Ayana Sakai - Japanese Hot Babe

Ayana Sakai - Japanese Hot Babe - Few areas of Tokyo invoke as much of an image of a single person as do Shibamata in Katsushika Ward in the extreme north east of the city. Fewer still can combine this fame based on one person with that linked to a temple known to pull in the visitors from around the city and wider Kanto district.Far from being one of your classier neighborhoods, Shibamata is the area the working class folk of much of the eastern half of Tokyo in areas such as Adachi, Sumida, Edogawa and Arakawa refer to as ‘downtown’.

Kyoko Hasegawa - Japanese Hot Idol

Kyoko Hasegawa - Japanese Hot Idol - Kiyoshi Atsumi, the male lead in the movie over time ‘became’ Tora-san with many Japanese not easily recalling the name of the actual actor. In fact Kiyoshi Atsumi was a stage name – his birth name being Yasuo Tadokoro when he was born in Tokyo in the early Spring of 1928. Today, his statue actually serves as something of a pilgrimage to rival that of the nearby temple with many fans coming from near and far – home and abroad – to see what he looked like up close; even if it is in a dark shade of bronze!

Hiya-yakko : It's a cold tofu dish with many toppings. Yakko means tofu in Japanese. It's a popular appetizer often served during the summer in Japan. Cold tofu is called hiyayakko and is the most popular Japanese tofu dish. All you need to do is place toppings on top of chilled tofu. It's a great appetizer for summer. Cut tofu into halves. Serve tofu in individual bowls. Put grated ginger, dried bonito flakes, and chopped green onion on top of tofu as much as you like. Pour some soy sauce before eating. Put some karashi mustard if you would like.

Koyuki - Japanese Sexy Babe

Koyuki - Japanese Sexy Babe - Even today, some are still involved with the video game industry, though they are not always entirely successful. Where the tastes of past idols had to be saccharine, it was now acceptable for an idol to simply love eating ramen or to display something other than a smile, to lament having got a little out of shape or to admit to shopping around for lower prices.Idols also became a fixture in countless anime by singing opening or ending songs that have little relevance to the anime itself.Some experimented with being seiyu, and seiyu themselves became somewhat like idols, becoming increasingly popular. In the 1990s, instead of being marketed as people who lived better and were better than average, idols became people who just happened to have a little something to become popular.

He working conditions of idols improved and even those with limited success could live modestly and more of the money made was paid to idols themselves, though they still only received a small portion. In the late 1980s, instead of relying on magazines and TV, some started experimenting with new media and technologies like video games, with mixed results. The media often fabricated "competitions" between two or more idols, based on things like the number of records sold, the number of fans in the official fan club, etc.TWhile still tightly controlled, idols were allowed to show more of their actual personalities and were permitted to let out some carefully scripted outbursts.

Janelle Monae featured in Vogue

Janelle Monae will be featured in Vogue's November issue. The eccentric songstress will be showing off George Esquivel's unique shoes. Here is the blurb from the article:

"It's hard not to get ideas when I'm meeting with Gwen [as in Stefani] and the Killers," says George Esquivel. "My work evolves by designing for people." Since 1994, the Southern Californian has been crafting custom shoes, and even with an ever-expanding client list, the majority of his footwear is made to order by hand in his Buena Park studio.

Though they're fashioned out of the same Italian leather used by Louis Vuitton, his boots and oxfords are unique in their colors and burnishes, which Esquivel still does himself. "It's a punk attitude," says the designer, whose wares were first noticed by his fellow music scenesters in the nineties. "I'm not a guy who grew up on the East Coast wearing suits." So not proper, but for Esquivel wearers, just perfect.

Janelle Monae featured in Vogue

Janelle Monae will be featured in Vogue's November issue. The eccentric songstress will be showing off George Esquivel's unique shoes. Here is the blurb from the article:

"It's hard not to get ideas when I'm meeting with Gwen [as in Stefani] and the Killers," says George Esquivel. "My work evolves by designing for people." Since 1994, the Southern Californian has been crafting custom shoes, and even with an ever-expanding client list, the majority of his footwear is made to order by hand in his Buena Park studio.

Though they're fashioned out of the same Italian leather used by Louis Vuitton, his boots and oxfords are unique in their colors and burnishes, which Esquivel still does himself. "It's a punk attitude," says the designer, whose wares were first noticed by his fellow music scenesters in the nineties. "I'm not a guy who grew up on the East Coast wearing suits." So not proper, but for Esquivel wearers, just perfect.

Shine. Shimmer. Sparkle.

