What are all these weird songs?
Hey peeps! It's been awhile. Been back a month and change, and have been chilling in San Bruno and various other places. My main activities have been sorting out wedding details, and trying to visit as many of the indiegogo donors as possible to give them my thanks, and the Shikoku gift package I've made for everybody! Included in every package is the Shikoku Mix CD, which I envisioned as a musical simulation of my experience on the pilgrimage. Although there are short blurbs explaining the story of each track, I'd also like to give a more in-depth explanation of each track. Here goes!
1. "The Dragon Child" by Joe Hisaishi- From the Spirited Away soundtrack, this song sounds to me like the strange mix of anticipation, fear, and exultation I felt traveling to the island of Shikoku to begin the pilgrimage. I've always loved Joe Hisaishi's uniquely Japanese orchestral style, and it seems like the perfect way to open up the mixtape!
2. "Aruarian Dance" by Nujabes- For me, this is one of the most perfect pieces of music ever assembled. This is the sound of experiencing incredible fulfillment and joy simply walking through the rice fields and temples on a clear day. It's also about the satisfaction of beginning my goal of walking the pilgrimage, a goal I had wanted to tackle for nearly 10 years.
3. "Color of Autumn" by Nujabes- This song is dedicated to Mr. Okuda, the proprietor of the Okuda Guest House, my home in Shikoku. He's an irreverent and hilarious fellow, and hanging out with him at the guesthouse became a major motivation to complete the pilgrimage. This song sounds the way it feels chilling at the guesthouse and chatting with fellow pilgrims.
4. "Furaibo" by Happi Endo- This easygoing rock song is dedicated to Yuuta, a cool young father of two I met at the guesthouse. A chill and funny guy, Yuuta is a true adventurer, and before the pilgrimage, he studied abroad in Alabama!!! Young Japanese guys like Yuuta make me excited about the future of Japan.
5. "Kaidoku Funo" by Jinn- This brash punk tune is inspired by Kaya Tei, a female pilgrim I met that shaved her head just because Shikoku was too humid. I admire that ruthlessness, and Jinn's razor blade-like vocals evokes the same sense of resolve to accomplish your goal, no matter the cost.
6. "Mufujotai" by Akiko Yano- The school kids in Shikoku were super friendly, and I never got tired of saying Konnichiwa 30 times in a row to a bunch of them on their way to school. Jazz singer Akiko Yano's quirky vocals evoke the same childish playfulness of those awesome Shikoku school children.
7. "Lady Brown" by Nujabes- This song, another Nujabes track, also evokes the feeling of walking through Shikoku. However, instead of fulfillment and peace, this song reminds me of the determination I felt to walk through the heat, humidity, and the rain and complete the quest, no matter what.
8. "Shohmyoh" by Geinoh Yamashirogumi- You visit a lot of Buddhist temples in Shikoku, so this is an interesting setting of a Buddhist chant from the soundtrack of the motion picture Akira. Geinoh Yamashirogumi was a fascinating community choir composed of lawyers, housewives, and even homeless people, and their unique sound evokes the wide range of people that choose to walk the pilgrimage.
9. "Valse de la Lune" by Yoko Kanno- I met some cool European and Commonwealth pilgrims, and I was always impressed by their poise and sophistication. This song, with vocals by Italian vocalist Ilaria Graziano, is dedicated to them.
10. "Wo Qui Non Coin" by Aoi Tada- In Kochi I stayed at an interesting hotel modeled after a Greek villa that also had a menagerie of animals to play with! This song reminds me of relaxing at that hotel watching the sunset after a hard day of trekking.
11. "Rouge Message" by Matsutoya Yumi- This upbeat, throwback jam is dedicated to my Auntie Emiko, at whose house I crashed while recovering from an ankle injury. Auntie Emiko doesn't let things get her down, and this song has that same optimistic upbeat energy.
12. "Ghost City" by Kenji Kawai- Shinto, not Buddhism, is actually the native religion of Japan, and it is a fascinating faith that permeates all of Japanese life. This song evokes the ancient shrines, rituals and spirits of the unique Shinto faith.
13. "Silver River" by Yoko Kanno- Before making it to the final 88th temple, the path travels over the perilous cliffs and ridges of Mt. Nyotai. This song evokes the tension and trepidation of climbing the mountain, the final dragon before the conclusion of the pilgrimage.
14. "Street of the Gods" by Joe Hisaishi- This song, again from the Spirited Away soundtrack, summons the emotions of triumph and relief I felt when I made it to the 88th temple. It was a joyful moment, and if you read the blog, you know that even greater joy was waiting for me back at the start of the pilgrimage.
15. "Crazy Sunshine" by The Pillows- The pilgrimage is over, and it's time to party! This song reminds me of hanging out with my old friend Tatsuo Hayakawa back in Tokyo after completing the quest. He's an old buddy from my army days, and I can't think of a better way to wrap up this incredible journey.
BONUS TRACK- "Macross" by Makoto Fujiwara- One of the craziest moments of the pilgrimage was watching sumo wresting on TV, naked in a sauna, with a bunch of equally naked older Japanese dudes. This song goes out to all the crusty Japanese dudes I met in Shikoku. They truly are a bunch of manly dudes.
