A simple cups trick revealed

TURNING THE CUPS

This is a simple easy to do trick using cups.

The props: Three cups
The magic: You leave the cups right side up—your friend can’t do it!

Click on the image below to see the trick.

Click on the image below to learn the trick.
Source: California Science Center

Quick color change card trick revealed

You might have learnt how to do a quick card change. Now lets try with a different variation - quick color change. You will need to take two similar cards but of different color, ie. red diamond three with black diamond three or any other card combinations you like. Again, the background music is awesome.

7 magic trick tips using invisible thread

Here is an interesting article on useful tips about magic tricks using the invisible thread.

Have you ever been to a magic show, sitting there mesmerized as you asked yourself, 'How did they do that?' As you know, magic is more an illusion, creating the vision that something is happening although it is not. While magicians use many different tools of the trade, one of the most popular is the invisible thread. Trying to get magicians to divulge their secrets associated with the invisible thread is near impossible.

However, we do want to provide you with some highlights and tips about the top seven magic trick tips performed using invisible thread.

What is Invisible Thread?

The first of the seven magic trick tips using invisible thread is to understand what it is. This type of thread is actually a very fine stand of nylon used primarily for getting small objects to levitate. For years, magicians worked with invisible thread and their hands only, meaning they had to be very precise in their movements for the magic tricks to appear flawless.

Today, magicians can use an invisible thread reel, which not only dispenses the thread but it is also designed to retract it.

Because of this, the magician is able to maintain a constant tension on the line so there are no mishaps in the performance.

Invisible Thread Reel Size

The second tip when using a thread reel is to use the appropriate size. Since different objects need different types of control, thread reels are made in a number of different sizes. Typically, the longer the tube the more distance you will get from the reel while the more tension the less distance.

For magicians, the idea is to use the smaller size invisible thread reels for close-up work opposed to a larger reel for distance. As far as size, a stage reel is capable of extending 35 feet, which means a magician could easily perform a 'floating bill' trick in the center of a room with no nearby walls.

However, if you want to really impress a crowd, you could perform the same floating bill trick outdoors simply by anchoring the reel to the ground. With this, it would appear the trick was impossible and the crowd cheers.

What about Tension?

Third on the list of seven trick tips using invisible thread is using the right tension. As you pull the invisible thread out of the reel, there will be an increase in tension. What happens at some point is that the pull will become too much for the thread, causing it to break. If you want to put more tension on the thread reel, wind more of the invisible thread into a wax ball. What you do not want to do is add additional winds on the elastic, which would only make it cumbersome.

Floating Objects

Next on the list is insight into working with floating objects. When using invisible thread for a magic trick, keep in mind that you want something that is light enough not to sag by putting too much weight on the thread. The key is to choose objects that you can easily move and maintain in a position in space, which is why the floating bill is such a popular choice. Other choices to use an invisible thread magic trick include ring fingers, an empty soda can, etc. The greatest benefit of using a thread reel is that when you walk away from your floating object, you are actually transferring energy to the reel, which can then be used to make the bill float from the floor to your hand - magically.

Lights

Next, to use invisible thread, you have to know how to use correct lighting. If you are a magician or just practicing to be one and you want to perform tricks with the invisible thread, remember that lighting is crucial. The two main factors to consider when using the thread reel are light source and clothing. Typically, the best conditions for a magic trick with invisible thread are cloudy days and the worst, direct lighting that comes from behind you. With this, the light will only reflect off the thread, thus being seen by the audience. For clothing, anything dark will serve as a backdrop for the thread, thus making it easier to see. For this reason, you should go with lighter, non-reflective type clothing. Magic is always fun and with some practice, you will soon learn a number of magic tricks with invisible thread, perfect for entertaining family and friends.

Methodology

The sixth of the seven magic trick tips using invisible thread has to do with methods of performing the tricks, such as the Hoop Pass. This is actually considered one of the greatest tricks you can do with the invisible thread reel, which involves passing a solid hoop over a bill. The key is to use a ring with a relatively thick stock, which will put less strain on the thread as it goes over the metal hoop. Lay the hoop on the thread so it is between you and the floating bill. Then, with your hand, scoop the ring through so the thread is now on the back of the left hand. Next, use the right hand to pass the hoop over the bill. To complete the trick, all you do is let the thread slide off from the back of your hand. Remember, this is just one of many methods used with the invisible thread, so have fun practicing them all.

