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51-659: The basic origins of Kokushikan University lie in the Kokushikan private academy which was founded in Tokyo's Azabu District in 1917, during the Taisho period . Kokushikan's 146,000 graduates are active in all spheres of society. In addition to Kokushikan University, the other participants in the Setagaya Six Universities Consortium (世田谷6大学コンソーシアム Setagaya Roku Daigaku Konsōshiamu ) are as follows: Kokushikan University

102-558: A branch office of the Minato ward government. This is the district of Tokyo where manga artist Naoko Takeuchi resides, and the Azabu-Jūban area is the setting of her fictional Sailor Moon series. The internationally acclaimed vocalist Ayumi Hamasaki resides in a penthouse apartment in Minami-Azabu. Azabu is also the location of many international embassies and consulates, as well as

153-495: A crowning artist with more than four million copies sold in Japan. It was at this time that she represented more than 40% of her record label's income. After A Best , Hamasaki went on to experiment with her music style and lyricism, incorporating English into her work from Rainbow onwards. Later albums would range from electronic dream-pop to rock genres, the singer commenting that she focuses on what she wants to create "whether it

204-503: A high school for the arts, but dropped out in the tenth grade after struggling to adjust to student life. She describes living aimlessly during this period, shopping in Shibuya and going to nightclubs. After singing karaoke at Velfarre , she was introduced to Max Matsuura , who offered her a record deal. Hamasaki suspected ulterior motives and turned the offer down, saying later "I'd never heard of Avex. When he asked if I wanted to pursue

255-547: A large foreign population. Azabu-Jūban, with its unique cobbled high-street, also hosts the popular annual Azabu-Jūban Matsuri , a food festival with a variety of local vendor stalls and carnival games which attract large crowds every summer. The City of Minato (The Minato Ward) Board of Education operates local public elementary and junior high schools. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education operates local public high schools. Ayumi Hamasaki Ayumi Hamasaki ( 浜崎あゆみ , Hamasaki Ayumi , born October 2, 1978)

306-399: A livestream hosted by Abema . From April 7, the 25th Anniversary Shibuya109 Campaign took place to celebrate Hamasaki's milestone year. On July 8, Hamasaki began her 25th Anniversary Tour, announcing three different acts that ran until March 2024. The scheduled dates included locations in all 47 prefectures of Japan, a first for the singer; Hamasaki would say later that this came from

357-462: A marshy area of foothills south of central Tokyo, its coverage roughly corresponds to that of the former Azabu Ward, presently consisting of nine official districts: Azabu-Jūban , Azabudai , Azabu-Nagasakachō , Azabu-Mamianachō , Minami-Azabu , Nishi-Azabu , Higashi-Azabu , Moto-Azabu and Roppongi . It is known as one of Tokyo's most expensive and upscale residential districts with many artists, business people, and celebrities residing there. It

408-503: A member of staff testing positive with COVID-19. Two singles, " Ohia no Ki " and " Dreamed a Dream ", were released in July 2020. Hamasaki released compilation album A Ballads 2 , which peaked at number three in the Oricon top ten, and single " 23rd Monster " on April 8 2021. In June 2021 Hamasaki held Music for Life: Return , which used some of the concept and setlist initially planned for

459-427: A singing career, I said, 'No way.' He was this older guy, and I thought the whole thing sounded fishy." Matsuura persisted, and Hamasaki eventually agreed to take voice lessons the following year, most of which she would end up skipping due to reminding her of school. When Matsuura found out, he offered to send her abroad for one-to-one training instead. "I thought he was kidding" Ayu said later of this time, "I mean, I

510-405: A wish to "see all of Team Ayu" for her 25th anniversary. Hamasaki's new year concert, Countdown Live 2023-2024: A Complete 25, took place later that year at Yoyogi Stadium on December 30–31. A livestream of the final date was broadcast by Abema . In March 2024, Hamasaki released a cover of Miyuki Nakajima 's " Jidai " as the theme song for Banpaku no Taiyo . In April, " Bye-Bye " was used as

561-651: Is a Japanese singer-songwriter and producer. Nicknamed the "Empress of Pop" on account of her influence throughout Asia, she is widely recognized for her versatile music production, songwriting, and live performances. Hamasaki is the best-selling solo artist in Japan , and a cultural icon of the Heisei era . Born and raised in Fukuoka , Hamasaki moved to Tokyo at 14 in 1993 to pursue a career in singing and acting. In 1998, Hamasaki released her debut single " Poker Face " and debut major-label album A Song for ×× . The album debuted at

