth culture
1)Japanese rock music tastes with Zep and other heavy metal bands of that sort
Unfortunately I haven't seen Spinal Tap (just heard about it), but it is
surely easy to find youngsters wearing HM T-shirts walking down Tokyo
streets (of course in summer). Most popular among those on T-shirts are
Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth etc. They are Heavy Metal fans.
I myself is an older Hard Rock fan (though I also love some of HM pieces).
The difference is quite vague, and ordinary disc shops sell discs under
category of HR/HM, but there are several general tendencies like HR for
thirties+/HM for teenager, HR more British taste/HM more American or more
placeless, HR diversity/HM stylized, and HR fans seldom wear Zep
T-shirts/HM fans should have a chest of gorgeous HM T-shirts !
Thus, I guess those at the Budokan last night should have been mostly
thirties+. And it surely have been a right place for a young guy (if not
of thirties) to date with his (probably younger). It's not the case for HM
bands I believe.
What is interesting is that HM fans are almost only visible group of music
fans. It used to be (and to some extent, it still is) quite easy to tell
HM mania by their fashion. It's not the case with HR fans, or any other
music genres.
Precisely speaking, what used to be a fashion among HM mania in Japan in
1980's are now developping into another unique style of fashion among
Japanese youth (including non-HM fans). If you saw a boy with
gold/yellowishly dyed long hair and in loose wardrobe on a Tokyo street in
1985, he should have been a HM mania. Besides UK/US HM bands, X Japan
(then an X) might have been his favourite. If you have any chance to see a
Japanese/American film 'Tokyo Pop', it depicts those boys daily life
vividly.
Nowadays, hair-dying, metal wrist band, accessory pierce are more common
and the only banner for HM fans left are their T-shirts.
Remember, even among thirties, a selebrated few still have longer hair
(though getting bald fast) and have T-shirts collection, interestingly
those HM old boys are mostly chubby ! and they seldom dye their hair.
If you were born here in Japan in late1950's or 1960's, and were first
baptised by HR, then A: lead a normal looking life after graduation but
keep on listening to HR and buy PAGE/PLANT ticket, or B: follow the rock
current from HR to HM era with your long hair gradually lost, your weight
getting on, and maybe organize a HM fanzine organizing younger ones with
their hair dyed.
If you saw the MTV Unplugged of Kiss reunion, Peter looked more like type
A, while Ace looked more
like type B. Myself? I'm probably a quarter to B.
And If you were born here in 1970's, and were baptised by HM, you can't
tell the difference between HR & HM, you can have limited chance of HR/HM
type music on the radio, there hardly are general fashion in taste of
music. What is there is diversed pitholes for the people of maniac
interests (like the internet??? I hope not).
And anywise, you buy a HM T-shirt, and probably dye your black hair into gold.
2)Beatles/Stones in Japanese youth culture
Are they not big ? Mmmmm.... they should be too big to scale whether they
are big.
What is common with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones is their generation.
When the Zep is of thirties, B/RS are of forties+???
As for the Beatles, they are already too familiar in Japanese daily life.
I should say, it's quite exceptional. Their music is on Japanese school
textbook (while other foreign popular music is absent). The Beatles
generation here are parent already of teenagers+. Every KARAOKE may have a
dozens of collection of the Beatles.
If you ask a Japanese student their favourites, and he/she answer the
Beatles, it means A) he/she don't know much about non-Japanese music, or
B) their parents have some influence upon his/her taste, or C) he/she is
trying to be a teacher's pet.
The Beatles is overwhelming here as any other place in the world with
little exception like North Korea. In my history of Popular Music lecture
(due to start this April) I can't avoid them. I would say, however, their
music is CLASSIC in every meaning of the term, and I hesitate to name their
name on my five faves list.
As for the Stones, it is more complicated. They are living legend, but I
think their popularity here is relatively definitive. There are several
reasons why the Stones are not as popular as the Beatles, for example,
especially in 1970s, lyrics of the Stones were seldom printed in Japanese
media for copyright matters. Those bought discs of forein=UK/US music in
1970s were, and for some extent those buy them now are, in need of printed
lyrics, for it is impossible for most of them to understand, at least
superficially, what the song say. Publication of Song Books were commonly
done to help people sing along, and the Stones had no channel to this kind
of demand at that time. In addition, Stones' tour had never actuallized in
their hay days.