Finishing the Show

The final tip is that whatever trick being performed using invisible thread and/or a reel, it should never kill the effect.

In other words, you want to keep your audience wanting more. If you carry a trick on too far, you will lose the interest of the audience so it would be far better to keep the tricks short and sweet. In addition, put some meaning and emphasis in your performances to leave your audience with a memory of your magic ability. We recommend you use the invisible thread late in your show, which will end the performance on a fun note.

Article source: Magic Hat

Face up, face down card trick revealed

This is a simple and easy to do card trick. All you need are 12 playing cards and the trick is to bring cards from behind your back with the same number of cards faceup without looking.

FACEUP, FACE DOWN

The props: Twelve cards

The magic: Without looking, you’ll be able to bring cards from behind your back with the same number of cards faceup in each hand.

1. Take 12 cards and then deal them into a pile, all face down.
2. Tell your audience, “I’m going to turn some of these cards faceup,”and as you do, quietly make sure you turn exactly half the cards faceup. Then mix all the cards in the pile—you can do this yourself, or tell someone in the audience, “Go ahead and mix the cards.”
3. Deal the top six cards into a pile, leaving six in your hand.
4. Then pick up the pile on the table in your other hand, and put both hands behind
your back.
5. Tell your audience, “Now, without looking, I’m going to magically arrange the cards to have the same number of cards faceup in each hand.”
6. With both hands still behind your back, flip one set of cards over.
7. Bring out both hands and spread out the cards as you show that each set has the
same number of cards faceup.






Trick revealed

Why does flipping one set of cards give the same number of cards faceup in each hand?

This magic trick relies on a simple trick of subtraction, and on hiding the steps that make it work.

Of the twelve cards, you turned six faceup, without drawing attention to how many you turned over. After you mixed them up and dealt six cards into a pile, you probably had some of the faceup cards in that pile—let’s say you had four of them.

That mean that in the other set, you had two cards faceup (six minus four). Since
each set has six cards, having two cards faceup means you had four cards face down.
Flipping the set will give you four cards faceup in each hand.

If the trick didn’t work for you, some of the cards probably turned over when they
were mixed—you need exactly six up and six down when you move your hands
behind your back.

You’ll find that this trick also works if you start with 14 cards, or 16 cards, or any even number. Just make sure that exactly half the cards are faceup for the trick to work.

Source: California Science Center

Quick card change before your eyes

Is it possible to change the card before your eyes in a split second? This one shows you how to change a card, say spade of eight, to, say diamond of five, in a second. And its not that difficult to master too. Moreover, the background music is great. So enjoy!

How did the card appear at the top? - card trick revealed

Okay, this video clip is interesting. It reveals a cool card trick of how a card that you thought is somewhere in the middle of the deck but its actually on the top. The clip is pretty long, about 9 mins but its worth it. You will need lots of practice to master it, though.

Simple coin mindreading trick

This coin mindreading trick is simple and easy. All you need are twenty coins and to know your math. A fun trick to surprise children and friends. The method is revealed in the later half of this post.

TWENTY COIN MINDREADING

The props: Twenty coins

The magic: Without looking, you can tell a friend exactly how many
coins they have hidden in their hand.

1. Spread out 20 coins on the table and turn your back.
2. Tell a friend, “I want you to pick a number from one to ten, but don’t tell me what it is.”
3. Now tell your friend, “Take that number of the coins and put them aside, where I wouldn’t see them if I turned around.”
4. Tell your friend, “Quietly count the coins left on the table, but don’t tell me how many there are.”
5. Tell your friend, “Add the digits in that number. For example, if there are 15 coins left, add 1+5 to get 6. Then remove that many coins to hide with the others.”
6. Tell your friend, “Now, take some of the coins left on the table—as many or as few as you like—and hide them in your fist.”
7. Turn around and—without being obvious about it—secretly count the coins left on
the table. Subtract the number you see from 9.
8. Tell your friend that they have that number of coins in their fist (9 minus the number on the table).
9. Make sure all the coins go back where they belong!








Method revealed

How does the number of coins on the table tell you how many they have in their hand?
This “mindreading” trick is really a hidden math trick.
You start with twenty coins, and have your friend take away enough coins to leave 10 to 19 coins on the table.
But the numbers from 10 to 19 all have a hidden pattern in common, having to do with the number 9. For each of those numbers, adding the digits together gives you the number you need to add to 9 to get it.

