Iwasa Misaki (Wasamin) / 7th Generation

And she didn't tease you for wearing a Minyo Girls shirt?

 

@Cristafari wrote: "She does have a Saitama event squeezed in there next week, which I am planning on attending. "

It's in the news:

Prior to the summer excursion season, the Niigata Fair (sponsored by the Niigata Prefecture Tourism Association) appealing Niigata prefecture product promotion and Niigata tourism and culture promoted for three days from 29th to 1st July, Toda Aeon Mall in North Toda. 10 am - 7 pm (the last day is until 6 pm). Stage, booth events are two days, 30 days and 1 July.

From 2 pm and 4:20 pm on July 1, a mini live by Misaki Iwasa, an enka singer from AKB 48 will be held."

http://www.saitama-np.co.jp/news/2018/06/29/07_.html

 

Iwasa Misaki 7th Single (re-release) Pre-order Mini-Live at Aeon Mall Kita-Toda. Saitama Prefecture (2018/07/01)



As far as Wasamin goes, absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder. It had been two weeks since I saw her 'Virtual Reality' concert in Yokohama, and her schedule over the next month or so was peppered with events in Kansai, Chubu, Tohoku and Kyushu. Not to mention, I missed out on her Ginza Enka Fes. appearance since I had class that evening. So I had earmarked this event as a "must-go." After all, I live close to Saitama, so this was just a short train ride away.

I decided to head out early, figuring I could possibly reserve a seat for the event, and get lunch in the mall. (I was really in the mood for cold udon) BTW, Summer has finally "arrived" here in Tokyo, and the last 3-4 days have been hot, humid, and windy. With that in mind, instead of wearing my Wasa-gear, I decided to wear some of my lightest clothing. I wanted to be as comfortable as possible, especially since the mall is a bit of a trek from Kita-Toda station, so I knew I would be walking in the heat. I arrived just before noon, and immediately scouted the place for lunch.

What I didn't take into account was @sscrla 's post above this one. This was part of the reason Wasamin was invited to perform at this venue. They were holding a "Niigata Fair" to promote Niigata tourism. I guess they felt Wasamin's 7th single, Sado no Ondeko, which is about Niigata Prefecture, would be appropriate for the event. Makes sense. So Wasamin was only part of the promotions going on in the mall. They had all sorts of games, other performers from Niigata, and of course....mascots.



It's funny watching kids react to mascots, they either love them, or they are scared to death of them. That tall one with the mustache seemed to be the best at scaring the heck out of the little kids. There was tons of screaming and crying going on, LOL. Anyway, since it seemed like the local geriatric crowd had camped out most of the seats for the day, I hung out in a cafe until showtime. (I have a ton of Kanji to memorize by tomorrow) Wasamin was doing two mini-live performances, and here are the setlists...


14:00 Setlist
1. Hatsuzake
2. Koisuru Fortune Cookie (Enka Ver.)
3. Toshishita no Otokonoko
4, Ginza Kankan Musume
5. Ryoshū (New c/w track for 7th single re-release!)
6. Sado no Ondeko

16:20 Setlist
1. Saba Kaido
2. Ringo no Uta
3. Gakusei Jidai
4. Niji wo Watatte
5. Osaka Rhapsody (New c/w track for the 7th single re-release!)
6. Sado no Ondeko

Six songs! Wasamin has been doing these 'extra-long' setlists a bit lately. Not every time, but usually when it is some kind of special promotion. She sings songs #2-4 in a row, without an MC, so ultimately she does the same amount of talking as a 4-song setlist. Plus, she sang two of the c/w tracks from the new single. Osaka Rhapsody is particularly fun. Not to mention, Niji wo Watatte and Ginza Kankan Musume are among my favorite songs she performs, so all in all it was a great set of songs today.

I pre-ordered 3 copies of the upcoming release, one of each type. I am in sort of a quandary with these pre-orders. The new release is scheduled for August 8th. I have (extremely) tentative plans to go to California in August. and since I live alone I cannot have cd orders coming to my house just after I leave town. So I have been ordering for "pick-up" rather than delivery. This means I am going to have to trek all over the place to get these singles at some point. But I'll deal with that when the time comes. I used two tickets for the first event, and got a two-shot...



Wasamin asked what the pose was, and I mentioned it is part of her Sado no Ondeko routine. Afterwards, I mentioned I have three big Kanji tests tomorrow, and I had been spending most of the afternoon studying in the cafe across from the stage. When I came back to use my last ticket, I showed her all of the practice kanji I had been writing. She immediately pointed to 歌手 (Kashu) and said "That's me!" I told her that when I think of the "song" kanji, I think of her standing in front of two microphones. In the meantime her manager said that was a lot of kanji to learn. Don't I know it! Anyway, Wasamin wished me luck on the tests tomorrow. After a quick trip into Aeon Market to grab a few things, I sat down and watched the mascots while waiting for Wasamin to finish her handshake event, and then we all headed back to the station, and home.



As I said, Wasamin is spending a lot of time out of town this month. But checking her schedule, she is performing at the Hawaii Fest in Tokyo on the 14th (along with Minyo Girls) Plus, I am pretty sure I can make it to her 'last' Challenge Campaign event on the 25th. According to Ichikawa-san, they are taking a temporary hiatus from the monthly challenge campaign, although I got the ominous feeling that it will be quite a while before she starts doing it again. We'll see. She has one other Tokyo event in July, but I think it conflicts with some other event I have tickets for. Nevertheless, at least I will be seeing her every 10 days or so, just enough to keep things fresh.

 

New covers for the re-release of Sado no Ondeko...


Type-A



Type-B



Type-C

 

@Cristafari Sabo Kaido?? Sado no Ondeko 佐渡の鬼太鼓

Edit: he fixed it

 

@lionel90

That song is called the "365-Step March"


if the video does not show watch the video here

How was the interview?

