Ever Fancied Your Very Own Tokyo Drift? Just Press Play

When I was a teenager, I remember badgering my father for an electric guitar. He eventually caved (teenagers tend to be persuasive little devils), and surprised me by purchasing a quirky limited edition Fender Telecaster while he was on a business trip in Japan. Hearing of its exotic origins, my hyper active teenage mind conjured up images of dazzling pink cherry blossoms stretching out into infinity, crowded alleys packed with Pikachus, and 300 flavours of KitKat*, every time I sat down to play my new guitar. Oh how I longed to visit Japan when I grew up…

Reality check – 2021 was the year I finally conceded to myself that I wasn’t getting any younger.

Even so, despite having ‘grown up’, reaching the shores of Tokyo seemed like a pipe dream. As if anticipating my quarter-life crisis, Deezer decided that 2021 would be the perfect year to launch its Japanese Music Channel. And it had everything I had yearned for in my teenage dreams (no offence, Katy Perry)…and so much more.

Some Incredible Japanese Playlists

I didn’t know that spring could have a ‘rhythm’ until I spent a day listening to the Cherry Blossom playlist – the vibrant melodies grow on you, even if you’re a ‘late bloomer’. And an hour with the Japanese Headspace Playlist had inexplicably tickled my brain into believing that I’d spent a week soaking in a relaxing Japanese hot spring (said to cure every sickness but love sickness).

But even for the lovesick, Deezer has got your back – with the Japan Love Songs playlist that will make you bawl your heart out, even when you don’t understand the words. Try it…I dare you to not go into total karaoke mode.

Gridlines on a map are deceptive and Japan now seems much bigger than I had imagined.

Thanks to Deezer, my virtual tour of Japan might take me all of 2021, and then some… I still have pit stops to make at the Gaming Music, Anime Music, Japanese Jazz, Ambient, Hip-Hop, Lo-fi, J-Rock, City Pop, Onsen and 100% Artist playlists, before I time travel to discover Japanese music from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. And whenever I feel like taking an extended vacation, I might just switch over to Japan on Deezer’s Country Selector. So for now, I’m packing my best headphones, and my trusty Fender Telecaster!

* in retrospect, it seems I was a tad off on one of the above – but I’ll bet you a wasabi & sweet potato Kit Kat that you won’t be able to guess which one!