Take a number; Add the digits; The original number minus the sum gives you 9 every time
10 1+0=1 10-1=9
11 1+1=2 11-2=9
12 1+2=3 12-3=9
13 1+3=4 13-4=9
14 1+4=5 14-5=9
15 1+5=6 15-6=9
16 1+6=7 16-7=9
17 1+7=8 17-8=9
18 1+8=9 18-9=9
19 1+9=10 19-10=9

What does this have to do with the coin mindreading? Using this trick of 9, you’re forcing your friend to have 9 coins left on the table before they hide some in their hand.

For example, let’s say your friend picked the number 5 to start. They then took 5 coins away, leaving 15. You had them add 1+5=6, and then had them take away 6 more coins—leaving 9 on the table. If they’d had 12 coins left over, you’d have had them take 1+2=3 coins away, leaving 9 again. Your friend might think they have control, but you aren’t leaving them a choice. Since you know they had 9 coins before they moved some into their hand, they’re stuck with 9 minus the number you can see on the table.

Real magicians learn their tricks by heart, so practice this trick to improve your performance.

Source: California Science Center

Color monte card trick revealed

This card trick is called the color monte. It uses 3 playing cards. Look at the first video clip to see the trick and then check out the second video clip to see how its done. Enjoy!

Basic card trick - the double lift revealed

Before we go on with more posts on card tricks, lets take a step back and brush up on one of the basic card tricks called the Double Lift. A lot of the tricks involve this technique and so it is important for us to learn it well.

The spoon bending trick revealed - different versions

Most of us know about the spoon bending trick. A simple trick that probably fooled us when we were kids. Have you figured out how it works? Here are a number of versions of the trick revealed.

Check them out and let me know what you think :)

This clip shows a pre-prepared spoon used in bending. Pretty cool trick.

Spoon Bending Revealed - video powered by Metacafe

This clip is easier to learn. The trick is to distract your audience for a split second while doing the thumb bend.

Click here for more on "Telekinesis Revealed: Learn Easy Magic Tricks Online for Free"

This clip below runs for close to 9 mins and its not a trick but as the lady explains - the power of intention. Wanna give it a try?


This clip is pretty interesting but you need the set-ups - a broken part and an already bent spoon.

How To Bend Spoon - video powered by Metacafe

If you have your own version or know of other versions, do let me know.

5 great tips on performing magic for newbies

Here's an interesting article by Preston Houer on five good tips for an aspiring magician.

How To Do The Best Magic Tricks

If you are a newbie magician and you want to improve your magic tricks, follow these tips and you are guaranteed to perform magic tricks that will amaze your audience.

Be Natural

The secret in having a great sleight of hand is your naturalness. There should be no hand wagging, no hand waving, jerky or quick motions. You should work naturally, deliberately, and slowly. If you master this, balls, Â rings, cards, and coins will begin reappearing and disappearing at the tips of your fingers.

Watching your angles

You should be aware of your angles. Angles refer to the sleight lines between the item that you have just palmed off and the eye of your spectators. If you do not have the right angles, the audience could take a glimpse or see the object in your hand and your trick will be caught.

Practice your palming skills wherever you go

The most necessary skill of a man with a great sleight of hand is the ability or skill of palming an object that goes undetected. You could perfect this after some time of practicing palming small objects like coins in your everyday normal routine. You could palm a small object or item in both of your hands or either while writing, eating, watching TV, walking around, or doing other activities. If you practice care about the angles, no one would notice what you are doing, and after some time, what you are now doing self-consciously would later become almost natural to you. From then on, you could be able to palm objects or items more confidently, boldly, and successful each time.

Master your presentation

Practice your presentation. A small trick that is well presented could work wonders even without the most sophisticated of techniques since the audience would most likely relate to your trick or understand it.

What good is a magician if nobody understands or enjoys his or her tricks? The presentations therefore should be straightforward, simple, and understood easily so that your viewers or watchers could understand and enjoy the complete meaning of what you have been saying and doing.

Do not replicate a trick

Do not repeat the same trick for the same viewers or watchers. That is one of the basic rules in doing magic. When you repeat a trick, your audience would immediately know what you are going to do next. What may have been a miracle for you when you did your trick for the first time may not be quite satisfying or dazzling the next time around.

