2 Weeks With DJ Kefir "Behind The Scenes" (DJ Kefirとの２週間。第１弾「撮影の裏側」)

I really did it! I really made DJ Kefir come to Japan!!! For those who don't know what I'm talking about, please go back to my blog posts and you will find about DJ Kefir!

A month and a half passed since he went back to Russia. Maybe the timing was perfect. Maybe all the connections I had made on the SNS worked. I still can't believe how I did all this but I planned his itinery, booked his gigs, made him work on a collaboration track with a Japanese singer, hiro:n, and did some video clip shooting. Not only I was his friend, but totally I was his manager, translator, and his tour guide!!! And guess what? This is the VERY FIRST time I've done this manager job! But I could not have done this without my family's understanding and all the people who supported me. So first I would like to express my deepest appreciation to them!!! THANK U!!!

Today I want to write about the PV shooting (Promotion Video / Video Clip) because I have heard from our promoter that the PV is nearing completion. Our plan is to release the collaboration track, together with the video clip. This poster you see on the left is made by DJ Kefir when he was here in Japan. The collaboration track is called "DJ KEFIR & hiro:n - Love is Everywhere".

This collaboration track was made through me, actually!))) I was JUST (ONLY) a translator and a messanger but DJ Kefir composed the music in Russia and hiro:n added the lyrics and sang. We went through many discussions but we succeeded in making the first collaboration track!!!! 

So, a little bit of "Behind the Scenes", so you can look forward to it!!!
The main location of the shooting took place in Zushi beach (Kanagawa prefecture) and in Yoyogi Park (Tokyo).  

I can only show you this photo of the Zushi beach video shooting. It was a very hot and humid day. But the water was a bit cold. DJ Kefir would not dare swim because of the coldness but from one incident and on, he just enjoyed himself in the water! Maybe you will find out what happened that made him swim when you actually see the video clip! So preapre yourself!!!)
There were so many people that day, and I could see eveybody, even the guys, staring at him because of his perfect figure! I'm sorry, I was one of them, too, haha...He also had a gig at this beach, organized by the Russian people. I will write about his gigs next time!


This photo was made by our promoter! This is DJ Kefir in Harajuku! On our way to Yoyogi park in Tokyo.













DJ Kefir gets Free Coffee at Yoyogi Park!



After the free coffee, DJ Kefir had to take a photo with this man! He didn't expect this, pretty much surprised, and could not even smile nor pose. I think he's homeless. Maybe he forgot how to smile...



 



All of a sudden, DJ Kefir was joining these people to play frisbee, as if they had known each other!!! 

So, everybody! This is DJ Kefir & hiro:n!!! We encountered some people from Ice Block Films. We had a little bit of a fun and exciting talk. They were generous enough to take photos of DJ Kefir & hiro:n! They are super! Thank you Ice Block Films!!!!



DJ Kefir, hiro:n, and the Ice Block dancers!

What I thought during the video shooting was that DJ Kefir was a very friendly, sociable person. He would go naturally into the group and people would accept him. He would give lots of ideas and suggestions to our promoter and cameraman. But he is always calm and peaceful. He follows his instincts and inspiration. He has some kind of power that attracts people. We all agreed to this one. There's something different about DJ Kefir....

To be continued....

What I am thinking recently...

A week ago, a famous Japanese actress, Yoshiko Tanaka passed away, at the age of 55. She had breast cancer. The Japanese people of my generation also know her as "Sue-chan", from Candies, who used to be a super idol group of three, back in our childhood days. One month before she passed away, she tape-recorded her voice, telling how she felt and thanking everybody, especially her husband. Her voice message was played at her funeral...She was so weak. She was speaking very slowly. But her message was very strong. I could tell that she really loved acting and she was regretting that she could not act anymore...So many things she wanted to say but had to stop because speaking made her get very tired...But everyone got her message. I really couldn't stop crying when I heard this...

Just after I wrote my previous blog, my father-in-law passed away. This happened so fast. He also had cancer. Big intestine cancer...Only his wife new that he was struggling through this. Even his son, my husband, wasn't told. We were told that he could only live for a few months but actually he could only live for a few days after we were told about this...
It happened so quickly that even now I can't believe he's gone.

