Iwasa Misaki (Wasamin) / 7th Generation

Iwasa Misaki 7th Single Reservation Event at Sunshine City, Ikebukuro (2018/01/14)

This event was the culmination of a week and a half of mini-live events, beginning in Northern Japan, and after four days of Tokyo events, a quick trip to Osaka before finishing here. Wasamin didn't have a live performance on Friday, but it turned out she was recording a television program that day with her senpai from Nagara Pro.



Considering this event was being held at Sunshine City's fountain square, many fans were anticipating an announcement of some sort. This is usually where Wasamin holds her furage and/or press events, not to mention it is a high-profile place to hold an event. Sunshine Cityis a huge mall, and on the weekend it is slammed with shoppers. Ultimately there were no big announcements. Just a big live event, with a nice turnout.

I had a weird run-in with the staff of Shinseido, who run the Sunshine City events. When you preorder CDs for this event, you get to draw for priority seating. I filled out my preorder form, purchasing three CDs. At this point the clerk began asking me a question. I was reasonably certain I knew what he asked. He was saying that I can only select priority seating for one of the two events. It's dumb, but you have to fill out two separate preorder forms to get two priority seats. In any case, I told him the last event. But he is telling me I don't understand the question. So I repeat, the last event. Again, I don't understand. I tell the guy I want to go to both events. And he is saying I need two forms. He is holding up the forms. So I say fine, I want a ticket for the last event. Again, I don't understand. So now I think I really don't understand, so I tell him how I am going to distribute my handshake tickets at the event. Now he is frustrated, so he gets a clerk who speaks English. She explains to me what they are asking, which is what I thought they were asking. I said. "I told him three times already, I want a ticket to the last event!" It just pissed me off that I did understand the question, answered appropriately, and he treated me like I was an idiot. It was compounded when he told me my total was 3702 yen, and he gave me a confused look when I put 5202 yen in the tray. I mean, c'mon! I got the last laugh, however, drawing priority entry #3. I got to be front row center, and actually had a pretty good vantage point for the early show too, although I was standing. Anyway, here are the setlists...

1:00 Setlist
1. Hatsuzake
2. Koisuru Fortune Cookie (Enka ver.)
3. Ihoujin
4. Saba Kaido

3:30 Setlist
1. Mujineki
2. Toshishita no Otokonoko
3. Kikyou (Iwasa Misaki ver.)
4. Saba Kaido



Whenever Wasamin performs at a big mall like this, I love to people watch, watching the reactions to the passers-by. Quite a few of them will recognize her from her AKB days, and get really excited. It's just neat to see the smiles on the faces of people who are seeing Wasamin perform live for the first time. And again with the "Otokonoko" song. I wonder if this is a preview of one of the new single B-sides?

I ultimately had three handshake tickets for the two events. I used one in the early show, and told Wasamin that I ate Saba the previous evening. Suddenly she said "Oh yeah, I saw your tweet last night!" (I had tweeted a pic of the saba and linked it to her) She asked if I went to dinner alone, but I told her that I was with friends at Iso Maru Suisan, which is a 24-hour izakaya chain that specializes in fish, particularly grilled shellfish. Wasamin is well familiar with this restaurant chain, and seemed to be somewhat surprised that I ate there. But I actually eat there all the time, and have for quite a while.



For my second ticket I told her about my adventure going out to Kumagaya to see Minyo Girls and Hayabusa on Saturday. She remembered that Kumagaya was Nittoh Mall, and asked who I shook hands with. She laughed when I told her that I only shook hands with Minyo Girls. Finally, for my last ticket I mentioned that it was finally my last day of vacation, and that I would be heading back to school on Monday. I told her the classes I was taking, although in the moment I forgot the word for "culture," so I described the class as the study of Japanese people, LOL. She said my Japanese was getting to be very good, to which I responded "Chotto...." I wasn't feeling too confident in that moment, especially after that interaction with the Shinseido dude.

Wasamin will be resuming her promotional tour over the next two weekends with three events in Chiba. I won't be able to make the first two, but I may be able to make the last one. We'll see. But after that, it will be Wasamin's big concert at Ebisu Garden Hall. Exciting!

 

I have updated Wasamin's new single thread with song titles. The new single is titled "Sado no Ondeko"

 

The thread has a title, but your first post hasn't been updated with the title, just the tracks.

Title: To be determined

 

Here are the original versions of the c/w tracks. Once again, Wasamin debuted all of these songs at her monthly challenge stage in Chiba, and has performed them live in her concerts. In fact, she sang both Yume Shibai and Shitamachi no Taiyou in October at the Ginza Enka Matsuri.

Shitamachi no Taiyou

if the video does not show watch the video here

Yume Shibai

if the video does not show watch the video here

Kukou

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

Quite the nice birthday present she gave us, eh? They really went for "technical" on this single, as this is not an easy song to sing. And beautiful shots of Sado Island. Makes me wonder if there's going to be a fan trip in the works. It would be quite the undertaking, since Sado Island is not close to Tokyo. (Not to mention you have to take a boat there)

So far I have only found thumbnails of the CD covers...


Limited


Regular

And she also gave us this adorable photo she took on a recent day trip with Myao...



Happy Birthday Misaki-chan!!! (I tweeted a birthday greeting to her last night just after midnight too)

 

New goods for this weekend's concert, modeled by Wasamin.


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

No XXL.

