I did my annual 2 weeks summer road trip, on July 16-30th. I work it around the J-Pop Summit in San Francisco, which was held from July 22- 24th. It actually started on Saturday July 23rd, on Friday July 22nd it was just the “Kyary Pamyu Pamyu” concert (Which I didn’t attend). So me and a friend left for the trip Saturday morning a week before, so we had lots of time to get there. On the way there we visit a few National Parks which I’m not going to get into, we got to San Francisco Thursday night. Went to an Outlet Mall, did some shopping for a few hours. Then had dinner in San Francisco Chinatown, everything there closes early lucky we found one that close late.
Friday July 22nd
On Friday we were just checking out San Francisco, the 1st place we check out was Japantown. The J-Pop Summit was held there 2 years ago when I attended it for the first time, it’s bigger than I though. They had this neat big book store there, where you can buy Japanese CD’s and magazines. They had Sakura Miyawaki 1st Photo Book on sale there at a pretty good price, which I was thinking of getting. Which I didn’t, I should have. Then we went to the “Golden Gate Bridge” after that, and we walk across it. The further we got the colder it got, was ever freezing. Then it was off to “Fisherman’s Wharf”, is parking ever expensive there. I didn’t know what to expect, I love it there. My friend is into checking out those kind of places, or he knows about those kind places more than me. We had a late lunch there I and got a good view of Alcatraz Island. If you go to San Francisco and never been there before, the “Fisherman’s Wharf” is a place I highly recommend you visit. We were there for a few hours, then went to Chinatown for dinner. I book 2 nights in advance at some Hotel in San Francisco near Fort Mason Center, which is the place where J-Pop Summit is held. Or so I thought, first of all I was not to happy with the hotel which I’m not going to get into. I had to find my own public parking which I found 2 blocks away, and it wasn’t cheap for the 2 nights parking there. Second of all the hotel was nowhere near Fort Mason Center, I though this would be only be a 15 minute walk or so, it was a 15 minute drive maybe more. I’m usually pretty good at planning this kind of stuff, I don’t know how I screw up on this one.
Saturday July 23rd
I didn’t know this would be a 15 minute drive rather a 15 minute walk til the night before, when I was checking where we where and where Fort Mason Center was.
I got up early, because I wanted to get there before 11 am. So I could see Tokyo Performance Doll do their Domobics with Domo, to start the day. They’re doing it both days for about 15 minutes maybe abit more. We got there just before 11 am, then when to pick up my VIP Pass, I got the VIP pass only because of the Meet & Greet. Fort Mason Center was a lot smaller place than I thought. We made in time to see Tokyo Performance Doll doing Domobics with Domo, I was surprise that one of them could speak very good English. It was an entertaining show, they really look a lot cutier and prettier in person. After that it was Q & A with Silent Siren I ilke them so I was looking forward to this, they’re really cute. Then we went to check out the Food Park, I’m not into eating. But my friends loves to eat, so this was the best part of the event for him. In one of the food trucks we ran into Tokyo Performance Doll talk little a bit with Nana Takashima, she’s the one that can speak English. Then ask if I could get my picture taken with the group, then she said how about just the 6 us. 3 of them then didn’t want to get their picture taken, at first I thought 1 of those 3 was Seira Jonishi. She’s my favorite member so I was glad she wasn’t, I went to check it out later. Looking at her pictures on the internet I really didn’t find Nana to attractive, when I saw her in person I had a change in opinion. Everytime I saw her the more attractive I though she was. Not to long after meeting them at the food park we ran into “Yanakiku”, who were also at the J-Pop Summit 2 years ago in which they won me over. Had My picture taken with them also, then ma and my friend just walk around checking out the place. Then around 1:00 pm went to watch Tokyo Performance Doll, at the NHK World booth. Or 4 members Nana had to be there since she speaks english, Seira Jonishi was also there teaching the audience how to do that Domobics dance. They did this for about 30 minutes, then went to eat lunch had a “Sushi Hot Dog”. Then later on met and had a picture taken with Una she’s a Japanese model / singer or something, she was here 2 years ago also. Then had a Meet & Greet with GARNiDELiA, they’re cool and very nice. Then around 3:45 pm it was back at the NHK World booth went to watch “Dining With The Chef” Tatsuo Saito and his assistance Yu Hayami (an Oldie but a Hottie), in which I won a cook book. Holy shit I just realize who she is, I thought that name look familiar. A very funny and entertaining team, winning the cook book got me a picture with her and the chef. Just after 4:30 pm I went to Silent Siren Meet and Greet had a picture taken with them, and had my first handshake with a J-Pop Artist. They were so nice and cute. Then went to see and say Hello to YanaKiku, they kinda had their own booth. Before going off to watch Go-Torch Characters perform on stage, which I though was kind of silly.