2 people ended their lives in their own way. One, leaving her last message to the world , the other, leaving this world quietly...

I am turning 40 this August. The average life expectancy of Japanese women is about 80, which means, this year will be my turning point. The beginning of a latter half of my life. Of course you never know what's going to happen in your life. I might live longer or maybe I've already passed my turning point. Only God knows.

Facing the death, seeing the tragedy in the Tohoku region (the big earthquake and tsunami), I cannot stop thinking how I should live my life that I am given.

For me, my happiness is to make people happy, to make people smile. I think it's my nature that I just love to do things for my family, for my loving friends, and also to the people I don't really know. But actually I have not done much for the people in the affected areas which makes me struggle sometimes(((

Changing the subject, not making this blog go sad...
One thing I was REALLY happy about recently was that I gave Asahi-chan 2 BIG surprises for her birthday! Asahi-chan's sister came all the way from France for her birthday and her sister and I had been planning this since December! When Asahi-chan came back home from school, her sister was waiting in her room! They had not seen each other for 8 months! Her scream, tears, and joy, made us all cry. And on her birthday, I threw a surprise party, my very FIRST surprise party! I secretly contacted 5 of her good friends from school. When she came back home from school, we greeted her with party crackers! She screamed and cried again!!! The hug that she gave me, I would never forget it. My plan all worked!!! She said to me, "This was the greatest birthday that I've had in 19 years!" I was SO HAPPY!

When this turns into a success, it becomes so fun and exciting, now I'm thinking who to make super happy!)))

I hope to live my latter half of my life, with no regrets. Believe in what I'm doing and don't give up.
And stay true to my heart.

January 17th, 1995, 5:45am...

How can I EVER forget this day?
And already 16 years have passed...

I remember I shared with my Russian friends on vkontakte, what happened on that day. I feel like it was yesterday that I wrote about it...
So once again, I would like to share it with more people.
To my Russian friends; I am copy and pasting it so you will be reading this again)

It was 5:45am in Japan.
(At that time I was still living with my parents, except that my brother was in Miyazaki, my dad was in Tokyo. Only me and my mom in the apartment.)

I heard the newspaper man putting the morning paper in our postbox so I knew it was early morning. It was so cold so I felt like going to the toilet. I started to get out of bed...when...at 5:46am...there was a quake.

"Oh, it's the earthquake again. Ok, come on!" I thought.
But it didn't end! It got even worse. I just had to hold on to my bed otherwise I would be thrown out of bed. I could just not move nor hide. Just closing my eyes and let the earth move...I was living on the top floor, 6th floor of the apartment. God, I really thought the whole apartment was going to collapse.

It ended after a few minutes...there was silence...
It was still dark so I called my mom! "MOM! ARE YOU OKAY?"
She didn't answer!! Oh, no!!! I just had to go to her room. I just ran to her, I called again! She didn't say anything..."OH, don't you say you're gone!" Then I heard a slight voice saying, "Saki-chan..." She was under a bookshelf. I just had to drag her out. She smelt like whisky! Oh, yes, dad had put whisky on that shelf)))

We just did not know what to do...Early winter morning in Japan, it's still dark. No electricity, no flashing lights nearby so we just had to wait. Then the next door neighbor banged on the door."Are you guys okay? We must go down stairs"
Of course the elevator was not working so we rushed to the first floor. Everyone didn't understand what had just happened. Somebody brought a radio.
Then we knew what had happened. It was the biggest earthquake ever happened in Japan!!! And it was sooooo cold....

Then the sun rose...It was cloudy but we could see.... Mom and I went back home and we just lost our words...No burglars could ever make such a mess. All the rooms were a disaster. My piano had moved, all the books were fallen out of the shelves. All the shelves, chests, refridgerator, TV, audio sets, furniture had flown all over the place. My mom's expensive Wedgewood collection broke into pieces...

How could we ever clean the house?

One thing very strange was that where I had run on bare foot to save my mom, there were glasses everywhere, and do you know what? I didn't even get a cut or a bleed!!!

Our life began without any information, no electricity, no water, no gas, for days)))
We had to go to the nearby school and wait for the self-defense force to bring water but we were so mad that they came too late!!! Not a big help, huh?
The Emperor and Empress, and celebrities came with the TV crew to give some nice words but you know, we didn't need any! If you want to come and do something, help us with our everyday life!!!

