The popular female rock band BAND-MAID will perform for the first time at KNOTFEST JAPAN 2023, scheduled for April 1 and April 2 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba.

 

KNOTFEST was begun by the American heavy metal band Slipknot, and the festival has been held yearly since 2012. BAND-MAID will perform on Day 1 along with headliners Slipknot, Trivium, and MAN WITH A MISSION.

 

Tickets for the May shows to be held in the United States as part of the BAND-MAID 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR are none on sale. The group managed to bring in over 20,000 fans during their solo U.S. tour in 2022. In addition to performing at Pointfest 2023, Welcome to Rockville 2023, and the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, BAND-MAID will also perform six solo shows. With some venues selling out instantly last year, you’ll want to snag tickets while you can!

 

Snow Miku has teamed up with Sanrio’s popular character Kuromi to promote the beautiful prefecture of Hokkaido! A new collection of goods went on sale starting December 14, 2022.    Goods

Clear Folder

Pen with Clip

Mini Sign Board

Mini Towel (Set of 2)

Pin

Framed Magnet with Stand

Sticker

T-Shirt

Tapestry

Acrylic Stand

Acrylic Keychain

Rubber Keychain

Silver Foil 2-Layer Magnet

　Snow Miku debuted during the Sapporo Snow Festival in 2010 when an incredible snow sculpture of Hatsune Miku was unveiled. Ever since then, Snow Miku festivals have popped up in Hokkaido each winter, and the character dons costumes designed by popular internet creators. Kuromi is back this year, with Miku’s outfit dyed black and tons of adorable art featuring the rock ‘n roll character. The life-size version of Miku was designed by illustrator PiPi, and the chibi character was designed by illustrator Yoi. Between Miku's cute idol energy and Kuromi's edginess, this is the perfect collab for all audiences!    The items are available in two versions: Day, featuring Hokkaido’s beautiful landscapes covered in snow, and Night, featuring twinkling winter lights.    Don't miss out on these exclusive items!

The cities of Hirosaki and Hakodate in Hokkaido have announced that they will team up with Hatsune Miku’s popular iteration Snow Miku to promote tourism in the area this winter. A number of activities will begin in December 2022.   [Snow Miku x Hirohako] Collaboration Project■Hirohako Winter Tourism Campaign Poster Featuring Snow Miku・Period: Mid-November~February 28, 2023・Locations: Facilities in both cities, tourist facilities, hotels, shopping areas   ■Snow Miku Illustration Contest Exhibition EventOver 50 illustrations have been submitted under the theme of Snow Miku and Hakodate / Snow Miku and Hirosaki. These will be on display through the winter! ・Running: December 1, 2022 - February 28, 2022 ・Venues: Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center (Hirosaki)                     Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse (Hakodate)   ■Snow Miku Photo SpotSnow Miku panels featuring shamisen and apples from Hirosaki will be on display, while the Hakodate version will include references to squid fishing and footbaths. ・On Display: December 1, 2022 - February 28, 2022・Locations: JR Hirosaki Station, Chuohirosaki Station (Hirosaki)                         JR Hakodate Station, Hakodate Airport (Hakodate)■Digital Stamp Rally Using the Mikunavi AppA number of panels will be installed at five checkpoints in Hirosaki and Hakodate. A total of 1,000 people–500 in each city–will win original merch including a Snow Miku mask case and decorated masking tape. All you need to do is check in!・Available: December 1, 2022 - February 28, 2022・Locations: (Hirosaki) Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center, Hirosaki City Machinaka  Information Center,                          Hirosaki Tourist Information Center, Hirosaki Castle Information Center, Tsugaru-han Neputa Village　　　　　　(Hakodate) Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, Yunokawa Hot Spring Footbath, Goryōkaku Tower, Hakodate Green Plaza C Block (Hakodate Lumi-Pop), Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward   ■Hirohako Winter Tourism Campaign Theme Song and Music Video The tourism theme song will get a new music video that will be broadcast on YouTube, at local tourist facilities, and on TV and radio!・On Air: December 1, 2022~・Theme Song: Mahou no Keshiki (Lyrics/Composition: ryuryu)   ■Snow Miku Welcome Announcements to be Broadcast at Tourism Facilities, etc. A one-minute welcome announcement by Snow Miku will air at tourist facilities!・Running: December 1, 2022 - February 28, 2022・Locations: Tourist areas in both cities   ■Snow Miku Filters Using ARWhen each barcode is scanned with a smartphone, Snow Miku will appear on the screen! Visitors can take pictures with Snow Miku to commemorate their winter trip to Hirosaki and Hakodate.・Available: December 1, 2022 - February 28, 2022

The word ‘kawaii’ is now commonly used around the world. Sanrio is largely to thank for this, and the beloved company has announced that the 60th Anniversary Sanrio Exhibition will open at the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art from February 11 until April 2, 2023. Advance tickets will include a discount and will be available until November 14 online.    “Sanrio celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2020, and the company continues to share Japan’s character culture with fans around the world,” Sanrio said in a comment. “Kawaii is now a universal language, and this is very much thanks to the over 450 characters that are part of Sanrio’s history, from Hello Kitty to My Melody.    This exhibition traces the history of Sanrio and guests can enjoy seeing rare materials including merchandise, publications, and early designs from the company’s founding. We want to continue to grow and develop our characters while valuing communication with our fans, ensuring that our adorable characters are loved by generations to come.”   The Sanrio exhibition is something that generations of fans can enjoy, so come immerse yourself in this kawaii world! For more details, visit the official website. 