BTW, here are her other two setlists...

3rd day

1. Hatsuzake
2. Tokyo no Bus Girl
3. Ginza Kankan Musume
4. Koisuru Fortune Cookie (Enka ver.)
5. Heavy Rotation (Enka Ver.)
6. Sado no Ondeko

Last day

1. Hatsuzake
2. Omatsuri Mambo**
3. 365-Step March
4. Koisuru Fortune Cookie (Enka Ver.)
5. Sado no Ondeko

And I will once again pull out a video of Omatsuri Mambo performed by some random idol group.


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

She just applied for a new gig.

@wasaminnn
Replying to @everydayyoshim1
演歌歌手も雇ってくれますか？

Would you also hire an Enka singer?

https://twitter.com/wasaminnn/status/1018127382048198656

(thanks to David61 for the catch in the AKB general thread)

 

Iwasa Misaki Mini-Live at the Oedo Hawaii Festival, Nihonbashi (2018/07/14)

First of all, let's all congratulate Wasamin, for this weekend she surpassed 500 singing events. She has been a soloist for 6 1/2 years now, which means she has averaged over 75 mini-lives per year. When you think about it that's pretty incredible, eh? So...

Wasamin omedetou!!!



So it should be no surprise that Wasamin was quite busy this weekend with five mini-live events at three locations. Saturday was in Central Tokyo, Sunday in Western Tokyo, and then jumping up to Sendai for the Monday Holiday. I was only able to make it to the Saturday event since I had concert tickets for Sunday. Technically, I could have made it to her late performance in Western Tokyo, but I didn't want to travel an hour and change to just see the last show.

I arrived at the Oedo Hawaii Festival 90 minutes early since I was supposed to be meeting friends there, and Minyo Girls was performing 40 minutes before Wasamin on the outdoor stage. I looked for exit B6 at Nihonbashi Station, since that's where the Belle Salle building was, and to my surprise, the stage was practically IN THE SUBWAY STATION! It's another really cool aspect about Japan. At many of the stations, the surrounding buildings and stores have underground entrances in the station, so you never have to go outside. It's nice during extreme weather, and some of them have very nice restaurants and shops. Anyway, the Belle Salle exit opened up into a large stage area, flanked by a row of restaurants and a department store. Since it was the Hawaii Festival, most of the performers were performing the Hula and Ukulele music. I'm not not sure how Enka fits in, but whatever.

One of my two friends showed up, and we went upstairs to watch Minyo Girls on the outside stage. I posted a report about it in the Minyo Girls' thread, but suffice it to say it was scorching outside. The girls were definitely suffering. The members who dared perform (three of them cancelled out) were gulping down water every chance they had. I didn't stick around for the chekis and stuff, instead going back downstairs to wait for Wasamin where it was MUCH cooler...

Oedo Hawaii Festival Setlist
1. Saba Kaido
2. Koisuru Natsu no Hi
3. Natsu no Tobira
4. Ryoshuu
5. Sado no Ondeko

Wasamin threw in an additional song since it was a festival, and due to the heat she themed it out for Summer. That's good since both of those 'Natsu' songs are fun to hear her perform, and of course most of her MCs involved the oppressive heat outside.



She has been consistently wearing her Royal Blue Kimono for a while now, but this weekend changed into some lighter colored outfits I would imagine to be more comfortable. She wore a light blue Kimono at the Hawaii fest, and switched to an off-white Kimono in Western Tokyo.

Since I was sweaty from the heat, I decided I didn't want a shamekai, instead just getting one ticket for a handshake. I happened to be wearing a Hawaiian styled shirt, which I pointed out to Wasamin. She asked if I bought it in Hawaii, although I actually purchased it in California. But I told her I do love Hawaii and had been there on multiple occasions. My friend, who is a Sasshi fan, asked her about the 'Trip to Hawaii' she supposedly won at the infamous 2010 Aki Matsuri Concert. She confirmed what we all know, that she never received her trip. My friend offered to get Sasshi on the case for her, but Wasamin was like "No, no, she's not involved!" LOL.

My other friend didn't make it, oh well. But Robert and I took off right after our handshakes to go to Oktoberfest which was nearby. We were excited not only for the beer, but for the Austrian party band, which we had seen before and really liked. In fact, we ended up hanging out with the band after their performance. So it was a long day.

Oh, and here are the setlists for her Western Tokyo lives (I haven't seen the Sendai setlists posted yet)

Fuchu Setlist 1pm
1. Saba Kaido
2. Blue Light Yokohama
3. Ryoshuu
4. Sado no Ondeko

Fuchu Setlist 3:30pm
1. Mujineki
2. Ihoujin
3. Osaka Rhapsody
4. Sado no Ondeko

Wasamin is spending the next two weekends in Gifu, Nagoya, and Shizuoka, although she has her Chiba "challenge campaign" sandwiched in there too. However, the first half of August is filled with Wasamin events around Tokyo. So plenty of opportunities to see her if you are in town.

 

Iwasa Misaki "Challenge Stage" Mini-Live at Shinseido Kashiwa ~FINAL~ (2018/07/25)

Well, perhaps not the "final" Challenge Stage. Wasamin announced last month that after this 28th performance she would be taking a hiatus on doing this monthly event due to the building being remodeled. However, they have been quite vague about when the event might resume, if ever. Personally, I was kind of suspicious about the announcement. Despite the declaration of it being a "Yasumi" (vacation) there seemed to be a bit of finality to the announcement. The fact that the Shinseido staff presented her with flowers at the end of the event didn't change my feeling either. On the other hand, the construction being done on the building has already commenced, so at least that part of it is absolutely true. Perhaps this is just a temporary hiatus after all. We'll see.

