Sapporo Yoroshiku!!
The day before heading to Sapporo to study Tsugaru Shamisen with the Nitta family, Taiko Center of the Pacific had a performance at the Maui Hyatt Regency. This was my first time visiting Maui and the hospitality was great.
During or after the performance, I cannot remember, a thought popped into my head about what it means to be a performer that reaches people. I looked back to the artists and performers that have inspired me the most and what it was about them that gave me the motivation and energy to discover what they found, that moved me. (how’s that for a run-on) Those who move people in whatever medium they may, do so because they express their life, love, hate, anger, fear, joy, ambition, respect, compassion, hopes, disappointments, flaws etc. every time they perform. All of those things most of us keep inside, are worn on the outside for everyone to see. So next time you think about judging an artist... A performance is the opportunity for us to look into a mirror of our character.
Anywho, I got back to Honolulu around midnight and finished packing for my flight at noon to Sapporo!
After a 12 hour flight, I arrived in Shinchitose around 7pm Japan time and was greeted by my sensei. Ladies and Gentlemen, Masahiro!
Masahiro was kind enough to take me to my sharehouse and save me the stress of finding it in the dark. Although, it would have been interesting to see if I managed find another red light district like last time in Osaka. My “boisterous” host, “Hiro” was there to greet me along with a few other house-mates. There were three form Hokkaido, a Frenchman and another American. To the American I said, “英語が話せますか.”
”もちろん.” (Of course) 笑(lol)
Nitta-san said goodnight and I as well to my new house mates and went to sleep!
Nitta-san’s daughter had her first birthday the next day so I set out to familiarize myself with the surrounding area and walked downtown to hit up Uniqlo and Don Quijote. I spent a good 7 hours walking around downtown trying my best not to spend all of my money.
The next day (3), I would have my first lesson. Masahiro picked me up at the sharehouse. I thought we were going to his place for a lesson but he informed me that we were going to a radio show! Awesome! When we get there he asked me if I wanted to play....oh....kay. As they say, “when in Japan...”
So, I got to sit in on a radio show with Nitta-san and we played “Rokudan.” My first time ever playing tsugaru shamisen with another person was on a radio show in Japan with Masahiro Nitta. haha
After that we ate Soup Curry! It was delicious!
After soup Curry, we went to Masahiro’s parent’s house and I had some unexpected lessons there on Minyo and Tsugaru Jonkara Bushi. Hiroshi and Yoshie are some amazing people and they were so hospitable and gracious.
After the lesson, Hiroshi and Yoshie drove me downtown to meet back up with Masahiro and some of his students for food and drinks.
The next day the weather was beautiful so I went to Maruyama Park and the zoo.
At first the zoo was great! Then, the reality of a zoo hit me and I started to get upset. I’ll spare you the tangent for now. So in the meantime...
Let’s-a-go
Then I slept for 12 hours.