TOKYO JOURNAL - THE PEARL DIVER

THE PEARL DIVER PAGES

In the diver's net this month:

Korea's ball placed firmly in the net
Kabuki plays up on the web
Japan's undergroud music scene goes cyber

You can also check out last month's diver pages!

The pearl diver dives deep, but sometimes not deep enough. If you know of a spot you think's worth a visit, drop the pearl diver a note at diver@iac.co.jp

So you've been wondering just what it is that Korea has to offer the world cup? Well stop wondering and start wandering - through the web, that is - to the Korean Worldcup Site.
Not only can you get the low-down on Korea's bid to host the 1996 Soccer World Cup, but you can find out all sorts of interesting and pertinent facts about the country, the people, the cuisine - everything that might make you choose, if you were on the board, to have Korea host the World Cup instead of Japan.

For those of you who thought that Kabuki was firmly stuck back in the 15th Century and would never see the light of modern day, it's time to think again.
Kabuki for Everyone is brought to you by Ichimura Manjiro, a master of the Onnagata Kabuki roles, who has teemed up with some people over at FIX to bring you these pretty pages of wide-ranging Kabuki information.
You can read synopses of plays, download the sounds of the instruments, check out the program for the Kabuki-za in Tokyo... there's even a great little MPEG morph of Manjiro mutating into one of his female roles. All of which leaves us only to ponder how long it'll be before Ennosuke introduces a computerized special effect into one of his extravaganzas.

Everyone knows that the web isn't short of music sites. But this is one of the best around if you want the lastest and greatest in Japan underground music and pop art. Unsound is maintained by 5 members of staff, who are normal, and one member of Unstaff who, according to his profile page at any rate, is in fact an octopus.
The Unsound Unteam bring you Underground music Untrax (aka. excerpts), as well as info. on the bands, where thay can be seen and what they look like. They also Unbring you some nice - well, interesting - artwork by a variety artists who frequent the caverns where these trogloditic musos dwell. What's more, they do it all with some very nice graphics - and have the courtesy to warn you before you enter that you will need Netscape 1.1N to really make it worthwhile. Those of you who don't have netscape and/or can't be bothered to download it can Unagree and try somewhere else. The rest of us will have a nice visit, thankyou.