Latest news with #Ryujin
SoraNews24
22-06-2025
- SoraNews24
Japan's top 10 travel experiences in the sky【Survey】
High praise for these destinations and activities high above the ground. Your feet being in contact with the ground is a pretty fundamental aspect of walking, so the concept of going for a mid-air walk might sound like something you'd hear about from aspiring musicians or college freshmen philosophy majors. Today, though, it's Japanese travel provider Jalan that's broaching the subject, releasing its list of the top 10 places for 'a walk in the sky' in Japan. So what's Jalan's criteria? It has to be somewhere with high altitude-related breathtaking views and/or thrilling activities. That means places like skyscraper observation decks, suspension bridges, and alpine cable cars/ropeways are all eligible, and to compile its list, Jalan collected survey responses from 1,036 of its users, aged 20 to 59, with each participant allowed to vote for up to three places. 10. Kobe Port Tower Rooftop Observatory Website Adjacent to Meriken Park on one side and Kobe's harbor on the other, Kobe Port Tower is a symbol of the city that offers beautiful views, with the best coming from its observation deck, the 'Brilliance Tiara Open-air Deck.' It earns that opulent name, though, thanks to a 2024 renovation that now allows guests to get out in the open air 90.28 meters (296.2 feet) above the street for 360-degree views, and with Kobe boasting some of Japan's best after-sundown city-lights skyline scenery, it's worth a visit day or night. 9. Ryujin Suspension Bridge Website Continuing on to another place with a cool name, Ryujin means 'dragon god,' and this suspension bridge that crosses the Ryujin Gorge in Hitachiota, Ibaraki Prefecture, is fittingly dynamic. It's 375 meters across and, more importantly, 100 meters straight down to the river below, with clear acrylic viewing panes for you to look down through if you're brave enough…and if you're really courageous, you can bungee jump off the bridge too. Meanwhile, those who get enough adrenaline from the height alone can stay firmly on the bridge while admiring the surrounding forestland, which turns a beautiful shade of crimson in the fall. 8. Shibuya Sky Website We're back in the big city for Tokyo's Shibuya Sky, which refers specifically to the rooftop observation deck of the Shibuya Scramble Square entertainment complex high-rise. The building also has observation spaces on its 14th, 45th, and 46th floors, but it's Shibuya Sky that really puts you in the skies of downtown Tokyo's most popular international tourism district, and the unobstructed lines of sight from 229 meters up are a great place to watch the sun set and the neon lights of the city come on from. 7. Tateyama Ropeway Website Having trouble seeing to the other end of the route in that photo? That's because at 37 kilometers (23 miles) in length, Toyama Prefecture's Tateyama Ropeway is the longest single-span ropeway route in all of Japan, with no support beams in the middle so as to lesson the impact on the surrounding environment and keep the view as pristine as possible. The ropeway is part of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, a multi-mode-of-transportation linking the town of Tateyama with Omachi in Nagano Prefecture, and includes a stop at Kurobe Dam, Japan's largest dam, along the way. 6. Mt Hakodate Ropeway Website Hokkaido Prefecture's Hakodate is beautifully situated on a narrow strip of land with ocean on two sides and a mountain rising up on another. With few tall buildings within the town, the best way to appreciate its picturesque positioning is to take a ride on the cable car that whisks you up Mt. Hakodate, and it's an especially popular date-night destination when the lights of the city twinkle like jewels. 5. Umeda Sky Building Kuchu Teien Observatory Website Osaka's Umeda Sky Building skyscraper sticks with the Japanese name for its observatory even in its official English-language documentation, but Kuchu Teien translates to 'midair garden.' The facility bridges the 39th and 40th floors of the twin-spire building, letting you see one of Japan's most vibrant cities below, gaze at Mt. Rokko off in the distance of neighboring Hyogo Prefecture, and watch the planes coming and going at Osaka Airport. 