“One for macho. Macho for all.” – Macho29 website. Whether you’re into “chubby angels” or senior citizen pop singers, Japan has a musical group for you. But what about if you’re into mostly naked men with bulging muscles? Well, you’re in luck. Composed entirely of finely sculpted muscular men (many of which have won bodybuilding competitions), Macho29 is a group …

The most delicious cover of “Smoke on the Water” ever. The humble Pocky is easily one of Japan’s most instantly recognizable and beloved snacks. And for good reason. Not only are these chocolate-coated biscuit sticks delicious, they’re fun to eat. However, did you know that aside from being a great snack, Pocky can also be used to play classic rock? …

Never underestimate the drunken fist. The Japanese pop idol group Yurumerumo! (You’ll Melt More!) has just released an action-packed music video inspired by one of the most famous series of kung fu movies of all time. This new music video is for Yurumerumo!’s latest single: “Nebagiba Suiken” (Never Give Up Drunken Fist). Inspired by the classic 1978 Jackie Chan kung …

The most appetizing rhymes you’ve ever heard. Carefully preparing food in a kitchen is not something you normally associate with the world of rap. However, it looks like the Japanese female hip hop idol group Lyrical School is hoping to change that because they have just released a music video that goes in-depth into the process of making delicious and …

Would you like some salsa with your bamboo? On Wednesday (Oct. 10) Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo released a video showing the zoo’s wildly popular panda cub Xiang Xiang and her mother chowing down like there’s no tomorrow. In the video, which was published to YouTube by Sankei News, the one-year-old panda cub and her mom can be seen energetically eating bamboo …

Time to eat some meat. The cat-eared idol group Wasuta (a.k.a. The World Standard) is back with an appetizing new music video for a love song that will make you want to stuff yourself full of yakiniku (Japan’s take on Korean barbecue). Set to release on October  31 as part of the group’s upcoming new mini-album, GIRLS,BE AMBITIOUS!, the new …

This one’s for the history books. Ishikawa Goemon is a semi-legendary Robin Hood-esque Japanese folk hero from the 16th century whose story continues to captivate and inspire people to this day. In fact, just Wednesday (Sept. 19) the history loving musician Rekishi released a music video for a new track named after this famous Japanese outlaw. Simply titled “Goemon,” the …

The beauty of acoustic anison. Harudori is a talented Japanese singer/songwriter/guitarist from Yamaguchi Prefecture. Born in 1984, Harudori took up playing the guitar while in junior high due to his love of the Japanese band Mr. Children and ever since then he’s been creating and performing music. That’s basically the kind of information that his official website will tell you. …

Unleash your dance killer technique. Among the many games that the Japanese game developer Konami has produced over the course of its long history, it’s possible to find an ample amount of music games. These include offerings like Dance Dance Revolution, Beatmania, and Para Para Paradise. However, it looks like Konami is looking to attract a whole new type of …

Choo choo. Thanks to its abundance of trains, Japan has no shortage of what have come to be known as densha otaku. These “train nerds” absolutely love trains and are always coming up with new and interesting ways to share this love with the rest of the world.  Take the case of a YouTube user going by the name of …

Quack quack yo! The Japanese hip hop group Sushiboys has come out with a music video featuring a song tailor-made for the next time you find yourself cruising around with your posse on one of those swan-shaped paddle boats often seen at parks. Released on August 13, the group’s latest video is for a track called “Ahiru Bōto” (literally “duck …

Who knew a cajon could be so metal? Given the way Japanese media seems to be overrun by pop idol groups, at times you can’t help but wonder if there’s any other kind of music in Japan. Perhaps something with a bit more edge to it? Something with more “power” to it. Thankfully, if you look beyond mainstream media, you’ll …