entertainment

SMAP to collaborate on Nihonbashi Project

33 Comments

All-male idol group SMAP will collaborate on the “Nihonbashi Machizukuri Project” to improve the historically symbolic Nihonbashi area of Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics.

The ward and metropolitan government are working together on a long-term project to create new attractions and restore the liveliness of Edo era to Nihonbashi, TV Asahi reported Tuesday.

SMAP's new song, “Koko kara,” was chosen as the project's theme song. The song will be their 52nd single album recorded on Side A along with the song “Yes we are.” It will be released on April 9.

SMAP member Goro Inagaki, 40, told reporters, “We would like to move forward treasuring what we have been doing, just as Nihonbashi does. We would like all of you to listen to our songs, ‘Koko kara’ and ‘Yes we are’ and hope they will be loved by many people.”

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33 Comments
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Yes, buy those songs and line Jonny's pockets.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Please consider retiring!

8 ( +9 / -2 )

There you go, starting to spend people's taxes on nonsense acts, because the Olympic spirit says so.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

I have no idea how they are going " to improve the historically symbolic Nihonbashi area of Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics" with this song. Someone please explain this to me.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

52 singles too many.

Was really hoping they wouldn't associate J-pop with the Olympics...

2 ( +4 / -2 )

First and foremost i would very much like them to get rid of that ugly highway over the Nihonbashi bridge and River.Slapping 'Tokyo 2020' on the Highways pylons does not make the area attractive.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

makes you want to boycott the olympics

0 ( +3 / -3 )

SMAP and Arashi should collaborate on building a rocket ship that takes them far away from television so when I flick through all the TV channels I don't see one of their faces.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

create new attractions

Maybe an Edo SMAP Museum.

1 ( +3 / -1 )

@cl400

SMAP and Arashi should collaborate on building a rocket ship that takes them far away from television so when I flick through all the TV channels I don't see one of their faces.

The very reason I just cannot watch TV here. In trains, on billboards, countless commercials - there's just no escaping the torture.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

SMAP member Goro Inagaki, 40, told reporters, “We would like to move forward treasuring what we have been doing, just as Nihonbashi does. We would like all of you to listen to our songs, ‘Koko kara’ and ‘Yes we are’ and hope they will be loved by many people.”

Who tells these clowns what to say. just awful.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

wut

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I'm not a fan of either one, but if part of their sales go to demolishing that ugly lowway above such a historical place, just about everybody is fine with me! What nobody mentioned yet, but really amusing is the fact that that highway running between the houses inside Tokyo was built for the sake of the Olympics. Now, for the sake of another Olympics, they want to tear it down, at least part of it. Anyway, this spot will be much used long after the games have finished, so let's put some money there rather than building some oversize underused hall.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

First and foremost i would very much like them to get rid of that ugly highway over the Nihonbashi bridge and River.Slapping 'Tokyo 2020' on the Highways pylons does not make the area attractive.

There were plans proposed about a decade ago to bury that highway underground and give Nihonbashi its sky back, at a cost of about 500 billion yen. PM Koizumi supported it, but Ishihara opposed and effectively killed it. His complaint about the cost had merit, but his callous suggestion to move Nihonbashi (the bridge) somewhere else instead was classic facepalm.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Get rid of that expressway that was mindlessly built over Nihonbashi and it'll look a thousand times better. SMAP unnecessary.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

smap will actually just make the area even worse. and what do they have to do with edo era?

at least if they use akb there would be something to look at

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I saw this article next to the headline "Man found dead in Yamanashi home." My eyes played tricks on me and I thought it said "SMAP found dead in Yamanashi." I was excited for a minute, but then I read the article about SMAP's vague plans to do something or other in Nihombashi and am no longer. If SMAP has magic powers, then could turn back the clock to before Japan built that expressway over one of the most famous sights of the Edo period. Totally shortsighted, that was.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

J-pop is part of the national culture now, such as manga, akihabara, and the more classik side.

