日田千年あかり

Sometime the wind blows us away.

Sometimes, a beautiful dance gives the wind a run for it's money.

The thousand year festival in Hita was amazing. The lights from all the lanterns lined the riverside on both sides and the old part of the city （豆田町ーMameta Machi) was a festival of food and more lights. There were many very creative displays laid out using paper, bamboo, metal, and of course - candles. The people, were many. I do mean many. The most amazing thing about festivals in Japan (at least the ones I have been to) is, how orderly and clean the people keep the areas. It's sad to say but, in America, when we have big events, the after effect is a complete and udder mess. Bottles, cans, paper, and so much more strew about. What a difference in personal responsibility. Sure, it's not perfect here. You will find some trash around, but nothing like back home. Food for thought...

The dancing event was stunning. Two women danced a style which seemed a fusion of Turkish, Chinese Sleeve dance, and Persian with some great musical accompaniment. The dance was an homage to the moon which was just coming up over the horizon. An orange glow rising above the houses overlooking the river. 

The food?

Delicious as most often it is here in Japan.

But then, that depends on the chewer.

Talent Contestantation

As one of 8 finalists to be involved with a talent contest here in Fukuoka, Japan, I feel quite blessed that my desire to play music is being taken higher. It's like a huge puzzle that's finally coming together. All the parts are fitting nicely and the image before me is breathtakingly haunting, yet beautiful at the same time. Here in Fukuoka, the population is just below 1.5 million and in that, the foreign population is quite low. Compared to US and Western European cities that is. Being part of a small minority can be challenging. That, however does not stop me from moving forward. It has always been an issue for me: claiming my pride or stepping back into the shadows of everyone else's progress. I am still not quite sure how to take that big leap, but then maybe, I already have.

Music and recording my passions little by little...

The recording has been going slowly... I want this to turn out better than my last effort. Not that I don't enjoy my last effort. I do actually and still see it as an accomplishment. I just what this one to be more, well, personal. The new music will be a mix of songs written in the US and some written here in Japan. The sounds are similar and the rhythms have changed only slightly. I am found this new home to be less stimulating than I had hoped it would be. That doesn't mean it will always be this way. It could all change next week. I might be struck with a sudden urge to write and have stimulations come at me like a tidal wave. Oh!, I'd better not say that too loudly here in Japan. We don't need any more pressure from mother nature.

Back to the music...     ...the percussion this time will take a more important role and by all rights it really should. That was my first instrument. I started bangin' away on things when I was around 3 years old and at 15, took up the drums formally. Well, not so formal after all. Slowly, but surely, this will be realized and I do hope it is enjoyed by many. Hold on tight, it might be a long bumpy ride.

Falling back up again...

It's not easy sometimes. When it gets a hold of you, it grabs you, throws you down, kicks you, spits in your face... It really doesn't give a damn who you are either. Doesn't matter if you're young or old, rich or poor. The best way out if it is to not let it take you too far. Not that easy though, is it? Some people feel pain, some feel an emptiness. For some, it's a very dark place. This monster that comes and goes, sneaks into your life, toys with you, makes you think you have no control, and it really is that strong. It really is that much more in charge than we want it to be. The sun might be shining bright, but it's dark inside; the sky may be a gorgeous blue, but for you, it's raining, hard, cold and soaks into your skin, through to your bones. Most people don't tell anybody else that they go through this. They just suffer, alone. I don't have an answer for this. For me, there are ways to get through it, ways to kick back, and start falling back up again. I wish there was a way I could help you. I wish there was a way to bring you back up again. To show you that beauty I see in you. That's where I feel helpless. I don't know what goes on inside your mind. I don't know that pain you feel, the darkness you are surrounded by. Nobody does, but you. Every once in a while, I see you breaking through, fighting back, shining bright. I love it when you are falling back up again.

Beyond the open sky

I just found out that I should be creating a children's cd with a picture book to go along with it. How did I not know this before? Perhaps because it never entered my mind? Perhaps it was far from the style of music I have been working on for so many years? Either way, I just didn't know I was supposed to be doing that. Well, I am embarking on a new adventure. I have just started to write the lyrics to one song and will play some guitar along with it to see how it goes. What do you think about that? Hmm... pretty darn cool I think.

A view to rest within

Across the landscape

down in the valley

among the trees

along side the river

I lay my body down

to rest...

Coffee, and a strong breeze...

Coffee, typhoon winds... a nice morning today.

Have you ever sat and just wondered? Really wondered about life and what it means? That is such a difficult question that nobody ever really has the answer and when someone claims to, people regard them as crazy. Maybe they aren't so crazy after all? What is life for you? You can just ask yourself and if you come up with a valid answer for yourself... great!