It would be again interesting that young Japanese seldom name the Stones as
their Faves. If there is a young guy/girl who would listen to the
golden-days (or the darkest-days) Stones, he/she would think it being more
chic to name, say, the Velvet Underground. For such latecomers, present
popularity of the band and the current presence of the band are both
something negative. In addition only few would love the Stones only because
of their music they play in the 1990's (at leaset in Japan, I should say).
In addition to the above discussion, I would like to ask a qustion.
In Japan it is widely believed that mega-sales is achieved only when the
market that do not buy that commodity often buy a particular commodity.
That means, majority of those bought Mariah Carey's Christmas album (in
Japan) are not regular buyers of (non-Japanese) records.
Do you agree ?
If you agree, the long-term gigantic sales of the Beatles in Japan might be
easily understood.
-------------------------
Harry (Harumichi) YAMADA
-------------------------
yamada@tku.ac.jp
-------------------------
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ?
ALL WRONGS REVERSED !
-------------------------
**quotation from Digest Dan Gormley's thread was here**
Thank you, Dan (or "Gorms" should I call you ?)
for your interest in Japanese music which is still a terra incognitae for
the most of Rocklist readers.
First, honestly, I know LOUDNESS, and have heard them often in mid-1980s on
the radio, but have no CD at hand. So, after I received your message, I
sent inquiry upon LOUDNESS to some of my friends who might have more
information.
By now, Charao, who operates his own Web-pages on HM info (unfortunately in
Japanese only) at
http://www.bekkoame.or.jp/~charao/
told me the following information (quoted through my translation/[ ]my
additions)
--------------------------------
Charao>
LOUDNESS ! Cool !
They went to America only to fail unfortunately. They changed their
[Japanese] vocalist Araihara to Mike Vescera (presently Yngwie's) [to
survive in US market], but came home to Japan after publishing two albums.
Mike left the band soon after, replaced by Masaki Yamada, formerly Flat
Backer->EZO.
They went on touring domestically around Japan in constant manner, but
Yamashita the original bass player and Higuchi the drummer quitted the
band.
Well, who is their present bassist ?
Shibata, formerly Anthem ? May be not ?
Drummer is Taro, formerly Flat Backer->EZO.
However, the band leader Takasaki [guitarist] recently got freaky with
India, and the melody-line of their music have changed quite a bit, that
made older LOUDNESS fans disappointed and left consequently. That's very
sad.
I feel Yamada's vocal somewhat lacking in power....
Meanwhile, Araihara and Higuchi with Shara the guitarist from Earthshaker
(and possibly with Shibata the bassist) formed a new band called SLY, which
plays something quite close to Royal Road of Heavy Metal [authentic HM].
They are nostalgiacally said to be 'the All-Japanese HM Team'.....
[Besides LOUDNESS] those bands like EZO, UNITED, OUTRAGE have challenged
the US market.
I don't know what have happened to them [in US], but results seem negative.
I'm sorry for not studying well.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks a lot, Charao.
CD International, Summer 1995 (the newest one at hand) lists 24 LOUDNESS
albums (including compilations, box sets, different versions of their
original albums) all still available in Japan, and 4 of them are still
available in US Market. Namely, HURRICANE EYES, LIGHTNING STRIKES, ON THE
PROWL, and SOLDIER OF FORTUNE.
SLY(Japan) have one album SLY, not available outside Japan.
Likewise, the following is the list of those band mentioned above with the
number of albums available in Japan/ in US/ and the titles of albums
available in US market.
EARTHSHAKER 19/0/they were one of the most well-known HM band, but never
tried US market
EZO 2(+2 under the name of FLAT BACKER)/1/E.Z.O.
OUTRAGE 5/0/they have SPIT in UK market, and BLIND TO REALITY and FINAL DAY
in German market
UNITED 1/0
and honourally mentioned my favourite
VOW WOW 9/0/their album V. is in UK & German market
The list shows how much effort LOUDNESS paid in their challenge, and how
difficult to evaluate the reward they received.
I wonder who is the Japanese popular music artist(s) who mainly based in
Japan and selling most album titles in US market.
It could be Sadao Watanabe, a Jazz Saxophon player, with 19 titles
currently available.
And among Rock musicians, it could be the Yellow Magic Orchestra (the
techno-pop evangelists of early 1980's who made Ryuichi Sakamoto,
keyboards/composer, famous) with 10 titles available mostly from RESTLESS
label. (Sakamoto himself have 6 titles in US market)
If my meories are correct, there are two Japanese srtist(s) who were listed
Billboard Top 40: the only Japanese chart-topper Kyu Sakamoto with
SUKIYAKI(originally known as UE WO MUITE ARUKOU), and Pink Lady a cute pop
entertainig girls pair achieved mega-sales in Japan in 1970s with KISS IN
THE DARK. No title is available for them now in US market.