 

Iwasa Misaki 4th Solo Concert at Ebisu Garden Hall Setlists

(BTW, I don't have time to do a proper report. It may take me a couple days since I have a "balls to the wall" schedule tomorrow. But I wanted to at least get this posted)

Matinee Show 2pm
01. Saba Kaido (6th Single)
02. Tomonoura Bojou (3rd Single)
MC 1
03. Hi no Kuni no Onna (Sakamoto Fuyumi, 1991)
04. Kaze no Bon Koi Uta (Ishikawa Sayuri, 1989)
MC 2
05. Wakasa no Yado (6th Single c/w Memorial Ver.)
06. Ettou Tsubame (from Request Covers)
07. Kita no Yado Kara (from Request Covers)
MC 3
08. Mujineki (1st Single)
(costume change, Wasamin recorded audio message)
Photoshoot Time!
09. Tenshi no Wink (Matsuda Seiko, 1985)
10. Touch (Iwasaki Yoshimi, 1985)
11. Sentimental Journey (YUKI, 2003)
12. Watashi ga Obasan ni Natte mo (Moritaka Chisato, 1992)
13. UFO (Pink Lady, 1977)
(end photo time)
MC 4 Goods Table
(Wasamin guitar section)
14. Taiyou ga Kureta Kisetsu (Aoi Sankaku Jouji, 1972)
15. Konayuki (Remio Romen 2006)
16. Chippokena Ai no Uta (Ohara Sakurako, 2006)
MC 5 (guitar removed)
17. Watashi no Joukamachi (Koyanagi Rumiko, 1971)
18. Goodbye My Love (Onitsuka Chihiro, 2016)
MC 6
19. Kukou (Theresa Teng, 1974)
20. Moshimo Watashi ga Sora ni Sundeitara (2nd Single)
(end regular set)
VTR: Review of Wasamin's first six singles, introducion of her 7th single)
EN1. Sado no Ondeko (7th Single)
MC 7
EN2. Gomen, ne Tokyo (5th Single)
EN3. Hatsuzake (4th Single)

End Show

Evening Show 6pm
01. Hatsuzake (4th Single)
02. Gomen, ne Tokyo (5th Single)
MC 1
03. Hi no Kuni no Onna (Sakamoto Fuyumi, 1991)
04. Kaze no Bon Koi Uta (Ishikawa Sayuri, 1989)
MC 2
05. Wakasa no Yado (6th Single c/w Memorial Ver.)
06. Ettou Tsubame (from Request Covers)
07. Kita no Yado Kara (from Request Covers)
MC 3
08. Mujineki (1st Single)
(costume change, Wasamin recorded audio message)
Photoshoot Time!
09. Kamome ga Tonda Hi (Watanabe Machiko, 1978)
10. Watashi no Kare wa Hidarikiki (Asaoka Megumi, 1973)
11. Toshishita no Otokonoko (Candies, 1975)
12. Fuyu no Inazuma (Alice, 1977)
13. Pepper Keibu (Pink Lady, 1976)
(end photo time)
MC 4 Goods Table
(Wasamin guitar section)
14. Kabukichou no Joou (Shiina Ringo, 1998)
15. Heroine (???)
16. Kokoro no Tabi (Tulip, 1973)
MC 5 (guitar removed)
17. Watashi no Joukamachi (Koyanagi Rumiko, 1971)
18. Goodbye My Love (Onitsuka Chihiro, 2016)
MC 6
19. Kukou (Theresa Teng, 1974)
20. Moshimo Watashi ga Sora ni Sundeitara (2nd Single)
(end regular set)
VTR: Review of Wasamin's first six singles, introducion of her 7th single)
EN1. Sado no Ondeko (7th Single)
MC 7
EN2. Tomonoura Bojou (3rd Single)
EN3. Saba Kaido (6th Single)

The main difference between the setlists were...
1) songs 9-16 were completely different for each show (there are some gems in there too!)
2) Songs 1-2 and encore songs EN2-EN3 were swapped in the later show

When I get more time I will post the original artists on some of those, but I think some of you will be familiar with many of them.

Oh, and Wasamin's "spoken English" on Goodbye My Love was awesome!!! So adorable!

 

Wasamin met the press between concerts.



http://www.wws-channel.com/music2/64860.html?view=more


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

Iwasa Misaki 4th Solo Concert at Ebisu Garden Hall (2018/02/04)
Plus, Wasamin meets her fans a few days later...



Okay, let's finally do this! I'm sorry this post is coming so late. Usually I try to put up major Wasamin stories within a day or so, but this week I have been crushed with responsibilities, studying, and social stuff, so I barely had time to do the writeup. But alas, today is the beginning of a 4-day weekend...

The day finally came. It was the event Wasafans had been anticipating since late last year. The great thing about Wasamin's solo concerts is that it's the chance to see her perform on a big stage. We are also treated to the surprise of what pop-songs she will perform during the photo-op portion of the show. Of course there is also the possibility of a major announcement too.



Since this was Wasamin's solo concert, the fan club was offered the exclusive opportunity to purchase "Ichigo Seats," which not only guarantee a seat in the first three rows, but also come with other exclusive benefits. For this show, an Ichigo Seat for the matinee came with the opportunity to go to TBS radio and watch Wasamin record episodes of her weekly radio show. The evening Ichigo Seats came with a special "Wasamin Party," which I talked about in this writeup in the experience thread. That said, this was the first time I didn't purchase the Ichigo Seat for all shows. To make a long story short, 1) I had a mixup with AKB handshake tickets, so I was trying to free up part of the day to use the handshake tickets I had accidentally purchased. 2) Ichigo Seats are quite expensive, so I decided I would be frugal and save myself 10000 yen. As a result, I bailed on the radio recording, and only went to the party. Luckily enough, my "regular" seat for the matinee was in the row right behind the ichigo section. So from a seat standpoint, it didn't really make much difference.

