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NHK
4 hours ago
- NHK
Musical messages: Hiroshima piano tuner, atomic-bombed instrument, US pianist perform for peace
A piano tuner in Hiroshima has been travelling across Japan and beyond for decades, sharing the stories of his pianos that survived one of the most destructive events in human history. Nearly eight decades after the U.S. atomic bombing of his city, he has joined together with an unlikely ally on a journey he calls "planting the seeds of peace." Yagawa Mitsunori, the instrument's owner and tuner Yagawa Mitsunori, the 73-year-old Hiroshima-based tuner, has brought seven A-bombed pianos back to life so far. Their original owners, who also survived the blast, donated them to Yagawa after they learned he had been refurbishing old pianos to donate to civic organizations. They trusted him to use their instruments for a good cause. Yagawa has so far restored seven pianos damaged by atomic bombs. Yagawa's philosophy is keeping repairs minimal, just enough so that the pianos could "sing" again. He does not alter any of the marks left by the blast, explaining, "If I were to change anything, that means I would be erasing history." Scars on the piano left by the blast The tuner, whose parents also survived the bombing, says the hardest part of his job has been receiving the instruments from the original owners. He says most of them cry, as if separating from a beloved family member. Yagawa says he can never forget their tears – they inspired his life's mission of using these Hiroshima pianos to convey a message of peace. Yagawa's mission is to convey a peace message through the pianos. Hauling instruments Yagawa's determination as an anti-nuclear war campaigner led him to purchase a four-ton truck to travel with the hulking instruments. Over the past two decades, he and his pianos have participated in more than 3,500 concerts across Japan – and they have even made several overseas trips. Yagawa transports the pianos in his truck. One instrument was played at a September 11th memorial in New York 15 years ago. In 2017, that piano was included in the Nobel Peace Prize ceremonies in Oslo honoring the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Yagawa spends about two-thirds of every year on the road, hauling his pianos across Japan in his truck. When he is at home, he and the instruments – which he fondly describes as his "alter egos" – welcome students from all over the country. Yagawa and the pianos welcome students visiting Hiroshima. A student who played one of the pianos in front of the city's Atomic Bomb Dome said, "The keys felt heavier than those of the pianos I am used to. I think that is because of the fact this piano survived the atomic bombing." A student played one of the pianos. The tuner is aware that he is getting older, and someday his long-distance truck trips will no longer be possible. Yagawa has built a museum on his property to safeguard the pianos and their stories for future generations. He also sought a collaborator to help carry his message across borders. An American pianist's embrace Yagawa found a kindred soul in Jacob Koller, an American pianist based in Japan. Koller is known as a jazz virtuoso, whose performances have attracted more than 100 million views on YouTube. Yagawa recognized the musician's talent and suggested that he play at the Atomic Bomb Dome in 2021 – an idea which caused some local controversy. Yagawa and Jacob Koller in 2021 Yagawa recalls, "Some said, don't let an American play the atomic-bombed piano. But I don't think that was right. Whether Japanese or American, we all share a desire for peace." Koller calls the event a "heavy opportunity," and says he was sensitive to concerns that his participation could cause offense. But he says Yagawa's friendly and approachable personality reassured him. Jacob Koller The pianist says, "Just getting a chance to talk to him and hear about the piano, it really calmed me, and I realized that I don't have to worry about every little thing, and maybe I'm overstressing, over worrying about what people might think and…just relax and play, get into the moment." Koller did indeed "get into the moment." He played the special piano as if he was embracing it. He says the experience sealed his participation in Yagawa's peace-seeking journey. Jacob Koller, an American pianist based in Japan, played at the Atomic Bomb Dome in 2021. 