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612-496: Is also known for its large foreign population , due in part to a number of foreign embassies present in the area. The name Azabu literally means hemp cloth. Until the early Edo period , the area was agricultural. Archaeological evidence indicates that the area was inhabited as far back as the Jōmon period . The Juban Inari shrine (formerly known as Takechiyo Inari) was constructed in AD 712,

663-490: Is in a credit transfer agreement with the following area schools: [REDACTED] Iraq 35°38′54.72″N 139°39′25.03″E  /  35.6485333°N 139.6569528°E  / 35.6485333; 139.6569528 Azabu 35°39′16.7256″N 139°44′13.5″E  /  35.654646000°N 139.737083°E  / 35.654646000; 139.737083 Azabu ( 麻布 ) is an area in Minato , Tokyo , Japan . Built on

714-461: Is trendy or not". Hamasaki currently holds the record for the most albums to place in the top ten by a female artist in Japan. Hamasaki has sold over 64.50 million units in Japan, and has several domestic record achievements for her singles: the most number-one hits by a female artist (38); the most consecutive number-one hits by a solo artist (25), and the most million-sellers. From 1999 to 2010, Hamasaki had at least two singles each year topping

765-509: The 15th Anniversary Tour: A Best Live tour. Its setlist, selected by an online fan survey, was later released as her first live album CD. From May 30 to July 6, 2014, Hamasaki held her Premium Showcase: Feel the Love tour. Hamasaki's fifteenth studio album, entitled Colours , was released on July 2, 2014; recorded in Los Angeles , it was the sole project the singer worked on entirely in

816-835: The A Museum concert at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium. The singer's next release, the EP Memorial Address , topped the Oricon chart and sold over a million copies. Despite this, sales of Hamasaki's singles began to wane — although all three of the album's singles topped the Oricon charts, "&" was Hamasaki's last single to sell over 500,000 copies. By the end of Arena Tour 2003–2004 , Hamasaki had grown disillusioned with her position in Avex. This period of reassessment led her to begin work on her next studio album, My Story , ahead of schedule. My Story and its singles, " Moments ", " Inspire ", and " Carols ", all topped

867-562: The TA Limited: Thank U Tour , holding seven concerts across four locations in Japan. Hamasaki's third Asia tour, Asia Tour 2024 A: I am Ayu , began in Shanghai on November 1. The tour includes dates for her annual Countdown Live concerts in Tokyo. In the beginning, I was searching for myself in my music. My music was for me. I didn't have the mental room to be conscious of the listener; I wrote to save myself. I didn't understand what it

918-489: The COVID-19 pandemic . In response, Hamasaki organized and took part in multiple online concerts: Premium Limited Live A: Natsu no Trouble on July 25, A-Nation Online 2020 on August 29 , Trouble Tour 2020: Saigo no Trouble - Final on October 2, and Special Showcase Xmas Eve 2020 on December 24. Countdown Live 2020-2021 A: Music For Life, two concerts for December 30 and 31, were cancelled on December 29 due to

969-466: The September 11 attacks , Hamasaki revised her vision of I Am... , focusing on issues such as faith and world peace. " A Song Is Born ", a duet with Keiko Yamada , was released as part of Avex's non-profit Song Nation project. She also changed her idea for the album cover, opting instead to be portrayed as a "peace muse": I had a completely different idea for the cover at first. We'd already reserved

1020-483: The April–May theme for Minna no Uta , becoming Hamasaki's first contribution to the program. On May 21, "Aurora" received a limited release as the theme for Azur Lane 's seventh anniversary; it was released internationally on June 26. On September 1, Hamasaki performed on the main stage at A-Nation 2024 . Other performers included Koda Kumi , Red Velvet , and TRF . From September 2 to October 2, Hamasaki embarked on

1071-581: The Oricon album chart. In February 2011, it was announced that her upcoming tour, Hotel Love Songs , would start in April. It was later renamed to Power of Music and delayed until late May due to the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami disaster, Hamasaki instead focusing on charity efforts in the immediate aftermath. On April 20, 2011, Hamasaki simultaneously released four Ayu-mi-x 7 remix albums: House , Acoustic Orchestra , Trance 4 , and Ayu-ro Mix 4 . On