Ebisu Garden Hall is just across a walking bridge from Ebisu Station, in the same complex as the Yebisu Brewery Museum and many high-priced restaurants, including my favorite restaurant on the planet, Lawry's. For some reason I had forgotten what time the matinee show started, arriving in Ebisu just before 11am. When I got to the hall, and only saw one other fan standing there, I realized I was a bit early. Luckily, there was a sign on the door stating that the goods booth would be open for early bids at 12pm. I passed the time watching people ice skate on the portable rink in the middle of the square. I went back and forth on whether to get all the new goods, despite the fact that the shirt and hoodie they were selling came in XL. Japanese XL is somewhat of a crapshoot for me, as sometimes they fit, and sometimes they don't I considered blowing off the hoodie, but ultimately bought the full set since it also came with a bonus photo of Wasamin modeling all the goods. The irony was that ultimately the hoodie "kinda" fit, but the T-shirt is way too small. XL my ass! It is smaller than the M-size shirts Wasamin had for her first two concerts! Anyway, eventually it was show time.


The "hoodie" kinda fits me


I love the little sanrio Enka character, too bad I really can't wear this shirt.



Wasamin modeling all the new goods. Yes, I got the oshi-towel and the acrylic stand too


Another Wasa-ballpen, yatta! You got that if you pre-ordered a single at the venue.

My matinee seat was in the 4th row, which had a huge aisle right in front. Could this mean that I will have some "up close and personal" time with Wasamin? Here is the matinee setlist, in spoilers since it is also two posts above this one, although I did add a few details about the MCs...

Spoiler: Matinee Setlist

Matinee Show 2pm
01. Saba Kaido (6th Single)
02. Tomonoura Bojou (3rd Single)
MC 1 "Introductory MC"
03. Hi no Kuni no Onna (Sakamoto Fuyumi, 1991)
04. Kaze no Bon Koi Uta (Ishikawa Sayuri, 1989)
MC 2 "Where did people come from?"
05. Wakasa no Yado (6th Single c/w Memorial Ver.)
06. Ettou Tsubame (from Request Covers)
07. Kita no Yado Kara (from Request Covers)
MC 3 "Q: How many times has she performed Mujineki?"
08. Mujineki (1st Single)
(costume change, Wasamin recorded audio message)
Photoshoot Time!
09. Tenshi no Wink (Matsuda Seiko, 1985)
10. Touch (Iwasaki Yoshimi, 1985)
11. Sentimental Journey (YUKI, 2003)
12. Watashi ga Obasan ni Natte mo (Moritaka Chisato, 1992)
13. UFO (Pink Lady, 1977)
(end photo time)
MC 4 Goods Table
(Wasamin guitar section)
14. Taiyou ga Kureta Kisetsu (Aoi Sankaku Jouji, 1972)
15. Konayuki (Remio Romen 2006)
16. Chippokena Ai no Uta (Ohara Sakurako, 2006)
MC 5 "Talk about her acoustic "Love Live" concerts"
17. Watashi no Joukamachi (Koyanagi Rumiko, 1971)
18. Goodbye My Love (Onitsuka Chihiro, 2016)
MC 6 "Masaaki Hirao mini-tribute"
19. Kukou (Theresa Teng, 1974)
20. Moshimo Watashi ga Sora ni Sundeitara (2nd Single)
(end regular set)
VTR: Review of Wasamin's first six singles, introducion of her 7th single)
EN1. Sado no Ondeko (7th Single)
MC 7 "Noting the debut of the new single"
EN2. Gomen, ne Tokyo (5th Single)
EN3. Hatsuzake (4th Single)

End Show

THE SONGS
I have to admit, at the beginning it felt like "just another Wasamin concert." It wasn't until she got to the pop stuff and acoustic guitar stuff that I really started to get into it. A couple of those songs she had performed before, but it was really nice to hear her sing UFO. My favorite part was her performance of Goodbye My Love, which contains an English-spoken verse. I just melt when I hear Wasamin trying to speak English. The other question was whether or not she would perform the new song, Sado no Ondeko. Our question was answered during the Encore VTR, which was a retrospective of Wasamin's past PVs, leading into an introduction of the new song. Her performance was spot on, despite the fact that she later said she was really nervous. Not only that, she is really demonstrative with her body movement while singing it. I am looking forward to seeing her perform it more, as it is quickly becoming my all-time favorite Wasa-single.



GUITAR
Wasamin is still diligently practicing on her guitar work, and ultimately she seems a lot more comfortable playing while singing. However, she completely screwed up on Konayuki to the point where she stopped, sighed, and then picked it back up, LOL.



PHOTO-OP
That black dress was so cute! I love when she wears stuff that shows off her sexy little legs. The bummer was that during the photo-op portion of the show, Wasamin seemed to forget to come over near where I was sitting. I don't know if it was on oversight, or she just took too long in the other sections, but I was in the perfect spot to get some awesome closeup shots, and she never came by.



Anyway, after a very short break, it was time to enter the venue for the evening show. Wasamin's family was on hand for the finale, although I'm not sure where they sat. They are usually somewhere in the middle-back of the venue. My ticket was in the Ichigo section, on the opposite side of the stage from where I sat in the matinee. Here is the setlist for the evening show...

