Para Para
or Para-Para is a synchronized dance that originated in Japan. Unlike most types of club and rave dancing, Para Para features specific synchronized movements for each song, much like line dancing. Para Para has been around since the early 1980s, when European countries started selling Italo disco and Eurodisco and, in the mid-to late 1970s, new wave and synthpop music in Japan. However, the dance did not achieve much popularity outside Japan until the late 1990s. Para Para is strongly associated with Eurobeat. Eurobeat artist Dave Rodgers has described Para Para as the only way to dance to Eurobeat, which is usually "so fast." Description Para Para dancing consists of mostly upper body movements in synchronization with a four-on-the-floor rhythm. Dancing involves choreographed motions with the arms and hands while stepping to the right and left, similar to the movements of traditional festival dances such as ''Bon Odori'' and cheering squads called '' Ōendan''. Para ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Culture Of Japan
Japanese culture has changed greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric Jōmon period, to its contemporary modern culture, which absorbs influences from Asia and other regions of the world. Since the Jomon period, ancestral groups like the Yayoi and Kofun, who arrived to Japan from Korea and China, respectively, have shaped Japanese culture. Rice cultivation and centralized leadership were introduced by these groups, shaping Japanese culture. Chinese dynasties, particularly the Tang dynasty, have influenced Japanese culture throughout history and brought it into the Sinosphere. After 220 years of isolation, the Meiji era opened Japan to Western influences, enriching and diversifying Japanese culture. Popular culture shows how much contemporary Japanese culture influences the world. Identity There are two competing hypotheses that try to explain the lineage of the Japanese people. The first hypothesis proposes a dual-structure model, in which Japanese po ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Techno
Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often characterized by a repetitive four on the floor beat. Artists may use electronic instruments such as drum machines, sequencers, and synthesizers, as well as digital audio workstations. Drum machines from the 1980s such as Roland's Roland TR-808 and Roland TR-909 are highly prized, and software emulations of such retro instruments are popular in this style. Much of the instrumentation in techno is used to emphasize the role of rhythm over other musical aspects. Vocals and melodies are uncommon. The use of sound synthesis in developing distinctive timbres tends to feature more prominently. Typical harmonic practices found in other forms of music are often ignored in favor of repetitive sequences of notes. More generally the creatio ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
JVCKenwood Victor Entertainment
is a subsidiary of JVCKenwood that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It is known as JVC Entertainment in countries where Sony Music Entertainment operates the RCA Records, RCA Victor label. History *April 1972: is spun off as a subsidiary of JVC. *September 30, 1982: JVC Musical Industries, Inc. is founded in the U.S. *February 1984: The sales and marketing department of JVC is spun off as . *January 1990: JVC Musical Industries announces its first video game release will be ''Boulder Dash (video game), Boulder Dash''. *October 30, 1991: JVC Musical Industries Europe, Ltd. is founded. *April 1993: Nihon AVC and Victor Musical Industries merge and the name is changed to . *October 1, 1996: Victor Interactive Software takes over video game-related activities after Pack-In-Video is merged with Victor Entertainment. *May 1, 1997: JVC Musical Industries is renamed to JVC Music, Inc. *May 14, 1997: J ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Gyaru
(, ) is a Japanese street fashion, Japanese fashion subculture for young women, often associated with gaudy fashion styles and dyed hair. The term is a Japanese transliteration of the English slang word . In Japan, it is used to refer to young women who are cheerful, sociable, and adopt trendy fashions, serving as a stereotype of culture as well as fashion. The fashion subculture was considered to be nonconformist and rebelling against Japanese social and aesthetic standards during a time when women were expected to be housewives and fit Asian beauty standards of pale skin and dark hair. Early in its rise, subculture was considered racy, and associated with juvenile delinquency and frivolousness among teenage girls. The term is also associated with dance culture and Clubbing (subculture), clubbing. Its popularity peaked in the 1990s and early 2000s. A popular subculture specific to the Heisei era (1989–2019) is "kogal () culture" or "kogal fashion,” and has been commer ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Alessandra Mirka Gatti
Alessandra Mirka Gatti or Alessandra Gatti born 19 November 1969 in Mantua, Italy, is an Italian Eurobeat singer who is popularly known by her stage name of Domino. Career Alessandra Mirka Gatti first got a name in Italo disco when she met Giancarlo Pasquini in the mid-1980s. After recording various tracks as a back vocalist, she recorded her first song under her most recognized alias, Domino, in 1989. She then helped found A-Beat C with Giacarlo Pasquini and Alberto Contini, in 1990, but left in 2006 to embark on her most recent project with executive producer, Sandro Oliva, Go Go's Music (Which had its first appearance on Super Eurobeat 175, and officially added to the label roster on Super Eurobeat 177.) She has sung under these aliases with A-Beat C, not limited to the following: *Domino *Mirka *Juliet *Groove Twins *King & Queen *Salt & Pepper *Paula Roberts *Sheela *Lucrezia B. *Donna Luna *Bella Model Today she sings exclusively under the alias Domino, and as a member ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Maurizio De Jorio
Maurizio De Jorio (born September 24, 1968) is an Italian music producer and singer, born in Trento, Italy. He became involved in mainstream musical production in the mid-1980s. Like most musicians in the Eurobeat genre, De Jorio has performed under a number of pseudonyms for various labels (including Delta, and SinclaireStyle). He is most well known for being one part of the Eurodance group Max Coveri, alongside Edoardo Arlenghi, Mauro Farina, Corrado Baretta, Bratt Sinclaire, and Pamela Prandoni, producing hit tracks such as "Running in the 90s" and " Night of Fire". Both are featured in the anime '' Initial D'' – of which both appearances (among other songs featured in the anime) has garnered incredible popularity for De Jorio and the Eurobeat genre in general. Some of the other songs used in ''Initial D'' are: "Speedy Speed Boy", "Stop Your Self Control" (as 'Marko Polo'), "Golden Age", "Running in the 90s" (as 'Max Coveri'), "Take Me to the Top", (as 'D. Essex') and "No On ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
