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Tag: Tokyo

  • Super Bowl: Taylor Swift cheers as she watches Travis Kelce and Chiefs play 49ers

    Super Bowl: Taylor Swift cheers as she watches Travis Kelce and Chiefs play 49ers

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    LAS VEGAS — Taylor Swift has made it to the Super Bowl. Over an hour before kickoff, Swift was spotted speaking with Philadelphia Eagles’ center Jason Kelce and later, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a private box at Allegiant Stadium.

    Swift completed her epic trip from the Tokyo Dome to Allegiant Stadium for the Super Bowl on Sunday, walking through security along with friends Blake Lively, Ice Spice and her mom, Andrea Swift, to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers.

    Super Bowl LVIII live updates: San Francisco 49ers lead Chiefs 10-3 at halftime

    The 14-time Grammy-winner, who has been dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce since the first few weeks of the NFL season, flew across nine time zones and the international date line from her Eras Tour to arrive about two hours before kickoff.

    In the middle of Post Malone’s performance of “America the Beautiful,” cameras cut to Swift and Lively holding each other and enjoying the performance. She danced when the Chiefs won the coin toss.

    Swift walked in wearing a black outfit with a red jacket slung over her shoulder, apparently getting the memo from Kelce and many of the Chiefs. He wore a shimmering black suit, quarterback Patrick Mahomes wore a sharp black suit of his own, and even Chiefs coach Andy Reid wore a black blazer as the Chiefs leaned into the villain role in which they have been cast.

    There has been plenty of Taylor Swift on the big screens of Allegiant Stadium, and during the last timeout, cameras caught her in a race to chug what appeared to be a beer in her suite.

    Swift was the first to finish, and she triumphantly slammed the cup down as the video cut away to other fans. But not before an appreciative roar rippled through the stadium.

    If only the Chiefs were able to move the ball as successfully as she downed her drink. Their offense has gone nowhere in the first half of their Super Bowl showdown with the 49ers.

    “Anti-Hero” also happens to be the lead single from Swift’s Grammy-winning album, “Midnights.”

    PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Taylor Swift reaches LAX in journey from Tokyo to Super Bowl, online sleuths say

    “She’s unbelievable. She’s rewriting the history books herself,” Kelce said after the Grammys last Sunday. “I told her I’ll have to hold up my end of the bargain and come home with hardware, too.”

    Swift wrapped up the last of four shows in Japan on Saturday night, then hopped a private plane at Haneda Airport for a flight across the Pacific Ocean. She landed in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon – the time change worked in her favor – before Swift headed on to Las Vegas, where so many high-rollers had arrived that parking for private planes was entirely booked up.

    Swift began dating Kelce after he said on his “New Heights” podcast that he had tried and failed to give her a friendship bracelet during her performance at Arrowhead Stadium. Kelce then invited her to watch him perform at the home of the Chiefs, and she surprisingly showed up for their Week 2 game against Chicago.

    MORE: Kristin Juszczyk scores NFL licensing deal after Taylor Swift’s custom Chiefs jacket goes viral

    Swift soon became a regular at games, both home and away, frequently sitting with Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Swift occasionally brought along friends, including Lively and Ryan Reynolds.

    “Having Taylor as a new Chiefs fan is very unique,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt told a small group of reporters. “I don’t ever do an interview without someone asking me about it. I think a lot of players and coaches on the team are in the same boat. The most important thing is we’re happy for the two of them that they have found each other and have such a special relationship.”

    There was plenty of star power besides Swift for the NFL’s marquee night. Usher is performing the halftime show, and was rumored to have several guests planned, while Post Malone and Reba McEntire performed before the game.

    PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Can Taylor Swift make it to the 2024 Super Bowl from Tokyo to watch Travis Kelce?

    Few were to be under a brighter spotlight than Swift, though. Her dash from the Tokyo Dome, where she promised fans that “we’re all gonna go on a great adventure,” had Swifties around the world watching online flight trackers, while her boyfriend seemed to get as many questions about his relationship as the game during the run-up to kickoff.

    Asked to explain the intense interest, Kelce replied: “I think the values we stand for and just who we are as people – we love to shine light on others, shine light on the people that help and support us, and on top of that, I think we both just love life.”

    Kelce and Swift won’t have a whole lot of time together, regardless of how the game plays out.

    After winning a record-breaking fourth album of the year award at the Grammys for “Midnights,” announcing her next album will drop in April and attending the Super Bowl, Swift is due back across the Pacific later this week. The international leg of her Eras Tour resumes Friday night with the first of three shows at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

    “This week is truly the best kind of chaos,” she posted Wednesday on Instagram.

    ___

    AP Music Writer Maria Sherman contributed to this report from Los Angeles.

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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  • Super Bowl: Taylor Swift cheers as she watches Travis Kelce and Chiefs play 49ers

    Super Bowl: Taylor Swift cheers as she watches Travis Kelce and Chiefs play 49ers

    [ad_1]

    LAS VEGAS — Taylor Swift has made it to the Super Bowl. Over an hour before kickoff, Swift was spotted speaking with Philadelphia Eagles’ center Jason Kelce and later, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a private box at Allegiant Stadium.

    Swift completed her epic trip from the Tokyo Dome to Allegiant Stadium for the Super Bowl on Sunday, walking through security along with friends Blake Lively, Ice Spice and her mom, Andrea Swift, to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers.

    The 14-time Grammy-winner, who has been dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce since the first few weeks of the NFL season, flew across nine time zones and the international date line from her Eras Tour to arrive about two hours before kickoff.

    In the middle of Post Malone’s performance of “America the Beautiful,” cameras cut to Swift and Lively holding each other and enjoying the performance. She danced when the Chiefs won the coin toss.

    Swift walked in wearing a black outfit with a red jacket slung over her shoulder, apparently getting the memo from Kelce and many of the Chiefs. He wore a shimmering black suit, quarterback Patrick Mahomes wore a sharp black suit of his own, and even Chiefs coach Andy Reid wore a black blazer as the Chiefs leaned into the villain role in which they have been cast.

    There has been plenty of Taylor Swift on the big screens of Allegiant Stadium, and during the last timeout, cameras caught her in a race to chug what appeared to be a beer in her suite.

    Swift was the first to finish, and she triumphantly slammed the cup down as the video cut away to other fans. But not before an appreciative roar rippled through the stadium.

    If only the Chiefs were able to move the ball as successfully as she downed her drink. Their offense has gone nowhere in the first half of their Super Bowl showdown with the 49ers.

    “Anti-Hero” also happens to be the lead single from Swift’s Grammy-winning album, “Midnights.”

    PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Taylor Swift reaches LAX in journey from Tokyo to Super Bowl, online sleuths say

    “She’s unbelievable. She’s rewriting the history books herself,” Kelce said after the Grammys last Sunday. “I told her I’ll have to hold up my end of the bargain and come home with hardware, too.”

    Swift wrapped up the last of four shows in Japan on Saturday night, then hopped a private plane at Haneda Airport for a flight across the Pacific Ocean. She landed in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon – the time change worked in her favor – before Swift headed on to Las Vegas, where so many high-rollers had arrived that parking for private planes was entirely booked up.

    Swift began dating Kelce after he said on his “New Heights” podcast that he had tried and failed to give her a friendship bracelet during her performance at Arrowhead Stadium. Kelce then invited her to watch him perform at the home of the Chiefs, and she surprisingly showed up for their Week 2 game against Chicago.