I got out to Kashiwa an hour before the event started. My plan was to find someplace to sit down, relax, and eat lunch since technically I am still battling a cold, as well as a toothache. I passed by the stage area on my way to Choco-Cro and saw a bunch of people, including Wild-san, had already staked out their spots close to the stage. I had no intention of standing there for an hour, so I continued to the cafe....

By the way, Choco-cro had this new "Taco Sandwich" which was quite good. Taco meat, cheese, lettuce, and tomato on a roll. It seems Mexican styled food is really growing in popularity around Tokyo. In fact, MosBurger is currently featuring a "NaanTaco" which is essentially the same taco ingredients on a piece of Naan Bread. Anyway....



Eventually I made it back to Shinseido, and pre-ordered my CDs before the event started. It's funny that the woman who manages the Shinseido always greets me by name whenever I show up. I don't go that often, but I guess since I always seem to go for preorder events, she is used to addressing my packages. I ordered one of each version, and had three tickets. I usually hang out in the back at these events, but this time found a spot on the right side fairly close to the stage. A couple obaasans came in looking for a spot to watch, so I gave them my spot and moved back a little, but I was still close. Finally it was showtime. The 28th Challenge Campaign setlist...

Setlist
1. Hatsuzake
2. Anata (originally by Kosaka Akiko, 1973)
3. Tegami (c/w on upcoming release)
4. Sado no Ondeko

As this was Wasamin's Challenge Stage, that meant she was debuting a new cover song she had never performed before. Interestingly, many of the songs she has debuted here have ended up as B-sides or album cuts on Wasamin's releases. On this day she sang the debut single from then 16-year old Kosaka Akiko. Here is a video of the original...


if the video does not show watch the video here

Since this was the "final" event Wasamin drew a fairly large crowd of fans, not to mention plenty of passers-by as this is a popular shopping area, the line for handshakes and 2-shots was fairly long. I walked across the street to the ABC Mart to check out their shoe selection since I am in dire need to new shoes. Eventually I went back across the street to queue up. I had three tickets, and planned to use them for one shamekai (2 tickets) and one regular handshake.



This is the same pose the previous fan took, and is sort of a take on one of the poses she does while performing Sado no Ondeko. In the meantime I told her that I had been under the weather. She asked if I was going to the doctor. I told her I was buy studying for Japanese exams. She wished me luck on my exams as I went to queue up again.

The line was still long, so I hung out with Mizuyu and Mayumi, who had brought their new puppy to the event. It was a cute little dog, and kept jumping on everyone's leg looking for treats. Finally I decided to queue up again. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to talk about my abandoned trip in August, or maybe her upcoming play. However, Wasamin had other plans...

So I started telling her about my trip being cancelled, and I would be able to go to her upcoming release events. Wasamin immediately interjected and asked me if she was #1 in my heart. I was like "Huh?" She went on to say that she reads my social media and sees me talking about other idols. She specifically brought up KissBee, which I thought was somewhat odd since I haven't talked about KissBee in quite a while. Anyway I was stammering, she and Ichikawa-san were laughing. I just kept repeating that I loved Wasamin and that she was my #1 girl. But she kept countering that she wonders since I talk about other idols.

Now on one hand, I know she was just playing with me. And in one respect this is kind of "next level" stuff, as she likes to mess with her fans, but she has always spared me a bit because of the language barrier. So for her to bring this up is kind of a compliment. However, I would be dishonest if I didn't say it hurt a little bit. Sure, I do see other idol groups and idols, but there should be no doubt whatsoever who is #1 in my heart. Ultimately I ended up tweeting our 2-shot, declaring her my #1 "best girl." I'm sure she got a kick out of it.

Wasamin was presented flowers from the CD shop at the end of the event, and I eventually made it back to the train station and back home. Wasamin is in Shizuoka for the rest of this week. Beginning next week she will be doing two weeks of appearances in Tokyo, Saitama, and Kanagawa, with a big promotional push from August 8th through the 13th, so plenty of Wasafun coming up.

 

Iwasa Misaki Live at the Tennozu Isle Summer Festival (2018/08/03)



I was itching to see Wasamin since I missed the "all day Wasamin" day earlier this week, where she did two live radio shows and a record shop appearance in various parts of Tokyo and Saitama. Unfortunately it was right in the middle of my finals. But since finals are now over, and I am officially on vacation for almost five weeks, I had nothing stopping me from spending the evening in Tennozu Isle. In fact, I had a specific plan in mind. I would head down a bit early, go have a brew or two for Happy Hour at T.Y. Harbor, and then head over to the performance. However, the plans got changed. When I arrived in the shopping complex where the music festival was being set up, a bunch of Wasafans had already staked out the front and center tables. Since they had food and drinks on site, I decided to change my plans, grab a primo seat, and just enjoy the evening there....

And it was PERFECT timing, as I arrived just as Wasamin was starting her rehearsal. So I got to watch her "casual" (in street clothes) version of Hatsuzake. She had cute little denim shorts on and a black top.

This was the final day of the three day "festival." (Minyo Girls performed there on Wednesday) Wasamin was the second performer out of four on the Friday night bill. I had never heard of any of these groups, although the last one seemed to be well known. In fact, all the groups had their own little following. The most interesting was the band on right after Wasamin, which was a Beatles cover group. They had the look down; great suits, the same guitars and drum kit. However, they honestly weren't very good. But this is supposed to be about Wasamin....



After having some Indian grub, a couple of beers, and watching the first band, it was finally Wasa-time. Misaki-chan had changed into her light blue Kimono. By ow there were lots of Wasafans crowded in the front, most of whom had at least a beer or two in them. We were ready to go. Here is the six-song setlist...