Article source: Preston Houer (bn23.com)

5 cool magic tricks revealed

Here are 5 really cool magic tricks revealed with tutorial. Some are pretty easy, some need lots of practice. If you don't want to know the secrets, stop now!

1. Explains a snap card trick. Not too difficult to learn.

Amazing Card Trick - Snap Card - video powered by Metacafe


2. A card trick taught be a kid called the Revolver that makes a card in the deck turns over.

Amazing Card Trick Revealed - video powered by Metacafe

3. Poke a pen through a dollar trick. Probably one of the oldest tricks but if you still don't know, take a look. You need a special pen though.

Pen Through Dollar Revealed! - video powered by Metacafe

4. The title of this clip isn't right, I think. Its a trick to show the cup vanishes, not the coin. Simple and easy to do.

Revealed, Vanishing A Coin Under A Cup - video powered by Metacafe

5. This is interesting. Shows you how a shoelace is tied by itself.

How To: Self Tying Shoelace Revealed! - video powered by Metacafe

Jokers Wild card magic trick revealed

Here's a Jokers Wild card trick revealed - comes with an explanation of how its done.



Send me a comment and let me know what you think.

The College of Magic - a documentary

This is a short documentary clip about the College of Magic in South Africa that is giving hope to kids from poor rural areas to make it big. Magic do bring hope and dreams to the young and the despair.

The French Drop magic trick revealed

This video reveals how a "french drop" trick using a coin is done.



Leave a comment and tell us what you think.

Princess Tenko - the magician

Below is an article that appeared in The Japan Times (Feb. 4, 2007) recently about the life of a famous Japanese illusionist.

Princess of pure mystery

The life of illusionist Tenko Hikita -- better known as Princess Tenko -- is veiled in mystery.

Born and raised in what she will only identify as a "snow-deep city in Japan," Hikita will not disclose her real name or birth year because, she says, of "various contractual conditions.''

Those apparently include one with Barbie doll-maker Mattel Inc. that requires her to look 24 years old forever. Others, with TV production company Saban Entertainment and her production companies, seemingly restrict her to only marrying U.S. citizens -- and even set the precise length of her bangs in millimeters.

But long before those veils descended, Hikita's big break came after she enrolled with a relative's talent agency as a teenager. Then, in 1977, she was suddenly asked to stand in for another of the agency's members, the famous magician Tenko Hikita, after he suffered a heart problem.

It was through performing one of the maestro's acts -- "The Great Escape from a Fiery Aerial Cable Car," in which she was suspended upside-down and bound with ropes inside a burning gondola -- that Hikita first shot to fame. A year later, in 1978, she debuted as a singing magician named Mari Asakaze, whose first single, "The Magic," was followed the next year by "Kuseni Narukara (It's Going to be a Habit).''

Then, when Tenko Hikita passed away in 1980, Hikita was asked to take over his name, and to perform illusions and dangerous escape tricks full time.

But with success came animosity, and the young Hikita was attacked for being cheeky and "too young to take over such a big name." Tired of the pettiness, she left Japan in 1986 when Bill and Irene Larsen, who ran The Magic Castle in Hollywood -- a famed venue for magicians -- asked her to move to the United States.

The following year, Hikita spread her international wings even further when she performed at the Cabaret de Champs-Elysees in Paris. After that, in 1988, she starred in both NBC's "Magic Kingdom" and ABC's "Incredible Sunday" shows on U.S. TV.

Such worldwide and small-screen exposure clearly didn't go unnoticed, because in 1990 Hikita was honored by the U.S. Academy of Magical Arts and Sciences with the title Magician of the Year -- previous holders included such big shots as David Copperfield, Doug Henning and Siegfried & Roy.

As her fame continued to snowball, in one month in 1994 Hikita drew an audience of 165,000 to her shows at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Then, in 1995, she said that a series of eight Princess Tenko dolls launched by Mattel sold 8 million in the first season. Not to be outdone, Saban Entertainment created "Princess Tenko and the Guardians of the Magic," a TV cartoon series that soon shot to third spot in the U.S. cartoon-viewing ratings, according to Hikita's agency.

Such successes led to a host of foreign invitations, including to North Korea, Brunei and Monaco, to perform for heads of state and royalty, Hikita said.