    MORE: Kristin Juszczyk scores NFL licensing deal after Taylor Swift’s custom Chiefs jacket goes viral

    Swift soon became a regular at games, both home and away, frequently sitting with Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Swift occasionally brought along friends, including Lively and Ryan Reynolds.

    “Having Taylor as a new Chiefs fan is very unique,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt told a small group of reporters. “I don’t ever do an interview without someone asking me about it. I think a lot of players and coaches on the team are in the same boat. The most important thing is we’re happy for the two of them that they have found each other and have such a special relationship.”

    There was plenty of star power besides Swift for the NFL’s marquee night. Usher is performing the halftime show, and was rumored to have several guests planned, while Post Malone and Reba McEntire performed before the game.

    PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Can Taylor Swift make it to the 2024 Super Bowl from Tokyo to watch Travis Kelce?

    Few were to be under a brighter spotlight than Swift, though. Her dash from the Tokyo Dome, where she promised fans that “we’re all gonna go on a great adventure,” had Swifties around the world watching online flight trackers, while her boyfriend seemed to get as many questions about his relationship as the game during the run-up to kickoff.

    Asked to explain the intense interest, Kelce replied: “I think the values we stand for and just who we are as people – we love to shine light on others, shine light on the people that help and support us, and on top of that, I think we both just love life.”

    Kelce and Swift won’t have a whole lot of time together, regardless of how the game plays out.

    After winning a record-breaking fourth album of the year award at the Grammys for “Midnights,” announcing her next album will drop in April and attending the Super Bowl, Swift is due back across the Pacific later this week. The international leg of her Eras Tour resumes Friday night with the first of three shows at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

    “This week is truly the best kind of chaos,” she posted Wednesday on Instagram.

    ___

    AP Music Writer Maria Sherman contributed to this report from Los Angeles.

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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  • Taylor Swift reaches LAX in journey from Tokyo to Super Bowl, online sleuths say

    Taylor Swift reaches LAX in journey from Tokyo to Super Bowl, online sleuths say

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    LOS ANGELES — On social media, fans of Taylor Swift and aviation journalists believe they’ve identified Swift’s private jet, labeled “The Football Era.” It arrived from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Los Angeles’ LAX airport just after 3:30 p.m. local time.

    Her transportation plans onward to Las Vegas, where her boyfriend, NFL star tight end Travis Kelce, will play in Sunday’s Super Bowl, have yet to be revealed.

    Representatives for Swift and VistaJet, the world’s only global private aviation company, did not immediately respond to AP’s request for comment.

    Swift’s last song was still ringing in the ears of thousands of fans at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday night when the singer rushed to a private jet at Haneda airport, presumably embarking on an intensely scrutinized journey to see Kelce.

    “We’re all gonna go on a great adventure,” Swift told the crowd earlier. She was speaking of the music, but it might also describe her race against time, which was to cross nine time zones and the international date line.

    With a final bow at the end of her sold-out show, clad in a blue sequined outfit, the crowd screaming, strobe lights pulsing, confetti falling, Swift disappeared beneath the stage and her journey to the other side of the world began.

    Her expected trip to see Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas has fired imaginations, and speculation, for weeks.

    “I hope she can return in time. It’s so romantic,” said office worker Hitomi Takahashi, 29, who bought matching Taylor Swift sweatshirts with her friend and was taking photos just outside the Tokyo Dome.

    About an hour after the end of the concert, AP journalists were near Haneda’s private jet area when minivans drove up and someone went inside the gate area, as four to five people carrying large black umbrellas obstructed the view of the person.

    At Saturday night’s concert, there was plenty of evidence of the unique cultural phenomenon that is the Swift-Kelce relationship, a nexus of professional football and the huge star power of Swift. In addition to people wearing sequined dresses celebrating Swift, there were Kelce jerseys and hats and other Chiefs gear.

    Some spent thousands of dollars to attend the pop superstar’s concerts this week.

    “Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone,” Swift sang.

    She won’t find that Sunday in Las Vegas when a sold-out crowd, not to mention millions around the world, will be watching her.

    To call the worldwide scrutiny of Swift’s travels intense is an understatement.

    Fans have tracked her jet. The planet-warming carbon emissions of her globe-trotting travels have been criticized. Officials have weighed in on her ability to park her jet at Las Vegas airports.

    Even Japanese diplomats have gotten into the act. The Japanese Embassy in Washington posted on social media that she could make the Super Bowl in time, including in their statement three Swift song titles – “Speak Now”, “Fearless” and “Red.”

    “If she departs Tokyo in the evening after her concert, she should comfortably arrive in Las Vegas before the Super Bowl begins,” it said.

    Takahashi, the fan at the Tokyo Dome, was aware of the criticism Swift has faced about her private jets but said the singer was being singled out unfairly.

    “Many other people are flying on business, and she is here for her work. She faces a bashing because she is famous and stands out,” Takahashi said.

    Swift has been crisscrossing the globe this week already.

    Before coming to Asia, she attended the Grammys in Los Angeles, winning her 14th Grammy and a record-breaking fourth Album of the Year award for “Midnights.” The show was watched by nearly 17 million people. She also made a surprise announcement that her next album is ready to drop in April.

    Then the four concerts in Tokyo, and now the trip back to the States. She has followed Kelce for much of the Chiefs’ season.

    Swift is expected to fly to Australia later this week to continue her tour.

    “This week is truly the best kind of chaos,” she posted Wednesday on Instagram.

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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  • Taylor Swift reaches LAX in journey from Tokyo to Super Bowl, online sleuths say

    Taylor Swift reaches LAX in journey from Tokyo to Super Bowl, online sleuths say

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    LOS ANGELES — On social media, fans of Taylor Swift and aviation journalists believe they’ve identified Swift’s private jet, labeled “The Football Era.” It arrived from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Los Angeles’ LAX airport just after 3:30 p.m. local time.

    Her transportation plans onward to Las Vegas, where her boyfriend, NFL star tight end Travis Kelce, will play in Sunday’s Super Bowl, have yet to be revealed.

    Representatives for Swift and VistaJet, the world’s only global private aviation company, did not immediately respond to AP’s request for comment.

    Swift’s last song was still ringing in the ears of thousands of fans at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday night when the singer rushed to a private jet at Haneda airport, presumably embarking on an intensely scrutinized journey to see Kelce.

    “We’re all gonna go on a great adventure,” Swift told the crowd earlier. She was speaking of the music, but it might also describe her race against time, which was to cross nine time zones and the international date line.

    With a final bow at the end of her sold-out show, clad in a blue sequined outfit, the crowd screaming, strobe lights pulsing, confetti falling, Swift disappeared beneath the stage and her journey to the other side of the world began.

    Her expected trip to see Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas has fired imaginations, and speculation, for weeks.

    “I hope she can return in time. It’s so romantic,” said office worker Hitomi Takahashi, 29, who bought matching Taylor Swift sweatshirts with her friend and was taking photos just outside the Tokyo Dome.

    About an hour after the end of the concert, AP journalists were near Haneda’s private jet area when minivans drove up and someone went inside the gate area, as four to five people carrying large black umbrellas obstructed the view of the person.

    At Saturday night’s concert, there was plenty of evidence of the unique cultural phenomenon that is the Swift-Kelce relationship, a nexus of professional football and the huge star power of Swift. In addition to people wearing sequined dresses celebrating Swift, there were Kelce jerseys and hats and other Chiefs gear.

    Some spent thousands of dollars to attend the pop superstar’s concerts this week.