4. Biwako Valley Zipline Adventure Website Looking at a map of Japan, it's hard to miss Shiga Prefecture's Lake Biwa ('Biwako' in Japanese), since the country's biggest lake sits right in the middle of the main island of Honshu. It's also hard to miss Lake Biwa while ziplining around Biwako Valley, an outdoor activity center at the summits of Mt. Uchimi and Mt. Horai. The center has a total of six zipline courses, but Line 6, the one pictured above, is the one you don't want to miss. 3. Yume no Tsuribashi Website Things are more relaxed at Yume no Tsuribashi ('the suspension bridge of dreams') in Haibara, Shizuoka Prefecture. Part of the Sumata Gorge Prominade Course nature walk, rather than gazing up at the sky above a walk across this bridge surrounds you with the colors or the river and forest. Ordinarily, it takes about 90 minutes to walk the course, but that's not accounting for time spent taking in the view, and taking photos, from the bridge, so you might want to allocate some extra time if you're visiting, and also maybe get an early start (the course's gate opens at 7 a.m.) if you want to encounter the smallest crowds. 2. Mishima Skywalk Website Also in Shizuoka is the massive Mishima Skywalk suspension bridge, which is 400 meters across, but if instead of walking all the way back you'd rather return by its 560-meter zipline course, that's also an option. The big draw here, though, is the view of Japan's biggest mountain, Mt. Fuji, which isn't all that far away, and with Mishima being at the northern end of the Izu Peninsula, you can see Suruga Bay as well. 1. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge Bridge World Website When it was completed in 1998, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge finally linked Hyogo Prefecture's Iwaji Island with Japan's main island of Honshu, crossing the Akashi Strait and coming ashore in Kobe. It also created an opportunity for incredible views like the one seen in the photo above. As you can probably guess, the spot where that picture was taken isn't part of the regular route across the bridge, as it's part of the Bridge Tower Top Tour that the facility offers. Yes, prior reservations are required, and there are a number of special safety precautions (such as all participants must be 13 years old or older), but fans say the extra trouble is worth it to see the scenery from 300 meters above sea level, making it the list's top pick for an unforgettable sky experience in Japan. On the other hand, if you're looking for lower-altitude travel suggestions, don't forget that it's hydrangea season down here on the ground. Source, images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
Forbes
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
ITZY On What 10th Mini-Album, ‘Girls Will Be Girls,' Means To Them
ITZY "Girls Will Be Girls" Concept The expression 'Girls will be girls!' can mean anything, because girls can be anything. Girls can be powerful, sensitive, kind, loving, brave, fearful, logical, crazy, and many other things. For the K-pop powerhouse ITZY, 'Girls will be Girls' to them means strength, unity, and their bond as a team. It's why it's the title of their 10th mini-album, as well as the main track, out now. The quintet – Yeji, Ryujin, Lia, Chaeryeong, and Yuna – have embodied women's empowerment and confidence since their debut six years ago. 'Our message has been all about loving ourselves, and now, as we celebrate our 6th anniversary, it felt like the right moment to express the bond of being together,' says Yeji. 'We thought it would be a great opportunity to show the teamwork we've built over the past six years.' The team has achieved massive success together in the music industry. Their 8th mini-album BORN TO BE debuted at #2 on Billboard's World Albums charts and #5 on the Top Album Sales chart. Their 2nd World Tour for BORN TO BE had the group traveling across 18 countries, including the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Japan, the UK, and Australia. Last fall, their 9th mini-album, GOLD, became double platinum in Korea. In the U.S., the group had made appearances on MTV's Fresh Out Live, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and NYC's Head in the Clouds Festival. They continue to grow both domestically and internationally. 'I think our team itself was the biggest source of inspiration [for the new mini-album],' Lia says. 'We've become stronger and more solid when we're together, and I believe it all started from the bond we've built since our debut.' ITZY "Girls Will Be Girls" Concept Now that the single and EP are out, ITZY gave insight into their music, what it means to them, their growth over the years, and what to expect next. LAURA SIRIKUL: How are you guys doing? How have you been feeling lately? What have you been up to besides preparing the album? YEJI : We're happily preparing for our comeback. Since there are a lot of festivals and events in May, we've been making lots of memories by attending university festivals while also getting ready for our comeback. LIA: These days, I've been spending time preparing for our album, practicing, and managing myself to stay in shape for our comeback! On days when the