Tennozu Isle Setlist 18:50
1. Hatsuzake
2. Koisuru Fortune Cookie (Enka Version)
3. Ringo no Uta
4. Niji wo Watatte
5. Tegami
6. Sado no Ondeko

As expected, the fans were kinda rowdy. Wasamin was reacting, and the rest of the people at the event were getting a kick out of us. They had one technical screw up. Wasamin was supposed to sing songs 2-4 right in a row, but the soundboard guy didn't start Ringo no Uta. Misaki stood there with a funny look on her face for a few moments, and then tried to cover with an MC, basically saying that there wasn't supposed to be an MC at that point. It all got ironed out within a minute or so. Also, this was a great setlist for a festival crowd, since KFC is a song most everyone knows, and Niji wo Watatte has a great fan chant part in the verse.

After the show Wasamin was doing handshakes and 2-shots behind the stage. I had two tickets, which were good for one 2-shot. I thought about pressing her about the "DD" issue we talked about last week, I also considered mentioning the previous group singing "Sweet Memories" which is a song Wasamin also performs on occasion. However, I decided to stick with telling her my grades for the previous semester. She congratulated me on the "A" I received in my Japan History Intensive (from Meiji Restoration to WWII)


Wasa-toes made it onto the picture!

That was enough for now. I went over and watched a little of the Beatles cover band while everyone finished their handshakes. Wasamin has a whole bunch of events coming up next week for the re-release of Sado no Ondeko, so there will be plenty of opportunities to interact with her in the coming days. In the meantime HKT's handshake event is tomorrow (Saturday) I am looking forward to discussing Yukachan's Janken duo with Inagaki Kaori, but don't tell Wasamin that.

 

The re-release of Sado no Ondeko is upon us, which means Wasamin will have a fairly aggressive promotional schedule over the next week or so. If you are in town, please come by and see her. Many of the mini-live events are free, and it only costs the purchase of a CD for a handshake. or two CDs to take a 2-shot...

** Please note, however, that the two Enka CD shops (Yoro-do and Onkyoku-do) do require a CD purchase at the door for admission. (On the other hand, I think these old Enka shops are the coolest places to see her perform)

August 7th, 19:30: Tower Records Urawa (Saitama)
August 8th, 14:00: Yoro-do, Asakusa (Tokyo)
August 8th, 19:30: Tower Records, Kawasaki (Tokyo)
August 9th, 14:00: Onkyoku-do, Koiwa (Tokyo)
August 9th, 19:30: Tower Records, Ikebukuro (Tokyo)
August 10th, 13:00/15:30: Mori Town, Akishima (Tokyo)
August 11th, 13:00/15:30: Tower Records Fukuoka PARCO (Fukuoka)
August 12th, 13:00/15:30: Aeon Mall Gion (Hiroshima)
August 13th: 13:00/15:30: Aeon Mall Kamisato (Saitama)


The other good news is Wasamin will be doing a Winter 'Love Live' Acoustic Concert in November at Hamamatsucho Cultural Hall.

 

Iwasa Misaki 7th Single Re-release Week Promotional Festivities, Part 1 ~Riding Out the Storm~

Why am I home doing this writeup instead of being on my way to Wasamin's release event in Kawasaki???

Because the Kawasaki event was cancelled due to the incoming typhoon. Wasamin did perform at the matinee event in Asakusa earlier today, which I attended. She also did a furage event in Saitama Prefecture last night. The only other time I recall Wasamin ever cancelling a singing event was back in 2014 following the Iwate Incident. Anyway, Wasamin reassured fans the tomorrow's events are still on, but we should all just keep safe for this evening.


Flying Get!

Tower Records, Urawa (2018/08/07)

Earlier in the day I had attended the 16th Gen/3rd Gen Draftee stage at the AKB48 Theater. I had three hours until Wasamin's event, so I spent the time in a bar sipping cocktails at watching Koshien. It was a great game too. Eventually I grabbed a crowded Takasaki Line train up to Urawa. The forecast was for rain to arrive in the early evening, but so far it was dry. Since I was a bit early, there wasn't too big a crowd yet, so I purchased two copies of the new CD (Types B and C) and grabbed a spot on the far left side. Urawa's Tower Records is very small, and the stage area is tiny, so I was glad I found a spot away from where all the latecomers would be crowding into. A few of the fans caught wind that I had attended the AKB show earlier in the day, and they were all laughing at the fact that despite having a crappy Cancel Machi number, I not only get into the show, but snagged a first row seat. 7:30 finally, rolled around, and out came Wasamin. What has become sort of a tradition at this venue, Misaki-chan chose not to wear a kimono, instead opting to wear a dress she purchased on her recent trip to France. Here's the setlist...

Setlist
1. Moshimo Watashi ga Sora ni Sundeitara
2. Akai Sweet Pea
3. Osaka Rhapsody
4. Sado no Ondeko

She looked very pretty in her new dress. It shows off her figure quite nicely. She also mentioned that this was her first time performing Akai Sweet Pea in quite a long time. Toward the end she kept cracking herself up. I don't know what the joke was, but everyone seemed to be laughing. After the show I was ready to use my two tickets on a shamekai, but as we were clearing the area a fan stopped me. "Didn't we meet in Asakusa?" Now to be honest I wasn't sure since I have met a lot of Wasamin fans over the years. Eventually the guy decided he was mistaken, but then he asked if I new "Kenji from Hong Kong" At that point it all came back to me. Yes, I did meet him in Asakusa. I was thinking Yoro-do, but it was at Asakusa Kokaido before her 2nd solo concert. He was friends with my buddy Kenji, who is actually due to arrive here on Friday. After hanging out and catching up for a while, we eventually decided to queue up for handshakes and 2-shots...