    “Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone,” Swift sang.

    She won’t find that Sunday in Las Vegas when a sold-out crowd, not to mention millions around the world, will be watching her.

    To call the worldwide scrutiny of Swift’s travels intense is an understatement.

    Fans have tracked her jet. The planet-warming carbon emissions of her globe-trotting travels have been criticized. Officials have weighed in on her ability to park her jet at Las Vegas airports.

    Even Japanese diplomats have gotten into the act. The Japanese Embassy in Washington posted on social media that she could make the Super Bowl in time, including in their statement three Swift song titles – “Speak Now”, “Fearless” and “Red.”

    “If she departs Tokyo in the evening after her concert, she should comfortably arrive in Las Vegas before the Super Bowl begins,” it said.

    Takahashi, the fan at the Tokyo Dome, was aware of the criticism Swift has faced about her private jets but said the singer was being singled out unfairly.

    “Many other people are flying on business, and she is here for her work. She faces a bashing because she is famous and stands out,” Takahashi said.

    Swift has been crisscrossing the globe this week already.

    Before coming to Asia, she attended the Grammys in Los Angeles, winning her 14th Grammy and a record-breaking fourth Album of the Year award for “Midnights.” The show was watched by nearly 17 million people. She also made a surprise announcement that her next album is ready to drop in April.

    Then the four concerts in Tokyo, and now the trip back to the States. She has followed Kelce for much of the Chiefs’ season.

    Swift is expected to fly to Australia later this week to continue her tour.

    “This week is truly the best kind of chaos,” she posted Wednesday on Instagram.

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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    AP

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  • Taylor Swift reaches LAX in journey from Tokyo to Super Bowl, online sleuths say

    Taylor Swift reaches LAX in journey from Tokyo to Super Bowl, online sleuths say

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    LOS ANGELES — On social media, fans of Taylor Swift and aviation journalists believe they’ve identified Swift’s private jet, labeled “The Football Era.” It arrived from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Los Angeles’ LAX airport just after 3:30 p.m. local time.

    Her transportation plans onward to Las Vegas, where her boyfriend, NFL star tight end Travis Kelce, will play in Sunday’s Super Bowl, have yet to be revealed.

    Representatives for Swift and VistaJet, the world’s only global private aviation company, did not immediately respond to AP’s request for comment.

    Swift’s last song was still ringing in the ears of thousands of fans at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday night when the singer rushed to a private jet at Haneda airport, presumably embarking on an intensely scrutinized journey to see Kelce.

    “We’re all gonna go on a great adventure,” Swift told the crowd earlier. She was speaking of the music, but it might also describe her race against time, which was to cross nine time zones and the international date line.

    With a final bow at the end of her sold-out show, clad in a blue sequined outfit, the crowd screaming, strobe lights pulsing, confetti falling, Swift disappeared beneath the stage and her journey to the other side of the world began.

    Her expected trip to see Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas has fired imaginations, and speculation, for weeks.

    “I hope she can return in time. It’s so romantic,” said office worker Hitomi Takahashi, 29, who bought matching Taylor Swift sweatshirts with her friend and was taking photos just outside the Tokyo Dome.

    About an hour after the end of the concert, AP journalists were near Haneda’s private jet area when minivans drove up and someone went inside the gate area, as four to five people carrying large black umbrellas obstructed the view of the person.

    At Saturday night’s concert, there was plenty of evidence of the unique cultural phenomenon that is the Swift-Kelce relationship, a nexus of professional football and the huge star power of Swift. In addition to people wearing sequined dresses celebrating Swift, there were Kelce jerseys and hats and other Chiefs gear.

    Some spent thousands of dollars to attend the pop superstar’s concerts this week.

    “Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone,” Swift sang.

    She won’t find that Sunday in Las Vegas when a sold-out crowd, not to mention millions around the world, will be watching her.

    To call the worldwide scrutiny of Swift’s travels intense is an understatement.

    Fans have tracked her jet. The planet-warming carbon emissions of her globe-trotting travels have been criticized. Officials have weighed in on her ability to park her jet at Las Vegas airports.

    Even Japanese diplomats have gotten into the act. The Japanese Embassy in Washington posted on social media that she could make the Super Bowl in time, including in their statement three Swift song titles – “Speak Now”, “Fearless” and “Red.”

    “If she departs Tokyo in the evening after her concert, she should comfortably arrive in Las Vegas before the Super Bowl begins,” it said.

    Takahashi, the fan at the Tokyo Dome, was aware of the criticism Swift has faced about her private jets but said the singer was being singled out unfairly.

    “Many other people are flying on business, and she is here for her work. She faces a bashing because she is famous and stands out,” Takahashi said.

    Swift has been crisscrossing the globe this week already.

    Before coming to Asia, she attended the Grammys in Los Angeles, winning her 14th Grammy and a record-breaking fourth Album of the Year award for “Midnights.” The show was watched by nearly 17 million people. She also made a surprise announcement that her next album is ready to drop in April.

    Then the four concerts in Tokyo, and now the trip back to the States. She has followed Kelce for much of the Chiefs’ season.

    Swift is expected to fly to Australia later this week to continue her tour.

    “This week is truly the best kind of chaos,” she posted Wednesday on Instagram.

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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  • Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce: Jamaican sprinter and Olympic champion to retire after Paris games this summer

    Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce: Jamaican sprinter and Olympic champion to retire after Paris games this summer

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    Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was the first 100m sprinter to win individual medals in four consecutive Olympic Games; Fraser-Pryce is the oldest woman to win the 100m world title after taking gold in Eugene in 2022 at the age of 35

    Last Updated: 09/02/24 11:19am

    Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has revealed her plans to retire after the Olympics

    Three-time Olympic champion sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will retire after the 2024 Paris Olympics, saying she owes it to her family.

    Fraser-Pryce was the first 100m sprinter to win individual medals in four consecutive Olympic Games. The Jamaican began her journey in Beijing 2008, which saw her become the first Caribbean woman to win gold in the women’s 100m.

    She held on to her 100m title in London 2012, joining a select few to have done so. Despite battling a toe injury, she won bronze in 2016 Rio Olympics and a silver in relay.

    After giving birth in 2017, she won another Olympic silver and a relay gold in Tokyo 2020.

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    “My son needs me, my husband and I have been together since before I won in 2008. He has sacrificed for me,” 37-year-old Fraser-Pryce told Essence.com.

    “We’re a partnership, a team, and it’s because of that support that I’m able to do the things that I have been doing for all these years,” she added. “I think I now owe it to them to do something else.”

    Currently, she is focused on preparing for Paris, which takes place from July 26 to August 11 and something she views as an opportunity to push boundaries.

    Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will feature in the Paris Olympics this summer

    Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will feature in the Paris Olympics this summer

    It is about “showing people that you stop when you decide. I want to finish on my own terms,” she said.

    In 2019, she became the oldest woman to claim the 100m World Championship title in Doha. She further solidified this achievement by winning the title again at the age of 35 in Eugene in 2022, 14 years after her initial Olympic gold triumph.

    “It’s not enough that we step on a track and we win medals. You have to think about the next generation that’s coming after you, and give them the opportunity to also dream – and dream big,” Fraser-Pryce added.