Personnaly, i like them, they feel japaneese, and i heard worse J-pop. I think it is great that the japaneese government start to suport their music. K-pop is stating to be an arch competition all over the world.

I can't imagine Japan without SMAP Arashi, or AKB48. This is the japaneese soul.It will attract attention on the JO. It good commercial for both side.

They can't make it worse.

-1 ( +2 / -4 )

How are a bunch of blow-dried poodles who don't write their own music or choreograph their own jiggling going to collaborate on anything?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Staying so long on top, they know on thing or two about enterning large amount of people no ? This about "let's not be boring" from 5 to 80 years old.

I feel they fit.

This is just imprinting some of their spirit, giving idea and advice...

-1 ( +2 / -4 )

Christ, is this the sort of thing we can expect during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics? SMAP, Arashi and other amateur acts.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

NadegeFEB. 19, 2014 - 10:09PM JST J-pop is part of the national culture now, such as manga, akihabara, and the more classik side. Personnaly, i like them, they feel japaneese, and i heard worse J-pop. I think it is great that the japaneese government start to suport their music. K-pop is stating to be an arch competition all over the world. I can't imagine Japan without SMAP Arashi, or AKB48. This is the japaneese soul.It will attract attention on the JO. It good commercial for both side. They can't make it worse.

JPOP is awesome, but SMAP,Arashi,AKB48 and the rest of cutesy talentless idols of yours ruined it! Take the stance of readers here for example :

http://www.japantoday.com/category/opinions/view/does-j-pop-really-suck

I love JPOP myself, but only if the artists are TALENTED! Utada Hikaru, Qualia, Miyavi, Namie Amuro, Ayaka, Jasmine, Ikimonogakari, SuperFly, Thelma Aoyama, B'z, Jasmine, Nakashima Mika, Ai, Nishino Kana and many more.

Smap,News, Kattun, Akb48, Morning musume, Arashi etc are all talentless singers and made JPOP looked horrible. It's their fault that JPOP is now recognised with a bad reputation.

There are many other options, why SMAP? Simple, it's popular domestically. But it's the OLYMPICS we're talking about! You need INTERNATIONAL LEVEL of performance. It just doesn't fit!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I know none of the name you gave but i heard about about Smap. Now i am not into J pop. They are know everywhere in the when you start to look into japaneese music or dramas.

I found in general japaneese music horrible. They are out of tune all the time (i have an absolute ear). But i like their spirit and their non ambitions style. (at least from France)

I can't help but admire the work of five boys, probably without scolary bagage, who manage to stay top of the during 20 years without a scrash. Yes, there was people behind them and aournd them. But the boys band is still here.

What made me stop on them when i pass evry J-pop and k-pop alike ? Their smile, their hapiness, their work talent, their fun, and their trying to always better themself and adapt to their time.

In Japan, talent is about personality, more than musical rightness.

SMAP is SMAP. You can recognise them be hear only, they have an imprint. Yes we all would love them better singer, better artist, better dressed(i have seen the worst style dressing for public people in my life here in Japan on them), clearly more adventurous in theirs songs, but they 40 years olds men (probably more knowing japaneese like i know them) still dancing and they have not stop.

They are talented as POP IDOL and entertainer. They are Japaneese international level near. The other one you name have no imprint. Music is about Passion and identity. And in Asia about group(collectivity). They are completly Japan for me. The other name are not group and are more for youth.

Japan is old, stricte, if the youth can be youthfull, they know they will have to go in rank at adulthood reaching. Personnaly, if you can appreciate SMAP, you can appreciate what Japan is about. And by hating them, you actually hate what japan is at 80-85%. Japan make me think of France in the 50s.

I am never wrong when this is about telentless people who have jewel in them. What i wish for them is to "want again". Their fighting spirit is gone with the old age and they have forget to level up the artistic level.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

NadègeFEB. 20, 2014 - 12:10AM JST I know none of the name you gave but i heard about about Smap. Now i am not into J pop. They are know everywhere in the when you start to look into japaneese music or dramas.