In fact, among her most ardent fans is the North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, who owns all eight Princess Tenko dolls and built a theater in Pyongyang bearing her name, Hikita said. Nonetheless, during two trips there in 1998 and 2000, she said she was kept under virtual house arrest -- and was then mysteriously followed after returning to Japan.

As to the burning question of romance, Hikita has often hinted about having glamorous relationships -- including one in which she announced that marriage was imminent with a Hollywood celebrity. Although many of her claims cannot be verified, the Japanese media long believed her lover to be Belgium-born Hollywood star Jean-Claude Van Damme -- until he strongly denied it in 2001.

Whatever the truth of all that, Hikita appears to have plenty of other fish to fry. Not only is she on record saying that billionaires and members of royalty have made her offers of marriage, but that their proffered tokens of appreciation for her performances have also included gold, precious stones and even an oil field.

Astounding, for sure -- but so are her shows. During a recent Tokyo performance, this writer and a Japan Times photographer both strained our eyes for the first 30 minutes trying to figure out her "tricks." But try as we did to see through it all, she really just seemed to disappear at times, or float -- or teleport various objects. After a while we gave up, and simply savored the spectacle.

Although a white stretch limo sat ticking over outside the studio in Shinjuku throughout our recent interview, there was nothing but friendliness and cute giggles from the Princess herself -- and only the slightest of tension when her manager occasionally intervened on sensitive "scoops" she bestowed about her love life and times spent with Kim Jong Il.

* * * * *

As a young girl, you wanted to be an actress. Was there no conflict in yourself when you were encouraged to become an illusionist instead?

There was. At that time, Pink Lady [a female singing and dancing duo] was very popular, so my agency decided to launch me as a girl who could sing, dance and perform magic at the same time. But my image of magic was spooky -- like something carried out by a Dracula-like man and a woman wearing a long dress. It was far from an occupation I wanted to pursue. As a young girl, I also had problem about taking over a man's name. So I said that if I had to do magic, I wanted to do it in my own way -- with music I like, costumes I like, and magic I like. I was told I was the only one in Japan's entertainment world who made such demands, but I'm glad I did, as it's a matter that has decided my life.

Are you now able to work in the way you like?

Yes. I wanted to do all the stage direction, like in shows in Las Vegas or New York, so it's good that I can do everything in my own way.

How did you feel when you were named Magician of the Year in 1990?

I was really surprised I got such a big prize. But what surprised me most was that many reporters, like from CNN or NBC, asked me why I thought I got the prize, which mostly goes to white male magicians. Up until now, I understand there has still been no other female winner, and I think it's amazing I got it.

In Japan at the time, though, no one knew about the award, and even Academy and Emmy awards were only just beginning to be recognized. The minds of Japanese people in show business are still quite behind.

According to your agency, you do 300 shows in 200 days per year and earn about 15 million yen per show -- but you never rehearse, despite the complexity of your performance. What other special characteristics do your shows have?

Some people who come along have visual or hearing handicaps, and I'm proud that we have equipment to convey to them what's going on through special sounds, light, vibrations and variations in air flow.

Another specialty is speed. My show has been dubbed as being like a bullet, or "machine-gun magic." We do it in a way that makes audiences catch their breath, because I perform some of the illusions in 45 seconds, while it takes 20 minutes for some other illusionists.

You are sometimes described as living on chocolate and staying 24 years old forever. Do you really eat so much chocolate -- and do you lose at least 3 kg during each show, as it's been reported?

I like chocolate very much. But I sweat a lot -- I run around not just on stage, but also behind. I also have to worry about a lot of things, not just whether I function well, but whether all the equipment is working and other people perform well. There is a special training, called happo in karate, that's taught me to know what's going on all around me even when I'm looking straight ahead. It's difficult to work in this field if you can't do that. I must sense immediately, even behind me, if someone has moved or made a mistake.

So during a performance, my nerves are alert all the way to the tips of my hair and nails -- that's why I lose about 3 kg.

Although you are always smiling on stage, you have compared yourself to a swan that looks elegant but is desperately paddling underwater. As you have been taken to the hospital in an ambulance five times following onstage accidents, that seems quite apt.

On stage, I warp from one spot to another, but human beings can't really warp, right? When I'm gone, it means I'm running where the audience can't see me. But if I'm wheezing when I reappear, they'd know I was running -- so I must look totally composed. The media thought for a long time that I had a twin sister.