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    You can now start receiving messages and alerts for the latest breaking sports news, analysis, in-depth features and videos from our dedicated WhatsApp channel. Find out more here…



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  • Taylor Swift Nearly Falls Off Her Chair During HOT Eras Tour Performance! Watch! – Perez Hilton

    Taylor Swift Nearly Falls Off Her Chair During HOT Eras Tour Performance! Watch! – Perez Hilton

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    Taylor Swift is proving she’s a pro when it comes to unexpected mishaps — and that she’s INSANELY fit!

    The Anti Hero songstress has brought her Eras Tour to Tokyo, Japan this week for another three-show run of sold out performances. We’ve seen the superstar get past a few different mistakes with her “the show must go on” attitude ever since the tour started last year — and she continues to prove time and time again nothing will stop her from delivering the very best for her fans!

    Related: Taylor Gifted Her Entire Team These LUXE Items After Grammy Win!

    On Wednesday, a short clip started circulating on X (Twitter) showcasing Tay Tay’s latest Vigilante S**t performance in Japan during the Midnights portion of her concert. If you’ve seen the show, you know this set is HAWT! The 34-year-old and her dancers shake their butts and spin around on chairs as she sings the ballad. It’s SPICY as hell — but not as easy as it looks!

    In the clip, Taylor is supposed to squat down, legs wide, onto her chair — eyes never leaving the audience as she sings. But either the chair wasn’t in quite the right spot or she wasn’t. She apparently just missed the chair and nearly fell to the ground! We said “nearly” though. The amazing part was, she was able to hold the squat without breaking a sweat despite there being no chair beneath her to keep her leverage! OMG!

    Ch-ch-check out the clip (below) to see the moment she has to reach behind her to pull the chair under her butt:

    WOW!!

    Just as they said — most anyone would’ve fallen right down onto the floor! Those Eras Tour workout routines are coming in handy, we see!

    Reactions, Perezcious readers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments (below).

    [Image via MEGA/WENN]



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  • Taylor Swift Wasn’t Planning To Announce New Album At Grammys! The Plan WAS… – Perez Hilton

    Taylor Swift Wasn’t Planning To Announce New Album At Grammys! The Plan WAS… – Perez Hilton

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    Taylor Swift wasn’t actually planning on announcing her new album at the Grammys… That was a last minute call!

    Swifties were delighted to hear the announcement of the Blank Space singer’s 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, on Sunday night. Tay was accepting the award for Best Pop Vocal Album when she shocked everyone with the news. It led a lot of people to wonder how she knew she would win and be able to make the announcement in the first place!

    Well, the answer is simple — it wasn’t always the plan to announce it during the awards show!

    Related: Taylor Gifted Entire Time THESE Luxe Items After Grammys Win!

    In fan-captured footage from her Wednesday Eras Tour stop in Tokyo, the 34-year-old explained she actually planned on making the surprise announcement IN Tokyo… But at the awards ceremony, she decided — if she got on stage — she’d do it then and there:

    “I had this plan in my head, and I told my friends — I told Jack [Antonoff], but I hadn’t really told many other people. I thought, ‘Okay, so if I’m lucky enough to get up there and win one thing tonight, I’m just going to do it. I’m just going to announce my new album.’”

    She added:

    “And luckily enough, that ended up happening. My backup plan was that I was going to do it tonight in Tokyo.”

    Inneresting!

    She went on to give fans some new details about the upcoming body of work:

    “I’ve been working on it for about two years, I kept working on it throughout the US tour. When it was prefect in my opinion — when it was good enough for you — I finished it. I am so, so excited. Soon you’ll get to hear it. Soon we’ll get to hear it together.”

    She added:

    “Everyone asks, ‘Why do you make so many albums?’ It’s like, ‘Man, because I love it so much. I’m having fun. Leave me alone.’”

    Watch the full video (below):

    Thoughts, Perezcious readers?? Sound OFF in the comments!

    [Images via CBS/YouTube & photo.wenn.com]

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  • Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo Celebrates the Annual Bloom on Historic Camellia Mountain

    Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo Celebrates the Annual Bloom on Historic Camellia Mountain

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    The Hotel in the Clouds returns for the 4th year with their revamped ‘Tokyo Camellia’ event.


    TOKYO, February 5, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Luxury urban resort Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo is proud to announce the opening of their annual ‘Tokyo Camellia’ event, this year featuring an additional highlight. The updated event will be open to hotel guests for three weeks, from February 8 to 29.

    Since 2021, the hotel has been host to the annual event celebrating the winter flower. Guests can stroll through the scenic ‘Camellia Mountain’ and view camellia blossoms softly descending from the trees and extending like a red carpet across the garden floor. Hotel guests will be able to enjoy the scenery while surrounded by the Tokyo Sea of Clouds, a recreation of the natural phenomenon only seen in the mountainous regions of Japan. This year, an art piece called the ‘Camellia Stainless Steel Flower,’ created in collaboration with THE BLOSSO, can be seen scattered in the moss beneath the flowering trees. The Japanese accessory brand produced these stainless steel flowers using the same cutting-edge technologies used by car manufacturers for thin sheet metal.

    “We’re delighted to be hosting this one-of-a-kind event combining the beauty of both nature and art. We have over 100 varieties of camellia in full bloom and we hope visitors will enjoy them all,” says Tomohiko Chihiro, General Manager of the hotel.

    The name Chinzanso means “villa on the hill of camellias,” and was given to the hotel by Gensui Prince Aritomo Yamagata (1838-1922) who served as Japan’s third and ninth prime minister. The location is cherished for the abundant wild camellia trees that have bloomed there for hundreds of years, and currently boasts 2,300 trees in its hilltop garden. For more information, please visit their website. 

    Guests who book their stay on the hotel’s official website from February 8 to 17 will receive complimentary welcome fruit to celebrate the Lunar New Year. To redeem this offer, please select the option on the Add-Ons page during booking.

    About Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo

    Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo is one of the city’s most iconic luxury hotels with 70 years of history. The property includes 266 guest rooms/suites, nine restaurants, 38 meeting/banquet rooms, and a full-service spa with a Japanese onsen. Its award-winning garden has a wide variety of botanicals, including more than 100 cherry trees and 1,000 camellia trees. The standout feature of the garden is the ‘Tokyo Sea of Clouds,’ a recreation of the natural phenomenon that can usually only be found in the mountainous regions of Japan. The hotel is owned and managed by Fujita Kanko Inc., a publicly-traded tourism industry corporation headquartered in Tokyo.

    Source: Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo

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  • Man on deathbed tells cops he’s been WANTED for 50yrs…but dies before proving it

    Man on deathbed tells cops he’s been WANTED for 50yrs…but dies before proving it

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    A 70-YEAR-OLD man revealed to cops on his deathbed that he was one of Japan’s most wanted fugitives before he died.

    The man claimed to be Satoshi Kirishima, a radical extremist behind bombings in the capital who had been on the run for 49 years.

    4

    Satoshi Kirishima, one of Japan’s most wanted fugitives, may have been found
    Kirishima's mugshot became infamous in Japan for his smiling face

    4

    Kirishima’s mugshot became infamous in Japan for his smiling faceCredit: AP
    Glass windows are blown off after an EAAJAF bomb blasts the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Headquarters in 1974 in Tokyo

    4

    Glass windows are blown off after an EAAJAF bomb blasts the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Headquarters in 1974 in TokyoCredit: Getty

    Last week local police were tipped off that he might be sheltering in a hospital not far from Tokyo.

    When they questioned the man, he told them that he had been hiding under an alias in Fujisawa City – just an hours drive from Tokyo – for decades.

    The man claiming to be Kirishima said he had terminal cancer and wanted to finally admit his real identity before his death.