Serena Williams attends the "Whip It" Los Angeles Premiere held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre Hollywood, California on 29.09.09

Left to right: Sequin glitterglass tank, $495, www.jcrew.com; Sequins Emma Top by Nili Lotan, by $495, www.bloomingdales.com; Sequin Embellished Vest, $95.93, www.asos.com; Sequin & Beaded Tank by Alice + Olivia (Sizes 0 - 14), $396, www.neimanmarcus.com

Left to right: Racerback Tank by Gryphon, $345, www.shoplesnouvelles.com; Rose Sequin Tank, $19.90, www.charlotterusse.com; Embellished Racerback Tank, $24, www.ardenb.com; Allover Sequin Tunic, $26.50, www.wetseal.com

Serena Williams kept things classic and clean on the red carpet of the "Whip It" premiere. Wearing a simple black blazer and matching cropped pants, Serena looked effortlessly chic. To keep the outfit from looking too "day" she added a little sparkle in the form of a racerback tank by Gryphon. If you want to achieve this look you don't have to hand over $345. Wetseal, Forever 21, Charlotte Russe and Arden B all have affordable sequin tops. Finish the outfit with vertigo heels, a metallic clutch and chandelier earrings.

Shine. Shimmer. Sparkle.

Serena Williams attends the "Whip It" Los Angeles Premiere held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre Hollywood, California on 29.09.09

Left to right: Sequin glitterglass tank, $495, www.jcrew.com; Sequins Emma Top by Nili Lotan, by $495, www.bloomingdales.com; Sequin Embellished Vest, $95.93, www.asos.com; Sequin & Beaded Tank by Alice + Olivia (Sizes 0 - 14), $396, www.neimanmarcus.com

Left to right: Racerback Tank by Gryphon, $345, www.shoplesnouvelles.com; Rose Sequin Tank, $19.90, www.charlotterusse.com; Embellished Racerback Tank, $24, www.ardenb.com; Allover Sequin Tunic, $26.50, www.wetseal.com

Serena Williams kept things classic and clean on the red carpet of the "Whip It" premiere. Wearing a simple black blazer and matching cropped pants, Serena looked effortlessly chic. To keep the outfit from looking too "day" she added a little sparkle in the form of a racerback tank by Gryphon. If you want to achieve this look you don't have to hand over $345. Wetseal, Forever 21, Charlotte Russe and Arden B all have affordable sequin tops. Finish the outfit with vertigo heels, a metallic clutch and chandelier earrings.

Kou Shibasaki - Japanese Cute Girl

Whereas in previous years an idol kept up her idol image until she chose to retire or was simply too old to continue being a credible idol, in recent years several ex-idols have successfully matured from being an idol to becoming full-fledged actresses, singers or musicians who are respected for their craft instead of (or in addition to) being admired for their looks and image. The culture of Japanese idols has changed over the years and it is questionable whether past idols would have the same amount of success if given the same opportunity today. In the 1970s, idols had an aura of mystique that left much of their lifestyles secret.

A new genre of idols called Net Idols became known in the late 1990s, only appearing on websites. In the mid-1990s, idols became much younger than before, and groups of idols like Speed and Morning Musume became prominent.Meanwhile, gurabia aidoru such as Yoko Matsugane, Rio Natsume and Eiko Koike have largely appeared skimpily clad in "cheesecake" photographs. A diversification occurred in the 1990s and instead of few idols vying for popularity, a number of idols with specific characteristics divided the market. In 1997 there appeared Kyoko Date, the first "cyber idol" or "virtual idol". Kyoko Date has a fabricated history and statistics and her own songs.

Aya Hirayama - Japanese Hot Babe

In the 1980s, idols became much closer to average Japanese people; this is likely because the average lifestyle of the Japanese improved. Most of those called idols have sung songs that would fit J-Pop and they are generally pretty, cute, or fresh-faced, if not beautiful. However, there are exceptions to the norm.Fans had few opportunities to see them beyond a few minutes on TV or radio and it was difficult to share their interests. Magazines were the best source for information and many idols had an official fan club that periodically mailed what little information could be released.

Aino Kishi - Japanese Sexiest Idol

Whereas in previous years an idol kept up her idol image until she chose to retire or was simply too old to continue being a credible idol, in recent years several ex-idols have successfully matured from being an idol to becoming full-fledged actresses, singers or musicians who are respected for their craft instead of (or in addition to) being admired for their looks and image. In the 1970s, idols had an aura of mystique that left much of their lifestyles secret. TThe culture of Japanese idols has changed over the years and it is questionable whether past idols would have the same amount of success if given the same opportunity today.

With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the emperor and capital were moved from Kyoto to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo ("Eastern Capital"). Large parts of Tokyo were destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and in the air raids of 1945. Prior to 1868, Tokyo was known as Edo. A small castle town in the 16th century, Edo became Japan's political center in 1603 when Tokugawa Ieyasu established his feudal government there. A few decades later, Edo had grown into one of the world's most populous cities.