My dad, brother, friends were so worried but the telephone line was disconnected so there was no way but to actually come to check us out. But it was hard for them to come too, because the train wasn't moving...

I don't know how many weeks had past but with a aching back and exhaustion we managed to survive and I had a chance to walk around the neighborhood and God, what a scenery!!! All the Japanese-style houses were collapsed, flowers were placed in front of the entrance (which means people had died), buildings had lost it's first floor, some buildings and houses had changed their shape, and the air was so smoky and dusty...

And when I finally looked at the newspaper and watched the news on TV, I could not say a word! Our beautiful city Kobe was like as if it was struck by a bomb or had a war. Black smoke, fire, freeways were in a disaster...

I remember checking the newspaper everyday to see the long list of people who had died from the earthquake. The only way to check if my friends were safe. And one girl from junior high school had died...

16 years had passed since the earthquake. My hometown has completely changed. All the houses look the same. I liked how it was before the earthquake.

We are living a normal life now. But for me, for us who had experienced that earthquake cannot forget this day...

Since the earthquake, I think I have become very strong, mentally. Learned how to live in a disaster...

It's so good to be alive...

And one thing which really frightens me still is that if my dad had not gone to Tokyo the previous day of the earthquake, he would've been still in the apartment but definitely be squashed dead under the heaviest closet...

Every time I come back to Nishinomiya, my home town, the city is changing...And what we had before is dissapearing...Well, that you can say "moving on"...but in our hearts, the ones who have experienced the earthquake, will never go away...I am still scared of the smallest earthquake and the dark...

I was not myself this morning. I am sorry...

New Life 2011!!!

Happy New Year, everyone!!!
I'm back, to tell you what's happening in my life:)

The year 2010 passed VERY fast. So many things happened to me. As for leisure, we went to the US, Yakushima, did lots of small trips in Japan, as for work, I got some interpretation work that were very exciting, got some little progress for the DJ Kefir promotion which can lead to something this year, and the biggest news was...to finally meet Alex of Your Favorite Enemies, and welcoming ASAHI-chan to our family!

This year, for me, can u believe it, I'm turning 40!!! Wow, I've already lived half the life of the Japanese average life expectancy)))

To start my new year, my life changed! My husband started working in Tokyo. For me, I think families should not live seperately. But it's just for one year and we have Julie. We thought it wouldn't be a really good idea if she changes school twice in one year. And Nagoya and Tokyo is not too far. And we have skype. And it will also be good for me to think about myself and about marriage. I am a person who can't stay in a bird cage. I need to be out, flying outside the cage. If I am freed, I would fly for some time but would stop and sit on a branch to see myself from a different direction.

I think 2011 is a gift from God. I think He gave me a chance to think how I would want to live my latter half of my life. I am a wife, I am a mother, and I am a host mother. But also I am ME! Maybe some women think, "Oh, I'm already 40....I'm so old..." As years pass, you will, of course, get old. But I would think it this way...It's just the years you have lived. 39 years made what I am now. I have so many things in my mind that I want to do. I have so many dreams that I need to make them come true.

This year, I will, of course, do my job, but at the same time, I am going to do my best I can to stay energetic, positive, happy, young, and beautiful! I want to sparkle out into the world!!!! (^^)/

So friends, give me lots of inspiration! Your smiles, your words, your messages, your music (this is to my artist friends), they all help me!!!

Let's inspire each other and make it a great year!
I have already started a good one!

Lots of Love,

Sakichan:)

DJ Kefir

Today I want to write about my super friend, DJ Kefir.

We have been friends for 1 year and almost 9 months.

He is a well-known DJ in Russia and has a radio show on Radio Record, the FM dance music station, which I used to love when I was living in St.Petersburg!!! Actually I didn't know him when I was there, we became friends AFTER I came back to Japan!

Now, people who are reading up till here will think, "How did the friendship start?" On vkontakte, the Russian social networking site. Let me say that he is not just a popular DJ, but also a person who is very positive, a person with lots of inspiration. Why I can write this is that he has saved me from the toughest time of my life. I don't want to recall what happened in the past, but a very positive Sakichan DID go through some bad times. And it was that time when I became friends with him. The words he gave me, the music he played on the radio show, really really brought me back to the same old Sakichan. Actually, got even better! Made a even powerful me!!!