    He apparently revealed details about the bombings that police didn’t know before.

    Four days after he was questioned the old man died on Monday – before cops could confirm his tale.

    DNA tests carried out on him and relatives of the suspect Kirishima were apparently compatible, Japanese outlet Kyodo News reported.

    But police refused to confirm those reports.

    However National Police Agency chief Yasuhiro Tsuyuki said: “We believe that the man who died at the hospital after claiming to be Satoshi Kirishima was actually the suspect”.

    Wanted man Kirishima was part of a militant group that bombed Tokyo repeatedly in the 1970s.

    He had been studying at university in Tokyo when he joined an extremist left-wing group called the East Asia Anti-Japan Armed Front (EAAJAF).

    The group’s philosophy supported revolution against the state, was anti-war, opposed the country’s big corporations and symbols of imperialism.

    Most of the group’s members were arrested by authorities – but it now appears as though the missing Kirishima may have dodged them for 50 years.

    They carried out several brutal attacks in the 1970s which targeted major Japanese companies.

    One of the group’s attacks was the 1974 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries bombing which killed eight people and injured almost hundreds of others.

    EAAJAF, who was firmly against the Pacific War, targeted the company who manufactured weapons.

    They carried out two more bombings in Tokyo that year, before seven of them were arrested the following May.

    Several of them were sentenced to death.

    Kirishima had been hiding from police since 1975 and was last heard of at the end of May when he called his father and said “I’m in Okayama with three women.

    “Please prepare money. I’m thinking of fleeing abroad.”

    Local media reports said the man in hospital told cops: “I want to use my real name in my final moments,” before claiming to be Kirishima.

    As his surreal story unfolded he explained that he had lived under the pseudonym Hiroshi Uchida in Fujisawa City for decades.

    He had been living in an old flat near where he worked at a construction company, and even went dancing in a bar nearby once a month.

    Emergency services rush to the scene after the 1974 Mitsubishi bombing

    4

    Emergency services rush to the scene after the 1974 Mitsubishi bombingCredit: Getty



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    Ellie Doughty

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  • Japanese embassy says Taylor Swift

    Japanese embassy says Taylor Swift

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    The world’s most famous Kansas City Chiefs fan will make it to see beau Travis Kelce play in Super Bowl LVIII, even though she is performing in Tokyo the night before, Japan’s U.S. embassy said Friday.

    Angsty fans have been speculating for days over how pop music icon Taylor Swift could do it all next weekend: perform a concert as part of her record-smashing Eras Tour in Tokyo, and a day later support star tight end Kelce as the Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas.

    But the Japanese embassy in Washington moved decisively to reassure the public, while revealing its staff are also fans who are not above punning on Swift songs in public statements.

    “Despite the 12-hour flight and 17-hour time difference, the Embassy can confidently Speak Now to say that if she departs Tokyo in the evening after her concert, she should comfortably arrive in Las Vegas before the Super Bowl begins,” a post on the embassy’s social media account read.

    “We know that many people in Japan are excited to experience Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, so we wanted to confirm that anyone concerned can be Fearless in knowing that this talented performer can wow Japanese audiences and still make it to Las Vegas to support the Chiefs when they take the field for the Super Bowl wearing Red.”

    The post was met with both excitement and bemusement by social media users.

    “Somewhere in Japan’s U.S. embassy, there’s a Swiftie working in comms who had the best day at the office they’ve ever had,” commented one.

    Taylor Swift
    Taylor Swift walks off the field after the Kansas City Chiefs 17-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC title game at M&T Bank Stadium on Jan. 28, 2024, in Baltimore, Maryland.

    Getty Images


    The singer has concerts scheduled in Tokyo on Feb. 7, 8, 9 and 10. Her concert at the Tokyo Dome on Feb. 10 is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time, which is 1 a.m. Vegas time. Shows on her Eras Tour tend to last about four hours. Assuming she departed Japan immediately after her show, she could arrive back in the U.S. on the night of Saturday, Feb. 10, with plenty of time before the game  the following afternoon for its scheduled kickoff of 3:30 p.m. local time. 

    Swift has smashed industry records this year with her tour that is estimated to bring in almost $2 billion, along with a film of the musical cavalcade. On Sunday she could break the record for most Album of the Year wins at the Grammys.

    Amid her blossoming romance with Kelce, she has also attended a string of NFL games, drawing in a new wave of NFL fans as her hundreds of millions of social media followers trace her every move.

    Fascination peaked this weekend when the Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens to book their berth in the Super Bowl and, in the midst of celebrations, Swift descended onto the field to embrace Kelce, fresh from playing one of the best games of his life.



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  • Coffee And A Cuddle With Piglet At This Cafe

    Coffee And A Cuddle With Piglet At This Cafe

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    Life can be hard – but wouldn’t it be easy if you can just sip coffee and cuddle with a Pig? His café is making it happen!

    Life has its hard moment and sometimes you just need a full escape. According to the data, 37 percent of respondents in the U.S. indicated that they were more anxious in 2023 than they were the year before. This is a decrease from 2020 when 62 percent reported being more anxious than in year 2019.  Sometimes you just need a little coffee and a cuddle with a piglet at this cafe.  What started as a rough idea has turned into an opportunity for people to have a squealing good time. And to relax and smile.

    RELATED: Behind Our Desire To Squeeze Cute Puppies

    Cuddling with a dog, cat or even a piglet leads to the release of the oxytocin, the happiness hormone, The hormone relates to feelings of trust and empathy and can contribute to a strong human-animal bond. Both the animal and human receive benefits from the interaction.

    Piglets have gained a lot of popularity, especially with celebrities adopting them as pets. In fact, they’re even a growing niche about bringing the cuties home. But in Japan, piglets have been considered in a different light, so this group decided to offer something new.  In 2019, they decided to embark on a journey to introduce cuddling with pigs to the public.

    “We would like Japanese people to feel more familiar with the animal and eventually become a beloved member of the family,” shares the founder. The idea of the cafe started out as a Camp-fire proposal, a crowdfunding site similar to Kickstarter, which pulled in over twice the amount of money that was initially asked for.

    Since their first cafe, they have opened opened 9 additional MiPig Cafe locations. People are loving it and is growing similar to the kitten cafés in North America.  Japan is one of the leading countries when it comes to animal cafes, having spots where you can have a coffee surrounded by owls, dogs, hedgehogs and stuffed animals.

    Though they have a few different names (micropigs, miniature pigs, teacup pigs), they aren’t really miniature, rather they are different bread of pigs. Most are simply potbellied pigs that are naturally smaller than domestic farm pigs. The latter can weigh several hundred kilos. Micropigs when young, however, usually weigh around 30 kilos

    Studies have suggested pigs can outsmart dogs and even chimpanzees. They’ve been observed completing mazes and recognising symbols, and they have excellent long term memory.

    They’re also empathetic animals which learn from one another and have complex social lives, with some studies showing them play fighting with one another in much the same way as dogs do. So why not try?

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    Maria Loreto

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  • Hang Seng leads selloff for Asia stocks, with 4% slump after China data

    Hang Seng leads selloff for Asia stocks, with 4% slump after China data

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    TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares slid Wednesday after a decline overnight on Wall Street and disappointing China growth data, while Tokyo’s main benchmark momentarily hit another 30-year high.

    Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225
    NIY00,
    -0.95%
    reached a session high of 36,239.22, but reverted lower, last down 0.3% to 35,477. The Nikkei has been hitting new 34-year highs, or the best since February 1990 during the so-called financial bubble. Buying focused on semiconductor-related shares, and a cheap yen helped boost exporter issues.

