CLUB LOLLIPOP | ODOTTEMITA DANCE CONTEST | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Exactly a week ago, I was at J-POP SUMMIT 2015!
Yup, I performed on stage twice and enjoyed the newer & bigger event!
Read on to see what went down!
Unlike the past years when the event was held outdoors at Japan Town in SF, they held it indoors at Fort Mason! It also happened on August 8-9 this year!
J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
A must-see giant TITAN head!
MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON | ANNA YANO | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Caught the MOSHI MOSHI NIPON act on stage with AYMMY & THE BATTY GIRLS by AYUMI SETO.
They were at LA last week and we were actually supposed to be there because we were invited to audition for the Talent Show portion by KKS and we actually made it to the next round. Too, bad huh? It's nice to be able to see part of that event in J-POP SUMMIT though.
J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
My backside as I struggle to take pictures.
The featured ATTACK ON TITAN shirt.
J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
So much cute stuff to buy!
AYMMY and the BATTY GIRLS | JOUETIE | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
They even have a corner for everything fashion.
J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
I probably should have picked up that shirt.
JOUETIE | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
90's grunge.
AYMMY and the BATTY GIRLS | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Florida vacationing??
FORT MASON, SAN FRANCISCO | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
We went outside... that's the building where it's all at.
HELLO KITTY CAFE FOOD TRUCK | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
HELLO KITTY CAFE FOOD TRUCK | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
The most famous food truck, the Hello Kitty Cafe! The line was even longer on the second day!
J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Seating area is the cold & windy.
If you look up, there's a lot of people walking by from Fisherman's Wharf.
J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Of course, we couldn't pass out on Hello Kitty nom-noms!
DAM KARAOKE | GABBYROCKZZZ | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Went back inside so Gabby can sing at the free Karaoke mini-stage!
She actually gathered quite a crowd with her performance!!!
Watch her here:
AMIAYA | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Before Gabby's performance, I noticed the AMIAYA twins having a meet & greet nearby! They are soooo pretty!!!!
MUSUBIZM | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
I looked to my left, I saw MUSUBIZM preppin' food.
MUSUBIZM | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
They came out of the booth for a photo op and so I went by to take pictures.
When one of the girls, Misa Kimura, noticed me taking pix...
She's a popular Harajuku model turned idol! WOOT!
And look at Nami Yamada beside her tho... so kawaii!
MISA KIMURA | MUSUBIZM | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Oh yes, I got a super special smile from Misa!
MUSUBIZM | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
MISUBIZM is an idol group that debuted December of last year. They represent all variations of kawaii & wants to spread kawaii culture around the world. Read more about them here. Aren't they kawaii, indeed?
ANNA YANO | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Model & singer, Anna Yano, came right up after my sis' performance which was perfect because there was already a big crowd ready to greet here. She's actually really cute and has a nice voice. Read more about her here.
JinnyOops! | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
JinnyOops! | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
JinnyOops! | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Right after watching a bit of Anna Yano, Gabby and I rushed backstage. While we were there, JinnyOops! was onstage rocking it out! Even from the back, I felt really pumped up as they played on. Obviously, these pictures and the next are taken by my older sis, Roxx. Read more in this all-girl band here.
On to the ODOTTEMITA DANCE CONTEST!
Here's my solo dancing to Itano Tomomi's DEAR J.
I had a lot of anxiety in preparation for this solo. I have always danced with a group and poured all my energy in groups...never solos. So yes, it was really nerve-wrecking and added to my usual stage fright. But, I was determined to perform better than my solo at AX2015. I wanted to have as much fun as I could performing by myself. I tend to think too much and feel more pressure because I'm supposed to be good at this. Well, it was definitely fun... I tried to relax as much as I can even while performing. All in all, I can look back at this dance and smile! I was after all, one of the four solo finalists to be chosen to perform on a stage so many idols will be on for that weekend. I feel honored.
Here's CLUB LOLLIPOP's performance to AKB48's RIVER.
Three performances after my solo, I was back onstage with Gabby as CLUB LOLLIPOP. Yup, we were also chosen to be part of only four group finalists! WOOT! Out of 22 entries, there was 4 solos & 4 groups chosen to perform on that day. 3 of the soloists (including me) were part of 3 of the group finalists. Yay for us! Anyways, Gabby and I feel so strongly of this song... the center of the song is TAKAMINA and she will be graduating from AKB48 this December. We thought we should definitely do this song before she leaves. I went really hard in this performance... but I think we could improve just a little bit more to perfect it. This was supposedly our last performance/competition of the year, but I'm hoping for another chance before December to perform this perfectly!
CLUB LOLLIPOP | ODOTTEMITA DANCE CONTEST | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
FES☆TIVE | ODOTTEMITA DANCE CONTEST | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Us, waiting for the final decision... and our idol group judges, FES☆TIVE.
