Inagaki Jun-ichi: Kurisumasu Kyaroru no koro ni ha (クリスマスキャロルの頃には: 稲垣潤一)

Here's another Christmas song from my 90s CD. This is not the best recording, nor is it the best song, nor does the guy sing that well, nor is he that exciting on stage... Why am I posting this?

Nakayama Miho & WANDS: Sekaiju no dare yori kitto (中山美穂＆ＷＡＮＤＳ: 世界中の誰よりきっと)

Here's another song from my 90s CD. I don't know anything about WANDS, but the female singer (Nakayama Miho) was also an actor and model. This is fun song and the video is a bit Christmas-y. If possible, enjoy!

Zoo: Choo Choo Train

Only (absolutely only) for the sake of inclusiveness am I posting this video. This is another song from my 90s CD. Only under extreme duress would I admit to singing along with this song while driving.

Thelma Aoyama: Soba ni iru ne (青山テルマ： そばにいるね)

This song also plays whenever I'm grocery shopping. I'm very curious about the singer. She went to an American international school (high school?) so I'm assuming she speaks English fluently. There are a number of live versions which are nice as well, and you can see SoulJa, her rapping male partner for this song.

Utada Hikaru: Heart Station (宇多田ヒカル)

I think this is her newest single. Recently, it's all I hear in movie shops, grocery stores, wherever. I didn't really like it much at first, but it's grown on me. I had no idea she was saying "Heart Station".

Noriyuki Makihara: Donna toki mo (どんなときも 槇原敬之)

Here's another song I really like from my 90s CD. This guy also had quite a high voice, and still does 15 years after. A new version of this song might appear once this video is over.

I think this guy may have gotten into trouble with the law. If any Japanese people can provide some information in the comments, that'd be swell.

Winter Walk

We wanted to take a nice long snowy walk this afternoon, but we had to cut it short because of all the slush and wet, falling snow. Some young j-hooligans threw a snowball at us, and I returned the throw on our way back past them. They were stunned. We saw this sleepy cat warming him or herself on the side of a house.

See the short video for a view of the snowy outskirts of Tokyo. After last year's snowless winter (except for a brief snowfall at the start of Spring 2007), Tokyoites must be quite surprised.