After the 2-shot I confirmed with Wasamin the original singer on Tegami (one of the B-sides) is Yuki Saori, at which point I told her that Yuki-san is in one of my favorite NHK Asadora's, where she played a singer who owned an onsen. Wasamin was kinda surprised that I watch Asadora's, but I told her that I do occasionally watch the current Asadora (Hanbun Aoi) as well. Eventually the queue died down and Wasamin bid us farewell. I headed back home trying to beat the rain, but not before stopping at eCute in Akabane Station and grabbing some good deals on Thai food, including a container of Shrimp in Chili Sauce which got spicier the further down the container you went. I was a bit worried about the next day. How would the weather affect Wasamin's events???

Yoro-do Asakusa (2018/08/08)


Nishida Ai was scheduled to perform later in the day

This is probably my favorite venue to see Wasamin perform in, so I did not want to miss it regardless of the weather. I got to Asakusa a little early and had a quick bite at a Kaitenzushi before heading to the shop. When I arrived they were already calling people in by number. I went to the register and purchased two more copies (Types A and B) I also received a few copies via delivery this morning, do I am developing a little stack. When I paid for my CDs they handed me an entry lottery ticket, which I thou was kinda funny since the seat lottery was already over. But I dutifully went to the staircase, flashed my ticket, and went upstairs. There were plenty of seats available, including two comfy chairs in the 3rd and 4th rows, so I grabbed one of those.

There was a short delay for some unknown reason, but Wasamin eventually came out in a Black Kimono with a reddish sash. I don;t know if I have seen her wear this one before, but it goes without saying she looked cute. Here is the setlist...



Setlist
1. Saba Kaido
2. Watashi no Kare wa Hidarikiki
3. Tegami
4. Sado no Ondeko

After singing Sado no Ondeko, Wasamin notified us that the event scheduled for the evening was cancelled due to the storm. It had also been posted on her blog and twitter. I had planned on heading to Yokohama in the afternoon to pick up a pre-order package before going to Kawasaki since they aren't far from one another, but since I had no reason to go to Kawasaki I decided not to go to Yokohama either. As for handshakes and 2-shots, they call us up by row, which put me in the eighth group called. I decided we would show off the CDs, AND include Wasamin's autograph board and make it a 3-shot...



Oops, the angle was a little off, but it's a nice pic. I told Wasamin about my Ebi in Spicy Chili Sauce I had for dinner the previous evening. She asked if I didn't like spicy food, but I told her I did. I went on to tell her that Mexican food is one of my favorites, since Mexico and California are next to one another. Wasamin told me she really likes spicy food too. With that I told her I would see her tomorrow. What I forgot to tell her was that I would be bringing a friend.

And since I had no evening event to attend, I went home and wrote this Hopefully by morning the storm will have passed. Wasamin is in Koiwa at 2pm, then heads to Ikebukuro for an evening event. I am skipping the weekend events in Western Japan, but I have yet to decide about her Friday and Monday events. Both are kind of far out. I will probably attend one or the other, not both. We'll see.

 

Iwasa Misaki 7th Single Re-release Week Promotional Festivities, Part 2 ~Sayonara Typhoon~



After Wednesday evening's cancelled event due to the storm, Wasamin was back in action Thursday with two events in Tokyo. She started the day with a performance at one of my favorite places to see her, Onkyoku-do in Koiwa. I wrote a paper about old Enka shops in Tokyo; how they are a throwback to old Japanese Pop culture, and their historical significance. This was one of the five shops I featured (Along with Yoro-do in Asakusa, Music Shop Dan in Higashi-Jujo, Meikyoku-do in Nakano, and Tensei-do in Kameido) I headed out to Koiwa early to get a priority event entry ticket, eat lunch, and meet up with Derek, who was in the mood to watch Wasamin.

Onkyoku-do, Koiwa


Entrance tickets for Yoro-do and Onkyoku-do

We arrived at the shop around 12:30, after purchasing our CDs we were given entry tickets #20-#21, who would be good for at least the 2nd or 3rd rows. While purchasing the CDs I told the owner about the Paper I did on her shop. She asked for which school I wrote it, and then thanked me. I told her Onkyoku-do is among my Top 3 Enka Shops in Tokyo. I just love the "lived-in" feel to the store. You can tell they technically ran out of room to display products a long time ago, and stuff is just randomly piled on counters and tables. The shop is quite a mess, but I think that's part of its appeal. Anyway, Derek and I grabbed two seats in the 2nd row far left. We were good to go. Although ultimately their stage is in a small room in the attic, so there really isn't a bad seat. Here is the matinee setlist...



Setlist: 14:00 Koiwa
1. Mujineki
2. Niji wo Watatte
3. Kaze no Bon Koi Uta
4. Sado no Ondeko

I turned to Derek when Wasamin announced the 2nd song to tell him this is one of my favorite songs to watch her perform. It has an audience participation part in the verse that's a lot of fun. However, Derek was most impressed with her rendition of Kaze no Bon Koi Uta. It is the slowest ballad on the new release, but the song showcases Wasamin's ability to make some difficult vocal transitions, and subtle nuances the song demands. Of all the songs on the CD, it is the one I have heard her perform the least, so it was a nice change of pace.



They brought us up for 2-shots/handshakes by row, Wasamin thanked me for bringing Derek to the show. I told her that her old friend Kenji-san from Hong Kong would be arriving on Friday, and I would try to get him to come to the Monday event in Saitama. She asked if I was coming to Saitama. I was already leaning toward going, but since she put me on the spot I committed to my attendance. Although it was a good thing she hadn't asked my about Friday's event, since I was still undecided about it, LOL. After that, Derek and I caught the Sobu Line to Akihabara, where I had to pick up some of my pre-orders of this single, then we hung out in the Excelsior Caffe, where Derek was still going on about Wasamin's performance.