Accidents happen, and I often have to perform with broken bones, as actors have stand-ins but not me. For example, a couple of my ribs cracked onstage at Radio City when the equipment on my upper body functioned but not that on my lower body. But my American manager, who looks like Marlene Dietrich, said with a poker face: "Of course you'll do it, right? It's a contract." So I completed my monthlong run wearing a flat plaster cast.

Is it really true that your contracts with Mattel, Saban Entertainment and your promoters require you to remain looking 24 years old like the dolls made after you, and restrict who you can marry?

Contracts with each company are as thick as 2 meters. With Mattel it's mostly about the way I look, like hairstyle, hair color, weight, figure and skin color. That with Saban has a lot to do with name usage.

Manager: They are both lifetime contracts, so she has to maintain her looks for life. She can only marry a U.S. citizen according to the contract, as U.S. children believe from the cartoon that she is an American superstar.

What happens if you violate the contract?

There will be a penalty.

Like in the billions?

Manager: More than that.

Princess Tenko and Tenko Hikita are supposed to have different characters -- like Tenko Hikita doesn't talk or laugh, or make friends. Who determined this, and what are their other differences?

The character of Tenko Hikita was determined when I took over the magician's name. Princess Tenko is a character developed in the U.S., and the promotion company decided the character.

Tenko Hikita is a stoic woman who performs escape tricks risking her life. As magicians must be mysterious, she cannot talk or make friends.

Princess Tenko is an idol and heroine and never carries out dangerous escape acts which children might imitate.

Don't you get confused between the two?

I'm used to it now.

Who are you today?

When I can talk, I'm Princess Tenko.

As you are so restricted by contracts, do you ever feel like quitting?

Yes. But because I always have work the next day, I've learned to control myself thanks to all the support I have had in the U.S.

In Japan, I was often driven into a corner without help and felt I couldn't breathe anymore. But in the U.S., as long as I can attract audiences and maintain high viewing ratings they always take care of me, and that works for me.

Apparently, women in your U.S. audiences love it when you pull a big stunt using many male assistants, whereas Japanese men like it when you look relieved after performing a dangerous illusion. Do you make these distinctions on purpose?

Always. What people like in the U.S. often doesn't work in Japan, and vice versa. Even when my escape act is perfect, Japanese men hate it if I show off or act like a power woman. If I act like it was really tough and difficult, they think, "Poor girl. I must protect her" -- and then they give me lots of applause (laughs).

On the other hand, in countries with an unfortunate history with Japan, like China or Korea, I am careful not to use costumes like old Japanese armor that may remind people of past wars.

Female Japanese fans in their teens seem to admire you for your looks and fashion, while those in their late 20s and up see you as a symbol of career-building -- being independent and successful abroad. How do you feel about that?

I think you get stuck if you stay in Japan all the time. The women who see me and like me get interested in overseas issues, which I think is good for them. When I'm on TV, for example, I try to talk about overseas as much as possible to raise their interest.

So now to that topic. It has been reported many times since 1995 that you are going out with a Hollywood star and nuptials are imminent. Is that so?

Well . . . it's going well. But like many couples, we must respect each other's work.

Is it the same person as the one from 1995?

Well . . . at that time, I had not just one or two, but quite a few relationships . . . all with people in the entertainment world.

Does that mean you are not discussing marriage with one particular person?

That also happens. Sometimes I'm in a marriage-oriented mood, and then we may be talking about it.

So do you get proposals from many different people, and discuss marriage with each?

That's right. As I do 300 shows at different locations every year, I get into long relationships with different people at different places.

You have said that your honeymoon will be in space, and that you were being trained in Russia for a $ 20-million orbital space tour. Your partner isundecided, but would any of them join you in space?

In fact, one of them is actually training to go to space.

Does that mean you will marry that person?

If we do go on honeymoon, that will be the case.

Is it true that billionaires and members of royalty ask you to perform for them, and then offer you bars of gold, precious stones, and even oil fields and marriage as a reward?

Yes. In our (entertainment) world, big gifts are common.

Who was the person who offered marriage?

There were quite a few, but I can't tell you who as they are still alive. Many are from Asia. There was also one from Africa.

How do you refuse their offers?

I don't. It's too scary. I tell them that I'll visit again and we'll talk. I keep a mobile phone hotline for each, and I record a new message every week. I call back when I get an emergency call.

