All things Ryūkyū pop culture
Cocco’s YouTube channel recently hit 60,000 subscribers and in typical Cocco fashion she released a fun video to commemorate it.
An interesting thing to note about her YouTube channel is that she directs her own music videos. So she’s basically writing her lyrics, writing her music, and directing her music videos! She’s so talented! If you watch the video closely you may catch a glimpse of her beautiful sanshin.
Subscribe to Cocco’s YouTube channel
@Tenjou_Beta on Twitter created an amazing build of Shuri Castle on Minecraft. It’s mind-blowing.
New singles and albums released from January to March 2021
2021.01.06 [Single] Anly – Star Wink (星瞬～Star Wink～) Links (featured in the YouTube clip)
2021.02.10 [Album] i-dushi (いーどぅし) – HOPE Links
2021.02.17 [Album] Cocco – Kuchinashi Links
2021.02.24 [Mini Album] AI’s “Not So Different Remix feat. Awich” Links
2021.02.24 [Album] HY – HANAEMI Links
2021.03.07 [Single] AKINA – Our Time Links
2021.03.12 [Single] Miura Daichi (三浦大知) – Backwards Links
2021.03.17 [Single] DA PUMP – Dream on the street Links
A YouTube series of video clips created by RBC called Toki no Suisaiga features narration by Miyazawa Kazufumi (The Boom) and amazing music by Oyakawa Haruka (Ryukyu Koten Ongaku performer) is worth subscribing to. There are thirty 3-minute clips so far and new ones are uploaded every Sunday Japan time.
Well, it was actually yesterday in Okinawa but today here in the rest of the world. Thankfully, if you missed all 9 hours of it, RBCi’s YouTube channel has you covered with all 3 parts! It’s so nice to see Part 1 with over 12,000 views so let’s get those numbers up and be sure to subscribe to their channel.
Link to Part 1, Link to Part 2, and Link to Part 3.
Oh, and before you watch it, be sure to have your sanshin ready as they perform Kagiyadefu 9 times! Tuning is in C.
NHK announced its 2022 morning drama (asadora) and it’s an Okinawan series called Chimudondon (ちむどんどん)! The 106th edition of the series follows 2001’s “Churasan (ちゅらさん)” (can you believe it’s 20 years ago?!) as the second asadora with an Okinawan theme. Chimudondon stars Okinawan-born actress Kuroshima Yuina (黒島結菜) and will tell the story of chef Higa Nobuko (比嘉暢子) with Okinawa of the 1960s and beyond as the backdrop. Other than Yuina and Jon Kabira (ジョン・カビラ) who is handling the narrating, the rest of the cast hasn’t been announced yet so there’s hope that we’ll see more actresses and actors from Okinawa. We’re also interested to find out who will be handling the theme song — perhaps Miura Daichi? Kuroshima Yuina will follow in the footsteps of asadora alumni from Okinawa Kuninaka Ryoko (2001’s Churasan) and Higa Manami (2007’s Dondo Hare) both who have gone on to have prosperous careers.
We look forward to hearing more news about Chimudondon and to watching it in 2022.
NHK World continues to bring stories from Okinawa and this time it features a story on Pamela Ann Matsunaga’s Greek-style cheese using Okinawan goat milk. The cheese and yogurt she makes looks so delicious and I love the fact that she doesn’t use any preservatives. Her shop’s name is also cute: Cheeseanista (located in the Plaza House Shopping Center).
I’m looking forward to reading Speak, Okinawa (my mother is also from Okinawa — my father is a 3rd generation Japanese-American) as I’m sure I’ll find some similarities with my own childhood. Fortunately, I’m from Hawaii where there are many like me but there were still instances where I learned that I had a different childhood from other Japanese-Americans. An example that easily comes to mind is having a friend visit our home and remarking that there’s a lot of Japanese (it was actually a mix of items from both Okinawa and Japan) things. This was the first time I thought that we were somehow different from other Japanese-American families.
The 29th annual Sanshin no Hi (さんしんの日) is taking place on Thursday, 4th March 2021 (“34 Day” Japan time). There will be 3 parts to the celebration with Part 1 featuring artists as China Sadahito 知名定人 (Sadao’s son), Matsuda Kazutoshi 松田一利, Hatoma Kanako 鳩間可奈子, and Miyara Kōsei 宮良康正 (my relative) among others. Part 2 will be a special performance and Part 3 will feature Yamakawa Mayumi 山川まゆみ, Yonaha Tōru よなは徹, Nakasone Hajime 仲宗根創, and Tokuhara Seibun 徳原清文 among others. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the celebration will be broadcast on the radio and will run from 11:45 AM to 9 PM. Hawaii time is March 3rd (Wednesday) from 4:45 PM. It looks like it’ll be streamed on YouTube via RBCi Radio or Music Shower Plus+ account.
Model and actress Shimabukuro Seina probably best known for her appearances on the reality show Terrace House has announced her marriage to Noah who also appeared on the show. Congratulations!
Follow Seina on Twitter