I found in general japaneese music horrible. They are out of tune all the time (i have an absolute ear). But i like their spirit and their non ambitions style. (at least from France)

I can't help but admire the work of five boys, probably without scolary bagage, who manage to stay top of the during 20 years without a scrash. Yes, there was people behind them and aournd them. But the boys band is still here.

What made me stop on them when i pass evry J-pop and k-pop alike ? Their smile, their hapiness, their work talent, their fun, and their trying to always better themself and adapt to their time.

In Japan, talent is about personality, more than musical rightness.

SMAP is SMAP. You can recognise them be hear only, they have an imprint. Yes we all would love them better singer, better artist, better dressed(i have seen the worst style dressing for public people in my life here in Japan on them), clearly more adventurous in theirs songs, but they 40 years olds men (probably more knowing japaneese like i know them) still dancing and they have not stop.

They are talented as POP IDOL and entertainer. They are Japaneese international level near. The other one you name have no imprint. Music is about Passion and identity. And in Asia about group(collectivity). They are completly Japan for me. The other name are not group and are more for youth.

Japan is old, stricte, if the youth can be youthfull, they know they will have to go in rank at adulthood reaching. Personnaly, if you can appreciate SMAP, you can appreciate what Japan is about. And by hating them, you actually hate what japan is at 80-85%. Japan make me think of France in the 50s.

I am never wrong when this is about telentless people who have jewel in them. What i wish for them is to "want again". Their fighting spirit is gone with the old age and they have forget to level up the artistic level.

Are you a fan then, mate?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Nice group.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Great to see Japan's legendary pop group supporting a project for the well-deserved 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Bravo.

RR

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Isn't SMAP ancient? The group that sound like a gynecological test. Their last hit was something like a decade ago. Guess the LDP is not only trying to bring back the glory days of pre-war Japan but the music of when they could still hear music. They would have been better off choosing Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. At least KPP has more international appeal. Either that or a more traditional J-POP than techno. Was there an "offer that couldn't be refused"?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Come 2020 SMAP will be getting close to their fifties. The thought of them sweating and gyrating their aged bodies to the cacophony that they pass off as music is not pleasant.

0 ( +1 / -2 )

And if everybody is quiet, you can perhaps hear the good people of Nihonbashi praying that this development does not result in them being subject to a concert as part of the "What's Wrong With Being Naked" Tour.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Fandango Spoonmonkey

I can listen to them, they exasperate me most of the time, they have the gift to untune and unbeat great songs. Some of their old songs have touch me deeply. But this is hardly what we call in my country being a fan.

I still prefer David Ghetta personnaly or the Black Eye Peas or Mozart or French music. :)

Now the fact that their is not to far from some French music might help me to apprenciate their work.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Why is it that JT readers seem to hate SMAP, Arashi and AKB48 so much? Maybe they lack real singing talent or musical ability, but they do managed to stay o top of charts they are what Japanese consume, so, logically, they are representative of pop culture music.

I would wish to have Miyavi or Utada Hikaru as opening acts for the Olympics, personally I love L'Arc~en~Ciel, but these guys sell discs, and i think it is a good collaboration.

-3 ( +0 / -2 )

Because akb and smap and all those nonsense are nothing but propaganda being sold by the music industry.

Actually, there's a weird sense of overall consistency in Japanese pop music that is on par with the Japanese media, which might suggest that even the Japanese pop music might be regulated by the bureaucrats.

When was the last time that you've heard Japanese pop music that seemed to be genuine, that came from the heart? Probably almost never. They're always singing about the same thing. You might say that it's the same elsewhere, but at least there are anomalies here and there. In Japan, almost none. That's why you only hear genuine music in Japan outside of the mainstream.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Isn't SMAP old as baseball?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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