For tonight their were 3 concerts at the main stage, Tokyo Performance Doll was the 1st to perform their show started around 5:40 pm. They started off with that Domobics dance then got change into their sexy outfits and perform til about 6:15 pm, they delivered as expected. Since this was the group I came to watch I love their performance the best, they’re really great dancers.
Then it was Wednesday Campanella next she started around 6:30 pm, I knew what her music was like. Wow, her performance was very unpredictable. She did a lot of crazy shit like running into the audience, and ending her show by getting inside a giant big ball ballon that went into the audience. She really knew how work an audience, her performance went til around 7:00 pm. This was my friends favorite performance at the J-Pop Summit, probably the most entertaining performance of all of them. I think most fans would agree with that, for me it was Tokyo Performance Doll.
That last to perform that night was GARNiDELiA which got on stage around 7:10 pm and perform til around just before 8:00 pm. I thought they were great, MARiA has a very powerful voice. Yes she’s as pretty as she looks or you think. It seems like they had a big following there.
A cutie.
Yana of YanaKiku.
Tokyo Performance Doll.
Wednesday Campanella.
Wednesday Campanella.
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Sunday July 24th
I wasn’t able to catch Tokyo Performance Doll Domobics dance this morning, unlike yesterday had trouble finding parking. We ended up parking far, far away. A little disappointed but not too much, I knew I will be able to watch them again a few more times at the NHK World booth. Got there in time for GARNiDELiA Q & A they were both pretty funny, then after that. I run to NHK World booth to watch Tokyo Performance teaching the audience how to do the Domobics dance actually only 4 members, of course Nana had to be there. Then around 12:30 pm went to the Tokyo Performance Doll Fan Experience, which is just basically getting your picture taken with the whole group. Then after that me and my friend just hang out at VIP lounge for about an hour, and took a little nap. Then at 2:00 pm it was back to NHK World booth to watch Tokyo Performance Doll again, or at least Nana and 3 others members. While there had a picture taken with Domo. Then we just walk around trying to kill time, then at 3:45 pm went to watch Q & A with World Order this went til around 4:00 pm. My friend stayed for the whole thing, I only stayed for about 5 minutes. I needed to go to the NHK World booth at 4:00 pm to watch Tokyo Performance Doll this time the whole group was there, previously when they did this with only 4 members it was only about 15 minutes. This one was 30 minutes, got pretty close to the group and took some good pictures. This might be my last time seeing them so wanted take full advantage of this, their crew was taking a lot pictures and filming this. So I just basically tried to get as close to them as possible, beside them behind them everywhere I could with them. I just basically remember Futaba Tachibana waving at my face and smiling a lot, actually she did that to me a lot during the 2 days when I saw her. A lot more than the other members. I was just looking at some of my pictures I took during that session, did I ever take a lot of solo shot of that beautiful and sexy babe “Seira Jonishi”. Then at 4:40 pm I went to VIP lounge for Silent Siren Meet and Greet , which started 4:00 pm. Wasn’t able to get a ticket for that, but they let me in anyways. Had my picture taken with them and a handshake, since tonight concert won’t start til 6:10 pm. Me and my friend had more than a hour to kill, again we spotted Tokyo Performance Doll near the Fort Mason Center entrance so more photo opportunity. Then we just went to the food park and had diiner, I had some kind of Japanese fried chicken.
For tonight 3 concerts Yanakiku was the 1st to perform they started around 6:15 pm, they were probably weakest of the 6 performers at this years J-Pop summit. I’ve seen them perform before, I find them very entertaining. And a lot of fun to watch.
Then it was World Order at around 7:00 pm, I though they were like Exile or something like that. But no, actually I’m not sure what they were. But they were very entertaining, after seeing them. I kinda wish I went to their Meet & Greet, I saw some of their Meet & Greet pictures and they look a lot of fun.
Then around 8:00 pm Silent Siren came out to perform, just before their performance 3 members of Tokyo Performance Doll came out to watch the show. I can’t remember who they were, I think Nana was one of them. Silent Siren sure knows how to rock, My friend didn’t like that singer sounded like “Minnie Mouse”, I thought she sounded cute. They perform for about 40 minutes I guess. Then right their performance security started to kick everyone out as fast as they could. We had a very long walk to my car, and it was freezing.
GARNiDELiA.
YanaKiku.
YanaKiku.
World Order.
3 members of Tokyo Performance Doll watching Silent Siren.
Silent Siren.
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Overall it was a great experience I though I would just get to watch Tokyo Performance Doll perform and get a picture taken with them, I didn’t think I would be seeing them meeting them and running in to them a lot during the 2 days. They really do look a lot more prettier and cute in person .And the GARNiDELiA & Silent Siren Meet & Greet, although it was short it was pleasant experience.
Just AKB and J-Pop Stuff in General 