In April of 2016 Tokyo Journal announced the first ever Top 10 Ranking for the reader's favorite Japanese entertainment icons, food, pop-culture, and travel locations. Over the course of 2016 we asked Tokyo Journal readers to vote for their favorite things in Japanese entertainment, food, pop-culture, and travel locations. This first year proved to be successful with over 500,000 votes submitted by readers from all over the world. Here are the top 3 winners for each category and stay tuned for the 2017 rankings.
> Japanese Entertainmant
> Food in Japan
> Japanese Pop Culture
> Japan Travel
Japanese TV & Dramas
1. Satomi Ishihara
2. Akari Hayami
3. Haruka Ayase
1. Flowers for Algermon
2. Mysterious Thief Yamaneko
3. From Five to Nine
1. Tomohisa Yamashita
2. Takuya Kimura
3. Kazuya Kamenashi
1. Nobuta wo Produce (2005)
2. Long Vacation (1996)
3. Hana Yori Dango (2005)
1. Smap x Smap
2. Momoclo Chan
3. Shabekuri 007
Japanese Movies
1. Ring
2. Ju-On
3. Sadako 3D
1. Battle Royale (2000)
2. Seven Samurai (1954)
3. Godzilla (1954)
1. Ken Watanabe
2. Takuya Kimura
3. Takeshi Kitano
1. Hayao Miyazaki
2. Akira Kurosawa
3. Takeshi Miike
1. Seven Samurai
2. High and Low
3. Hidden Fortress
Japanese Music
1. X Japan
2. The GazettE
3. Babymetal
1. Momoiro Clover Z
2. Morning Musume
3. *C-ute
1. Miwa
2. Yui
3. Ayumi Hamasaki
1. SMAP
2. KAT-TUN
3. ARASHI
1. Tomohisa Yamashita
2. Gackt
3. Jin Akanishi
Japanese Sports
1. Yuzuru Hanyu (Figure Skater)
2. Kei Nishikori
3. Kohei Uchimura
1. Mao Asada (Figure Skater)
2. Ai Fukuhara
3. Saori Yoshida
Japanese Food
1. Ramen
2. Takoyaki
3. Yakitori
1. Salmon
2. Toro (Fatty Tuna)
3. Tuna
1. Dassai
2. Kubota
3. Hakkaisan
Restaurant in Japan
1. Kawaii Monster Cafe
2. Robot restaurant
3. Maidreamin Cafe
1. Mos Burger
2. Yoshinoya
3. Pepper Lunch
1. Ishida
2. Houki
3. Wakkoqu
1. Les Cristallines
2. Troisgros Japon
3. Joel Robuchon
1. Pizzeria Da Napolistaca
2. Elio Locanada Italiana
3. Bulgari ll Ristorante
1. Outback Steakhouse
2. Hard Rock cafe
3. Denny's
1. Hibiki
2. Gonpachi
3. Nihonbashi-tei
1. Fonda de la Madrugada
2. La Jolla
3. El Caliente
1. CoCo Ichibanya
2. Manten Curry Rice
3. Curry House TIRI TIRI
1. Wako
2. Maisen
3. Katsuzen
1. Miyashita Sake Brewery
2. Baird Brewery Company
3. Abashiri Brewery
1. Asian Palm
2. Monsoon Cafe
3. Mango Tree
1. Gion Karyo, Kyoto
2. Nakamura, Kyoto
3. Ogata, Kyoto
1. Tempura Kondo
2. Ten-ichi Ginza Honten
3. Tempura Motoyoshi
1. Sukiyabashi Jiro
2. Sushi no Midori
3. Sushi Dai
1. Ichiran
2. Shibaraku
3. Botan
Japanese Sweets
1. Melon Pan
2. Crepes
3. Taiyaki
1. Higashiya Ginza
2. Tokyo Mise
3. Toraya Tokyo
1. Sweets Paradise
2. Rose Bakery
3. Ice Monster Omotesando
1. Pocky
2. Choco Pie
3. ALMOND
Japanese Anime & Manga
1. One Piece
2. Fairy Tail
3. Full Metal Alchemist
1. Akatsuki no Yona
2. Kimi ni Todoke
3. Orange
1. Pika-chu
2. Totoro
3. Rilakkuma
1. Howl's Moving Castle
2. Spirited Away
3. My Neighbor Totoro
1. Attack on Titan
2. One-Punch Man
3. Tokyo Ghoul
1. Wolf Children
2. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
3. The Girl Who Leapt Though Time
1. Dragon Ball Z
2. One Piece
3. Death Note
1. Kumamon
2. Funassyi
3. Gunma-chan
Cosplay
1. Touga
2. Reika
3. Linda Le(Vampy Bit Me)
Japanese Fashion
1. Galaxxxy
2. Angelic Pretty
3. 6% Doki Doki
1. Cecil McBee
2. Olive des Olive
3. Freak's Store
1. Comme Des Garcons
2. Junko Koshino
3. Kenzo
1. Kiko Mizuhara
2. Mirei Kiritani
3. Rola
Japanese Video Games
1. Final Fantasy VII
2. Kingdom Hearts 2
3. Persona 4
Japanese Destinations
1. Tokyo Disneyland
2. Universal Studios Japan
3. Tokyo Disneysea
1. Yokohama
2. Kamakura
3. Mt. Fuji
1. Kyoto
2. Ishigaki Island
3. Nara
1. Tokyo Tower
2. Shibuya Crossing / Hachiko Statue
3. Tokyo Skytree
1. Tokyo Station
2. Nakagin Capsule Tower
3. Omotesando Hills
1. Hakone Onsen
2. Kurokawa Onsen
3. Beppu Onsen
1. Takinoya
2. Shuhokaku Kogetsu
3. Hotel Hanayura
1. Niseko Grand Hirafu
2. Fujiten Snow Resort
3. Hakuba Happo One Ski Resort
1. Tadao Ando
2. Kenzo Tange
3. Kisho Kurosawa
1. Harajuku
2. Asakusa Temple
3. Odaiba
1. Tokyo International School
2. The American School in Japan
3. Yokohama International School
1. Sendagaya Japanese Institute
2. Akamonkai
3. Coto Language Academy
Japanese Hotels
1. Park Hyatt Tokyo
2. Palace Hotel Tokyo
3. Imperial Hotel Tokyo
1. Kyoto Guesthouse Roujiya
2. Nui. Hotel & Bar Lounge
3. Hostel Haruya Aqua, Kyoto
Japanese Leisure & Recreation
1. Shidax
