Japonism (Arashi album)

Updated on Nov 11, 2023

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Recorded 2014–2015 Producer Julie K. Artist Arashi Label J Storm		Language Japanese English Japonism (2015) Are You Happy? (2016) Release date 21 October 2015 Genre Contemporary R&B

Released October 21, 2015 (2015-10-21) Length 69:48 (Limited Edition) 121:18 (Yoitoko Limited Edition) 86:42 (Regular Edition) Similar Arashi albums, Contemporary R&B albums

Japonism is the fourteenth studio album of the Japanese idol group Arashi. The album was released on October 21, 2015 under their record label J Storm in three editions: a first press/limited edition, a Yoitoko limited edition, and a regular edition. The first press edition comes with an 84-page photo lyrics booklet and bonus DVD with the music video and making-of for the album's lead track, "Kokoro no Sora". The Yoitoko limited edition comes with a 32-page lyrics booklet, and the regular edition comes with a 36-page lyrics booklet. The album sold over 820,000 copies in its first week and topped the Oricon charts for two consecutive weeks. With more than 1,210,000 copies sold, the album was certified for Million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). On December 23, 2015, Oricon ranked "Japonism" as the best-selling album of 2015 in Japan. On February 27, 2016, "Japonism" was awarded Album of the Year in the 2016 Japan Gold Disc Awards.

unboxing arashi japonism

Album information

The first press edition contains a CD with sixteen tracks and the Yoitoko edition contains a CD with seventeen tracks. The regular edition contains a CD with twenty tracks. The first press edition comes with an 84-page photo lyrics booklet and a bonus DVD with the music video and making of for "Kokoro no Sora", while the Yoitoko limited edition comes with a 32-page lyrics booklet, a bonus track, and an original talk track "Arajapo Talk". The regular edition comes with a 36-page lyrics booklet and four bonus tracks. The album jacket cover for the Yoitoko and regular editions are the same. The first press edition has a different jacket cover.

Songs

In "Japonism", Arashi expresses their interpretations of the "wonderfulness of Japan" in a unique way. It showcases Arashi's ambitious challenging spirit and continuous evolution. The lead track "Kokoro no Sora" was composed by Tomoyasu Hotei, who is based in London, with the theme "Japan seen from the outside" in mind. Described as a "passionate and manly song", Arashi sings to a fast-paced Hotei sound, where a battle between Arashi, Hotei, and Japanese instruments take place. The album includes a cover of Shonentai's "Nihon Yoitoko Maka Fushigi".

"Japonism" includes two of the group's previously released singles: "Sakura" and "Aozora no Shita, Kimi no Tonari". This album also includes fourteen new songs plus five of each member's solo songs. It also includes their previously unreleased song "Furusato" which they have sung regularly since 2010.

"Sakura" was used as the theme song for the drama Ouroborous, starring actors Toma Ikuta and Shun Oguri. This is the first time Arashi has provided a theme song for a drama that did not star one of its members. "Aozora no Shita, Kimi no Tonari" was used as the theme song for the drama Yokoso, Wagaya E, which stars Arashi member Masaki Aiba.

Promotion

To support their new album, Arashi performed a live tour, ARASHI LIVE TOUR 2015 Japonism, performing at all the major dome stadiums in Japan. They had 17 performances beginning on November 6 at the Nagoya Dome, followed by Sapporo Dome on November 8, Kyocera Osaka Dome on November 26, Fukuoka Dome on December 17, and Tokyo Dome on December 23, 2015.

Chart performance

The album debuted at number one on the Oricon daily album chart selling 412,826 copies upon its release and selling over 820,000 copies by the end of the week, topping the Oricon weekly album chart. The album maintained its number-one spot on the Oricon weekly album chart selling 56,890 copies in its second week and stayed in the top ten for six consecutive weeks. The album placed second on Billboard Japan's yearly top albums list and first on Oricon's yearly album chart, making it the best-selling album of 2015 in Japan. This makes Arashi the first and only solo or group artist to reach number one five times on the yearly charts, beating Utada Hikaru's 2004 record of four number one albums on the yearly charts.

"Japonism" sold 3,513 copies in its twelfth week which pushed the overall sales for the album past the one million mark, making "Japonism" Arashi's third million-selling album after All the Best! 1999–2009 and Boku no Miteiru Fūkei. It also marks the first time in three years and seven months a male artist has sold over one million copies of their album (since Mr Children's Mr. Children 2001–2005 ＜micro＞ in 2012). With more than 1,218,858 copies sold, "Japonism" was certified for Million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).