Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part V]

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Keiko Toda gives fans chance to match face with voice

Entertainment Jul. 23, 2011 - 06:57AM JST ( 2 )



TOKYO —

Keiko Toda may not exactly be a household name in Japan, but millions of people around the country would instantly recognize her voice. For legions of Japanese children, her high-pitched squeals are those of Anpanman, the ubiquitous anime character with a head made of bean paste-filled bread. For older moviegoers, her lower speaking voice would conjure up images of Jodie Foster, as Toda has provided Japanese language dubbing for the American actress in over six films.

Toda recently gave her young fans a chance to match a face to the famous voice, as she performed the beloved British cartoon character Thomas the Tank Engine in live voice-over screenings of the new film “Day of the Diesels” at five children’s centers in the tsunami-hit areas of Iwate prefecture. “This is a project to help the children [affected by the natural disaster] enjoy themselves, even if it is just a little,” explained Toda.

Toda will soon have another chance to connect with the little ones, as she heads the committee of this summer’s 19th Tokyo Kinder Film Festival. The festival started as a kid-friendly offshoot of Berlinale in 1992, and has since spread around the world, introducing young movie goers to the best of kids’ films from around the world in a fun atmosphere. “I’m sure that such an experience is essential for children to grow,” Toda says.

The Kinder Film Festival will be held Aug 12-13 at Hibiya Public Hall and Aug 18-21 at Chofu Hall.

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Analog TV broadcasting comes to an end in Japan after 58 years

National Jul. 24, 2011 - 04:10PM JST ( 59 )



TOKYO —

Analog TV broadcasting in Japan ended after 58 years on Sunday, except in the three quake and tsunami-hit prefectures of Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima, where the changeover to digital terrestrial TV broadcasting has been delayed until the end of March 2012.

Although there has been a rush to buy digital TVs at electric appliance stores in June and this month, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry says that as many as 700,000 households nationwide have not yet procured digital TVs or tuners and antennas.

The ministry has set up ‘‘digital support centers’’ to answer answer questions on what type of tuners are necessary and how to operate remote controllers for digital-capable TVs. Officials said they have been getting a lot of calls from elderly people.

At midnight, analog TV screens will go blank. Currently, there is a notice informing viewers where to make inquiries. The ministry is operating a 24-hour telephone hotline at 0570-07-0101 to handle all inquiries.

The changeover from analog to digital TV was first announced in December 2003. Since then, some 80 million TV sets have been rendered obsolete, according to the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association estimates.

Source: http://www.japantoday.com/catego ... -end-after-58-years

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Kabuki comes to the big screen

Entertainment Jul. 24, 2011 - 05:44AM JST ( 1 )



TOKYO —

Fans of traditional Japanese theater have been somewhat left out in the cold while the Kabukiza theater in Ginza undergoes a three-year reconstruction project. But they can still get their kabuki fix on the big screen. Shochiku theaters are launching a new series of lavishly filmed classics, in the vein of the chain’s current series showing performances at New York’s Metropolitan Opera.

The first work to be screened will be Monzaemon Chikamatsu’s “The Woman-Killer and the Hell of Oil,” which started as a bunraku puppet play in 1721. The performance was shot in 2006 before the Kabukiza’s closing, and stars veteran actor Nizaemon Kataoka. The project brings together traditional theater and modern technology, as productions are shot and projected in high definition with Dolby digital sound.

Screenings have already been held to rave reviews in Toronto, New York and Rome, and begin at Shochiku cinemas across Japan on July 25.

Source: www.japantoday.com

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AKB48's Team 4 appoints captain, adds two members
Posted on July 23, 2011 by tokyograph



AKB48 announced some changes to Team 4 on Saturday. Member Oba Mina has been appointed as the team’s captain, and two research students have been added as official members: Abe Maria and Iriyama Anna.

Team 4 was created in June as AKB48's fourth team, with only 10 initial members. With the addition of Abe and Iriyama, the team now has 12 spots filled, leaving only 4 more available spaces.

Although they are now official members of Team 4, that does not make Abe and Iriyama automatically eligible for the upcoming AKB48 janken tournament, since their promotions had not been decided at the time of the preliminary rounds. However, Iriyama already earned a spot in the tournament as a research student during the preliminaries.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Yoka Wao to play Dracula in musical

Entertainment Jul. 25, 2011 - 05:57AM JST ( 4 )



TOKYO —

Yoka Wao, 43, is set to play the dark prince in the forthcoming musical “Dracula,” Fuji TV announced this week. It is to be Wao’s first male role since leaving the Takarazuka Revue. “I get to suck the blood of various people when rehearsing. It’s fun. It might become a habit,” she said in a statement released by Fuji.