2. Big Echo
3. Karaoke-kan
1. Club SEGA
2. SEGA GiGO
3. Shinjuku Playland Carnival
1. Sapporo Snow Festival
2. Awa Odori Tokushima
3. Gion Matsuri
1. Tokyo Bay Fireworks
2. Sumidagawa Fireworks
3. Edogawa Fireworks
1. Mitsukoshi
2. Matsuya Ginza
3. Isetan
1. Shibuya 109
2. Roppongi Hills
3. Omotesando Hills
1. National Museum Tokyo
2. Japan Ukiyo-e Museum
3. National Art Center
1. Tokyo National Museum
2. Edo Tokyo Museum
3. Samurai Museum
1. Ghibli Museum
2. Cupnoodle Museum
3. Sapporo Beer Museum
Tokyo Journal readers can vote once a day for their favorite things in Japanese entertainment, food, pop-culture, and travel locations. Voting closes on January 31st, 2019 at midnight Pacific Standard Time.
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THE 92-year-old Daisosho (Grand Master) Dr. Genshitsu Sen XV visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) on May 24, 2015 to showcase the museum’s March 29 – June 7 exhibition Raku: The Cosmos in a Tea Bowl. The exhibition of 100 ceramic tea ceremony objects spanning five centuries was the first of its kind in the U.S. free of the items were Japanese national treasures, two of which were tea bowls made by the earliest Raku potter Chojiro and lent to LACMA by the Daisosho out of the Urasenke Foundation’s collection.
THE California quartet 3 By Design is a modern hard rock band that channels a variety of sounds such as Shinedown, Alter Bridge, Alice in Chains, Sevendust and The Black Crowes. Formed in late 2013 by vocalist Jon Goodhue, guitarist Kevin “KJ” Hicklin, bassist Frank Mullis and drummer Kent Diimmel, the band demonstrates tight technical musicianship on their EP Under the Surface and strikes an instant chord with audiences during full-throttle live performances. When asked what makes them click, all of the band members agreed that it is their chemistry, both on and off the stage, and wide array of musical influences. Check out their video for “Shatter” and their EP on their website: www.3bydesign.net tj
Tetsuro Shimaguchi, known for his samurai choreography and appearance in the Quentin Tarantino movie Kill Bill, is the founder of the sword performance group Kamui, as well as the creator of Kengido, a fusion of martial arts with performing arts that delivers the beauty of the samurai. Samurai are well-known warriors of feudal Japan, who fought for their clans and their country. However, Tetsuro believes samurai were artists more than warriors who followed a strong ethical code. If we define a samurai as an artist, rather than a warrior, what makes a strong samurai? What strength are they are pursuing? According to Tetsuro, the key is shingitai (心技体). Shingitai is a term often used in Japanese martial arts. Shin (心) stands for the mind or heart, gi (技) is skill and tai (体) means body. Combined, shingitai is the balance of the mind, skill and body — and you may notice that mind comes first in this word. Tetsuro is spreading the samurai ’s sense of respect to the next generation and to the world through his workshops. He also arranges photo shoots of people in samurai armor at Sengoku Photo Studio Samurai in Yoyogi, Tokyo. Nanami Chinatsu spoke with Tetsuro Shimaguchi to learn more about the samurai spirit.
The northernmost of Japan’s four main islands, Hokkaido offers an unparalleled view of the country’s magnificent natural wonders. Many travelers and adventure seekers visit the island to witness its splendid landscape of mountains and trees. Hokkaido is a winter wonderland for snowboarders and a spring and summer escape for hikers to wander through its gorgeous greenery. Its powdery snow, rolling hills, fresh air, blue skies and fantastic food make Hokkaido a desirable destination for both Japanese and non-Japanese tourists.
ONE of the wonderful benefits of being a culinary ambassador for the U.S. Department of State is getting the chance to travel around the world to places I might never have imagined experiencing. I’m definitely attracted to that gypsy/nomadic-parts-from-the-unknown thing, where adventures and cuisines collide. His inclination for exploration was what attracted me to the life of a chef in the first place.
SAKE is often referred to as “rice wine,” but that’s a misnomer for a beverage gaining in global popularity. There are vast differences between sake and wine, where sake is a unique Japanese alcoholic beverage, a stand-alone product in a category of its own.