So now it's my time to do something good, to show him my deepest appreciation. What I could do for him was to spread him in Japan, since hardly any people here know about the Russian dance music scene. I started making his page on MIXI, trying to make connections with the people in the club business. People started to respond and fans are gradually increasing. And now, I am in the process of promoting him. I think I see light to this path! I will let you know if something really happens. I am so excited! If this really works, I am going to be the first person in Japan to spread him!!! I sound like a crazy fan, don't I?))) But this is what a crazy fan can do!) Also, I have been related to Russia since I got into university. What I'm doing now is also good for me! I can improve my Russian) (Although I tend to run to English because this DJ understands Russian and there are many Russian people on vkontakte who know English well!))) I am now friends with his family and his friends! I have not met any one of them for real, but they really are my very good friends. They have made me love Russia even more! Thank u DJ, thank u my Russian friends! As a proof, I was participating in the video clip shooting of DJ Kefir's new track! Look!

He has so many fans but I am so honored that I have made a strong impression to them, made them think about me, to have me join their video clip shooting!!! 

I feel so special!!!

Well, here's his video clip! Check it out!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FARCw9alQR8

And here's some info on DJ Kefir:

http://www.radiorecord.ru/   (Radio Record website)

http://www.radiorecord.ru/record

http://djkefir.pdj.ru/　　　

(You can check out DJ Kefir's radio show, mixes, tracks, and videos)

http://vkontakte.ru/djkefir　(DJ Kefir's website on vkontakte)

http://soundcloud.com/dj-kefir  (DJ Kefir's soundcloud page)

http://twitter.com/djkefir　(DJ Kefir's twitter page)

http://mixi.jp/show_friend.pl?id=25946700  (DJ Kefir's mixi page)

http://www.radiorecord.ru/player/index.php?radio=radio_record　

(Radio Record online)

Tune in every Friday 1am-3am (Moscow Standard Time)

to listen to his radio show!

His radio show is my source of energy!

This is one of the fun activites I do in my everyday life;)



Day 46-77 Busy, BUsy, BUSy, BUSY!!!

Oh, wow! I can't believe a whole month has passed!!!
I have been SUPER busy...Finally I have time to sit and update my blog)))
Want to know what I have been doing?

Well, the whole October was dedicated to COP10. I was working at the Press Conference Room, assisting the NHK Int'l cameraman and staff if they needed some interpretation. Most of my time was to listen to the press conference. If I hadn't had the opportunity to be there, I would not have thought about biodiversity at all. It was also a good chance for me to listen to the simultaneous interpreters. It is a special technique they have! I tried to do it during the press conference, but gave up((( I admire them! Maybe I should brush up my interpretation skills. I would really like to become a super interpreter one day and impress the whole world! First I must speak beautiful Japanese though))) Never too late to learn and to try! I will keep on evolving!!!!

 One thing I thought I was really lucky was that I met Harisson Ford. It was freezing but as you can see from this photo, he didn't even show on his face. He was doing his work! And after the interview with CNN etc., I got a chance to shake hands with him and be in the same group photo! His hands were so big and warm. I would never forget this! I grew up with Star Wars and Indianna Jones so I still can't believe I shook hands with him!!!






After the COP10 work, I have been keeping myself busy in other English speaking work, meeting friends, and taking dance classes. As a dedicated Japanese housewife, she must be perfect in the housework, but unfortunately for me, there are so many things I want to do in my life. I'm a mother and a wife, but ALSO I am a woman! I want to dress up nicely, stay fit, and take care of myself! That's why I have so many activities to do in my everyday life, along with my housework and raising a daughter. I don't have to make myself THIS busy, but I want to enjoy this life I'm having. I don't want to regret and miss anything out)))
Am I being a bit greedy?)))