SMAP×SMAP
''SMAP×SMAP'', often referred to simply as ''Sma-Sma'', was a Japanese television variety show hosted by boy band SMAP. Debuting on April 15, 1996, it was produced by Kansai TV and Fuji TV and aired on Fuji TV every Monday from 10:00 p.m. to 10:54 p.m. ( JST) until it ended on December 26, 2016. Since its premiere, the show has been critically acclaimed for its originality and unique, distinct format and has become an iconic television show in Japan. It quickly became the most watched television program, attracting an average of 20 million viewers per episode, often ranking at #1 in year-end ratings. It has become the show that features the widest range of guests in Japanese television history, including actors, singers, models, athletes, filmmakers, and politicians, both Japanese and from abroad. It is the eighth longest-running prime-time television program in Japan and the second longest-running prime-time television program on Fuji Television. History From April ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Takuya Kimura
is a Japanese actor, singer, and radio personality. He is regarded as a Japanese icon after achieving success as an actor. He was also a popular member of SMAP, one of the best-selling boy bands in Asia. In the media, he is known as a huge heartthrob in Japan, and a sex symbol, having been voted Japan's sexiest man for 15 years in a row by readers of one magazine. A 1996 television drama series, ''Long Vacation'', in which he landed his first lead role, became a massive success, creating a phrase called the "Lon-bake phenomenon". He was given the title, "The King of Ratings", as his subsequent television series continued to generate high ratings and each show became a social phenomenon as it aired. Five of his most successful television series, ''Hero (2001 TV series), Hero'' (2001), ''Beautiful Life (Japanese TV series), Beautiful Life'' (2000), ''Love Generation (TV series), Love Generation'' (1997), ''Good Luck!!'' (2003), and ''Long Vacation'' (1996) are ranked in the top t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Super Eurobeat
is a CD compilation series of Eurobeat music in Japan. The series itself is one of the longest-running music compilations. It has been running for over thirty years and the current list consists of 250 volumes (not counting the many "''Super Eurobeat presents''" albums). Originally, Time Records, Flea Records and Discomagic were some of the record labels that appeared on the original ''Super Eurobeat'' albums. After eight non-stop albums, the series was changed over to Avex Trax. The final volume originally was considered to be ''Super Eurobeat Vol.250'' but in an interview with SEB Adviser and resident DJ, DJ BOSS (Y&Co. Ltd.) it was confirmed that ''Super Eurobeat'' would definitely be continuing, but as a yearly release only, starting with ''The Best of Super Eurobeat 2019''. Accolades See also * Initial D * Dave Rodgers References External links * by Avex Group Avex Inc. ( kabushiki gaisha , commonly known as Avex and stylized as avex) is a Japanese Conglomerat ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Japanese Asset Price Bubble
The was an economic bubble in Japan from 1986 to 1991 in which real estate and stock market prices were greatly inflated. In early 1992, this price bubble burst and the country's economy stagnated. The bubble was characterized by rapid acceleration of asset prices and overheated economic activity, as well as an uncontrolled money supply and credit expansion.Kunio Okina, Masaaki Shirakawa, and Shigenori Shiratsuka (February 2001):The Asset Price Bubble and Monetary Policy: Japan's Experience in the Late 1980s and the Lessons More specifically, over-confidence and speculation regarding asset and stock prices were closely associated with excessive monetary easing policy at the time.Edgardo Demaestri, Pietro Masci (2003): Financial Crises in Japan and Latin America, Inter-American Development Bank Through the creation of economic policies that cultivated the marketability of assets, eased the access to credit, and encouraged speculation, the Japanese government started a prolon ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Harajuku
is a district in Shibuya, Tokyo. Harajuku is the common name given to a geographic area spreading from Harajuku Station to Omotesandō, Tokyo, Omotesando, corresponding on official maps of Shibuya, Tokyo, Shibuya ward as Jingūmae 1 Japanese addressing system, chōme to 4 Japanese addressing system, chōme. In popular reference, Harajuku also encompasses many smaller backstreets such as Takeshita Street and Cat Street, Tokyo, Cat Street spreading from Sendagaya in the north to Shibuya in the south. Harajuku is known internationally as a center of Japanese youth culture and fashion. Shopping and dining options include many small, youth-oriented, independent boutiques and cafés, but the neighborhood also attracts many larger international chain stores with high-end luxury merchandisers extensively represented along Omotesando. Harajuku Station on the East Japan Railway Company, East Japan Railway (JR East) Yamanote Line and Meiji-jingumae Station, Meiji-jingumae 'Harajuku' Stat ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
|
Yoyogi Park
is a park in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It is located adjacent to Harajuku Station and Meiji Shrine in Yoyogikamizonochō. The park is a popular Tokyo destination, especially on Sundays when it is used as a gathering place for Japanese rock music fans, jugglers, comedians, martial arts clubs, cosplayers and other subculture and hobby groups. In spring, thousands of people visit the park to enjoy the cherry blossom during ''hanami''. The landscaped park has picnic areas, bike paths, cycle rentals, public sport courts, and a dog run. History Yoyogi Park stands on the site from where the first successful powered flight, powered aircraft flight in Japan took place by Captain Yoshitoshi Tokugawa on 19 December 1910. The area later became an army parade ground. From September 1945, the site became a U.S. officers housing area known as Washington Heights (Tokyo), Washington Heights during the Occupation of Japan, Allied occupation of Japan. The area was used for the 1964 Summer Olympic ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |