(1st Set) Damo Suzuki with Ryo Abe (Cajon), Hisyochi (Sax), Teruhisa Nanbu (Drums), Sue (Sax) and Kenichi Tanabe (Bass)
(2nd Set) Damo Suzuki with Backy (Sax) Tadashi Kumada (Drums), Love (Fretless), Mari Sekine (Percussion)
The day of mistake. but somehow get positive.
Strange day which you can remember anytime as I thought this concert will be happen tomorrow, so I was completely forgetting……. The story begun from Izu peninsula around 3 hours travel from Tokyo by train. I had brake for 3 days, so we decided to go to Onsen (Hot Spring). As you know Japan is volcano island, there are many hot spring. also this is Japanese tradition to take Onsen since Japanese folk begin to live here. It’s really comfortable, relax and so healthy. We booked 2 nights at not-well-known “Hokkawa Onsen”
When I was in Australia I checked through internet. I wanted to go to Onsen but closer to ocean. Ocean is something which makes me feel good and deep into it. Water is such an energy. As you know 70 percents of body is water, 70 percent of our planet is water…. Found website of this Onsen Ryokan (Ryokan is Japanese traditional style hotel generally including dinner and breakfast) just in front of Pacific Ocean and small fisher harbour. I like place just out of tourism. This Ryokan has only 8 rooms….this is the scale I like. so, I booked without think twice. The Ryokan has reserve ab le bath on top of the roof, open air from there you can see ocean. Even this village has public bath option placed at just wave side. Taking bath drink Cava watch at moon on dark mystery sea.
Next day we walked to next village through mountain, strangely we didn’t have feeling that time is passing. Something like we spend…let’s say two hours…look at watch just 10 minutes are gone. Also we saw only few people. Were we in time trip? Travelled through 4th dimension or what? Magical experience. In an another world….After, weather got really badly. a kind of storm. hard rain beating my face, getting wet like flog, strong wind against my walk direction. Foods at the Ryokan is amazing, different fresh fishes which domestic fisher man cached today. This is fish at the best, more better mainly they had Sashimi on table…had more than 15 dishes of Jewel from sea. In Japan, to eat fish if this is fresh, we eat raw, fish is 2nd days old, then they cook, if there is more rest for 3rd day, then they fry. I told you once, stomach is most conservative part of your body…My all real DNAs are at my stomach. It’s doesn’t matter so many years you’re spending your time in foreign country. Stomach never lies. and this is at best taste from your nature.
After this wonderful days, I got idea to go to Kamakura, the ancient Japanese capital city between 11th to 14th century, for rest of the day. Kamakura is very near to where I was born and glow up. Also I love tram called “Eno-den” which goes from Fujisawa to Kamakura, very short distance in turtle tempo. This tram is single trail, through very very narrow way, sometimes you feel like cross one’s private garden and has it’s charm, you’re almost riding in toy tram….special at 21st century…a kind of nostalgic form ..which you can smile, you know what I mean. In Kamakura, there are many many temples from 11th to 14th century. But, mainly I miss them to see as temple gates are closing at 4PM. Every time I visit Japan, I come once to Kamakura like if I meet my old friends from school days. Unfortunately (but this time it’s fortunately) we had bad weather had to back to Keiichi’s. Bad weather followed us all our trial along .
Reached at Keiichi’s, I found a sheet of paper with notice on table which says I have to call Keiichi immediately when I back he is in Cafe opposite his place. Now I found that I was completely forgetting the performance tonight. A couple days before I left Tokyo I told to Keiichi he should visit doctor as he was quite ill. So, he has to visit doctor this day. He was quiet as he didn’t have drink and smoke for a couple of days. Takazou came and picked me up with exciting or stressed face which he cannot hide, drove me directly to the venue. The supporting band performed more than they do normally to keep time for sleeping Damps performance. Sorry, sorry I’m very sorry!!!!!! I was so late, one hour delay or more. Love-San, the organizer of this event saw me and happy that I showed up eventually…..Almost no breath to relax.. jump up on the stage. This was first real last minutes performance. If weather in Kamakura wasn’t bad…I’m sure I stayed much longer in Kamakura…then I made angry people. Sometimes anything is help you…this time I was served..something had helped me to come to this venue.
Hachiouji is quite outside of Tokyo, but has own city center and many shops, Restaurant and Izakayas. For “Uchiage” we went to Izakaya, surprisingly open until 10AM. We’re 6 to 7 sound carriers, share table, ordered dishes and bottles of Syochyu (Rice Snaps). One slept under the table, then next and so on…everybody was totally drunk and tired…Automatically, when first train begin to move, we move from Izakaya and get train…This time Love-san’s place. After while Love-san took us to Zindaiji-Temple which is quite near from his place. Not real touristy place, so silence and relaxed place. cannot imagine this is in Tokyo.
We took our breakfast at Soba (Noodle) restaurant on tatami mattress and traditional Japanese folks ambient.