Double Storms Through Weekend

I know the title sounds too much like a weather forecast news. LOL. But it's true, there're literally two storms approaching toward Japan around this time. Thank God that the initially forecasted route of one of the storms changed into a more favorable one. But still some areas in Japan are getting quite great impacts out of it. As for Tokyo, tomorrow will be raining perhaps until around 7 pm.

Btw, talking about storm, which in japanese is translated as arashi, I'd like to talk a lil bit about it. But this one that I wanna talk about is not the arashi storm, but the other Arashi, a japanese idol group. :p

This might be such an old story but with some lucks and miracles, I managed to go to their *last* kokuritsu concert (ARAFES) \(^_^)/. Kokuritsu Kyogijo or National Olympic Stadium Tokyo was once used as the venue for Olympic in 1964. The opportunity for an artist to hold concert here could be said as extra premium. Because of the maintenance for the grass, Kokuritsu only allows one artist to perform there each year. The first artist to hold a concert there was SMAP, another japanese idol group, and they did that for two consecutive years, followed by Dreams Come True, Arashi, and L'Arc-en-Ciel. And among the artists who had performed there, Arashi holds the records of performing for 6 consecutive years. But, with the recent proposal of hosting 2020 Olympic in Tokyo, it was decided that Kokuritsu will go through a mass renovation next year. Thus, this year would be the last chance to hold a concert there *at least before the renovation which will take time until 2019.

At first I didn't get ticket for Arafes through the FC ballot. I was disappointed at the beginning but then gradually forgetting it. But when I wasn't really thinking about it anymore, suddenly an email came telling me I got the ticket through 復活当選 (which google translates it as winning revival *what a strange one!). Actually there is a quite dramatic story about it but I'm too lazy to type everything, huh. So I hurried pay the ticket and didn't stop being excited. Especially because at that time I was in Indonesia, I was really excited to go back to Japan as soon as possible. Well going back earlier wouldn't make the concert start earlier though. So I just tried to enjoy the rest of my stay in Indonesia.

By the time I got back to my dormitory, the ticket for the concert was already inside my mailbox. And instead of doing other stuff, checking where my seat would be was the first thing I did. haha. And it was an arena seat!! Arena seat in kokuritsu was such a miracle! Although I didn't know where it is exactly cuz I haven't been there, plus the arrangements for arena seats have always been different based on how they arrange the stage.

And the day came. Sunday, September 22th, 2013.

Since I only applied for one ticket so I would be going alone! But it was not a problem for me. I knew I would enjoy it anyway :p

The official concert T-shirt that I wore to the concert.
The color is actually a lot nicer than what it looks in the pic.

And there was another excitement when I finally found out my seat. It was so close to the stage. Kyaaaa~!! I sat next to a group of older ladies, came so far from Osaka. The lady next to me was especially very nice so it was another great luck. I will not telling point A to Z about the concert though. All I can say, I could see all 5 of them clearly without binoculars. And all Arashi members, especially Jun, have great auras. You know, something like a STAR-aura. Haha. I'm happy to be able to go there.

Thank you Arashi ❤

Me On TV!

Hahahaha well literally yes I was on Japanese tv quite a while ago. But it's not that I had a significant presence there, I was only one of the spectators who were obliged to create noises and fun atmosphere.

So, there's one of my favorite japanese tv show, which is hosted by my favorite japanese idol group, named VS Arashi.

As I mentioned in a post before that getting to Arashi's concert is really hard, and even if we happend to get into one, the seat might be too far from the guys that we can't really see them closely. So, I decided that one of alternatives to see them closely is by participating in one of their tv show.

When we join the Arashi family club, we could apply for participating in their tv show by being the spectator. Although many said that it's even harder than getting a concert ticket. But since tv show recordings are held quite many times in a year, I really thought that I should give it a try!!

Then I started to apply frequently every month since last November. Actually, Arashi has three tv shows, but I decided to consistently apply only to one of the show, which is VS Arashi. The reason is that I simply love it so much, I actually really want to try the games. I tried one, though, the dual curling one last summer :)

And finally! Last month, I got the confirmation mail that I could join the recording. :D
At first I was worried whether they would let me in or not, cuz when we're doing the application procedure, we didn't have to submit photo or etc. So it means that they don't know that I'm wearing headcover.

But, luckily they let me in, although they moved my seat because if i sit on my real seat, i would be very stand out. 

For me, it doesn't matter. Even from my seat, I could see all Arashi members clearly! That was  my motivation after all :D I even had an eye contact with Ohno-san :D It was a very nice of him! Because, we the spectators, are not allowed to communicate with Arashi members and the guests too.

By the way the episode which I joined had already been aired on January 24.

Then, today, when I scrolled down through tumblr post with arashi tag, I saw a scene of the episode where i was captured! hahahaha

So funny seeing it over someone's tumblr post!

Arashi Wakuwaku Gakkou 2012

In the past few months, I've been a huge fan of one Japanese idol group called Arashi (嵐). I think I couldn't recall that I had ever been such a fangirl before. So basically this is the first time for me. In few months (I think in the past three months) I've been collecting some of Arashi's dvds and cds and also I've been trying to always watch their variety shows on tv. They have three variety shows air every week at the moment. My most favorite one is VS Arashi, which airs every Thursday 7pm in Fujitv. Then the other two are Himitsu no Arashi chan (Thurs, 10pm, TBS) and Arashi ni Shiyagare (Sat, 10pm, NTV).

As singers, their voices aren't so wonderful, but they have lots of great songs such as 果てない空, Love So Sweet, and the newest one Your Eyes. But as entertainers, they are absolutely fabulous! So interesting.

As a very popular idol group in Japan, it's known that to get the tickets for their concerts or events is extremely hard. Even if you join the family club, it doesn't guarantee that you will get the ticket.

So, last month I found out that Arashi was going to held an event called 嵐ワクワク学校２０１２ (Arashi Exciting School 2012) starting from June through July in some cities in Japan. For Tokyo the event was scheduled on June 16 and 17 and would be take place in Tokyo Dome. And when I tried to find information about the ticket, there's a playguide where you have to draw lot. So, unless you win the lot, you can't buy the ticket. And since it's opened for public (doesn't matter whether you're in the family club or not), I decided to give it a try. But i didn't get picked :( Well of course I was a bit disappointed since it was my first time doing such a thing. When I started to let go the disappointment, four days before the event in Tokyo, one of my senior contacted me and asked me if I wanted to go with her to the event because she still had one ticket left. And of course I said yes! Haha.

So, last Saturday, June 16, I attended Arashi exciting school and got to see my favorite idol group directly. By the way, among the members, there two favorite members of mine, Matsumoto Jun and Ninomiya Kazunari. Hihi :) The event itself was great. I laughed a lot and also shed tears during the event. Of course it's not complete without buying the event's goodies. Luckily I went to the pre-event sales so I got to buy Matsumoto and Ninomiya clear files. On the event day, most of the clear files were sold out already. Hehe.

Since it wasn't allowed to take pictures inside the venue, so I will just shared these pictures.

in front of the venue

the goodies i purchased. two totebags, a mini school bag, clear files, a photo album (+arashi's photo), pin badges, and a notebook. :)