On October 29, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu took part in Porter Robinson’s Second Sky Music Festival in Oakland, California. The following day, the popular singer also appeared at Porter Robinson + Friends, an afterparty event held in San Francisco. American fans are finding their excitement at a fever pitch as the Harajuku-based artist continues to perform abroad!   Kyary Pamyu Pamyu recently made headlines when she performed an unprecedented 62 songs at Nippon Budokan on October 19 during the final stop on her 10th-anniversary tour. Following this impressive feat, Kyary performed at yet another festival in Japan before hastily returning to the United States following her show-stopping performance at Coachella half a year ago.   Porter Robinson's Second Sky Music Festival was hosted by and featured performances by internationally acclaimed DJ and producer Porter Robinson. Other important figures in the dance music scene also appeared including SKRILLEX and RL GRIME.   The event took place in a large parking lot adjacent to the Oakland Coliseum, home of the Oakland Athletics MLB team. Since the show took place close to Halloween, plenty of decorations could be found, and fans lined up from the early morning to get inside.   Although Kyary’s performance was scheduled for quite early in the day, the audience sprawled out as far as the eye could see. As DE.BA.YA.SHI. 2021 began to play, fans began to excitedly call out Kyary’s name. In Japan, regulations are in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus, meaning that audience members are forbidden to yell during concerts–but no such precaution exists in the U.S. It was clear that Kyary was beyond excited to hear the audience’s enthusiasm, and as the show began, the artist called out “Second Sky,” to which the fans responded with excited cries.    The audience danced wildly to Candy Racer and Dodonpa, two of Kyary's most peppy tracks, which played in succession. The singer did her best to speak English. “Hello! I’m Kyary Pamyu Pamyu from Japan,” she began. She then complimented a fan in full Kyary cosplay. “Wow! Nice costume! PONPONPON costume, so nice,” she said.During CANDY CANDY -Remix-, the audience raised their hands high in the air as they followed Kyary’s instructions to jump, swaying from left to right. As the audience moved in sync, a number of hit tracks began to play, including Harajuku Iyahoi and Tsukematsukeru. However, nothing could match the excitement of the moment that the intro to PONPONPON began to play. Porter Robinson, who was watching the live performance from the side of the stage, was moved to tears, and everyone could feel how big Kyary's presence was for local fans.Kyary's performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April of this year became a hot topic, showing that Kyary is still incredibly popular in the U.S. ten years after her major debut.   In addition to her largest national tour to date, Kyary has made numerous appearances at music festivals in Japan and abroad in 2022. The artist’s first overseas performance during her 11th year as a performer was an incredible success and bodes well for Kyary’s future.  

＜Setlist＞ 2022.10.29 “Second Sky Music Festival” OP. DE.BA.YA.SHI.2021 1. Candy Racer 2. Dodonpa 3.Invader Invader 4. CANDY CANDY –Remix- 5. Ninja Re Bang Bang –Steve Aoki Remix- 6. Harajuku Iyahoi 7. Tsukematsukeru 8. PONPONPON –Extended Mix- 9. Fashion Monster

2022.10.30 “Porter Robinson + Friends” OP. DE.BA.YA.SHI.2021 1. Candy Racer 2. Ninja Re Bang Bang 3. CANDY CANDY 4.Crazy Party Night-Pumpkins Strike Back- 5. Kira Kira Killer 6. Isshin Doutai 7. Harajuku Iyahoi 8. Fashion Monster 9. PONPONPON

The Nippon Foundation has been supporting people with disabilities in Japan and abroad for over fifty years. To mark this incredible milestone, True Colors Festival THE CONCERT 2022 will be held on November 19 and 20 at Tokyo Garden Theater. The performance aims to inspire fans to express their uniqueness.    Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will perform as a guest performer on both days of the concert, which stands to be one of the largest live events in the world put on by artists with disabilities.   Kyary became a smash hit with audiences worldwide after Katy Perry praised her PONPONPON music video on Twitter, and the two are said to be fans of one another. This will be the first time that the two pop icons will perform on stage together.    “I’m looking forward to performing with so many unique artists from around the world,” Kyary said in a statement. “I’m so happy that I’m going to live my dream of performing with Katy!”