Spoiler: Evening Setlist

Evening Show 6pm
01. Hatsuzake (4th Single)
02. Gomen, ne Tokyo (5th Single)
MC 1 "Introductory MC"
03. Hi no Kuni no Onna (Sakamoto Fuyumi, 1991)
04. Kaze no Bon Koi Uta (Ishikawa Sayuri, 1989)
MC 2 "Wasamin's visit to Ueno Zoo to see the Giant Panda"
05. Wakasa no Yado (6th Single c/w Memorial Ver.)
06. Ettou Tsubame (from Request Covers)
07. Kita no Yado Kara (from Request Covers)
MC 3 "Where did everyone travel from?"
08. Mujineki (1st Single)
(costume change, Wasamin recorded audio message)
Photoshoot Time!
09. Kamome ga Tonda Hi (Watanabe Machiko, 1978)
10. Watashi no Kare wa Hidarikiki (Asaoka Megumi, 1973)
11. Toshishita no Otokonoko (Candies, 1975)
12. Fuyu no Inazuma (Alice, 1977)
13. Pepper Keibu (Pink Lady, 1976)
(end photo time)
MC 4 Goods Table
(Wasamin guitar section)
14. Kabukichou no Joou (Shiina Ringo, 1998)
15. Heroine (???)
16. Kokoro no Tabi (Tulip, 1973)
MC 5 "Promotion of the bottled water company"
17. Watashi no Joukamachi (Koyanagi Rumiko, 1971)
18. Goodbye My Love (Onitsuka Chihiro, 2016)
MC 6 "Maasaki Hirao tribute"
19. Kukou (Theresa Teng, 1974)
20. Moshimo Watashi ga Sora ni Sundeitara (2nd Single)
(end regular set)
VTR: Review of Wasamin's first six singles, introducion of her 7th single)
EN1. Sado no Ondeko (7th Single)
MC 7 "Story behind her green Kimono"
EN2. Tomonoura Bojou (3rd Single)
EN3. Saba Kaido (6th Single)

SETLIST
The main difference between the setlists were 1) songs 9-16 were completely different for each show (there are some gems in there too!), and 2) Songs 1-2 and encore songs EN2-EN3 were swapped in the later show Between the morning and evening setlists, I liked this one a lot more. "Hidarikiki" and "Otokonoko" are both crowd-pleasing covers she does a lot, and her cover of Pepper Keibu was awesome!



STAGE VIEW/PHOTO-OP
Despite being just one row closer, I had a much better angle to the stage, and a much better view overall. Plus, Wasamin did come over to where I was sitting, so I got a few nice closeup shots. This may have had something to do with why I enjoyed this show more.



COSTUMES
I mentioned the black dress, which you can see in my photos. The other costume of note was the green Kimono she wore at the end of the show. That was a gift from Wasamin's senpai Tagawa Toshimi, I believe it had something to do with the play Wasamin performed in last year in Osaka, which Shimi-san starred in.



FLOWERS: Here ya go...

Fan Club flowers, and then the row of flowers, which stretched all the was across the lobby (the pic shows about half of them)

At the end of the day I don't even other critiquing Wasamin's singing performance, as it is always spot-on. Her setlists have taken on somewhat of a predictable format, however there are enough surprises throughout the show to keep it interesting. It is a nice mix of enka, pop, and a few classic oldies. The 1000 seat venue was for the most part filled, although it wasn't sold out. They were selling tickets at the venue before the show. So this seems like the appropriate size venue for her to perform in at this point. As for the ichigo seats, I like to get them, but the truth is I was fine with my non-ichigo seat as well, so we will see what I will do in future concerts.

Post-show Event: Iwasa Misaki Handshake Event at Tower-mini, Diver City (2018/02/08)





It is always nice to be able to give Wasamin support and feedback after a show. Sometimes we get to do that, like at "Love Live," but other times we have to wait until the next handshake event. Luckily, Wasamin is promoting her new single, and had a non-singing event scheduled in Odaiba. I actually got to Odaiba five hours early, and spent the day shopping, eating, and hanging out while I waited for the event. Diver City, and Odaiba in general, is a great place to pass the time. The Tower Records in the mall is kinda hidden. Luckily, I had been there before for KissBee, so I knew where it was. I was one of the first fans to arrive, and bought two CDs for two tickets. Wasamin eventually came out, sporting a fresh look. Her hair was black again, and cut a bit shorter.



1st Handshake: I had things to say to Wasamin, but of course I was sidetracked by the new hairstyle, so we spent most of the handshake talking about that. I then told her my favorite performances at the concert were Sado no Ondeko, Pepper Keibu, and Goodbye My Love. Wasamin immediately laughed and asked how her English was. I said "Jouzu and Kawaii!"

2nd Handshake: I told her I read her tweet when she talked about being really nervous when she performed the new song. I then said her performance was excellent. She squeezed my hand really tight; "Hontoni???" I gave her a big thumbs up. I could tell it meant something to her for fans to tell her that. And I really did love the performance!

Anyway, Wasamin is down in Western Japan this weekend. Next week begins the NagaraPro Enka Festival. She is doing a couple of events in Tokyo later in the week, leading up to the NagaraPro Concert at NHK Hall over the weekend. After that, we gear up for the big push of the new single. I'm not sure how many events I will be able to attend, given some of them conflict with my personal schedule, but I will try to make as many as I can.

 

Iwasa Misaki 7th Single Preorder Mini-Live and Handshake Event at Aeon Town Yukarigaoka, Chiba Pref. (2018/02/17)

After skipping both of Wasamin's "Non-Performance" preorder events this week in Tokyo, I felt compelled to make the journey to outer Chiba to see Misaki-chan's two-set mini-live. I had actually been to this mall before. Wasamin did a promotional event for her 2nd album there in late-2016.