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1122-651: The Oricon chart for two weeks. On March 21, Hamasaki released her thirteenth studio album, Party Queen . During the press tour, Hamasaki would say that she had considered making the release her first double album due to "how easy" songwriting had come to her during production. On August 6, 2012, Hamasaki released her sixth compilation album A Summer Best . In September 2012, it was announced that she would be releasing new material for five consecutive months to celebrate her fifteenth anniversary: Love , Again , A Classical , Love Again , and Arena Tour 2012 A: Hotel Love Songs . In April 2013 Hamasaki began

1173-477: The Oricon charts, it sold nearly 3 million copies. In support of Loveppears , she held her first tour: Ayumi Hamasaki Concert Tour 2000 A . From April to June 2000, Hamasaki released the "despair trilogy": " Vogue ", " Far Away ", and " Seasons ". Her subsequent studio album, Duty (September 2000), involved feelings of loneliness, chaos, confusion, and the burden of her responsibilities; it resonated with fans, becoming Hamasaki's best-selling studio album. At

1224-532: The United States. Of its creative direction, Hamasaki said: "Now that I'm living in L.A., I thought 'I want to do work I could only do in L.A'... I was very proactive about it." A One , Hamasaki's sixteenth studio album, was released on April 8, 2015; during its press tour, the singer described the album as a return to "the 'Ayumi Hamasaki' of the past". Between April and July 2015, Hamasaki embarked on her Arena Tour 2015 A: Cirque de Minuit tour, followed by

1275-554: The adjacent district of Roppongi ) was a ward of Tokyo from 1878 to 1947. During the industrialization of the Meiji era , Azabu was connected to Tokyo by horse-drawn trams. The lowlands became light commercial areas, while the hilltops became prime residential areas. Later, during the Taishō period , Azabu was overrun with theaters, department stores, and red-light districts , becoming one of Japan's best-known entertainment districts. Much of Azabu

1326-707: The artist was found unresponsive after that evening's event, and was hospitalized for anaphylactic shock . Hamasaki returned to work on November 13 for 17LIVE 4th Anniversary meets Ayumi Hamasaki , and later had surgery for her ankle on November 16. At the end of the year, her Countdown Live 2021 - 2022 A: 23rd Monster concerts were held in Tokyo along with a livestream on dTV. Hamasaki held an anniversary concert titled Asia Tour: 24th Anniversary Special on April 6, 2022, and toured July through August for Summer TA Party 2022 . After announcing that work had begun on an upcoming studio album, singles " Nonfiction ", " Summer Again ", and " Mask " were released, each debuting in

1377-859: The award for "Most Influential Japanese Singer in Asia". In support of I Am... , Hamasaki held two tours, Ayumi Hamasaki Arena Tour 2002 A and Ayumi Hamasaki Stadium Tour 2002 A . In November 2002, as "Ayu", she released her first European single, " Connected ". It was released in Germany on the Drizzly label. Hamasaki continued to release singles (all of them remixes of previously released songs) in Germany on Drizzly until 2005. The singles " Free & Easy ". " H ", and " Voyage " were released ahead of Hamasaki's next studio album, Rainbow (December 2002) . In 2003, Hamasaki released three singles, " & ", " Forgiveness ", and " No Way to Say ". The singer then held

1428-437: The cancelled Countdown Live 2020 - 2021: Music For Life concert. Summer Party 2021 was held on August 23. Hamasaki then embarked on Asia Tour 2021-2022 A: 23rd Monster from October 2; despite the name, there were no confirmed dates outside of Japan due to COVID-19 restrictions. On November 4, it was reported that Hamasaki had fractured her ankle, but that the concerts later that week would still be held. On November 6,

1479-476: The charts. Hamasaki is also the first female recording artist to have ten studio albums since her debut to top the Oricon, and the first artist to have a number-one album for 13 consecutive years since her debut. In addition to this, Hamasaki's remix albums Super Eurobeat Presents Ayu-ro Mix and Ayu-mi-x II Version Non-Stop Mega Mix , are recognized as two of the best selling remix albums of all time worldwide. Born in Fukuoka , Fukuoka Prefecture , Hamasaki

1530-507: The distinction of becoming the female artist with the most albums to reach the top ten on the Oricon charts. On March 28, Hamasaki was announced as a brand ambassador for Rhythm Co. Ltd. When asked about her 25th anniversary, the singer said: "I couldn't do all of this alone for 25 years, if I'd only done it for myself. I want to repay the people who took care of me. (...) I don't really feel like celebrating myself at all." The singer held her 25th Anniversary Live concert on April 8 alongside