    Don’t miss: Wall Street firms catch up to Buffett enthusiasm on Japan as Nikkei keeps hitting records

    Hong Kong’s Hang Seng
    HK:HSCI
    tumbled 4% to 15,220.72, with losses building after data showed China hitting its economic growth target of 5.2% for 2023, surpassing government expectations, but short of the 5.3% some analysts expected. The Shanghai Composite
    CN:SHCOMP
    shed 2% to 2,833.62.

    Read on: China hit its economic-growth target without ‘massive stimulus,’ boasts Premier Li Qiang

    Australia’s S&P/ASX 200
    AU:ASX10000
    slipped 0.2% to 7,401.30. South Korea’s Kospi
    KR:180721
    dropped 2.4% to 2,435.90.

    Investors were keeping their eyes on upcoming earnings reports, as well as potential moves by the world’s central banks, to gauge their next moves.
    Wall Street slipped in a lackluster return to trading following a three-day holiday weekend.

    See: What’s next for stocks as ‘tired’ market stalls in 2024 ahead of closely watched retail sales

    The S&P 500
    SPX
    fell 17.85 points, or 0.4%, to 4,765.98. The Dow Jones Industrial Average
    DJIA
    dropped 231.86, or 0.6%, to 37,361.12, and the Nasdaq
    COMP
    sank 28.41, or 0.2%, to 14,944.35.

    Spirit Airlines
    SAVE,
    -47.09%
    lost 47.1% after a U.S. judge blocked its takeover by JetBlue Airways
    JBLU,
    +4.91%
    on concerns it would mean higher airfares for flyers. JetBlue rose 4.9%.

    Stocks of banks were mixed, meanwhile, as earnings reporting season ramps up for the final three months of 2023. Morgan Stanley
    MS,
    -4.16%
    sank 4.2% after it said a legal matter and a special assessment knocked $535 million off its pretax earnings, while Goldman Sachs
    GS,
    +0.71%
    edged 0.7% higher after reporting results that topped Wall Street’s forecasts.

    Companies across the S&P 500 are likely to report meager growth in profits for the fourth quarter from a year earlier, if any, if Wall Street analysts’ forecasts are to be believed. Earnings have been under pressure for more than a year because of rising costs amid high inflation.

    But optimism is higher for 2024, where analysts are forecasting a strong 11.8% growth in earnings per share for S&P 500 companies, according to FactSet. That, plus expectations for several cuts to interest rates by the Federal Reserve this year, have helped the S&P 500 rally to 10 winning weeks in the last 11. The index remains within 0.6% of its all-time high set two years ago.

    Treasury yields
    BX:TMUBMUSD10Y
    have already sunk on expectations for upcoming cuts to interest rates, which traders believe could begin as early as March. It’s a sharp turnaround from the past couple years, when the Federal Reserve was hiking rates drastically in hopes of getting high inflation under control.

    The Tell: No rate cuts in 2024? Why investors should think about the ‘unthinkable.’

    Easier rates and yields relax the pressure on the economy and financial system, while also boosting prices for investments. And for the past six months, interest rates have been the main force moving the stock market, according to Michael Wilson, strategist at Morgan Stanley.

    He sees that dynamic continuing in the near term, with the “bond market still in charge.”

    For now, traders are penciling in many more cuts to rates through 2024 than the Fed itself has indicated. That raises the potential for big market swings around each speech by a Fed official or economic report.

    Yields rose in the bond market after Fed governor Christopher Waller said in a speech that “policy is set properly” on interest rates. Following the speech, traders pushed some bets for the Fed’s first cut to rates to happen in May instead of March.

    On Wall Street, Boeing fell to one of the market’s sharper losses as worries continue about troubles for its 737 Max 9 aircraft following the recent in-flight blowout of an Alaska Air
    ALK,
    -2.13%
    jet. Boeing
    BA,
    -7.89%
    lost 7.9%.

    In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude
    CL00,
    -1.55%
    lost 90 cents to $71.75 a barrel. Brent crude
    BRN00,
    -1.37%    ,
    the international standard, fell 78 cents to $77.68 a barrel.

    In currency trading, the U.S. dollar
    USDJPY,
    +0.44%
    rose to 147.90 Japanese yen from 147.09 yen. The euro
    EURUSD,
    -0.10%
    cost $1.0868, down from $1.0880.

    MarketWatch contributed to this report

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  • 2024 is the ‘year of globetrotting,’ travel expert says. Here are some of the hot spots

    2024 is the ‘year of globetrotting,’ travel expert says. Here are some of the hot spots

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    Tokyo, Japan.

    Matteo Colombo | DigitalVision | Getty Images

    When it comes to travel abroad, popular destinations like London, Paris and Rome always seem to top the wish list for Americans.

    But many travelers are looking beyond those mainstay cities for trips in 2024. Interest in major Asian hubs, off-the-beaten-path locales in Europe and other areas has surged, experts said.

    “It’s clear that 2024 is shaping up to be the year of globetrotting,” Airbnb wrote last month.

    More from Personal Finance:
    U.S. passport delays have eased — but aren’t yet back to normal
    New Europe travel requirement delayed again, to 2025
    A controversial hack to save on plane tickets carries a ‘super big risk’

    Broadly, overseas travel is hot: Searches for international flights are up 13% year-over-year, even though prices are about 10% higher, according to Steve Hafner, CEO of Kayak, a travel website.

    “Americans are looking to go abroad,” Hafner said. “They’ve done the domestic stuff the last couple years.”

    Here are the trending destinations for Americans in 2024.  

    1. Asia takes the crown again

    Hong Kong

    Kanchisa Thitisukthanapong | Moment | Getty Images

    Americans flocked to the Asia-Pacific region in 2023 — and that love affair is poised to continue in the new year.

    Tokyo and Seoul, South Korea, respectively rank as the No. 1 and 2 trending international hot spots next year among U.S.-based travelers, according to travel app Hopper.

    Kayak data shows a similar trend. Its top five hot spots are in Asia: Hong Kong; Shanghai; Taipei City, the capital of Taiwan; Tokyo; and Osaka, Japan, respectively.

    For example, searches for Hong Kong and Shanghai are up 355% and 216%, respectively, year-over-year, according to Kayak. (The travel site analyzed search traffic among Americans from March 16 to Sept. 15 this year, for travel planned in 2024, and compared it to the same period last year.)

    Kyoto, Japan

    Sw Photography | Stone | Getty Images

    Japan also ranks highly among non-U.S. travelers: Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo are among the top 24 worldwide destinations next year, according to Airbnb data.

    Asian nations were among the slowest to ease border closures related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Now that they’re open again, tourists are unleashing a pent-up wanderlust, experts said.

    “People couldn’t travel there, and now they are making it up,” said Sofia Markovich, a travel advisor and founder of Sofia’s Travel.

    China reopened its borders in January 2023, “one of the last places” to do so, Hafner said.

    Japan reopened to tourists starting in June 2022. There are other factors driving increased interest to that nation, like a historically strong U.S. dollar relative to the Japanese yen (and other currencies), which gives Americans additional buying power, and more flights from budget airlines, Hafner said.

    Search traffic for Japan has more than tripled for trips during the first nine months of 2024 relative to the same period in 2023 — a larger increase than any other nation, Airbnb said.

