Be
here now.. 
Being
suspended at 30,000 feet has a way of bringing you into the moment. This is my
sixth trip to
Japan. My second
"major" tour. I remember my first real trip here, where every little detail rang
with poetic urgency. Filled with expectations. Pre-conceived notions.
But the beauty of having gone now as many times
as I have, is that each time it seems that I'm less encumbered with both
memories of the past, and expectations of the future. Yet the magic of the
moment, and moments, remain.
I think of how fortunate I am, to be leading
a life that not only allows me the freedom to do this, but has fostered being
drawn to Asia itself. And in that, a renewed perspective
of myself, and my home.
Long-time friend
& musician - Hiro, taking us out on our 1st night out on the
town...
I'm also fortunate to have the
many people in my life that have made this trip, and what I do, possible – the
people at my 'day job,' Atusko san -my translator, tutor, and assistant, Hiro
san, Duane, our road manager, the folks at DelOro Music in LA, Taeko san, Satomi
san, and last but not least, the BAND –
Christina Rasch and Jessica Fagre.
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DAY 1
The first day began with an irreverent walk
to the Imperial Palace.
Then our first show in Tokyo/Akihabara - at
DressTokyo.
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DAY 2 - Tokyo's Meguro district
Before the show, the real deal - at a
lovely, family-run sushi bar around the corner.
C
enter- Duane, our road-manager, and 3 lovely
artists who came to the show after dinner, and of course, Christina, who later
perfomed daring feats of manual dexterity with chopsticks.
The show was at MapleHouse in Meguro. We did
an hour show to a packed house and came back for an encore. THE CROWD WAS
AWESOME!!! And the first bands were great - There was an acoustic/electric named
MAH with great vocals and instrumentation, and a Clapton tribute band called
LAID BACK HOURS that was fun too.
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DAY 3 -
Jet-lag and excitement continue to rob us of
sleep, but the momentum seems to be more than making up for it. Hiro san came to
escort us for some sightseeing before making our way to the live house for the
show later on.
First, we went to Ueno Park for that
must-see event - cherry blossom viewing, or "o-hanami." It is truly spectacular
to see, but when you're in it, when you're there, surrounded by the colors, the
people, there is a deeper resonance in participating in such a time-honored
tradition, that honors that part of us that seeks out beauty, and comaraderie,
and somehow a perfect stillness exists in the hustle-bustle of tens of thousands
of people, all going to the same place for the same thing.
From Ueno, we went to Asakusa - one of the
last stronholds of traditional Japan in Tokyo - with Temples, shrines, a Tori
gate, hundreds of food, clothing, and souvenier booths, and of course, thousands
of people, taking in a sunny, Sunday afternoon. We enjoyed yaki soba and then
gave the octupus dumpling balls a try - actually quite good!
Sola (singer/violinist extraordinaire
with Hiro's band), Jessica, and Christina
It was a memorable night at the show at
Soundstream in Chiba. It felt like a homecoming, with Hiro san having arranged
everything - First a jazzy, acoustic/electric band called AMBITION SOUND played,
then "Hiro and Nana" acoustic guitar and violin, with superb vocals. Hiro san
just had to play a song by our mutual friend, a singer-songwriter diva that I
wrote "I Let Her In" about, and who also broke my heart...It was an emotional
song to hear, and very beatitful. Then, Okano san's band ODDS 'N' SODS played
and kicked it out with blistering versions of country-alt cover tunes, and their
own songs, too.
Our set was again an hour long, and once
again we were honored to be called back for an encore. It was truly a memorable
night...
At one point, in between songs, I pulled out
the digital camera and took pictures of the crowd, they were
AWESOME!!!
LEFT
CENTER RIGHT
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DAY 4 - (day off / train to
Hakone)
Still buzzing from the excitement of the
last couple of shows, we made our way to the
Shinkansen/Bullet Train to go to Hakone – a
beautiful mountain, hot-spring town in the shadow of
Mt.
Fuji – for a day off. 
As it happens, the day was cool, overcast,
and the higher up the mountain our taxi took us to get to the ryokan/inn, fog
enveloped us as well as a fine drizzle, perfect weather for soaking in the beautiful, outdoor hot
springs.![]()
The meals there were amazing – a feast for
the eyes, as well as the body.
And our hostess – Michiko – was an absolute
sweetheart. She spoke to the girls in English, and to me in Japanese, and called
me "Michele" after gracing me with her version of the beatles song "michelle, ma
belle" .
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DAY 5, 6, and 7 - to Kyoto
Once again, hopping on a bullet train, we
made our way to that venerable, historic city...Kyoto. As it was another day off
for us, we hooked up with my friend Satomi, and went sightseeing. 
In Japan cherry blossom viewing is a
national institution, and timing one's visit to coincide with this auspicious
event, which lasts only about a week, can be tricky. But somehow, we ended up
here at exactly the right time - It is truly a soul-inspiring, beautiful thing
to experience.
...
The show in Kyoto was a BLAST! The other
bands were a lot of fun - a goth/metal band called G.I.F.Liquidbrains, a masked
dynamic trio that reminded me of Aquabats... There were some great friends I'd
met on previous trips to Kyoto, some new ones from MySpace and MIXI, and a great
crowd all in all...
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Day 8 - Osaka
We trained from Kyoto to Osaka (about 45
minutes) and played at a beautiful downtown club called the Flamingo.
Fashionistas 
During the tour, we've been paired with
everything from "Sonic Death Monkeys" metal bands, to punk-pop-goth bouncing
bettys. But the truth is, the level of talent here is amazing. Happily, the
lineup of bands tonight was awesome - the acoustic guitar and percussion of
"Sumpler Numpler" and the beautiful, Enigma-meets-Enya music of "Cojok."
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DAY 9 Osaka and Kobe
We started out the day with a trip to the
infamous Osaka Castle, and the breathtaking surrounding park...
Then Duane drove us to Kobe (about an hour)
for the show at Pi:z Kobe. The fans and other bands were AWESOME!!!
And out front, after
the show:
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DAY 10 - To Nagoya
We rode in the tour van from Osaka to Nagoya
(about 2 hours) and got to the MUSIC FARM in time for sound check.
It was a rockin last show for the tour, then
went out to celebrate, and back to the Sakae/downtown area where our hotel
was.
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DAY 11- Going
home
After a last breakfast together at the hotel in
Nagoya, we board a
shuttle to Nagoya airport. As we
speed by countless nearby buildings, signs, and cars, I notice the distant
mountains, relatively constant by contrast. I think of the many new friends and
acquaintances we've made, and the places that have come and gone, and also the
handful of truly enduring, faithful friends I've made over the last few years
there. Hiro san,
who set up a show in Tokyo, took us out the
first night, sent us all beautiful, gift-wrapped, Japanese geisha dolls to our hotel in Nagoya,
and lent his constant support by phone, email, and in his good heart.
And of Satomi,
who took us sightseeing in
Kyoto, went to all four of the shows
in the Kansai region, some as far away as 2 hours by train, brought us presents,
and made sure we were never wanting for anything.
Back in San Francisco, Atsuko was the one
who set up most of the shows, booked the hotels, and scolded me for my poor
Japanese
The true worth of this tour was not in how many shows we
packed the house, although we did; not in the number of CDs I sold, although I
did; and definitely not in the money that was made – quite the contrary –
touring Japan is a costly endeavor. But the true worth of this tour, for me, was
the reaction I got when everynight on stage (in
Japanese) I would say that "I hope that
Japan
and America
become better friends." Every night, that line would get a round of cheers and
applause – even from the most jaded kids. And that is what this tour has been
all about. Right there. Right
now. Be here now.
🙏