Wao came to the public’s attention as a performing artist for the Takarazuka Revue, where she specialized in playing male characters. The Revue is a Japanese all-female musical theater troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture. Actresses play male and female roles in lavish, Broadway-style productions of Western-style musicals. The theater company is a division of the Hankyu Railway company and all members of the troupe are its employees.

“Dracula” co-stars Mari Hanafusa, 38, and Natsumi Abe, 29, and will run from Aug 20 to Sept 11 at the Tokyo International Forum.

Source: www.japantoday.com

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Ichihara Hayato stars as fugitive in “Runaway”
Posted on July 24, 2011 by tokyograph



Ichihara Hayato (24) has been chosen to star in an action drama series on TBS this fall, titled “Runaway ~Aisuru Kimi no Tame ni~.” He will play the part of a fugitive who is on the run after escaping from prison, trying to make his way back to his daughter.

The adrenaline-pumping thriller is described as having a rapid pace and a chain of unraveling mysteries, making it reminiscent of the popular American television series “Prison Break.” Ichihara plays a man who is falsely charged with murder and thrown into a prison in Kitakyushu. With his colleagues, he escapes from the jail and must overcome a series of ordeals as he races 1,000 kilometers back to Tokyo, where his beloved daughter is in danger.

For Ichihara, this will be the first time that he has played the part of a father.

“Runaway” will premiere in October. Coincidentally, Ichihara’s movie “DOG x POLICE,” in which he plays a policeman, opens in theaters the same month.

TBS will broadcast “Runaway” on Thursday nights at 9:00pm. After the long-running drama “Wataru Seken wa Oni Bakari” ends in September, TBS will officially rename that time slot “Mokuyo Drama 9,” using it only for dramas instead of the mix of dramas and variety shows it has been airing until now.

Since Ichihara will be the first star of the new time slot, producers are hoping that “Runaway” will become a hit similar to Ichihara’s “ROOKIES,” which kicked off TBS’s Saturday 8:00pm drama time slot in 2008.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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AKB48 performing 3-day concert series at Seibu Dome

Entertainment Jul. 26, 2011 - 03:01AM JST ( 13 )



SAITAMA —

Popular all-girl group AKB48 is performing live for three consecutive nights at Seibu Dome in Saitama Prefecture this week. The first concert was held Sunday night, the second Monday and the third is set for Tuesday night. The concert series mark the girls’ first ever three-day dome performance.

Members from AKB48, as well as members from affiliate groups NMB48, based in Osaka’s Namba, SKE48, based in Sakae, Nagoya, and Not Yet are also performing at the event. In all, 141 members perform 45 songs over the course of the two-hour show. The concerts are expected to attract around 90,000 people.

Sub-acts associated with AKB48 now include SKE48, NMB48, HKT48, SDN48, OJS48, no3b Watarirouka Hashiritai, French Kiss, Not Yet and DiVA. The group, which is officially the largest pop group in the world, has also set the date for first round of its next rock-paper-scissors tournament, by which it will select the members who are to perform in the group’s 24th single. The round is to take place in Tokyo’s Budokan on Sept 20. The group’s 24th single is currently scheduled for release in December.

Source: www.japantoday.com

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“Real Hannah Montana”, Kylee to perform for the first time in the US at Otakon 2011

July 21, 2011 by J!-ENT

[img]http://j-entonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Unknown.jpeg[/img]

Kylee is a singer and currently lives in Arizona. Born to an American Father, and a Japanese mother, Kylee is the product of music without borders.

Kylee sang the National Anthem at an NBA game when she was only 11 years old, and at 15, she became the youngest artist to perform at SUMMER SONIC. She’s the new generation Pop Icon, full of extraordinary and unprecedented experiences, But by day, she’s your average high school honor student.

In March 2010, Kylee made her major label debut with “Kimi ga Irukara”, the theme for her big screen debut in “Dareka ga Watashini Kiss wo Shita”.
In July 2010, she released her 2nd single “missing / IT’S YOU” that spread through the blogosphere like wildfire and became a smash hit.

The success was followed by the release of her 3rd single “Everlasting” – the main theme of the movie “Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn episode 2” and has achieved #2 on the USEN request chart.

Finally coming home to perform in America, Kylee made her network debut on NBC’s Today show May 12th and 13, 2011, with NBC’s TODAY show calling Kylee a “Real Hannah Montana”.
On July 13th, she will release her new single “NEVER GIVE UP!”

She will be performing on Sunday afternoon at Otakon 2011 for the very first time in the US.