weather is nice, I try to go out for a walk too. SIRIKUL: What can you tell me about the concepts (outfits, photoshoots, set design) from this EP? What story are you trying to say with this mini-album? YEJI : In the trailer, we showcased a lot of high-teen style outfits and aimed for a casual mood so that everyone could relate. In the music video, we created a sense of tension with a Mad Max-like concept to amplify the image of overcoming anything together. Through this album, we want to convey the message that all the time and effort we've put in as ITZY over the years was only possible because the five of us were together. And it was also thanks to all the people who helped us, [as well as] our MIDZYs who listened to our music and gave us love. It was all possible because all these people were made up as 'us.' LIA: In the teaser, we went for a more casual look — styles that we would actually wear in our daily lives — to better express the message of the album. For the title track, we went with a more charismatic and powerful concept. And for the B-side track, like 'Kiss & Tell,' the styling is more like something people our age would wear when going out and having fun during the summer! SIRIKUL: How does this EP represent this journey you've all been on as a group? RYUJIN : We tried to capture the feeling of continuously upgrading and evolving. CHAERYEONG: It's a song that suits ITZY as we are now, after being together for six years. It also carries the meaning that there's nothing we can't do as long as we're together, which makes it even more special. ITZY "Girls Will Be Girls" Concept SIRIKUL: What is your favorite song or lyric from the EP that you feel closely connected to? RYUJIN : This album's tracks are all so relatable and amazing. It is very hard to choose. However, the lyrics in 'Promise' are messages to our fans, which is probably why it stands out in my memory so much. CHAERYEONG: 'Girls Will Be Girls' is the song I'm most attached to! I feel like it really shows the strength and solidarity we have as a group. SIRIKUL: ITZY as a group has always been an embodiment/representation of [strong, badass women]. Who inspires you as an artist? RYUJIN: We're most inspired by our fans, who return the love and courage we give them many times over. CHAERYEONG: We ourselves are our biggest inspiration! We're always reflecting on who we are and imagining who we'll become in the future, constantly thinking about what new sides of us we want to show or express even more to our fans! SIRIKUL: YEJI, you were the first to release your solo album and videos. How has this experience helped you as a member of ITZY and on the EP? YEJI: After experiencing what it's like to do everything alone as a solo artist, I feel like I gained lots of experience during that period. And I think what truly made me happy was realizing that I could bring those experiences and improved skills back to ITZY as a member and use them to strengthen our album. ITZY "Girls Will Be Girls" Concept SIRIKUL: With the EP [now out], what are your plans – will we see another World Tour? Will there be plans for more solo albums from the others? CHAERYEONG: I can't share too much just yet, but I can say that after this album, our focus will likely be on preparing our next group album with the highest quality possible. We're committed to making sure that what comes next reflects our growth and teamwork even better! YUNA: Even after our album release, we plan to continue staying connected with our fans. While the next world tour hasn't been confirmed yet, we are always hoping to meet our fans! SIRIKUL: What message would you want to send to your fans aka MIDZY through your music? RYUJIN: We want to give back that courage and convey a range of emotions through the way we continue to grow and improve. YUNA: We want to share messages of comfort and courage with our fans through our music. ITZY's Girls Will Be Girls is out now.
Korea Herald
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Itzy to return with 'Girls Will Be Girls' next month
Itzy is poised to release new music on June 9 with an album titled 'Girls Will Be Girls,' label JYP Entertainment announced Monday. A trailer for the upcoming album follows the bandmates struggling to save Ryujin, whose heart has stopped. Park Jin-young, head producer of the label, appears in the teaser as well. The quintet will be releasing a new set about eight months since ninth EP 'Gold,' which made the Billboard 200 at No. 60. One of the two main tracks, 'Imaginary Friend,' was chosen as one of 'The 25 Best K-Pop Songs of 2024,' as listed by Billboard magazine. Separately, leader Yeji dropped her first solo effort, EP 'Air,' in March. She is the first from the group to put out a solo album.