1581-472: The end of 2000, Hamasaki held her first New Year countdown concert at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium . In 2001, Hamasaki released her first compilation album, A Best . In support of Duty and A Best , Hamasaki held a tour of Japan's domes . In 2002, the singer released her fourth studio album I Am... , which featured Hamasaki's own compositions under the pseudonym "Crea". In light of

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1632-469: The family's income. She continued this career path by leaving her family at fourteen and moving to Tokyo as a model under SOS, a talent agency. Her modeling career did not last long; SOS eventually deemed her too short for a model and transferred her to Sun Music, a musicians' agency. Under the name of "Ayumi", Hamasaki released a rap EP, Nothing from Nothing , on the Nippon Columbia label in 1995. She

1683-689: The first and second positions on the Oricon weekly charts. Hamasaki held the four-month-long Tour of Secret from March to the end of June. Hamasaki released " Glitter/Fated ", " Talkin' 2 Myself ", and " Together When... " ahead of her ninth studio album, Guilty (2008). In April 2008, Hamasaki released the single " Mirrorcle World ". Between April and September 2008, Hamasaki held her second tour of Asia: Asia Tour 2008: 10th Anniversary . On September 10, Hamasaki released A Complete: All Singles . Hamasaki's next two releases, " Days/Green " and " Rule/Sparkle ", continued her streak of number-one singles. The subsequent studio album, Next Level ,

1734-489: The first of a series of remix albums, signalled Hamasaki moving beyond the pop-rock sound of A Song for ×× . She began to experiment with different musical styles in her singles as well, releasing dance tracks and ballads as well as remixes which spanned reggae and house . The singles were milestones: Hamasaki earned her first number-one single (" Love: Destiny ") and first million-selling single (" A "). Her second studio album, Loveppears (November 1999), not only topped

1785-542: The one who found me and drew me out." Hamasaki made her debut on April 8, 1998 with the single " Poker Face ". Almost a year later, the singer released her debut studio album A Song for ×× ; it was an unprecedented success, topping the Oricon charts for five weeks and selling over a million copies. Later in 1999, she received the Japan Gold Disc Award for "Best New Artist of the Year". Ayu-mi-x (March 1999),

1836-458: The released of Sixxxxxx , her sixth EP. To promote the release, Hamasaki held her first fanclub exclusive tour in twelve years. On December 23, 2015, Hamasaki released Winter Diary: A7 Classical . A 15th anniversary edition of A Best was released on March 28, 2016. In May 2016, Hamasaki began the Arena Tour 2016 A: Made in Japan tour. On May 11, Made in Japan was released on

1887-461: The same day, 2010 Rock 'n' Roll Circus Tour and A 50 Singles: Live Selection topped the weekly chart at number one and two respectively. The simultaneous releases made Hamasaki the first artist ever to have four albums in Oricon's top ten, and also the first artist to hold the two top positions on the Oricon DVD chart. On August 31, Hamasaki released her second mini album: Five . It topped

1938-518: The space, decided the hair and makeup and everything. But after the incident, as is typical of me, I suddenly changed my mind. I knew it wasn't the time for gaudiness, for elaborate sets and costumes. It sounds odd coming from me, but I realize what I say and how I look has a great impact. Later that year, Hamasaki performed at the MTV Asia music awards ceremony in Singapore. At the ceremony, she received

1989-673: The streaming platform AWA. Later that same month, Hamasaki embarked on her Just the Beginning Tour 2017 tour. The second part of the tour, Just the Beginning Part 2: Sacrifice , was held between September and November 2017. On September 6, 2017, Hamasaki released " Words " as a free download for tour attendees. The third chapter of the tour began in December 2017 through February 2018. The Power of Music: 20th Anniversary tour ran from April 7 to July 22, 2018. Trouble , her seventh EP,

2040-532: The temple of Zenpuku-ji in 824, and the Hikawa Shrine in 939 (on orders of Minamoto no Tsunemoto ). The area became urbanized in the 17th century, after Tokugawa Ieyasu established his seat of government in nearby Edo . Azabu soon became home to the Juban Horse Grounds, Edo's largest horse market. In 1859, the first United States delegation in Japan was established at Zenpuku-ji. Azabu (including