Otakon 2011 will be held July 29 – 31 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

http://www.kylee.jp

Source: j-entonline.com

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Ebizo and Mao celebrate their first child
Posted on July 25, 2011 by tokyograph



Actor Ichikawa Ebizo (33) and announcer Kobayashi Mao (29) are now proud parents. Ichikawa’s management office announced on Monday, July 25, that Kobayashi gave birth to a daughter earlier that day.

Ichikawa and Kobayashi have been married since March 2010. This past February, it was first reported that they were expecting their first child.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Gal Sone ties the knot
Posted on July 25, 2011 by tokyograph



Talento and competitive eater Sone Natsuko (25), better known by the nickname Gal Sone, is now married. Early on Sunday, July 24, she registered her marriage with a 35-year-old half-Japanese man who works as a television director for a production company.

According to Sone’s management agency, she is not pregnant. No further details were given about the history of the couple’s relationship.

Sone is currently at her parents’ home in Kyoto, so there are no plans for a press conference at the moment. There have also been no plans announced for a wedding ceremony.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Arai Atsushi leads cast of movie adaptation of manga “Messiah”
Posted on July 25, 2011 by tokyograph



The popular manga series “Messiah,” illustrated by Hiyoshimaru Akira, is being adapted as a live-action film. The movie is being directed by Kaneko Shusuke (“Death Note,” “Azumi 2”) and stars young actor and D2 member Arai Atsushi (18). The two worked together once before on the movie “Pole Dancing Boys,” which came out earlier this year.

“Messiah” is currently serialized in Kadokawa Shoten’s magazine “Gekkan Asuka.” Arai plays the part of Kaido Eiri, a candidate for a group of specially chosen spies for the government’s public security bureau. Their current mission is to monitor a high school student, so Kaido is sent to pose as a student and infiltrate the school, but he soon becomes conflicted between work and friendship.

Arai’s supporting cast features “Kamen Rider Decade” actor Inoue Masahiro (22), “Kamen Rider W” actor Kinomoto Minehiro (21), and fellow D2 member Jinnai Sho (23). Others include Matsuda Satoshi, Aizawa Rina, Nakamura Arisa, Fuuta (aka Akanishi Reio), Nitta Masaaki, Uchiyama Koki, Kato Keisuke, Hosogai Kei, Takahashi Ryuki, and Ozawa Maju.

“Messiah” opens in theaters on October 15, 2011.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Takei Emi cast as Kamiya Kaoru in live-action “Rurouni Kenshin”
Posted on July 25, 2011 by tokyograph



The heroine of the “Rurouni Kenshin” live-action movie has just been revealed. Rising star Takei Emi (17) will take on the role of Kamiya Kaoru, playing opposite lead actor Sato Takeru’s (22) Himura Kenshin.

The movie, based on Watsuki Nobuhiro’s popular manga of the same name, was just officially confirmed last month. Filming begins in August, so Takei is already preparing with training in swordplay and other skills.

Theatrical release is planned for summer 2012.

Takei recently starred in the manga-to-drama adaptation “Asukou March!” She has also landed major roles in the 2012 taiga drama “Taira no Kiyomori” and the 2012 movie “Ai to Makoto 201X.”

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Abe Hiroshi, Horikita Maki, Hamada Gaku in drama remake of “The Yellow Handkerchief”
Posted on July 25, 2011 by tokyograph



Broadcaster NTV plans to air a modern-day remake of Yamada Yoji’s classic 1977 film “Shiawase no Kiiroi Hankachi” (“The Yellow Handkerchief”) as a TV drama special this fall. The lead role, played by Takakura Ken (80) in the original, will this time be played by Abe Hiroshi (47).

“The Yellow Handkerchief” is a road movie set in Hokkaido, revolving around an ex-convict named Shima Yusaku (Abe) who has just been released from prison. Along with two young strangers that he meets, he sets out on a journey back to where his wife is, uncertain of what awaits him. Horikita Maki (22) and Hamada Gaku (23) will play the two strangers (originally played by Momoi Kaori and Takeda Tetsuya), while Natsukawa Yui will play the wife (originally Baisho Chieko).

Oginome Keiko, Endo Kenichi, Nakamura Tamao, and Kusabue Mitsuko have also been cast in supporting roles.

Yamada Yoji is personally supervising the remake, as well as writing the script. This is Yamada’s first time in about 21 years writing for a terrestrial broadcast television drama.