Tower Records, Ikebukuro

While Derek took off for Ebisu, I headed over to Ikebukuro for Wasamin's evening event. I had almost two hours to kill, so I spent that time in The Hub again watching Koshien and sipping Gin and Tonics. I could have gone to Tower Records extra early and camped out in or near the front row, but I wasn't interested in standing there staring at the wall for over an hour. I would be fine shuffled toward the back. I made it upstairs around 10 minutes before the event, purchased my CDs, and grabbed a spot on the far right around 10 feet from the stage. Oddly enough, the guy at the counter asked if I wanted bromides or handshake tickets. LOL, the event was about to start. Of course I was there for handshake tickets! I didn't realize it at the time, but there were a couple tall people in front of me, which made watching Wasamin a bit of a challenge. I was craning my head in all sorts of directions to see her, which ended up being a blessing since it caught Wasamin's attention. A couple of times as I was twisting around to see her she would be looking right at me. BTW, the setlist for this event...

Setlist: 19:30 Ikebukuro
1. Saba Kaido
2. Ajisaibashi
3, Osaka Rhapsody
4. Sado no Ondeko

Wasamin has said that she wanted to sing a few songs this week that she hasn't performed in a while. She sang Akai Sweet Pea (from her 1st Album) on Tuesday night, and tonight she sang Ajisaibashi, which is a B-side on her 2nd Single. She also likes to play a little game with the fans, to see how many people know which version each of the new c/w tracks is from. (Tokyo Rhapsody is on Type B) Eventually I got into the snaking line for handshakes and 2-shots...



I related the story to Wasamin about Derek swooning over Wasamin's performance of Kaze no Bon Koi Uta. In a soft voice, she replied "Honto?" Not to be left out,I told her I also thought it was a beautiful performance. She thanked me, and I was pretty much done, or so I thought. As I was walking away, I noticed everyone in line was staring at me and smiling. I turned around to see Wasamin and the fan behind me in line both looking at me. They seemed to be discussing my Japanese ability, Wasamin again saying I have become good at speaking the language Since I always struggle to come up with the appropriate response on the fly, I replied "So desu ka?" which for some reason got a laugh. I loudly exclaimed "Arigatou Misaki-chan!" as I continued to walk away. With that I was done. I could have stuck around until the end, but the line was really long. I decided to call it a night, and grabbed the next bus home.

Toay (Friday) Wasamin will be at Moritown in Western Tokyo, before heading to Fukuoka and Hiroshima for the weekend. I was debating going to Friday's events, considering maybe taking a day off, especially since I am committed to going Monday. But then I remembered that AKB has a handshake event today, and if I don't go to her event she will assume I went to AKB instead. With that in mind, I think I need to make an appearance.

 

Iwasa Misaki 7th Single Re-release Week Promotional Festivities, Part 3, and a Few BIG Wasamin Announcements!

Misaki-chan wrapped up the Tokyo leg of her new CD promotional events with 2 performances in Akishima, which is in Western Tokyo not far from Fussa and Yokota Air Base. But before I get into that, Wasamin's Fall and Winter schedule is quickly becoming a series of special events that will undoubtedly keep her fans engaged and happy, beginning with the play she will be in through most of September...

8/31-9/25: "Umezawa Fumio Special Performance" Wasamin has been cast in this special play/song/dance performance at the famous Meiji-za Theater in Tokyo, starring along with Umezawa Tomio and Ken Naoko.

(Just Announced!) 9/29-9/30: Wasamin Special Performance on Sado Island! It has finally been scheduled. Misaki-chan will perform in Niigata on Saturday, then sail over to Sado Island for a performance there on Sunday Afternoon. This was just announced, so the details are still coming, but from the looks of it there will also be an fan club event on the ferry over.

10/8: Concert at Minoh Spa Onsen, Osaka We are still waiting for details on this one as well, but it is a concert at an Onsen, something Wasamin did once before early in her solo career.

11/4: Iwasa Misaki Kayou Concert, Nagano Wasamin will be performing a concert along with Sugimoto Kazuya

11/7: Yamano Music Autumn Enka Festival, Ginza What has become a tradition, Wasamin is a regular invitee to Yamano Music's Enka Exhibitions.

11/17: Iwasa Misaki 7th Single Special Cheki Event at Nippon Crown I originally didn't apply for this the first time around, so I am praying they will have "on the day" tickets. They probably will, so I'm not too worried.

(New!) 11/24: Iwasa Misaki Winter 'Love Live' Vol. 2 Wasamin acoustic concert, Yatta!

At this point I have a ticket to the play, an application in for the Yamano Music Enka Festival, and I will definitely go to 'Love Live' I am definitely interested in the Sado Island and Minoh Spa events, I'm just waiting on the details. But it is going to be an exciting Fall for Wasa-fans!

7th Single Mini-Live Event at Moritown, Akishima (2018/08/10)

I originally considered skipping this event, since I planned on going to all of the other events she had scheduled in the Kanto Region this week. But after thinking about it, I didn't have anything else to do on Friday, I didn't want Wasamin thinking I had skipped her live to attend AKB48's Handshake Event, and despite the event being in Western Tokyo, it really wasn't that far. That settled it, I was off to Akishima. I arrived around 45 minutes before the first performance. Most of the seats were taken by the locals, and a few early-bird Wasa-fans. Instead of staking out a spot, I went to have coffee at the nearby Excelsior Caffe, returning just before showtime.


I love Ponytail/Kimono Wasamin! (This is one of Wild-san's Shamekai, he chose a solo shot)

I was standing in the back, which is where most of the Wasa-fans were hanging out. When a few of us put on our Happi Coats they drew the attention of more than a few curious locals. Wasamin came out in her black Kimono, with her hair tied back in a ponytail. I love when Wasamin unties her hair while still wearing a Kimono. Kind of formal, but casual at the same time. Here is the early setlist...