I was slightly hungover from the previous night of drinking in Shibuya. But after a couple bottles of Pocari Sweat I was ready for the four train journey. I made it to the mall around 30 minutes before the 1st event, preordered some CDs, and grabbed a seat. Here are the setlists from the two shows...

1:30 Setlist
1. Hatsuzake
2. Toshishita no Otokonoko
3. Yume Shibai
4. Sado no Ondeko

4:00 Setlist
1. Saba Kaido
2. Ihoujin
3. Shitamachi no Taiyou
4. Sado no Ondeko

Wasamin told a few interesting stories during her MCs. Apparently when she was younger, (not sure if this was before or after joining AKB) her mother used to take her shopping at that mall for dance clothes. (It isn't that far from where Wasamin supposedly grew up)

Also, if you have been reading Wasamin's twitter, she has been talking a lot about the Olympics, particularly the figure skating. She talked about the Olympics in both events. Hanyu and Uno won their gold and silver during the break between shows, so she was really excited in the late afternoon.

Finally, it was just announced that Wasamin will be appearing in a special performance from August 31st through September 25th at the Meijiza Theater in Tokyo. I'm not sure if this is a play, or concert, or both. But she will be performing alongside Umezawa Fumio and Ken Naoko. Pretty awesome company!
info is here

I had three handshake tickets. I used one after the first performance, and two in the late afternoon.

Handshake #1: I was third in line. Wasamin immediately greeted me as "Chris-kun." I was in the middle of saying "Wasamin," then awkwardly changed to "Misaki-chan" I told her that I had studied about Sado Island in school and knew a bit about it. I also told her that I really want to visit the island and hope there might be a fan club event in the works. Both Wasamin and Ichikawa-san gave me a big thumbs up, which I took to mean that we should be hearing about a Sado Island event in the near future. SCORE!

Handshake #2: This time I greeted her as "Misaki-chan." I basically reminisced with her about the last time she performed at Yukarigaoka.

Handshake #3: I asked Wasamin if she was excited about tomorrow's show. She confirmed that I was coming. She also asked if I planned on coming to Meijiza. I told her I read Ichikawa-san's blog post about it, and that I wanted to come. I also threw in that I looked forward to hearing Hayabusa's "Spider Man" song tomorrow. LOLZ.

Tomorrow is the NagaroPro Enka Festival at NHK Hall in Tokyo. I will be seeing Wasamin, as well as Hikawa Kiyoshi, Mizumori Kaori, Tagawa Toshimi, Yamakawa Yutaka, and Hayabusa. Should be fun. Better be, considering the price of the ticket.

 

The Nagara Group Enka Festival, and a couple of Wasa-News Updates (2018/02/18)



Today was the Tokyo leg of the Nagara Group Enka Festival. Earlier this week they performed in Nagoya, and two weeks from now they will be in Osaka. I will give a semi-brief experience review. But first, a few news items...

1. Wasamin will again be performing with Umezawa Fumio in a play/performance at the Meijiza Theater in Tokyo.
This is similar to the play she was in last Summer in Osaka. That play starred Umezawa, as well as Wasamin senpai Tegawa Toshimi. This time alongside Umezawa, Wasamin will also be sharing the stage with Enka artist Ken Naoko. The show will take place from 31 August through 25 September, and there will be special offers for Wasamin Fan Club members.

2. Wasamin confirmed today that Akimoto Yasushi composed and produced her 7th single.
I was wondering if Aki-P would be continuing his support of Wasamin's Enka career. I guess I should have asked her at some point. But she confirmed it in today's concert during the MC. Emcee Nishiyori Higashi remarked that it's really nice that Akimoto has continued to support her post-graduation

3. MusicVoice article touts Wasamin's versatility as a singer.
This is essentially a concert review from her Ebisu show two weeks ago. The writer notes Wasamin's singing ability, and considers the possibility of Enka reinventing itself for a new generation...or something like that
http://www.musicvoice.jp/news/20180217087323/ (in Japanese)

Anyway...

I will keep this review somewhat brief. NagaraPro's Enka Festival is a showcase for their top music talent, and stars heavyweights of the genre like Hikawa Kiyoshi, Mizumori Kaori, Tegawa Toshimi, and Yamakawa Yutaka, all of whom have appeared multiple times on NHK's Kouhaku Uta Gassen. The show also features Wasamin, Hayabusa, Fujino Toshie, and Shiina Sakiko. Wasamin does spend considerable time on the stage, and did get the chance to sing her upcoming single, but the NagaraPro "Big Four" are definitely the stars of the show. On the other hand, it is really neat seeing Misaki-chan standing shoulder to shoulder with such big and important recording artists.

Before the Show



I originally debated whether I wanted to go at all. The tickets were quite expensive. 10,000 Yen for a seat on the floor or 1st balcony. 8,500 Yen for the Third Floor. However, they set up a special booth for tickets at Wasamin's Love Live back in November, and you got to handpick your seat, so I went for it. I picked the perfect seat too. It was a "double aisle" seat, meaning I had an aisle in front of me and on the left of me. Given that the NagaraPro artists roam the venue during the show, this would be a great chance to see them up close.

Pre-show festivites, including a Wasa-handshake session.