The exact broadcast date is not yet known, but is planned for sometime in fall of this year.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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SKE48's Matsui Jurina, Yagami Kumi appear in first movie
Posted on July 26, 2011 by tokyograph



SKE48 members Matsui Jurina (14) and Yagami Kumi (17) are making their movie debuts together in a film titled “WAYA! Uchuu Ichi no Osekkai Daisakusen,” it has been learned.

Directed by Kohatsu Yo, the film stars comedian Itoda Jun, a member of the duo Speed Wagon. The story is set in the Endouji shopping arcade in Nagoya, near SKE48's base in Sakae.

Itoda plays the part of Kantaro, a young man working at the cleaners who is chosen as the head of the arcade’s youth organization. He decides to plan a big event in honor of the arcade’s chairman, a stubborn old man named Shige (Yazaki Shigeru) who has been running a wooden clog shop for 30 years. However, his true objective is to reconcile the relationship between Shige and Shige’s friend Nobu (Lou Oshiba) after the two have a fight. But Kantaro’s little white lie ends up growing, turning his meddlesome plan into a mess.

Matsui plays Sanae, the granddaughter of the stubborn old man, while Yagami plays a cool high school student. Matsui was actually only 13 when the movie was filmed, even though her character is 18 years old.

Both Matsui and Yagami were chosen for their parts through an audition involving all of the SKE48 members, held by the director at the group’s theater in Sakae.

The cast also includes Itoda’s comedy partner Ozawa Kazuhiro, Mizuno Miki, Fujita Tomoko, Moro Morooka, Miwa Mizuki, and Kojima Noriko.

“WAYA! Uchuu Ichi no Osekkai Daisakusen” will open first in Nagoya in October, and other theaters across the country will follow.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Kagrra vocalist Isshi dies at 32
Posted on July 26, 2011 by tokyograph



It was announced yesterday that Isshi, the vocalist of rock band Kagrra, died at his home on July 18. He was only 32 years old.

Due to his family’s wishes, the cause of death has not been revealed. A private funeral has already been held.

Isshi had reportedly appeared in good health during a talk event that took place on July 15. Since Kagrra’s breakup in March of this year, Isshi had been working on his solo project, “shiki8project,” and he had already finished his first CD that was set for release this September. He was planning to hold two events on July 28-29 at Act Square in Ebisu, Tokyo, but those have now been turned into mourning events.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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EXILE’s sister group FLOWER to debut with five new members
Posted on July 26, 2011 by tokyograph



FLOWER, one of EXILE’s “sister groups,” is ready for a CD debut. The group held a press conference on Tuesday to announce their first single and to unveil five new members, bringing their total size to 9.

The five new members consist of three vocalists – Washio Reina (17), Muto Chiharu (16), and Ichiki Kyoka (14) – and two performers – Bando Nozomi (13) and Sato Harumi (16). All of them were selected from more than 30,000 girls in the “EXILE Presents VOCAL BATTLE AUDITION 3 ~For Girls~” that started in February.

FLOWER will release their first single, “still,” on October 12.

The group has also been added to the lineup for Avex’s a-nation tour. They will perform in Ehime on July 30, Aichi on August 13, Osaka on August 21, and Tokyo on August 27.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Fukada Kyoko, Fujiki Naohito, Kiritani Kenta in “Watashi wa Shadow” drama adaptation
Posted on July 26, 2011 by tokyograph



Kasuya Noriko’s josei manga “Watashi wa Shadow” is being adapted as a live-action television drama on TBS this fall. The show, which is tentatively titled “Sengyou Shufu Tantei ~ Watashi wa Shadow,” will star actress Fukada Kyoko (28) with Fujiki Naohito (39) and Kiritani Kenta (31).

“Watashi wa Shadow” was serialized in Shueisha’s YOU magazine until autumn of last year. It tells the story of Asagi Serina, a housewife who ends up becoming a detective. Producers say that Fukada will appear in at least 20 different costumes over the course of the series, as she sneaks into various places in order to carry out her detective work.

Fujiki will play Serina’s husband, and Kiritani will play the detective who causes Serina to also become a detective. Other cast members include Furuta Arata, Ashina Sei, Endo Kenichi, Ishida Yuriko, and Kohinata Fumiyo.

TBS will broadcast the series on Fridays at 10:00pm, starting in October.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Vision Factory creates new girl group
Posted on July 26, 2011 by tokyograph



Management agency Vision Factory has announced that it is launching a new female idol group this summer. The group consists of 7 junior high school students, carefully selected from dance schools around the country. According to Vision Factory, they will be focused on being a true dance and vocal unit, rather than a typical idol group.

The members are Ito Momoka (13), Fujita Miria (12), Nomoto Sora (13), Hayashida Mahiro (13), Shimomura Miki (12), Kiyomura Kawane (12), and Inoue Rikako (14).