Setlist 13:00
1. Mujineki
2. Ihoujin
3. Tegami
4. Sado no Ondeko

Since this was a mall event, and not in Central Tokyo, it drew quite a few locals. In fact, I would say at least 3/4 of the seats were taken by people who were likely seeing Wasamin perform live for the first time. Also, today Wasamin announced the Sado Island event, which is something we Wasafans have been clamoring for since the single came out. I had enough tickets for one Shamekai, which I did after the first performance, and one handshake, which I saved for the second performance...



I am always hard pressed to come up with poses. When I decided on this pose, Wasamin was like "What the heck is this?" I called it the "Baka" pose. She was like "Why is it a "Baka Pose?" I don't know, Misaki-chan, it just is! In any case, I wanted to talk to her about the books I was reading. As part of a class next semester, I need to read a bunch of novels by Japanese authors. I was telling her which authors I was reading, and she lit up when I mentioned Kanae Minato. She was like "Which book???" The problem was that I couldn't remember the Japanese name, only the English title. Naturally, Wasamin wasn't familiar with the English title. As I was walking away I thought I remembered the title, so I told Ichikawa-san. However, when I sat back down I realized that it although Kanae Minato did write a book with the title I mentioned, it was not the one I read. I would need to rectify this issue with my next ticket!

After grabbing lunch in the food court, and an iced tea at the Cafe, I returned to the event stage. I could have gotten a nice seat for the late event, but I chose to remain in the standing section. Here is the setlist...

Setlist 15:30
1. Saba Kaido
2. Ringo no Uta
3. Osaka Rhapsody
4. Sado no Ondeko



There was an older couple who were front row center for both the early and late shows, and they cheered loudly when Wasamin announced shwas singing Ringo no Uta. I think they are actually Wasamin fans as they had some of her goods, but they aren't event regulars. In fact, there were a few people at this event who I did not recognize, but they were wearing Wasamin concert gear. When I see things like this I realize that Wasamin's fan base is bigger than one might think, and there are lots of fans, even fan club members who only occasionally go to events. Anyway, with my one ticket I decided to continue by book conversation with Wasamin...

During the break I looked up the Japanese titles of some of the books I have been reading. Apparently Ichikawa-san told Wasamin the title I originally said, but I corrected her and told her I had read Koukuhaku. Wasamin absolutely lit up. "I read that, I love that book! Did you like it? Wasn't it scary?" I was so excited to be sharing this with her. Earlier I had mentioned another author Wasamin didn't initially seem familiar with, but I knew it was a famous manga, so when I told her the title of that one, she again was like "Oh yeah, I know that manga!" She started giggling, and mentioned to Ichikawa-san that I was reading Otouto no Otto. I think she found it funny that I was reading it because it's a gay-themed manga. She asked if I liked it, but I actually haven't started it yet. It is next on my list. But I think I will mention more of the titles I am reading since most Japanese people I have mentioned them to seem to know them, and Wasamin does enjoy reading, so there is a good possibility she will be familiar with those too.

I stuck around until the end and waved goodbye to Wasamin. She took a few photos in front of Shinseido before taking off for the airport. Today Wasamin is in Fukuoka to perform at Tower Records Tenjin, and then she will head down to Hiroshima for a Sunday event, before wrapping up the promotion Monday in Northern Saitama Prefecture. I already told Wasamin I would come to Saitama, despite it being a very long train ride, and the mall being somewhat far from the station. I am up for the adventure!

 

Iwasa Misaki 7th Single Re-release Week Promotional Festivities ~FINAL~ (2018/08/13)

After going to all of Misaki-chan's events during the week, and planning on attending her final event on Monday, I felt okay with taking the weekend off while Wasamin traveled to Fukuoka and Hiroshima. After all, I was going to have a long ride to see her in Kamisato, which is almost in Gunma Prefecture. However, while Wasamin was busy in Western Japan, I decided to use my free Saturday to pick up one of my preorders in Kita-Toda. I knew there was a small storm in the forecast, but I figured since it wasn't a long ride, and it happened to be sunny out at the time, I would take off in the early afternoon. Big mistake...

When I got to Saitama it was pouring. Plus, there were lightning bolts shooting down from all directions. In fact, one of them looked like it hit about a block to my right. It was quite scary. I didn't know whether to take cover, or to just run for it. Eventually I safely made it to the mall, and dried off a bit before heading to Yamano Music to get the CDs. After that I camped out in Choco-Cro drinking an iced coffee while waiting for the storm to blow over.



This is my CD haul for the re-release. Right now I am in possession of six copies of each version. I have already given away two sets, one of which was the one I picked up in Saitama. After the storm I headed to Devilcraft and offered the CDs to the waitstaff. None of the girls seemed to want them, but then one of them pulled me aside as I was leaving and asked for one. I gave her the set. I hope she enjoys them. I have one more set I need to pick up in Yokohama, which means that I bought 9 sets in total. (27 CDs)

Meanwhile, here are the setlists from Wasamin's performances in Fukuoka and Hiroshima. Amazingly, Wild-san, who is from Shiga Prefecture (near Osaka) drove to Tokyo this past week, then drove to Fukuoka and Hiroshima, before coming back for the final event at Kamisato. Talk about commitment!!!