It is also said that you own about 50 luxurious houses around the world. Is that so?

I perform in many countries, and once there, I stay for one or two months. It gets stressful in a hotel because I don't have my own things, so there's a house in every location where I perform. It's handy, because I can leave costumes, like my kimono, and I don't have to carry them around.

Which house is your favorite?

The one in Las Vegas is my favorite. I have many animals, like a white tiger and a mountain lion. I can relax with them there.

Your pets' feed is said to cost 3 million yen a month. Is that right?

It's probably more. I also have a kinkajou (kind of raccoon), two white lions, eight horses, a Serval cat (African wild cat) and a dozen dogs. Lots of them.

Apparently you also have a Punsan dog from Kim Jong Il, a protected species in North Korea. Is it true that it is the brother of the dog offered to former South Korean president Kim Dae-jung?

Yes. I was told they are brothers.

You visited art festivals in North Korea in 1998 and 2000. Is it true that Kim Jong Il is an avid fan and has all eight Princess Tenko figures?

(She nods)

According to some reports, you have not met Kim Jong Il in person. Is that true?

I did meet him.

Why have you not revealed in other interviews that you met him?

North Korean officials kept telling me that the country is at war, and that I can reveal official things but not unofficial things. They kept saying, "Now it's official" . . . and then, "Now it's not." In the end it became confusing. I was also afraid that what I said could have serious consequences, so I decided to tell all the media at the time that I didn't see him.

Is it OK to reveal that now?

Manager: At that time, North Korean relations were even more sensitive than now, with most media not even writing about it. At that time, it was like a taboo, but the situation has changed.

What did you talk about with Kim Jong Il?

Well, about the world of entertainment and about illusion . . . but also ordinary things. He was very interested in Japan. He seemed to have thought I was American, and he praised me for my success in the U.S. despite being Japanese.

The Sankei Shimbun in Japan reported that North Korean officials talked to you about political matters during your 2000 visit -- like the fact that they were not planning to discuss the withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea in the summit planned later that year. Did that not make you uneasy? What else did they say?

Yes, it made me uneasy. They said other things too, which became a reason for TV companies to follow me. But I think the matter is a bit too sensitive to talk about.

Were you also approached by Japanese politicians?

Yes. I spoke to top-level people in each political party, and to the person in charge of advising the prime minister. I told them what I thought I could.

Was a theater bearing your name really built in Pyongyang?

It was almost ready in 2000. The difference between regular theater and this one was that it has many features that can be used for illusions, like secret doors. They showed me all those.

What was it called?

They called it the Princess Tenko Theater.

In 2006, U.S.-based GQ magazine claimed that your passport was taken away during your visit to North Korea in 1998, and that they didn't let you leave.

Manager: It was a similar situation in 2000. Both times, her return to Japan was drastically delayed.

Did they say you couldn't leave?

Yes. But the first time (1998) wasn't so bad. They let me go after I said I would return in a few months, and that I needed my own stuff.

But strange things apparently started to happen after you refused to visit in 1999.
There were phone calls where someone tells me to go to North Korea, and two men pretending to be policemen tried to take me away.

It has also been reported that a replica of a high-value, antique Mickey Mouse that was stolen from your car in 1998 was mysteriously placed in you home.

Yes.

Did the police determine these were North Korean plots?

That's what they said.

Manager: From 1998 to 2000 there was less information about the North, and what she saw or experienced was not well known to the rest of the world. In that sense, many intelligence agencies -- from Japan, the U.S., China, South Korea and Europe -- tried to get in touch with her.

Japanese police concluded that was the case, but private citizens like us have no access to the truth.

But then you went again in 2000.

In 2000 there was lots of pressure, including on my family, for me to visit the North. I couldn't cause my family trouble, so I thought I should go and talk. For my protection, I borrowed a TV camera from TV Asahi and broadcast what I was doing there. But again, my stay ended up being long.

There was a report that you fell seriously ill during your 2000 visit.

It was a big mental shock to hear that they would not let me leave. I asked to see Norbert Vollertsen, a German doctor I also met in 1998. He said that I should stop using the medicine or drips that were given to me, and he gave me German medicine. But North Korean officials got angry and he had to leave. My condition worsened and I couldn't stand up anymore, so I had to stay in hospital there for a month.

Why did they say you couldn't leave?