'Peace trio' The piano, the tuner and the pianist – a "trio" united in purpose – have been touring Japan ever since then. They played to an audience of 70,000 in a national stadium at an event promoting the abolition of nuclear weapons. They also performed on the 80th anniversary of a devastating US air raid on Tokyo, honoring the 100,000 victims killed in a single night. The piano was played at a Tokyo event to promote the abolition of nuclear weapons in 2024. Koller says playing Yagawa's pianos has been a "life-changing journey" for him, which has brought a new dimension to his art. In addition to popular songs he plays to entertain his fans, he began composing his own pieces with themes of war and peace. In February, Koller released an album featuring his original pieces to remember war victims and pray for peace. His wife Noriko, his "biggest fan and best critic," played a key role in in the album's creation but passed away from cancer shortly before its release. Koller released an album in February. Koller is now raising their two children on his own. He says he is sustained by his resolve to be the best father he can be. That includes passing on the values he holds dear. "I think it's important to teach my kids about what has happened and we need to work for the future and how important peace is in the world," he says. "I want to do my best to make them appreciate peace and become good human beings when they grow up." Koller with his children and late wife Quest for peace On a sunny day in May, the trio appeared in a Tokyo park. The distinctive sounds coming from the war-scarred piano had various effects on audience members. Some grooved when an upbeat piece was played, while others shed tears when a subdued piece touched them. Koller played the piano and Yagawa sat behind him. One listener said the peace-themed event was timely because of the wars happening in the world now. She said Koller was "the one American national playing the piano to promote peace, that's the point." The woman's American partner added, "It's kind of undoing this bad history, isn't it?" Another audience member said, "When we think that Japan and America fought in the war, it's wonderful to see these two working together to touch all kinds of people's hearts in their pursuit of world peace." 'A piano must have a player' Koller acknowledges that wars may never be completely eliminated, but he says that does not mean the human race cannot strive to make the world better. "I know Yagawa-san wants a peaceful place. I want to live in a peaceful place. We share that dream together. I do not want to give up and I think it's important that nobody gives up," he says. Koller and Yagawa Yagawa says Koller's role is vital. "A piano must have a player. And Jacob plays the piano while really understanding its feelings," he says. "That's why he is able to touch audiences with the piano's sound. I think that's very significant." The trio – an atomic-bombed piano, its tuner and its player – are scheduled to perform in 20 more concerts this year in Japan and are already planning next year's events. They hope some will be outside Japan, including the US, as they continue sharing their musical message of peace. For more, watch this video: NEWSLINE May 28, 2025 Page 2
6 hours ago
Timeline for July 2025
Roadside land prices, which are used for calculating inheritance and gift taxes, rise 2.7% on average, increasing for the fourth consecutive year. One of the factors is the rise in demand for housing and hotels for international visitors in urban areas and resorts. 3 An earthquake of level 6 lower on the seismic intensity scale is recorded on Akusekijima in the Tokara Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture. More than 1,000 tremors with a seismic intensity of 1 or more are recorded from June 21 to July 3. On July 4, voluntary evacuations from the islands begin. The Night of Baba Yaga , translated from Ōtani Akira's Baba Yaga no yoru by Sam Bett, wins Britain's CWA International Dagger for translated crime fiction, becoming the first Japanese book to receive the award. 6 Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrive in Mongolia for a visit lasting until July 13. During their stay, they attend the opening ceremony of the Naadam traditional sports festival. Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh on their way to watch the horse race event at the Naadam sports festival on July 12, 2025. (© Jiji) 9 The Ground Self-Defense Force begins relocation of its Osprey transport aircraft to Saga Prefecture as part of moves to strengthen defense of Japan's Nansei islands, including Okinawa. 10 The National Police Agency announces tightened rules for converting driving licenses issued abroad into Japanese documents. The test drivers must pass to receive a Japanese license will be made more difficult, with 50 questions rather than the current 10, with a requirement to answer 90% correctly. 