The group does not yet have a name, but it was announced today on the morning show “Sukkiri!” that they are publicly accepting suggestions for names.

All seven members also appear in the opening pages of the free magazine Harajuku Girls Vol. 4, which is being released today. They can also be seen on the magazine’s website.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Dan, Micchi Tie the Knot
       
July 28, 2011



Management for actor/singer Oikawa Mitsuhiro (41, photo right) and actress Dan Rei (39, photo center) announced yesterday that they had just got married. Oikawa made a point of posting on his blog that his new bride was not pregnant. The couple do not currently have plans for a wedding ceremony or reception. The showbiz couple's relationship is said to have been ignited when they worked together on the popular detective show "Aibo" in November 2009 (photo).

Dan is a former star with the all-female Takarazuka theatrical troupe, where she played "musume" (female) roles, from 1993 to 2005. She entered the Takarazuka school in 1990 and went on to play lead roles in both the Moon and Star troupes. After she retired, she became a regular in TV dramas and commercials. She soon landed a Japan Academy Award as best actress for her role in the 2006 hit samurai movie "Bushi no Ichibu." It wasn't until the spring of 2010 that she got her first lead drama role in NHK's "Youkame no Semi." She has been the face of Suntory beer for several years as well as other top brands.

Oikawa, popularly known by his nickname "Micchi," has had a varied and successful showbiz career. He has released over a dozen albums and appeared in a similar number of movies as well as many TV dramas and commercials. Due to his mother's influence, he became a Takarazuka fan at an early age, though the troupe is overwhelmingly supported by female fans. Oikawa has often alluded to the multiple aspects to his character, even saying that he considered himself 76% male. But lest his sexual orientation be brought into question, he is also a lifelong fan of the popular anime "Gundam" and said he has a preference for intelligent-looking women in glasses.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

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Charts: NMB48, JUJU, Lady Gaga, AKB48
Posted on July 27, 2011 by tokyograph



AKB48’s Osaka-based sister group NMB48 released their debut single “Zetsumetsu Kurokami Shoujo” last week, and it made it to the top of the weekly charts at 218,000 copies sold. This is a new record for first week sales by a female artist’s debut single (not including soloists or sub-units of an existing group), surpassing Sawajiri Erika’s “Taiyou no Uta” (150,000) in 2006.

NMB48 is only the second female group to reach #1 in the first week with a debut single, after idol group PASSPO? did so in May.

    NMB48 – Zetsumetsu Kurokami Shoujo – 218,441
    Tohoshinki – Superstar – 158,870
    Kaoru to Yuki, Tama ni Mook – Maru Maru Mori Mori! – 48,797
    Yusuke – Zenbu Suki – 44,485
    Ikimonogakari – Warattetainda / NEW WORLD MUSIC – 32,743
    ONE OK ROCK – Re:make / NO SCARED – 28,771
    ST?RISH – Maji LOVE 1000% – 18,910
    Sakanaction – Bach no Senritsu wo Yoru ni Kiita Sei Desu – 14,871
    KARA – GO GO Summer! – 14,185
    GReeeeN – Sorashido – 12,914



JUJU topped the album rankings for the second week in a row with “YOU,” selling 71,000 copies.

Meanwhile, Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” reached 510,000 total copies sold in its 9th week, surpassing Shoujo Jidai’s “GIRLS' GENERATION” (502,000) for best-selling album by a foreign artist in 2011. She now has two consecutive original albums that have sold half a million each, making her the first foreign artist to achieve that since Avril Lavigne in 2007.

    JUJU – YOU – 71,488
    Lady Gaga – Born This Way – 30,720
    TUBE – RE-CREATION – 25,859
    Arashi – Beautiful World – 25,742
    Shoujo Jidai – GIRLS' GENERATION – 21,093
    Nishino Kana – Thank you, Love – 12,908
    Che’Nelle – Love Songs – 10,170
    Aoki Ryuji – Lien – 10,121
    40mP feat. Hatsune Miku – Chiisana Jibun to Ookina Sekai – 9,286
    Superfly – Mind Travel – 9,232



On the DVD charts, AKB48’s “AKB ga Ippai ~The Best Music Video~” ranked #3 and sold 10,000 more copies, putting its total sales to date at 324,000. Earlier this month, it became the best-selling music video DVD ever by a female artist, but now it also holds the record for best-selling music DVD (counting concert DVDs) by a female artist. The previous record was held by Koda Kumi’s 2005 release “secret ~FIRST CLASS LIMITED LIVE~” at 322,000 copies.

Source: www.tokyograph.com