Fukuoka Setlist 13:00 Saturday
1. Saba Kaido
2. Natsu no Tobira
3. Ryoshu
4. Sado no Ondeko

Fukuoka Setlist 15:30
1. Hatsuzake
2. Blue Light Yokohama
3. Osaka Rhapsody
4. Sado no Ondeko

Hiroshima Setlist 12:30 Sunday
1. Saba Kaido
2. Tokyo no Bus Girl
3. Osaka Rhapsody
4. Sado no Ondeko

Hiroshima Setlist 15:30
1. Tomonoura Bojou
2. Koisuru Fortune Cookie (Enka Version)
3. Tegami
4. Sado no Ondeko

Final Event at Aeontown Kamisato, Saitama Prefecture



I decided to catch an early train since 1) I wasn't sure how I was going to get from the train station to the mall, and 2) I wanted time to eat lunch. It takes 85 minutes to get from Akabane Station in Tokyo to Jimbohara Station via the Takasaki Line. It is the final stop before entering Gunma Prefecture. It is a very nice ride passing through quite a few quiet Saitama suburbs. Along the way I repeatedly thought to myself; "This would be a nice place to live." Eventually I arrived. I knew there was a shuttle bus that goes directly to the mall, but it goes on a 2-hour break right in the window of my arrival. Last time I came here I ran into two other fans getting off the train, and we split a taxi to the mall. This time I ran into another fan, and he had arranged for someone to pick him up. He invited me to tag along, which is nice because it is about a 30-minute walk from the station. We arrive at the mall around 11:30, and I immediately ran into my friend Tanaka-san, who I had met the last time I came here. He's a 48-group/Babymetal fan from Gunma. Tanaka-san had a gift for me. I have no idea where he found it, or how much he paid for it, but I was really excited to get it...



A Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 Oshi Towel! How awesome is that? As long as I have been a Wasamin fan, I only ever got to see WH7 perform once, and that was at Ogi Matsuri 2011. Anyway, I grabbed some Spicy Cold Soba from Ringer Hut before heading down to the event. I fully expected to be standing for the show, but shortly before it started I noticed an empty seat on the far right of the first row. I asked if it was taken, and then grabbed it. So I had a nice vie of the first performance. Ultimately I gave up the seat for the late performance, opting to stand in the rear center. Here are the setlists...



13:00 Setlist
1. Saba Kaido
2. Niji wo Watatte
3. Osaka Rhapsody
4. Sado no Ondeko

15:30 Setlist
1. Mujineki
2. Ihoujin
3. Ryoshu
4. Tegami
5. Sado no Ondeko

Since it was the final event, Wasamin gifted the fans with a bonus song for the final performance. Before the show I had purchased my usual three CDs, which would be enough for one shamekai and one handshake. However, I was informed by Wasamin's manager, Ichikawa-san, that with I could redeem each of my completed point cards for another handshake ticket. The point cards were part of the pre-sale promotion. I had five completed cards, which meant I could get five additional tickets. So now I had eight tickets, enough for four shamekai, Yatta! I also noticed there was a flower shop near the stage, so I went over and purchased a small bouquet for the first shot...



She asked if they were for her. (Did she think they were for Ichikawa-san?) I told her I know she was very busy this week (she responded in English, "Yes, very busy!"), and all the traveling she did was surely difficult, so I wanted to give her a token of appreciation. I also asked her about one of the other books I was reading, Hakase no Aishite Sushiki. She said she knew of it, but hadn't read it. She also asked if I enjoyed it, which I did. I explained that all of this reading is part of my upcoming Japanese Literature class. I took my leave after she wished me luck. Since I now had more tickets than I originally thought I would have, I immediately re-queued...



This time I decided to show off the oshi-towel I received as a gift. Wasamin giggled with embarrassment, "Natsukashii!" I know, it IS natsukashii, but it's a cool gift, right? I pointed out Tanaka-san, who was watching from the back. I then added that I have a lot of Wasa-souvenirs, but I did not have that oshi-towel, so I was very happy to receive it.

I saved the other four tickets for the second performance. In the meantime I decided to do a little window shopping. This particular Aeontown is quite small. It doesn't really have any big brand-name stores. Even the CD shop seemed to be an indie. I was looking for a specific English-translated book, but their book shop, as big as it was, didn't have an English section. Finally the late performance rolled around, after which I lined up for my first shamekai.



So we did the "Usagi Pose," but I pointed out that it really wasn't a Rabbit pose we were doing after all, it was a Hakubishin. On Sunday night I went outside on to my balcony as saw this strange animal walking along the telephone lines around 8 feet away from me. It looked like a cross between a raccoon and a cat (or maybe a small dog) It stopped and stared me down before scurrying away. I looked it up on the internet, and found it is called a Civet. I had never heard of them before, and had never seen one. So I related the story to Wasamin, and she seemed shocked. She was like "Where do you live again?" Before I left she quickly asked if I was coming to see her at Meiji-za, which I replied affirmatively. However, there was one part of that answer I left out. I would give her a little more detail during my last shamekai...



"Hang Loose Dude" I explained to Wasamin that this is a "Hawaii Pose" What I had failed to mention was despite pre-ordering a ticket for Wasamin's play, I have forgotten which date I applied for. I am waiting for the ticket to arrive to know which show I am going to see, LOL. However, I told her I was very excited about the upcoming Sado Island Performance. I told her I would do my best to go since I'm sure it will be a lot of fun. And Wasamin confirmed, there WILL be a Fan Club event on the boat. The only question now is how expensive will this event be? The boat tickets are around 2500-3000 yen each way, and hotels range in price. Of course you have to tack on the Shinkansen ride to Niigata as well.

I sat down and watched some of the "big spenders" loop the line, until the event ended just before 5pm. We all arranged for our various rides back to the train station to head back to Tokyo. And when I got home, I had a special Wasa-package in the mail...



Not only did I get a copy for Misaki-Magazine #6, but I also got the pre-order form for the Winter Love Live Concert. So I will head over to the Post Office later today and put in my order for that ticket. And with that, another super-fun Wasamin CD promotional week in the books!

 

Sado no Ondeko Re-release took second on the Weekly Oricon Enka chart

https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/jb/w/2018-08-20/

and 22nd on the Weekly Pop chart...

https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/w/2018-08-20/p/3/