11 Japan and China begin negotiations on the resumption of exports of Japanese beef to China, which were suspended in 2001 due to an outbreak of BSE. 12 The Air SDF Blue Impulse team performs an acrobatic display over the Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai venue on July 12 and 13. There have been more than 10 million visitors to the Expo since it opened in April. Spectators watch Blue Impulse aircraft perform in the skies over the Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai venue on July 12, 2025. (© Jiji) 14 Tsuruho Yōsuke of the Liberal Democratic Party resigns as chair of the House of Councillors Budget Committee after a comment during a campaign speech on July 8 that it was 'lucky' that there had been an earthquake in the Noto Peninsula. 15 Nissan announces that it will end vehicle production at its Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, at the end of fiscal 2027 and at the Shōnan plant of its subsidiary Nissan Shatai in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, at the end of fiscal 2026. 16 A Japanese employee of Astellas Pharma, who was detained by Chinese authorities on suspicion of espionage, is sentenced to three years and six months in prison. It is announced that there are no winners for either the Akutagawa Prize or Naoki Prize. This is the sixth time for this situation to occur and the first for 27 years. Canadian convenience store giant Alimentation Couche-Tard announces the withdrawal of its takeover offer for Seven & I Holdings. 18 The Kanazawa branch of Nagoya High Court acquits Maekawa Shōji in a retrial concerning the murder of a junior high school girl in Fukui in 1986, stating that the witness testimony was not reliable. Previously, Maekawa was convicted and he was serving a prison sentence. Maekawa Shōji smiles at a press conference following the retrial in which he was found not guilty. (© Jiji) 20 The ruling coalition of the LDP and Kōmeitō wins just 47 seats in the House of Councillors election, falling short of the 50 it needs to maintain a majority. The coalition is now a minority in both lower and upper houses. Smaller parties the Democratic Party for the People and Sanseitō make notable gains. 21 Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru states his intention to continue as LDP president and prime minister, citing the need to take responsibility as the leader of the largest party to prevent political paralysis. He reiterates his intention at a meeting of LDP lawmakers on July 28, despite calls for him to step down. 22 Kansai Electric Power announces that it will restart geological surveys with the aim of building a next-generation reactor at its Mihama Nuclear Power Station in Fukui Prefecture. Tariff negotiations between Japan and the United States end in agreement. From August 1, the United States will impose 15% tariffs on Japanese imports (down from the previous announcement of 25%). Additional tariffs on automobiles and parts, which had been 25% from April, are halved; in combination with the base duty of 2.5%, they now amount to 15%. Japan promises to make a huge investment of ¥550 billion in the United States and to open up its automobile and rice markets. US President Donald Trump posts on social media about the tariff agreement with Japan. (© Jiji) 25 The Junglia Okinawa theme park opens in the north of Okinawa's main island. It stretches across 60 hectares, with extensive natural forest and 22 attractions. A dinosaur attraction at Junglia Okinawa. Photograph taken on July 22, 2025 (© Jiji) 29 Tokyo Electric Power Company announces that full-scale removal of melted nuclear fuel debris from the no. 3 reactor at its Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station will not begin until fiscal 2037 at the earliest. This may delay the completion of the plant's 2051 target for decommissioning, set together by the government and TEPCO. 30 Following an 8.7-magnitude earthquake off Kamchatka, Russia, the Japan Meteorological Agency issues tsunami warnings for the Pacific coast from Hokkaidō to the Kii Peninsula, as well as the Izu and Ogasawara Islands. The tsunamis are initially forecast to reach heights of up to 3 meters; a 1.3-meter tsunami is observed in Kuji, Iwate. There are major transport disruptions, including long suspensions of service on coastal train lines. The JMA announces that the temperature in Tanba, Hyōgo, reached 41.2° Celsius, setting a new record for the highest ever temperature measured in Japan. (Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: From left, Sanseitō leader Kamiya Sōhei, the LDP's Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, and Democratic Party for the People leader Tamaki Yūichirō. © Jiji.)