I was running late all day, but got to the venue just as doors opened. The queue to get in was really big, but didn't take too long. I immediately headed to the goods booths. All of the artists sell CDs, DVDs and other stuff at the shows (In fact, Wasamin's 4th concert goods were all there) Additionally, both Wasamin and Hayabusa do a pre-show handshake event. I was originally just gonna get one CD, but when I saw they were giving away Sado no Ondeko clear files, I bought a 2nd copy. As for the handshake, I used both tickets at once since they were running late and Wasamin was going to have to leave soon. "Chris-kun!" "Misaki-chan!" The first thing I noticed was that Wasamin was again wearing the green Kimono given to her by Toshimi-senpai. She asked if I liked it. Now she was standing right next to Hikaru from Hayabusa, so I told Wasamin that I was also looking forward to Hayabusa's "Spider Man" song. (Kumoo no Dansu) Just then Hikaru turned to me and said "Yeah, Spiderman!" I mentioned that I saw him perform it in Saitama. Meanwhile, Wasamin was mildly amused at my interaction with Hayabusa. I turned back to her, leaned in close, clasped her hand in both of mine and told her to do her best.



Part One (in brief)

The show actually started early, with one of NagaraPro's new Enka performers on stage. Last year they did the same thing with Minyo Girls. I found my seat, which was a little higher than I expected, but still a great strategic spot. After introducing the performers, Kiyoshi lead off with his infamous Kiyoshi no Zundoko Bushi. The first half of the show mainly focused on the top four's big hits. The rest of the performers sang in group songs. It was after the intermission that things got more interesting. By the way, I was kinda dozing off in parts of the show, so during the break I drank one of those Vitamin C Boosters AND a large black coffee. Needless to say I didn't doze off again, LOL.

Part Two (the best part!)



The second part of the show begins with a Nagara Group staple, all the performers roam the audience and shake hands with the fans for like a six song set. It is a lot of fun, and they always sing the Japanese version of "If You're Happy and You Know It" We were all excited to see who we would get on the second floor, and all the obasans in my section gasped when they saw we had Kiyoshi. We also got Toshimi-san. After 3-4 songs, they all switch floors. Would I get Wasamin in the second part? Nope. Instead we got Mizumori and Hayabusa. Now remember I mentioned I was in the perfect spot for this portion of the show? Here were my experiences...

Hikawa Kiyoshi: It's The Prince of Enka! Toshimi actually started off closer to me, but Kiyoshi made his way toward my section rather quickly. Oh my God!!! All the women go absolutely batshit for him. They are climbing all over each other to get close to him. He is flanked by like six guards who actually have to pull these women down, fight them off. It's really funny to watch. They even get out of their seats (which they aren't supposed to do) At one point I watched a guard jousting with this little old lady who was doing everything she could to run past him and get to Kiyoshi. Anyway, he passed right in front of me and immediately thrust his hand right toward me, so I shook his hand. He quickly glanced at me and smiled before getting mobbed by more obasans, LOL.

Tegawa Toshimi: I really like the sound of her voice! I always think of her as older, but she is actually the same age as Kiyoshi. Anyway, she finally made it to my section, and shook hands with the people on my left. After that she turned around to the people in front of me and passed me by. Oh rats! But then, she turned around and saw me. Her eyes got real wide, she waved and mouthed "hello" to me. Nice save!

Mizumori Kaori: This was the best interaction! I was really hoping she would come to me since I have always wanted to meet her. Mizumori is so cute, she is like a kid. It is astounding that she is almost the same age as me. She came across my section, and like Toshimi-san she shook hands with the people to my right, and then turned around and focused on the rows in front of me. Rats, I got skipped again! Or so I thought. Eventually she turned around and saw the two Wasamin fans sitting across from me. She motioned toward their Wasa-Happi coats and gave them a thumbs up, and out of the corner of her eye she saw me. It was like her jaw hit the floor. She came running straight toward me, grabbed my hand, said Hello, and Thank You! Her smile is so beautiful too. Just awesome!!!

Hayabusa: Unfortunately never came by me during the show. Both Hikaru and Yamato got close, but then the last song ended. That's okay, since I have met both of them before, and talked to Hikaru before the show. Wasamin and Yamakawa Yutaka didn't come to the 2nd floor, but I have met Yutaka-san before, and Wasamin, well....

The End

After a couple of long MCs, all the members got to perform their new and/or upcoming singles. It was great to hear Wasamin belt out Sado no Ondeko on such a big stage. She did a great job! They had a Taiko drummer in the live band, and he actually sounded better than the Taiko on the recorded version of the song. I do like Hayabusa's new single too. Actually, it seems that pretty much all of them have new releases coming out in the next month or two. Overall it was a really nice show, but I think the real fun happens after the intermission. The part in the audience is pretty much what everyone waits for. I enjoy the Nagara Group shows, but it isn't the type of concert I could sit through more than once. That said...

Nagara Pro also has a special "Ward Concert" that they do every year, and this year happens to be the Ward I live in. In fact, I could almost walk to the venue, although I will probably jump on the train. That's coming up in April. And of course the big push for the new single begins next weekend. So a lot of Wasafun coming up.

EDIT:　Here's an article about the concert...
https://www.kayou-center.jp/13219

 

I don't think these were posted before. I stumbled upon them the other day. Wasamin interviews at J-Pop Summit in San Francisco...


if the video does not show watch the video here


if the video does not show watch the video here

The first one has Englsih subs, the second one doesn't (as far as I can tell) But it's still a cute interview. Enjoy!

 

That was the kimono she wore for the meet and greet on Saturday, Sept. 9. When she performed on the 10th, she was wearing a blue kimono.

