You, too, can see Hello Project live!

YankeeOtaku’s latest J-pop blog ratings

A magnificent circular runway that ran the entire length and width of Yokohama Arena enhanced enjoyment of the Hello Project Winter 2008 Awards Show, Jan. 27, 2008, in Japan.

So you’ve discovered Morning Musume, Berryz Kobo, °C-ute and the rest of Hello! Project and the Japanese idol-singing universe. Maybe even a few helpings of AKB48 and other popular J-pop and J-rock musical acts along the way.

But the dream of actually seeing these groups perform live is beyond your reach. Right? Not necessarily. That’s what I thought back in 2006, realizing that actual travel to Japan would be necessary in order to ever see the Hello! Project troupe, AKB48 or any major J-pop or J-rock concerts. I was able to make the journey in January 2008 and it was well worth the time, trouble and expense.

I plan on attempting another trip in January-February 2009.

Indeed, many colleagues at American Wota, International Wota and the myriad other Hello! Project sites that are springing up around the globe on the Web do live in Asia, even Japan, and are able to see these groups regularly. But for many here in America, hopes are slim unless some of us take the bull by the horns and save up for what can easily become a trip into pop-music paradise.

From left, Maimi, Chisato, Saki, Kanna (leaning over), Hagiwara (hidden), Umeda and Suzuki make the magic happen for °C-ute at Japan's Yokohama Arena on Jan. 27, 2008.

The following are a few quick tips on how to prepare for your dream, and make it happen, just as I was able to do. You don’t have to be rich, but you have to be smart, and flexible. For first-timers out there, to wit:

*** Which Hello! Project concert should you try and attend? Without question, the mega-arena concerts that take place twice a year – once during the final weekend in January and the second during the final weekend in July (in 2008, the date was Aug. 1-2). Hello! Project reserves Yokohama Arena for the January event, and instead of Saitama Arena in summer 2008, it was Yoyogi Hippodrome, site of many historic H!P concerts – including the stellar "Selection Collection" of 2005. You get to see all the groups and soloists, shuffle groups and major-league sound, motion and color – a lot of bang for your buck. It is well worth the $3,000 to $4,000 US it will cost to pull it off. You can also see three shows in two days, and take my word for it, seeing those kids multiple times is fabulous, something never to be forgotten.

*** What about air travel? Singapore Airlines is averaging about $870 round-trip and is about $100 below Korean Airlines (as of fall 2008). Japan Air and the European carriers are simply too expensive. American Airlines used to be reliable and cheaper, but not so in recent months. It cost me $802 US round-trip from L.A. to Tokyo in January 2008 on AA, but you’re looking at more than $1,300 US or more during the summer travel season. First class? Starts at $13,000 (ha!). Plan at least two days' cushion between planned departure and concert time -- and don't forget Tokyo time is 17 hours ahead of the U.S.! My flight was almost delayed an entire day, and this past year American Airlines has had to cancel many flights because of an FAA maintenance crackdown. Your entire investment can go up in smoke if there is a substantial flight delay. It is a gamble. Give yourself some margin for error. Flying during the winter appears to carry less risk than summer. Why? Fewer passengers!

*** Where do you stay? Traditional Western hotels are very hard to get in Japan, and as expensive as New York or Paris. The Japanese travel industry shamelessly profiles every prospective guest, and even if you can afford it, you might be denied a reservation just because of your surname, zip code or credit report (which the Japanese can obtain with or without your Social Security number). I stayed primarily at the Capsule Inn in the Akihabara, where you share facilities and sleep in a well-built “capsule” two meters long and a meter wide. Loved it! Quiet with your own little TV so you could watch sumo before drifting off to sleep. Price? Around $45 US per night! Beats hell out of $200 per night at the Shin-Yokohama Prince (if they’ll even let you stay there). Big extra perk: The Capsule Inn is located within easy walking distance of the famous Don Quixote Hotel and ... you guessed it, the AKB48 Theater, home of another all-female singing and dancing company that has nightly shows there. An e-mail selection process is available for tickets.

From left, Kanna of °C-ute joins Risako, Momoko, Miyabi, Saki (arm extended), Yurina, Chinami (hidden) and Maasa of Berryz Kobo at the Hello Project Winter 2008 Awards Show on Jan. 27.

*** Yen?: Easiest option is to get it at the L.A. or S.F. airports. Watch out, though. The exchange rate has plunged, and you might have to wait until the dollar's value improves before traveling. Meanwhile, the Japanese can travel very cheaply to the U.S. because of the currency fluctuations! Good for Las Vegas, not so good for H!P fans. Japan is a cash culture, so keep your credit cards inside your wallet.

*** How hard is it to get into Japan? All you need is a valid passport. No shots are required. Customs is a cakewalk if you’re a gray-haired oldie like me, but a young punker with tattoos and piercings will get his or her baggage searched. Don’t even think about drugs or porn. Both are poison and can lead to instantaneous deportation, if not arrest.

*** Getting around in Japan is hard, right? Nope. The trains are sensational. In a couple hours after landing at Narita International Airport and good maps, you’ll catch on easily. You can boogie all around Tokyo starting at 130 yen. Cheap and easy, just stay to the left when you walk through the stations, let everyone else zip past.

*** Food? Easy. I loved the $5 noodle shops on every block. Akihabara is loaded with vending machines at every corner, indoors and outdoors, as is most of Tokyo. Coffee and beer lovers will be in heaven, along with cigarette smokers.

Legendary H!P singers Rika, foreground left, and Yossie, right,lead Hello Project singers in a rousing finale, 'All for One,' during the Jan. 27 joint concert at Yokohama Arena.

*** Concert tickets? Hello! Project has a Japan-only club system and tickets for those major H!P bashes go on sale about six weeks before the show. Many of the colleagues at American Wota and International Wota know the ropes and can lend a hand here. I went through a source at Hello!Online (where the real ticket experts reside), and a straight-up agent in Southern California (Glendale) who specialized in anime-related tours in Japan helped me out. Expect to pay around double the face value (between $120-150) including mailing and commission. Hint: Get a ticket mailed straight to you before you commit to a flight, and sleep with it right until concert time. That ticket will be the most precious commodity you will ever carry. Trust me on this. Ticket resellers exist in Japan, but it’s an insider’s game. Get a ticket in your hands before you fly.

*** One point: If it’s your first crack at going to Japan and your relentless goal is to get to one of these concerts, go alone. Having anybody along can be a real pain, especially someone who is ambivalent about idol singers. I would compare a trip to Japan to an expedition into the Himalayas or along the Amazon River in terms of stress and physicality. Just put your Indiana Jones hat on!

More on this later … I’ll gladly answer all comments, personal messages and e-mails with further details.

This is Rad signing off – for now.