2091-609: The top five of the Oricon Daily Digital Singles Chart. The final show for Asia Tour 2021-2022 A: 23rd Monster took place on December 10, 2022, in Nagoya . Countdown Live 2022–2023: Remember You was held on December 30 and 31 at Yoyogi National Stadium. It marked the singer's twentieth new year concert ahead of her 25th anniversary since debut. On January 25, Hamasaki released her eighteenth studio album: Remember You . The album's subsequent performance earned her

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2142-477: The top of the Oricon charts and remained there for five weeks, selling over a million copies. This rapid rise to fame was attributed to her style of lyric-writing, listeners praising her poetic way of conveying relatable subjects. Her next ten albums shipped over a million copies in Japan, with her third, Duty , selling nearly three million. A Best , her first compilation album, further established her position as

2193-463: The weekly Oricon charts; moreover, with sales of over 1,100,000 units, My Story became Hamasaki's last million-selling studio album according to Oricon. From January to April 2005, Hamasaki held the nationwide My Story arena tour , her first album-based tour. My Story Classical , a classical version of My Story, was released in March 2005. (Miss)understood , Hamasaki's seventh studio album,

2244-675: The year, " You Were.../Ballad ", was used for Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure in Japan. Hamasaki's eleventh studio album Rock 'n' Roll Circus was released on April 14, 2010. Hamasaki also began expanding her online presence, setting up accounts on MySpace , Ustream , and Twitter . In July, entertainment company Livespire announced that Hamasaki's 2009 Next Level tour would be shown in 3D at Toho cinemas nationwide during August 2010. Later that year, Hamasaki released singles " Moon/Blossom ", " Crossroad ", and " L ". On December 22, Hamasaki released Love Songs , which debuted atop

2295-513: Was destroyed during the firebombing of Tokyo in 1945 , although a special bunker created for the privileged classes that lived there saved many lives, including Yoko Ono 's. Azabu's commercial areas were not revived after the war, and the area is mainly a residential district today. Following the merger of Azabu Ward into Minato Ward in 1947, the Azabu ward office located in Roppongi was converted into

2346-609: Was dismissed from the label when the album failed to chart. After this, Hamasaki took up acting and starred in B-movies such as Ladys Ladys!! Sōcho Saigo no Hi and television dramas such as Miseinen . From August 1995 to March 1996, Hamasaki also co-hosted the SoundLink Hōkago no Ōsama ( After-school King ) for Nintendo Satellaview with Shigeru Izumiya . Eventually, Hamasaki decided to return to studying after her mother moved to Tokyo. Hamasaki attended Horikoshi Gakuen ,

2397-450: Was raised as an only child by her mother and grandmother; her father had left the family when she was three, and had no further contact with the family. Hamasaki was primarily taken care of by her grandmother due to her mother working full-time. She described herself as a tomboy when she was a teenager, and as a "strange kid" who liked to be alone. At age seven, Hamasaki began modeling for local institutions, such as banks, to supplement

2448-517: Was released in January 2006. In support of the album, Hamasaki held the (Miss)understood arena tour , which spanned three months with thirty concerts. " Startin' ", Hamasaki's twenty-sixth number-one single, was released in March 2006. The subsequent studio album, Secret , was released in November 2006. In 2007, Hamasaki released A Best 2 . The two versions, White and Black , debuted at

2499-514: Was released on August 15, 2018. In October, Hamasaki began the Ayumi Hamasaki Live Tour: Trouble 2018-2019 tour, which was then extended from May 2019 into Trouble Tour 2019-2020: Misunderstood . Inbetween, Hamasaki held her annual New Year's Eve concert: Countdown Live 2019–2020: Promised Land. In February 2020, the singer began her Trouble Tour 2020: Saigo no Trouble tour; it was later cancelled after two dates due to

2550-451: Was released on March 25, 2009. Next Level reached the top of the Oricon charts, making Hamasaki the only artist to have a number-one album every year for eleven years in a row since her debut. On August 12, 2009, Hamasaki released " Sunrise/Sunset (Love Is All) ". "Sunrise (Love Is All)" was used as the theme song for the Japanese television drama Dandy Daddy? . Hamasaki's third single of

2601-463: Was seventeen". Hamasaki stayed in New York for three months, corresponding frequently with Matsuura. Due to difficulties voicing her thoughts, that correspondence was usually through letter; impressed by her writing style, the producer asked her to try her hand at lyrics while they prepared for her debut.  "No one had ever asked anything of me before, or expected anything," the singer said later. "He's

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