    Americans are looking to go abroad. They’ve done the domestic stuff the last couple years.

    Historically, Tokyo has “hands down” been the most popular city for Americans to visit in Asia, said Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper. Now, demand is “even greater” than usual, she said.

    Tourists may also pay a hefty premium to fly to Asia next year: “Good deal” prices for airfare to the continent is $1,204 for 2024, on average — 45% more than 2019, a much larger increase relative to other continents, according to Hopper.

    2. Going off the beaten path in Europe

    Stockholm, Sweden.

    Leonardo Patrizi | E+ | Getty Images

    Overcrowding in the traditional European hubs is driving an influx of tourists to generally less-frequented areas, experts said.  

    For example, Stockholm, Sweden; Budapest, Hungary; Helsinki, Finland; and Prague, Czech Republic, respectively rank seventh to 10th on Kayak’s list of trending destinations abroad.

    Copenhagen, Denmark, is No. 4 on Hopper’s 2024 hot spot ranking. Prague and Edinburgh, Scotland, are No. 7 and No. 8, respectively.

    “People are really discovering the off-the-beaten path places,” Markovich said. “Because your Paris and your Rome and London and Barcelona are just too crowded. And experienced travelers want to get away from that.”

    She recommends “a lot” of Scandinavian travel since it’s “so unspoiled by overtourism.”

    The Salisbury Crags in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland.

    Andrew Merry | Moment | Getty Images

    Additionally, Finland became a member of the NATO military alliance in 2023, driving more awareness of the nation among Americans, Kayak’s Hafner said.

    Cities like Budapest and Prague have always been popular but not to the extent of some European tourist magnets, Markovich said.

    One of those typical magnets — Paris — is poised for an additional burst this year: The City of Light is hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics.

    The business behind budget airlines like Ryanair and Spirit

    Demand for flights to Paris — and for nearby cities — during the Olympics has more than doubled versus this time last year, according to Hopper data.

    Lower relative prices for some lesser-known spots in Europe are also likely attracting people, Berg said, especially since average flights to Europe overall are 5% more expensive in 2024 versus 2023, at $717, Hopper data shows.

    3. The Atlantic tropics over the Caribbean

    Tenerife, the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands.

    Faba-photograhpy | Moment | Getty Images

    Although places like Cancun, Mexico, remain popular as warm-weather beach destinations, Americans are increasingly turning to Atlantic tropical vacations over the Caribbean, said Hopper’s Berg.

    “This is something new this year that we started seeing emerge” and the trend “will definitely continue” in 2024, she said.

    For example, Tenerife, the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, and Funchal, the capital of Portugal’s Madeira archipelago, ranked No. 9 and 10, respectively, on Hopper’s international trend list. Both are located off the West African coast.

    People are really discovering the off-the-beaten path places.

    Sofia Markovich

    travel advisor

    Though not on the Atlantic, Málaga, a Mediterranean port city on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain, ranked sixth on Kayak’s list. The Andalusian city gets about 300 days of sunshine a year, on average, and, according to one recent report, is the No. 1 city in the world for expats.

    Search interest there is up 60% year-over-year, Kayak data shows. And that’s following a year in which Málaga was already “overrun,” Hafner said.

    “I think that word has gotten out,” he said.

    4. Canada’s ski mountains are having a ‘renaissance’

    A ski slope at Grouse Mountain in Vancouver, Canada.

    Daisuke Kishi | Moment Open | Getty Images

    Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal in Canada ranked third, fifth and sixth, respectively, on Hopper’s international trend list for 2024.

    Winter tourism likely plays a big role, Berg said.

    “We’ve seen a real renaissance of Canadian ski destinations,” she said. “They’re rivaling a lot of European ski destinations.”

    Plus, air travel to Canada is generally about a third of the price of a trip to Europe, Berg added.

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  • Ultra-luxury Aman Resorts launches a more affordable brand called Janu. Here's what it costs

    Ultra-luxury Aman Resorts launches a more affordable brand called Janu. Here's what it costs

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    Few names exude “quiet luxury” like the ultra-luxe Aman Resorts.

    Its hotels bear its moniker: from Amanoi in Vietnam, to Aman Sveti Stefan in Montenegro and the hotel that started it all — Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand.

    Fans of the brands — known as ‘Aman Junkies’ — are accustomed to paying its top-dollar rates, which start at $3,200 per night at Aman New York, which opened in August 2022.

    However, travelers who don’t want to spend this much will soon have another option.

    Aman is set to open Janu Tokyo, the first hotel from its new more affordable sister brand, in March 2024.

    Janu was created to respond to demand from a wider cohort of guests, said Aman CEO Vlad Doronin. It will mirror Aman hotels in service and design, but will have a “different pace and spirit,” he said in a press release.

    Inside Janu Tokyo

    Janu Tokyo will have eight restaurants and a 4,000-square-meter wellness center equipped with a gym, a hydrotherapy and thermal area, cold and hot plunge pools and hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, according to the company.

    Janu Tokyo is the first of 12 Janu hotels to open worldwide.

    Source: Janu

    Janu Tokyo spans 13 floors and houses 122 rooms and suites, which are designed, like Aman hotels, with a focus on minimalism and symmetry.

    The design has “a youthful energy, brimming with liveliness and playfulness that sets it apart from the poised and composed character of Aman,” said Jean-Michel Gathy, the hotel’s interior designer who also designed many Aman hotels, plus the Maldives’ One&Only Reethi Rah and The St. Regis Lhasa in Tibet.

    Most rooms come with a private balcony, overlooking Azabudai Hills, a new urban complex in the special ward of Minato City.

    More affordable?

    Nightly rates at Janu Tokyo start from $944, according to the company.

    However, CNBC Travel was unable to find any rooms before August 2024 for less than $1,000. During the 2024 year-end peak season, rates for entry-level rooms jump to about $1,400 per night, excluding taxes, which is similar to the cost of an entry-level room at Amanoi in Vietnam during the same time period.

    Twelve more Janu hotels are in the pipeline, according to the company, in places like in Saudi Arabia, Montenegro, Turks and Caicos, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Portugal, Thailand, Turkey and Maldives.

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  • 10 Impeccable Studio Ghibli English Dubs, Including The Boy and the Heron

    10 Impeccable Studio Ghibli English Dubs, Including The Boy and the Heron

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    Image: Studio Ghibli

    In defense of English dubs, no one does it better than Studio Ghibli. It’s not a matter of either-or; with the incredible global talents that span the original Japanese voices and the English casts, it just means we get more!

    With the release of The Boy and the Heron, which features Robert Pattinson’s dedicated vocal bird transformation, we’re looking back at the best Studio Ghibli dubs. When it comes to Hayao Miyazaki’s films, care has always been taken between by the Disney and GKIDS distributors to cast the English roles with incredible talent. It’s no easy feat to perform in sync with animation, let alone in a foreign language, but it helps to have the guidance of directors such as Pixar’s Pete Docter (Howl’s Moving Castle) who approach the task with appropriate reverence. While we understand the importance of subtitles—and we’d never take away from the wonderful work of the original Japanese voice casts—dubs help make the films accessible to more audiences. And as an animation fan, I love dubs because I can bask in the art and storytelling without reading and then revisiting with subtitles. It’s a preference and a gateway for more global animation to travel the world.

    Here’s a list of the top 10 English Studio Ghibli dubs we love.

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    Sabina Graves

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  • Asian cities gain ground in Euromonitor's 'Top 100' cities to visit

    Asian cities gain ground in Euromonitor's 'Top 100' cities to visit

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    Paris is, once again, the best city to visit in the world, according to Euromonitor International.