 

After the NHK Hall Concert on Sunday, there was nothing on Wasamin's schedule until this coming Saturday, where she will be kicking off her release week promotions at Odawara DynaCity. But does that mean Wasamin has a week off? Hardly...



It turns out Wasamin is down in Oita Prefecture filming a new television show with her Nagara Pro senpai Mizumori Kaori.

The show is called "Mizumori Kaori no Sagase! Zenkoku Uta Jiman!" From what I understand, Mizumori-senpai will be going to various places around Japan and promoting local Enka songs. Mizumori has become famous for singing songs that promote certain locales in Japan, and Wasamin has followed in that practice and tradition. Wasamin is listed as a co-star on the show, but I believe she is just a guest star, and not a regular cast member. Anyway, here are a few off-shots from Mizumori's blog...




Here is an article about the show. It will be on a cable channel, so unfortunately I won't be able to watch it.

 

Iwasa Misaki 7th Single Sado no Ondeko Release Week Festivities (2018/02/24-2018/03/04)

I remember during Wasamin's early singles, I would make it a point to attend every single release week event. Of course this was back when I was merely visiting Japan, and had a railpass that enabled me to travel far distances more easily. My how things have changed...

Wasamin's final big push for her new single started last weekend, with events at DynaCity Odawara, and at Aeontown Kamisato, which is in Northern Saitama Prefecture, almost to Gunma Prefecture. I had already planned and bought a ticket for a concert on Sunday, so that was out. And then I won cancel machi for AKB48 on Saturday. It was a tough decision, since I make it a personal rule to never skip out on any AKB48 Theater win, even a cancel machi. As a result, I ended up not seeing Wasamin the entire weekend. Then on Monday, I missed her furage event at Shibuya Tsutaya since I had two mid-term exams to study for. Those exams also caused me to miss her Tuesday matinee event in Asakusa. It wasn't until Tuesday night that I would finally be able to attend a release event. But first...


(BTW, this stack has doubled in size since I took this pic)

Wasamin has been doing preorder events around Tokyo for pretty much the last two months. When I attend the events, I usually choose the 'pick up' option, instead of paying for shipping at each venue. Since I had five hours to kill before Wasamin's release event at Osaki Gate City, I decided to use the afternoon for a whirlwind trip around Tokyo picking up various preorders. And what a trip it was. Here was the itinerary....

Shirokane-Takanawa Station (starting point)
Tokyo Metro Namboku Line...
JR Yamanote Line
TWTR Rinkai Line (33 minute ride in total)
Tokyo Teleport Station (CD pickup at Diver City)
Yurikamome Line (16 minutes)
Toyosu Station (CD Pickup at Lalaport Toyosu)
Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line (25 minutes)
Ikebukuro Station (CD Pickup at 2 locations, on opposite sides of Ikebukuro)
JR Yamanote Line
JR Sobu Line (14 minute ride in total)
Nakano Station (CD Pickup at Nakano Broadway)
JR Chuo Line (4 minutes)
Shinjuku Station (CD pickup at Tower Shinjuku)
JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line (12 minutes)
Osaki Station (Wasamin Release event, and CD pickup)
JR Saikyo Line
Toei Mita Line (28 minute ride in total)
HOME!

That's over two hours of train travel time, and doesn't even take into account the walk time. I was able to hit all but two of the shops that I has preorder pickups, and ultimately had around 16 CDs stuffed into my bag. (along with my school books) I made it to Wasamin's event with around 30 minutes to spare...

Release Day Press Event at Osaki Gate City (2018/02/27)



This area is a relatively new development, built onto the South End of Osaki Station. It is a beautiful office complex/restaurant and shopping complex. Anyway, as I came down the escalator I saw the rows of cameras positioned opposite the stage, as well as the huge stage backdrop promoting Wasamin's single. This is a bustling mall, with lots of restaurants positioned all around the atrium, so the event promised to draw plenty of onlookers who would be passing by. I immediately went to the CD booth and purchased three copies of the new single, and grabbed a seat in the third row. In the meantime, Nishiyori Higashi, NagaraPro's emcee, was warming up the crowd. He asked us not to use lightsticks, and then tested our cheering to see how loud we would echo in the venue. Ultimately it was decided that calls and cheers were okay.


Nishiyori Higashi

Then Higashi-san turned to me and asked where I was from, which I thought was slightly odd since by now I have seen him enough for him to know I probably live in Tokyo. After I told him I was an American, a few minutes later he turned back to me and acknowledged that he was pretty sure I lived in Japan, and asked where. When I said Tokyo, he was like "Yeah, there are like 23 wards in Tokyo, which one?" When I said Itabashi, he was amused that someone would come from America to live in Itabashi, LOL. After all that, it was finally time for the event. Here is the setlist...

Setlist 18:00
1. Saba Kaido
2. Yume Shibai
3. Toshishita no Otokonoko
4. Sado no Ondeko

Also, her matinee setlist, which I didn't attend...

Setlist 13:00
1. Hatsuzake
2. Shitamachi no Taiyo
3. Nora
4. Sado no Ondeko

Wasamin was wearing a new blue Kimono, which was made especially for her. The event itself was extra long since 1) Higashi-san was emceeing, and 2) there was a section reserved for press photography. In fact, the press cameras were moving all over the venue recording and photographing the event. (I looked for footage in YouTube, but haven't found any yet) It was also announced that her fourth concert DVD/BluRay is in the works, which was expected. It was a lot of fun watching Wasamin interact with the photographers. It reminded me of her old AKB days, and the way she can effortlessly shift from pose to pose. One funny moment, when Wasamin announced that she was going to sing Yume Shibai, they accidentally played Shitamachi no Taiyou. Wasamin looked confused for a second, then started laughing. Ultimately, they turned it into a promotion since both songs are on the new single. After Wasamin disappeared for around 30 minutes for press interviews, she came back out for the handshake/2-shot portion of the event.