4 titles still in US market....? Not a disaster, at least.
I'm afraid all what I write is only a trashboxful of trivia for you, Dan.
If you are happy reading this thread, please put some comments on it.
-------------------------
Harry (Harumichi) YAMADA
-------------------------
yamada@tku.ac.jp
-------------------------
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ?
ALL WRONGS REVERSED !
-------------------------
**this thread includes some kanji characters, which may not be read by some browsers**
As one of few (possibly the only) person on HONYAKU who have majored in
Geography, I would like to try to answer Robin's and Uwe's questions.
**this thread includes some kanji characters, which may not be read by some browsers**
**quotation from Alan Gleason's thread was here**
The term 'doushuu-sei' vaguely refers to several reform proposals where the
whole nation would be divided into several 'blocs', and the central
national government would transfer its present administrative power to
those 'bloc' governments. Those 'blocs' consist of several prefectures.
The idea does not necessarily mean abolition of prefectures. Such idea is
often argued in the context of alternative (more decentralized, federation
oriented) national administration system.
**quotation from Charles McClure's thread was here**
I advise you to try "goo", the most powerful 'webcrawler'-like search engine in Japanese.
CAMP Project(service in Japanese)
TKU Home Page(service in Japanese)
The term "toshin"(都心: <'to' of 'toshi'=city, kanji of 'miyako'> + <'shin'
of 'shinzo'=heart, kanji of 'kokoro'>) in Japanese may be used in several
ways including the followings.
(1) The central business district (often abbriviated as CBD) of urbanized
area in general.
CBD is often translated as 'chuuou gyoumu chiku'(中央業務地区) as a precisel
y looking expression, but it is more common to put 'toshin' or 'toshin
bu'(都心部: 'bu' of 'bubun'=part).
It is important to remember that this usage can be applied to any city
other than Tokyo.
It is also crucial that this usage has relatively professional sound, and
ordinary Japanese may feel strange to the idea like 'Nagoya no toshin' (名古
屋の都心), for Nagoya is not the Miyako or Capital city.
For geographers, civil engineers etc, however, 'Nagoya no toshin' is a
quite natural expression.
In addition, 'London no toshin' or 'New York no toshin' sounds more
acceptable, for those cities are more suitable to be treated as a Capital
city.
(2) The CBD of Tokyo, in particular. And for this meaning, there are
several variety in their extension.
(a) Such locations like Ohtemach(大手町), Kasumigaseki(霞ヶ関), Hibiya(日比
谷), Nagatacho(永田町), where government buildings, head offices of big busi
nesses, etc. occupy the whole area, are traditionally seen as 'tishin'. It
is also possible to add shopping districts like Ginza(銀座) in addition.
If you have a Tokyo map, draw a triangle putting the Tokyo station(東京駅),
the Shimbashi station(新橋駅), and the Diet building(国会議事堂) on its poin
ts, then you get a rough idea of the extension of 'toshin' in this sense.
It should be remembered in relation to 'fukutoshin' that the main office of
Tokyo Metropolitan Government used to be located in this district.
(b) For professional statistical analuses, etc. 'toshin' or more precisely
'toshin sanku'(都心三区), often appears as a total extension of chiyoda-ku(
千代田区), Chuuou-ku(中央区), and Minato-ku(港区). This extension includes
all the area of 'toshin' in the sense of (a).
(c) In daily conversation, 'toshin' is more loosely used in reference to
urbanized area, or simply, downtown. For example, if someone says "toshin
no manshon nanka sume nai yo", it simply means it is impossible to afford a
flat in central Tokyo. He/she might be referring to anywhere within(or
close to) the ring of the Yamanote-line, or possibly, anywhere in whole 23
'ku' area.
Well, then, the 'fukutoshin' came. THE fukutoshin is the Shinjuku
fukutoshin, where several skyscrapers stand including the Tokyo Met. Govm't
Office. The site used to be of a waterworks. Development plan of the site
strated from 1960s, and it included the removal of Tokyo Met. G.O. from its
site in traditional 'toshin'.
Thus, the Tokyo Mat. Govm't called the development plan as 'Shinjuku
fukutoshin kauhatsu keikaku'(新宿副都心開発計画), for it was impossible for
the TMG people to think that they are going out of the
After this Shinjuku project, several projects bore the titles of
'fukutoshin' or 'shintoshin'(新都心: 'shin' kanji of 'atarasii'=new), and '
rinkai fukutoshin' is one of those projects.
