Japan was :a lot: of fun! And I bought a ton of CDs. I was actually IN the Tower Records (http://www.towerrecords.co.jp) store at Shinjuku, Tokyo! It seems like people like D-51, Hamasaki Ayumi, Kirito, Otsuka Ai, etc. are popular right now. It was so interesting to actually be inside music stores there and sample music (or not, a lot of the time I just bought stuff based on what had good covers). So here's a bunch of stuff I bought there and other places (except the MISIA). Enjoy!

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Artist: Shintani Ryouko | 新谷良子
Title: ray of sunshine
From: ray of sunshine (single)
Language: Japanese
Genre: Pop
Comments: This is a CD I found for 80 yen in a tiny music store at Akihabara, the electronics district of Tokyo. It has rocky music, but the singer's voice is so sugary sweet that it's a decidedly JPop song. Very cute.


Artist: Abe Natsumi | 安倍なつみ
Title: ···Hitoribocchi··· | …ひとりぼっち…
From: Hitoribocchi | 一人ぼっち
Language: Japanese
Genre: Pop
Comments: It's a rather mellow, acoustic song. Pretty.


Artist: Kirito | キリト
Title: DOOR
From: DOOR (single)
Language: Japanese
Genre: Rock
Comments: I love this song! I first heard it in a music store in Kyoto. Kirito is from the band Pierrot, and I must say, I'm impressed with his solo stuff. It starts out with relative calm and Kirito's voice, and picks up speed as drums come in. I hope his album next month is as good as this.


Artist: dream
Title: Get Over (razors 2mg mix)
From: Get Over (single)
Language: Japanese
Genre: Anime, club, house, pop
Comments: This is from the anime Hikaru no Go. It's a driven, videogame-esque song typical of dream, but the remix turns it into a flowery club/house song.


Artist: Folder5
Title: Wonders (featuring NATSU)
From: FIVE GIRLS
Language: Japanese
Genre: Pop
Comments: This is really poppy and kind of generic, but what got me to notice it is that the beginning has an absolutey uncanny resemblance to Moulin Rouge's song Silly Love Songs. Listen for yourself.


Artist: KOTO
Title: Hokkyokusei~The Polestar~ | 北極星～The Polestar～
From: Hokkyokusei~Polestar~ (single) | 北極星～Ｐｏｌｅｓｔａｒ～
Language: Japanese
Genre: Alternative, pop, rock
Comments: I'm glad I got this single! KOTO sounds a lot like what I'd expect from her cover picture. It's good, with a very determined, upbeat air throughout. It starts off relatively calm and then later bursts into a blast of drums and guitars. Her English is perfect, too. The lyrics are written by herself and Tamura Naomi.


Artist: hiro
Title: Delicious
From: BRILLIANT
Language: Japanese
Genre: Pop
Comments: It's catchy, and seems like more mature pop music to me (if there even is such a thing).


Artist: ISSA
Title: Kimi e | 君へ
From: EXTENSION
Language: Japanese
Genre: Ballad, pop
Comments: ISSA, a member of DA PUMP, released one solo album in 2003. Overall, I think it's a nice blend of pop, dance, and rock songs that are full of energy and excitement. This particular song is a cross between pop/ballad, a little too fast to slow dance to. ISSA sings with heartfelt sincerity. The beginning kind of turns me off because it sounds so oldies-ish, but as soon as it gets to his voice, I'm addicted.


Artist: AI
Title: QUEEN
From: MIC-A-HOLIC A.I.
Language: Japanese
Genre: Hip-hob, urban
Comments: I've always loved AI, especially her songs like E.O. and Listen 2 Da Music, so I was excited to get this album. It kind of scared me to listen to this lest it should not live up to my expectations, but thankfully, it's good. :D Yay for dramatic songs like this! She actually reminds me a bit of Christina Aguilera.


Artist: MISIA
Title: Tobikata wo Wasureta Chiisana Tori | 飛び方を忘れた小さな鳥
From: KISS IN THE SKY
Language: Japanese
Genre: Anime, pop
Comments: This was a request by xdressxmexupx. It's a song from Star Ocean 3. The title translates to "small bird who forgot how to fly." It's slow and melancholy, with piano instrumentals.