Oh, I must tell you about Asahi-chan! She's improving her Japanese! She can text me from her mobile phone in Japanese!!! Although I tend to speak English to her, I'm talking in Japanese too, at the same time, so I have become more talkative))) But I thank God for bringing her into our family because she gives us so much joy. And now she has made me want to teach Japanese to non-Japanese speakers now)))
I didn't think being a host family was THIS fun! Thanks to her, our everyday life is fulfilling! We will go on lots of short trips, go explore Nagoya more!!!!

My next blog is about my SUPER DJ friend!
I am trying to spread him in Japan! That's also one of my major activities!!!

Day 42-45 Finally Meeting Alex Foster!

Thursday, October 14th.

I don't think I will never forget this day.
I spent 8 hours with Alex Foster, vocals of the alternative / progressive rock band, Your Favorite Enemies, in Kyoto!!!
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Your_Favorite_Enemies)

First I need to explain how this happened. About 2 years ago, Alex sent me a friend request on myspace. He is a Starbucks lover and at that time, my profile pic was my smiling face holding 2 Starbucks coffee in Ankara, Turkey. And he gave me a long message in Japanese (using a translating machine). His message impressed me and I listened to his band's music for the first time and thought it was pretty good so I accepted the friend request.
And our communication began.
The band was everywhere; on myspace, facebook, vkontakte, mixi, and even on skype. I gradually learned about them and found out that they were very close to their fans. They treat us if we were their family! And I've become to like their music too. Alex sings very well. I especially like "Little Sister." If you have a chance, please check it out.

Now, they (Alex and Jeff) are here in Japan for shooting their own film. It was my mission to see them. I just had to see Alex because we had been communicating time to time))) But unfortunately I was working for COP10 almost everyday. My best day was October 14th, when they were moving from Tokyo to Kyoto. I sent a message to Stephanie, who is always interviewing them on Q&As and updating what they are up to everyday. She was nice to give me a message that she was also eager to see me!!! She had heard from Alex that I love Starbucks))) She even said it would be nice if we met at Starbucks Kyoto for a coffee!!!

Stephanie mailed me that morning that she would call me. And after a few hours, I found out on twitter that they had left Tokyo so I decided to wait for her call at Kyoto station to save time.
And what a coincidence!!! I was about to go into the book store at Kyoto station when I heard Alex's voice from somewhere. I looked around and there he was, hugging his Japanese fan! I went up to them, losing my tongue, and Alex saw me and he said, "Hey! So good to see you!" It was so natural! As if we've met before) "Stephanie was just about to call you!" Wow, this couldn't be happening!!! It was real! Not a dream))) I was introduced to the crew, YB, Jonathan, Miriam, and Kim. Jeff had a meeting but would join later on.
They said it was their pleasure me coming with them rest of the day!!! Oh, wow!!! So it was me and Kosho, a Japanese guy who would take over his father's temple in Kyoto, that were their fans who were lucky to go around with them!!!

We went to Kinkakuji, the Golden Temple and to Gion. They were taking pictures and taking videos everywhere. I was becoming like their interpreter, which was an honor! Stephanie and I were talking about lots of things! Was it really our first time we've met????  And even Alex, too. For us fans, we've been seeing them through videos and on the Internet but they were actually right in front of us, actually talking, laughing, eating and drinking together!!! And I was so happy that I was drinking the same caramel macchiato with Alex at Starbucks!!! I was sitting between Stephanie and Alex!!! How exciting is that!!!

And at the soba restaurant, I was sitting next to Alex, Stephanie and YB right in front of me. It was such an unbelievable experience for me! They were so natural))) And I was explaining to all of them the whole menu of the restaurant and about Japanese food, how to eat soba noodles properly...YB was such a nice guy, with lots of sense of humor. YB and Jonathan, the Belgium photographer, were finally competing who would make the loudest sound when eating soba noodles))) The whole group, they were lacking sleep and I could really see that. But all through the time, they were smiling and making the others laugh and I really really thought they are a one big happy family. The bond they have is so strong.  It was also great to see Jeff at the end too. He had done a great job for the group!!! We respect him for what he had done!

There was no time to get one from Jeff, but I got everybody's message on my favorite Russian Starbucks matryoshka!!! I will treasure this!!!

They are traveling around Japan. I wish them good luck and I really hope I could see them again.

As this meeting that I wished for became true, I now really believe that wishes DO come true.
That's if you believe!!!