CLUB LOLLIPOP | ODOTTEMITA DANCE CONTEST | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
We didn't win, but we still feel happy to be onstage again. We might not join the next year... who knows. It was definitely fun while it lasted.
FES☆TIVE | CLUB LOLLIPOP | ODOTTEMITA DANCE CONTEST | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
After the contest with FES☆TIVE. Check them out here.
Right after the contest, we were hurrying our way to leave, but someone stopped us!
CLUB LOLLIPOP @ CHOYA Booth | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
We were complimented for our performance by the person in-charge of CHOYA and he pulled us in to introduce the drink to us.
CHOYA Booth | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
These drinks are called UMESHU, a traditional Japanese liquor made from Ume fruit.
My sisters and I were surprised when he offered us drinks on the house because he likes our performance! Whoa! The drinks are sweet (almost like soda) yet strong like good alcohol. At first we were give a cup each with fruit. But then with so much emphasis on reminding us to eat the fruit, he said that we each get an empty bottle with the fruit inside! HAHA! We wished he could have given us a bottle with the actual liquor, but we understand that each one is slightly pricey. Anyways, it was cool that J-POP SUMMIT had refreshing semi-alcoholic drinks inside in case you need an extra push to get you through the festival. Check out more about the drinks at choya.com
CLUB LOLLIPOP @ CHOYA Booth | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Of course, in thanks to them, I asked for a picture! Just please don't mind my face or hair... I'm tired from dancing, haha. But yeah, we felt like endorsers for the drink carrying it around with us as we walked through the festival after, lol.
SANASENABONA| J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Again, on our way out, we saw these girls dancing to AKB48's KOISURU FORTUNE COOKIE. That was Gabby's entry song for last year's J-POP SUMMIT! She jumped in and joined them! Apparently these girls are part of the GO-TORCH characters and are idols called SANASENABONA. Definitely so cute and so nice! Check them out here.
On to DAY 2!
J-POP IDOL CONTEST| J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Gabby was once again a finalist for the J-POP IDOL CONTEST.
Here's her performance:
YANAKIKU | J-POP IDOL CONTEST| J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
The judges were, once again, YANAKIKU!
They are a duo that strives to promote Japan through song and fashion.
Read more about them here.
Gabby was actually their winners for last year's contest!
And yes, since I was also onstage with Gabby as her backup dancer, I've met them then, too.
By the way, a big congrats to Gabby for getting second place for this year's J-POP IDOL CONTEST! YAY!
J-POP IDOL CONTEST| J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
Gabby with the other contestants backstage. My pass let me in! Teehee!
Right after the contest, it was YANAKIKU's performance.
YANAKIKU | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
YANAKIKU | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
YANAKIKU | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
They really try to promote Japan as they sing about Mt. Fuji and whatnot. The coolest part? They are sooooooo good in singing & so charismatic onstage. Check their songs out, seriously!
FAINT★STAR | J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2015
While watching YANAKIKU's performance, FAINT★STAR was right behind us!
Gabby & I were at the Press area which our badges let us into while they were at the VIP section... teehee. Anyways, I've been seeing them all around the festival and always manage to get a smile from them, especially from YURIA & when I say Hi! Finally, I have a picture with them! They invited us to watch them at their performance later, but we weren't able to go because we had to check out of our hotel and go around SF with our family. I feel sad because I wasn't able to watch them. Read more about them here.
The festival itself was bigger and better. People had to buy passes now, though. But since this event keeps growing, it only makes sense to hold it in a larger and more secluded area which people have to pay for. The guests aren't as known as KYARY PAMYU PAMYU (2013) or ITANO TOMOMI (2014), but they were able to invite a lot of idol groups and models to come and make the festival alive. Almost everywhere you look, a guest was walking by and you could easily approach them. I didn't really take pictures with them because I felt shy, haha. Compared to last year, getting food was not a 100 years of waiting! J-POP SUMMIT was held at the same time as the Ramen Festival making it so painful to find food anywhere. Now, everyone was able to get food and actually sit down to eat (although windy and slightly freezing). Plus, almost all the activities were happening in FORT MASON. No more needing to run to the next street to reach a meet and greet or something. If you want to be at an awesome Japanese Pop Culture festival in Northern California, go to J-POP SUMMIT. Visit them at j-pop.com.
@beekyoote
We were given crew passes that afforded us front seats and backstage access. Too bad, we didn't stay very long to enjoy it. We didn't get to see EIR AOI's performance (singer of Kill La Kill), but we did meet her last year at AX2014. But we did see the other guests, JARU JARUand JAM PROJECT either walking around or backstage. It was all fun though!
Check out everything dance solo or for CLUB LOLLIPOPhere.
Check out Gabby's singing channel here.
I also have a vlog coming up on my channel.
Welcome to the blog of a dancer, performer, choreographer, martial artist, artistic director, a K-Pop & J-Pop fan girl, anime convention go-er and a beauty/fashion enthusiast from Sunny California!
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Thanks for the love! <3