They said that in the North there is a theater where I could work, a place to live, a maid -- and I could live comfortably. So they said there was no need whatsoever for me to leave.

So how did you manage to leave in the end?

I said in a very straightforward manner that I promised to return in one month, but there was work I had to do in Japan. I also said there was voiceover work for a U.S. animation that couldn't be done by anyone else.

Did you get chased after that?

Yes, for a long time. There have also been scary things. I had police and security protect me.

Will you go to North Korea again?

I don't go now because there is no need for me to go.

Is it also because you might not be able to come back?

Possibly.

Finally, do you think there will be another Tenko Hikita to succeed you?

One male Tenko Hikita, then a female Tenko Hikita; I think it's complete.

Manager: She is in a "Hitori Takarazuka-jotai (Single-person Takarazuka situation)" -- referring to the Kansai theater comprising many flashy actresses. She is the only star -- forever.

Rub a dub vanish card trick revealed

This one reveals how to perform a "rub a dub vanish" trick with playing cards.



Leave a comment and tell us what you think.

Card magic trick - changing the colors

Here's a cool trick of how the color of a card changes.



Any ideas on how it works? Leave a comment.

David Copperfield's "Thirteen" magic trick

Take a look at David Copperfield's 'Thirteen' magic trick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tte6yzmB_UU

The embedded code has been disabled. So you have to click on the link to see the video.

How do you think the trick was done?

The history of magic and tricks

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Inviting authors and contributors to grow this blog

I realize it is not easy to reveal the secrets of magic by working alone. Furthermore, things would get rolling faster if there is more than one author.

So, I am calling for a small group of author-wannabes and contributors to write to me and help me grow this site into a community of dedicated readers and writers.

For the author-wannabe:
Please take a look at my ideas and aims in my previous post for what this blog is about. Comments are of course welcomed.
Only serious authors please, those who are interested in magic/tricks and are motivated to see this site grow in depth and width.
If your aim is to make a quick buck, this is not for you.

For the contributor/reader:
Do you know of a trick or two that you would like to share? It could be a simple one yet would amuse people. You could write it up or video it and send it in to me.
I would also appreciate it if you could share with me a website, source, article, opinion, etc. that you think would contribute to this blog.

I am always open to suggestions and ideas. So do drop me a line via comments (moderated) and do tell me about yourself and how you would like to contribute. Thank you!

Blog's ideas and aims

Hello and welcome to MagicSecretsReveal.

Before I get started, allow me to explain to you my ideas and aims for this blog.

I asked myself what exactly am I interested in, what do I want to know, and how 'knowing' is going to benefit me or the people around me. I got to thinking and I came up with this blog.

I have always been fascinated with magic and illusion since young. I am sure many of us are. Its entertaining, its fun and its exciting. Yet, we never could get enough of it and we always want to know how it works. Its the not-knowing-how-it-works part that is killing us!

With that idea, I thought why not set up a blog to try to reveal some of the secrets of magic. In other words, I hope to provide some information on how magic and trick works. Magic comes in different degrees and while it may be difficult to learn the more complicated and higher-level ones, there are plenty of simple ones to start with that even a layman could use to entertain his family and friends.

This blog, however, is not about trampling over or undermining the work of professional magicians. I respect their work and being a closely knitted group that they are, it is probably impossible to unveil their deep-seated secrets anyway. Still, that shouldn't deprive us from learning some of the tricks of the trade.

While the blog title and description expresses my ultimate aim, it should not be narrowly defined. This blog would also include other aspects of magic such as informative stories, magic video clips and pictures, articles about magicians and their trade, reviews, magic tips and much more.

So, in blogging this blog, these are what I hope to achieve:

1. To understand, to a certain degree, how magic is done. Magic is after all a trick involving the sciences that has been learned and mastered. As such, if we know our science and math well, it is possible to learn and know.
2. To provide a one-stop point for readers with useful information on cool tricks that they can use to impress their family, friends, colleagues and loved ones. It should NOT, however, be used to make an income or earn a quick buck.
3. To update readers on news about the world of magic as I believe people know very little about the lives of magicians, their art and its evolution.
4. To introduce magic to a wider population in the hope that it can be used as a good cause to light up the hearts of the sick, the poor, the disabled and the young.
5. In the long run, it is hoped that this blog will serve as a community of sharers and contribute to a better understanding of the world of magic.