The wind today is very strong. It sends in the sweet scents from outside. Oh, you know the scents of which I speak. (neighbors' cooking, occasional fumes from cars below, the garbage that is building up in the waterways...) But that's all good. That's all part of life in the city here in Japan. So, don't get all huffy and puffy about it. It's everywhere that people congregate in large numbers. We need each other because we are social creatures, us humans. So, it's gonna smell bad at times. It's not like livin' in the woods where the sweet pine wafts across our bodies as we lay amongst the ivy. Uh oh! I think that was poison ivy.

View From Trains

I find my way onto the platform at Hakata station, ready to head to wherever it is I am going. With a little camera in my hand, (my 35mm camera doesn't have video) I board the train and the windows show me a world I didn't know before coming to Japan. The rice has just been planted in many of these fields and it's the rainy season which means lots of fog. I love photographing fog and so why not capture it on video? Seems to make sense to me. The view is predominately from Fukuoka prefecture in Kyushu but a couple of scenes from Oita prefecture made there way into this short film. The music I chose to accompany my work is by Chris Whitley. It is a song called: "Make the dirt stick".

Taking the sly road.

I don't even know what that means but it came out and I am not about to change it now.

This new land I call home is a beautiful place. There are mountains, rivers, volcanos, typhoons, tsunamis, earthquakes, really big bugs, way too many nuclear reactors, and much more. Oh, I was saying beautiful wasn't I? Well, there are many beautiful features here and of course some painful reminders of how strong nature is. For now, I am teaching English and enjoying that. I have a variety of students and that keeps me on my toes. Getting to play some music is a big bonus too. I love playing music. In 8 months, I have met some great people, eaten lots of good food, done a little traveling, and realized, that if I am going to make it here, I need to really work hard to learn the language. It's tough! But, it's not like I didn't know it was going to be. If you are looking for a challenge, and a good way to spend some time in your life away from home, Japan is a great place to do just that. Just remember one really important thing: if your shoe size is larger than the average Japanese, bring shoes from home. And don't be afraid to try the different kinds of foods that you have never experienced. It might kill you, but it might not too. For now, saying adios from Chikushino until the next time. Or is sayonara?

Today's English of the day...

"Liquor with Drug" because they go together so well? I guess that's what they are implying here at this little establishment.


"Happy Pharmacy" ??? It's a place where you can buy happiness I guess. All in pharmaceutical form.


"Baby on board, pass it" Yes, it actually said "pass it" on the bumper sticker of a car I saw. What did they mean by that? Pass the baby? To whom? And why? Is that baby a community baby? Does it need to be more involved with the outside world and not just the internal confines of it's family? Maybe the baby doesn't belong to the driver and they are trying to find the owner? I should have asked but then that would have involved chasing a car, speaking a language that I just don't have enough of a command yet and well, I just like the idea of being puzzled.
"Hair and Make" is what it reads on the signs outside salons. I am still trying to figure out what they want to make? Seriously, make what?
"Press for English expression". This is above a button on the subway ticket machine. It gives our free expressions with every ticket purchased I guess.

I was following behind a large panel truck and read this on the back doors.
All I can say to you is... what?
"Because the smile that everyone is pleased with we want to look, that's why we are progressing."

Driving missed daisies...

Well, I have been driving for a good many years in the USA and now that I am in Japan, I need to get a new license because of the fact that we drive on two different sides of the road. Perhaps we think on two different sides of the brain too. As a foreigner in this country, getting a license requires one major factor: proving you know the rules. Doesn't matter if you are a good driver or not. If you don't know the rules and follow them to a T durning testing, you might as well say goodbye to that days investment and it is pretty much guaranteed you will fail the first few times, not matter how well you did. I am ready for my next move: lessons. Yes, after driving for over 30 years, I need to take lessons to learn how to drive!!!!!! Good luck to me! I'll let you know how it goes. Until then, enjoy the road without me and don't forget to turn your head all the way around when you come to an intersection.

The Weather

Actually, the weather here in Japan is quite similar in some ways to New England. You never know what it's going to be like until you open up the door it seems. I have heard the summers here are brutal though and I guess I will see for myself. Last year was the worst on record for about 35 years. So I have been told. Same goes for the winter.

There are signs in "English" all over the place here and it would help me a lot (since my Japanese is terrible) however, the signs tend to not make much sense. Example #1: In the subway station, on the ticket vending machine, there is a button and beside the button are the words - "Press for English expression". My expression was one of confusion and perhaps that is the one they were looking for. ??? Not sure. More examples to come. That one needs to sit for a spell.