Signboard and sticker bonuses

Yes, they were offering a shamekai option for release week. They were also doing a drawing for prizes, where you could win either 1) Your CD signed, 2) Personal item signed, 3) Release poster, or 4) signed 1-shot cheki. I'll tell you right off the bat that I got skunked on prizes, although my friend and fellow Wasafan Andy-san won. It was his first Wasamin event in almost four years, I was so happy to see him. As for the 2-shot, you simply needed to use two tickets, which was easier than last year, where you had to buy one of each version for the 2-shot. Oh, and while I was waiting in line, Higashi-san was standing off to the side, so I went over to him and told him that I was really surprised to see him sing at NHK Hall last week, and that he was a surprisingly good singer. He laughed, shook my hand, and thanked me. Meanwhile...



Basically, for my two trips to see Wasamin I was telling her about my experience at Enka Matsuri last week, and that I had a prefect seat and got to meet all of the big stars. I also told her how Mizumori-san gave me total kami-taiyo treatment, and was trying to speak English with me. Wasamin was laughing, saying that it is so like her to do that, but she was also laughing at my Japanese. It's odd, when I mention the other Enka singers, for some strange reason I always forget to add an honorific when saying Mizumori-san's name. I use them for everyone else (Kiyoshi-san, Toshimi-san), but I always just say "Mizumori." Anyway, Wasamin thought it was kinda funny.

The 2 1/2 hour event finally ended, and it was late. I needed to go home and do some reading. I had another 'date' with Wasamin tomorrow night...

Sado no Ondeko Release Event at Tower Vivre, Yokohama (2018/02/28)



When I left for the day, I almost forgot to grab my Wasamin Happi Coat. I hate stuffing it into an already semi-full bag, but I wanted to have it in the off-chance I won a prize at the event. Anyway, I was off at 4:45, and it is an easy trip down to Yokohama from Azabu, so I arrived in Yokohama two hours early. After spending an hour at 82 Ale House for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, I headed over to Tower records. There were only a couple of people there, so I was able to buy my CDs and get a spot right in front. It was 40 minutes before the show. As they were doing the pre-show instructions and promotions, Wasamin sneaked up onto the stage while we were looking the other way, LOL. Here is the show setlist...

Setlist 19:30
1. Hatsuzake
2. Blue Light Yokohama
3. Shitamachi no Taiyou
4. Sado no Ondeko

And for those keeping score, here is her matinee setlist from her Koiwa event, which I didn't attend..

Setlist 14:00
1. Saba Kaido
2. Gakusei Jidai
3. Kukou
4. Sado no Ondeko



It isn't often that I am front and center for Wasamin events, but it is fun to be two feet away from her while she performs. During her performance of Sado no Ondeko, I was trying to mimic some of her hand gestures. There is also a 'call' portion during the instrumental part where she does various 'oni' poses. She was again wearing her new blue kimono, which I got a nice look at. Wasamin was commenting how she knows many of her fans do work, and can't make the matinee shows, so she was thankful people came out after work.

Once again, the 2-shot option, as well as the prize option were on the table. I also asked about the stamp card promotion, which ended. I am a card short for getting the bag, but Ichikawa-san said it was okay. They also have another prize where if you have 10 losing draws you can get a Wasamin pin as a consolation prize. Like the previous day, I had three tickets, and planned to do one 2-shot and one handshake...



And whaddya know, I won the signed personal item prize. FINALLY, I was going to have my Happi coat signed!!! But I would have to wait until the end of the event for that. For my first visit I was telling Wasamin about seeing Minyo Girls perform recently, and a few of the songs they sang were also in Wasamin's catalog. (Momen no Handkerchief, Shochuu Omimai Moushiagemasu, Valentine Kiss) Wasamin was surprised to hear this. I told her that Yuua-chan (from Minyo Girls) was also surprised when I mentioned it to her. Later, we talked about the hand motions, as she said she was watching me try to to them. I told her that it is because I have idol fan roots, LOL.


(I'm in dire need of a haircut)

And here is my signed Happi! I have leveled up, and am now among those with a signed version. I can't tell you how happy I am about this!


I even got a special Wasamin 'neko' drawing!

Wasamin flew to Fukuoka this morning, and will be doing appearances in Tenjin and Osaka, as well as the last date of the Nagara Pro tour, before coming back for one final event on Sunday in Western Tokyo. I'm sure the Wasafans will be out in full force for this one!

Note: Sado no Ondeko debuted at #2 on the Oricon pop chart (behind Arashi) and dropped to #14 today. Not a bad start at all!

 

Some news stories. one of which included the DVD release (already mentioned by Crisafari):

"Also, at the surprise, live footage of the 4th solo concert performed at Ebisu The Garden Hall in Tokyo on February 4 announced that DVD will be released on May 23. "It's been a while for the first time today, but I am happy, but I'm glad that the scene where I play the guitar and sing while dancing for the first time in a solo concert is a sightseeing.We would like to see a lot of people, I'd like you to enjoy your house as a concert venue. "







https://www.kayou-center.jp/13349
https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/news/201802270000578.html
http://www.hochi.co.jp/entertainment/20180227-OHT1T50183.html

Update:
A longer story with more pics.

http://newslounge.net/archives/197357