2006 Soap Box Archives

Impressions of Japan

In the next couple of weeks I will be writing a series of impressions of the
countries we visited. This is the first.

To even mention Japan and country music in the same breath is improbable to say the least. But because of a little guy in a cowboy hat with a passionate love for the music it can not only be mentioned but draws thousands of people to the Aspecta Amphitheater in Kumamoto Japan every year for an event known as Country Gold.

His name is Charlie Nagatani, he stands all of five feet tall, has a heart
the size of Nashville and every molecule of it is full of love for country
music.

Charlie has a small club in Kumamoto called Goodtime Charlie's where him and his band of Japanese cowboys play seven nights a weekend. Once a year he brings over four American bands to do the Country Gold concert.

This was our second time at Country Gold and now, a few days later, I still
have a warm spot in my heart from the outpouring of affection we received
from the Japanese fans.

The Japanese people are courteous, polite and helpful and wear their
emotions on their sleeves. More than once I saw them moved to tears by a
simple act of friendliness and attention.

Japan is a long way from America and without going there we tend to get our impressions of the people from the stolid persona of their businessmen or the sound bites we see on TV. But the heart of Japan's common people is soft and caring and their hospitality is warm and sincere.

Japan is many things. It is a country of terraced rice fields, densely
populated cities, a land of heavy industry, quaint villages, meticulously
tended gardens and tiled roofed houses, green and clean, a unique blend of
the ancient and the ultra modern.

It is progressive and prosperous, hard working and fast moving,
mystical and beautiful, traditional and cutting edge, mannerly and well
educated.

It was fascinating watching the crowd arrive for the Country Gold concert.
They were from all over Japan, many of them in hats, boots and western
shirts. Some of the locals actually rode horses to the show.

I was standing on stage doing my usual, talking about the songs we were
going to play and so forth, when it dawned on me that a lot of the audience
didn't have any idea what I was talking about. They may not have understood the words but they could understand the music. They could clap along to it, line dance to it and enjoy it. The language barrier was not a problem.

I guess you can tell that I was very impressed by my recent trip to Japan.
I'll long remember its beauty, but most of all I will always remember its
people.

Here's to you Charlie Nagatani. You're the Japanese King of Country Music
and I love you.

Pray for our troops.

What do you think?

God Bless America

Charlie Daniels

 

©Copyright The Charlie Daniels Band