Thus, 'fukutoshin' means,
(1) most likely the Shinjuku (especially west) area.
(Uwe refers to the higashiguchi(東口: east), but the development took place
on the opposite side. 'Fukutoshin' should be either the west side, or
whole Shinjuku.)
(2) several other subcentres of Tokyo, especially in contexts of
(re)development planning.
and
(3)acceptable to use in general meaning as sub-centres in similar context
as 'toshin' (1).
For example, "yokohama no fukutoshin to shite no Shin-Yokohama chiku".
**quotation from Tony Atkinson's thread was here**
As Tony wrote there are several subcentres, but they are referred as
'fukutoshin' mostly(if not only) in planning contexts. It is more natural
to refer to these places (except the Waterfront) as 'sakariba',
'taaminaru(terminal)', etc., or parts of 'toshin' (2-c).
I hope you grasp some ideas from this thread.
Any more question will be welcome.
**technical message was here**
----------------------------------------------
Harumichi YAMADA, DSc
----------------------------------------------
Department of Communication Studies
Tokyo Keizai University
1-7-34 Minamicho, Kokubunji, 185 JAPAN
----------------------------------------------
e-mail: yamada@tku.ac.jp
----------------------------------------------
telephone/faximile: +81-423-28-7923
----------------------------------------------
[POSTED TO HONYAKU: 96.3.23]Re: Political/Economic buzzwords [A: partly]
**Alan's question was upon 'doushuu-sei'**
Historically, in traditional Japanese administration systems, Do道(kanji of
'michi') was seen as a large-scale province which include several kuni國, wh
ich are almost as same scale as present prefectures, especially along
historical trading route, as in Tokaido東海道(Eastern Route by the Sea).
In 10th century, for an archaic example, Japan (except Hokkaido and
Okinawa) was divided into 8 provinces, that is, Kinai 畿内('home counties')
and 7 Do; Tokaido東海道, Tosando東山道, Hokurikudo北陸道, San'indo山陰道, Sa
n'youdo山陽道, Saikaido西海道, and Nankaido南海道. You would notice some na
mes still survive today, though their contents might have changed.
Back to the present time, most 'doshuusei' proposal count 7-9 'blocs'.
This corresponds well with the most commonly referred geographical division
'chihou'地方', that is, Hokkaido北海道, Tohoku東北, Kanto関東, chuubu中部, K
inki近畿 (remember, Kinki means vicinity of 'Home counties'), Chuugoku中国,
Shikoku四国, and Kyushu九州 chihou's which count 8 in number.
Additionally, Shu州 traditionally meant almost the same as kuni國. You woul
d have called present Nagano prefecture either as Shinano-no-kuni信濃の國 or
as Shinshu信州. From 19th century, however, the term Shu was also used to t
ranslate 'States' of USA. This gave the term a new connotation that Shu is
something more independent and autonomical than Ken etc. Thus, the
combination of 'doushuu-sei' suggests imagery of new administrative systems
in which newly established large-scale provincial governments of more
independent authority play key roles.
I hope this helps.
----------------------------------------------
Harumichi YAMADA, DSc
----------------------------------------------
Department of Communication Studies
Tokyo Keizai University
1-7-34 Minamicho, Kokubunji, 185 JAPAN
----------------------------------------------
e-mail: yamada@tku.ac.jp
----------------------------------------------
telephone/faximile: +81-423-28-7923
----------------------------------------------
[POSTED TO Rocklist: 97.6.18] Re: Japanese info
**Charles's question was upon how to get information about Japan and things Japanese in English language**
URL of "goo" is :
http://www.goo.ne.jp/index.html
The top page is written in Japanese, but you don't have to worry anything. Just put some English keywords in to the blank below the adverts banner, and hit the red oval shape button, which 4 chinese characters are on, at the end of the next line.
When the result page arrives, check the number seen on the next line of the red button first. It tells the total number of pages where those keywords are found. At the end of each page, you will fing blue arrows. If you hit the rightward arrow, you will get the next page of the continued result.
For example, if you put 'english japan music radio', you will find some1300 pages.
If you put 'english japan music radio reggae', the result would be some 100.
Convination of 'english japan music radio reggae marley' will be some 20.
Hope this helps.
Harumichi YAMADA, DSc
http://camp.ff.tku.ac.jp/YAMADA-KEN/
yamada@tku.ac.jp
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