    The city topped the market research company’s annual list of the “Top 100 City Destinations” which compares cities using 55 metrics across six categories: economic and business performance, tourism performance, tourism infrastructure, tourism policy and attractiveness, health and safety, and sustainability.

    Dubai placed second on list, followed by Madrid (No. 3) and Tokyo (No. 4) — with Japan’s capital entering the top 10 list for the first time “thanks to improved developments in [its] tourism infrastructure,” according to the report.

    The top 20 cities list

    Developed markets continue to lead the rankings, as shown by the top 20 cities on Euromonitor’s 2023 index:

    1.    Paris, France
    2.    Dubai, United Arab Emirates
    3.    Madrid, Spain
    4.    Tokyo, Japan
    5.    Amsterdam, Netherlands
    6.    Berlin, Germany
    7.    Rome, Italy
    8.    New York City, United States
    9.    Barcelona, Spain
    10.  London, United Kingdom
    11.  Singapore, Singapore
    12.  Munich, Germany
    13.  Milan, Italy
    14.  Seoul, South Korea
    15.  Dublin, Ireland
    16.  Osaka, Japan
    17.  Hong Kong
    18.  Vienna, Austria
    19.  Los Angeles, United States
    20.  Lisbon, Portugal

    The full list is dominated by European cities, which took seven of the top 10 spots, and 63 of the top 100 spots. That’s thanks to the “fast-paced urbanisation and widespread technology adoption” in the region, according to the report.

    But Asian cities are gaining ground, showing significant improvement from Euromonitor’s 2022 ranking.

    Tokyo is also the only Asian city in the top 10 list, though the city-state of Singapore is close at No. 11 — edging up four places from No. 15 on 2022’s list.

    Five Japanese cities made 2023’s top 100 list: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Sapporo and Fukuoka.

    Standout cities

    The report highlighted cities that stood out in some of the 55 categories they were evaluated for.

    • Madrid ranked first for sustainability, with the report highlighting the city’s “100% petrol-free public transport.”
    • London has the “best tourism infrastructure” in the world, with Six Senses, Rosewood, Park Hyatt, Oberoi and Mandarin Oriental planning to open new hotels in the city.
    • Singapore ranked No. 1 for economic and business performance, and political stability.
    • Macao ranked first for health and safety, while Hong Kong led the rankings for health and medical services.  

    In addition, four new cities made this year’s list: Washington (No. 48), Montreal (No. 68), Santiago, Chile, (No. 88) and Vilnius, Lithuania (No. 92), owing to their improved tourism performances, the report said.

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  • Global Risk Of Housing Bubbles Deflates Sharply [Infographic]

    Global Risk Of Housing Bubbles Deflates Sharply [Infographic]

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    The global risk of housing bubbles has decreased sharply in 2023. A report released Wednesday by Swiss bank UBS concludes that out of 25 cities surveyed, only two were at risk of a housing bubble this year, down from nine each in the previous two reports. The data shows that even places known for their chronically high prices of housing exited bubble territory and were now merely classified as overpriced, including Tel Aviv, Hong Kong, Frankfurt and Toronto.

    UBS identified rising interest rates causing the end of cheap financing in the real estate sector for the change. Inflation-adjusted international home prices experienced the sharpest decrease since the 2008 global financial crisis as a result of these changes. The report states that especially the most unaffordable markets couldn’t take the added pressure from increased interest and slumped.

    Two cities most notorious for unaffordable home prices retained their bubble risk—Zurich and Tokyo. The leader of the list, Zurich, saw a slight decrease in its score, while Tokyo saw a slight increase. The Swiss market in general has not fully adapted to the changed market conditions yet, according to UBS. This also becomes visible in the virtually unchanged score of Geneva, which caused it to rise in rank opposite other cities where bubble risk decreased substantially. For Tokyo, the report cites the market’s defensive qualities which remain attractive to foreign investors.

    One way bubble risk can end as a result of interest rates giving prices another push is overwhelmed buyers pivoting back to the rental market, dampening demand and house prices in the process. This is especially likely in markets where renting is somewhat cheaper than buying. Another way a correction can take place is when cities have a lot of buy-to-let activity, which lost profitability in the course of rising interest rates. This can free up capacity in the housing market and also lower prices.

    Decline all around

    In some cities, the decline of housing bubble risk started earlier than 2023. Hong Kong, long listed among the top cities for housing bubble risk, decline to rank 5 in 2022 and rank 6 this year—exiting bubble territory faster than other cities. This is due to a compounded crisis of downward pressures not restricted to high interest, in this case demand gaps due to isolating Covid-19 restrictions, economic turmoil in Mainland China as well as an aging society.

    Miami remained the highest-ranked U.S. city in 2023—at a score of 1.38 rated just 0.13 index points below bubble risk territory. The city also saw only very slight changes from 2022—unlike other cities which are now found much lower down the ranking. Housing prices in Miami have continued an increase that is above the U.S. average. The relative strength of the city’s housing market can be explained by its comparably low income-to-house-price levels and population influx to the U.S. sun belt. New York and San Francisco are now found in the fair-valued category after experiencing Covid-19 and quality-of-life related deflators on top of pressure from interest. Los Angeles is the only housing market in the U.S. other than Miami that UBS views as overvalued, but it has also become more affordable since last year.

    —

    Charted by Statista

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    Katharina Buchholz, Contributor

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  • Sumo wrestling takes center stage at Japanese restaurant

    Sumo wrestling takes center stage at Japanese restaurant

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    Sumo wrestling takes center stage at Japanese restaurant – CBS News


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    Sumo wrestling is growing in popularity, and in Japan, one of Tokyo’s hottest restaurants spotlights the sport. The venue has an international clientele, a month-long waitlist, and offers a unique experience, but food isn’t the main draw. Lucy Craft reports.

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  • Prince Harry Mean Mugs While Shopping for Sunglasses for Meghan Markle

    Prince Harry Mean Mugs While Shopping for Sunglasses for Meghan Markle

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    Meghan Markle may be having a blast at home in Los Angeles by taking in a Taylor Swift show while Prince Harry is abroad for charity engagements, but it looks like the prince is having some fun of his own.

    After speaking at the International Sports Promotion Society Sports Values Summit in Tokyo Wednesday, Harry hit the mall with his friend Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras to browse for souvenirs to bring back home. Any potential jet lag, scientists say, is no match for a strong enough case of the shoppies.

    Figueras, who is set to play alongside Harry in a charity polo match in Singapore this weekend, shared a photo on Instagram of himself and his princely pal, coordinating in aviator sunglasses and donning mock-serious facial expressions and crossed arms. It’s giving Royal Blue Steel, if you will.

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    “Shopping for our wives,” Figueras captioned the photo, before thanking Tokyo “for your generous hospitality and kindness towards us. And of course, for your continued support of @sentebale!”

    Sentebale is the charity co-founded by Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006, with the goal of helping impoverished children in Africa who have been impacted by HIV/AIDS and COVID-19, among other public health crises. The polo match this weekend is a recurring fundraiser for the organization, and Harry typically participates.

    Markle recently celebrated her 42nd birthday, and was spotted at Swift’s concert dancing to “You Belong With Me.” Lest we worry that she’s having all the fun, Harry told conference-goers at his speaking engagement that he’d had “an incredible Kobe steak” that night.

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    Kase Wickman

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