Japan Times
8 hours ago
- Japan Times
From far and wide, overseas visitors flock to Fuji Rock
The 2025 edition of Fuji Rock Festival, held from July 25 to 27 at Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture, marked a high point for Japan's premier music event. Three-day passes and Saturday tickets sold out two weeks before the gates opened, and according to festival organizer Smash, ticket sales were the strongest they have been since the COVID-19 pandemic — a testament to renewed enthusiasm for live music in Japan. Part of that momentum came from a growing number of overseas visitors. Organizers say international ticket buyers accounted for roughly 10% of all sales, but they believe the real figure could be higher, supposing many foreign attendees purchased tickets through friends or acquaintances in Japan. Tickets were sold in 60 countries this year, with the majority going to fans in Taiwan, South Korea and China. These developments are in line with a report recently released by the World Economic Forum, which found that tourists traveling for experiences, such as attending music festivals and sporting events, is growing significantly. Qingzhe Chen, who goes by Jimmy, is a Fuji Rock regular currently living in Michigan, and he has witnessed the growing international presence firsthand. Chen, 39, is the moderator of a Fuji Rock group on Reddit and uses it to coordinate informal meetups, particularly for people coming from overseas. Each year, he organizes a group dinner, inviting newcomers and returnees to gather and connect ahead of the three-day festival. 'There are a handful of people who come who live in Japan, but there are a lot of people from (places like) Southeast Asia and Australia,' he says. So what makes Fuji Rock so appealing to overseas visitors? For Chen, it's the festival's chilled and civil atmosphere. 'Everybody is very orderly,' he says. 'My friend remarked to me last night that he'd never been to a concert where he wasn't constantly being bumped into, pushed, shoved or having people trying to get to the front. It's just relaxing to be (at Fuji Rock).' Fuji Rock regular Qingzhe Chen moderates a Fuji Rock group on Reddit and uses it to coordinate informal meetups, particularly for people coming from overseas. | Courtesy of Qingzhe Chen Each year, Chen organizes a group dinner, inviting newcomers and returnees to gather and connect ahead of the three-day festival. | Courtesy of Qingzhe Chen Many attendees traveled to Japan specifically for the festival, and some, like Michael Hall, 33, from North Carolina, made the trip this year for one artist in particular — legendary singer-songwriter and producer Tatsuro Yamashita. 'I saw that Yamashita was playing at the festival, and it's very hard to get concert tickets to see him normally, even if you're willing to travel to Japan,' Hall says. 'So I decided to go. He's an artist I wanted to see at some point in my life.' David Levy, 46, from California, says that as a regular concertgoer, he had known about Fuji Rock for a long time, and he came to the festival for the first time last year with his teenage daughter. 'The event is kind of perfect as a festival, so it doesn't matter who's playing,' he says. 'Everyone is (at Fuji Rock) to enjoy the music, to have fun, to see some art, to bring their kid to play in a river.... Fuji Rock feels uniquely like the festival is the thing.' Alex Emexezidis, 35, who traveled from Thessaloniki, Greece, to see Yamashita perform, was also drawn to the festival's variety of musical genres. 'I already knew some of the bands, but many, including some headliners, were new to me, so I was exposed to some good new music.' He also appreciated the event's connection to nature. 'It was a lot of families and people enjoying the music — not many 'posers' that would be there only for Instagram,' he says. Emexezidis experienced some frustrations, too. 'The walking distances were huge,' he says. 'Everything felt like a faraway trip.' He also found the food area lacking in shade and places to sit, and pointed out the difficulty of maintaining hygiene while camping: 'I felt like the festival could not handle that many people... with long lines for toilets and showers.' In fact, Emexezidis chose to leave the festival before Yamashita's set on Saturday night, put off by the limited hygiene facilities and uncomfortable camping conditions. Fuji Rock returnee Charmaine Mak, 35, from Singapore, faced a different type of challenge: attending the festival by herself. 'I told myself, what's the worst that can happen? Just have some faith and do this alone. ... I didn't want to regret (not going),' she says. Her solo trip turned out to be a rewarding one — she even met OK Go frontman Damian Kulash, an artist she had admired since her youth. What made the experience even more enjoyable was how safe and welcoming the festival felt, especially for solo female attendees. Thoughtful touches, like a campsite area reserved specifically for women, helped her feel more at ease throughout the weekend. Fuji Rock returnee Charmaine Mak met OK Go frontman Damian Kulash, an artist she had admired since her youth, during her first solo outing at festival. | Courtesy of Charmaine Mak Vritri Krishna, 18, from Bengaluru, India, echoes that sense of safety. 'Even (coming from) a very large and very safe city like Bengaluru, being at a place where I could go out by myself at two or three in the morning, dance in a very crowded area with some fairly drunk people at times, and then just be fine with nothing horrible happening to me was really freeing. It's one of the reasons that made me love Fuji Rock as an experience a lot more.' Traveling from Jakarta, Michael Geoffrey, 29, was surprised by the sheer size of the festival. 'I really did not expect a festival to take up such a large area,' he says. 'There's so much going on.' One day, he clocked over 42,000 steps. 'That was probably the most I've walked in a day.' He especially enjoyed the smaller performances throughout the grounds: 'You see local comedians or someone doing a dance or a performative art show... I find that those little things really add up.' Even with some logistical bumps, international fans agree Fuji Rock offers something more than just music: an atmosphere of joy, discovery and shared experience set against Japan's natural beauty. For many, it wasn't just a stop on their trip; it was the trip.
