Day 2: Japan Album Release Tour JINSEI 2024 – Salt Peanuts, Ekoda
Waking up early, I stepped outside the hotel for my morning ritual: coffee. In Japan, vending machines cater to almost any need—hot meals, cold drinks, you name it—but for me, it’s all about finding good coffee. It didn’t take long to discover a couple of brands that were surprisingly tasty. Morning in my neighborhood had a calm rhythm to it. Kids in crisp uniforms walked to school, and shopkeepers were just beginning their day. Every store had its own character—second-hand shops brimming with treasures, tiny eateries that seemed to open and close on their own schedule, and specialized stores for everything from stationery to shoes.
While wandering through quiet alleyways, I stumbled upon a small Shinto shrine tucked away between the buildings. Its stillness and beauty stopped me in my tracks. I took a moment to breathe it all in. a grounding experience before what was to come later that evening.
This was the day of my first show of the tour, at Salt Peanuts in Ekoda. With the whole day ahead, I decided to take a train ride to Ikebukuro to explore. Wandering through its bustling streets, I enjoyed the energy of the city, but eventually, I returned to Komagome, where I found my first ramen shop of the trip. It wasn’t a fancy spot—just a simple setup with a few stools and a steaming pot of broth—but the flavor was incredible. Ramen in Japan always feels like an art form. After my quick meal, I explored a small park nearby. It seemed to be a haven for dog walkers and, interestingly, a few covert smokers sneaking puffs where they could. I considered visiting a larger park nearby but decided to save that for the weekend.
Later in the afternoon, I reached out to Yuki Nakae, my tenor saxophonist, to see if he’d join me on the train ride to the venue. We agreed to meet at my hotel. At 4:20 p.m. sharp, Yuki appeared, just as I was finishing a coffee outside the hotel. It was amazing to see him again—it felt like no time had passed, even though years had gone by. Yuki and I used to travel to gigs together often, and while I’m now comfortable navigating the train system alone, there’s something special about traveling with him. It brought back good memories of past tours.
Salt Peanuts is a place I’ve played a few times before. It has a distinct vibe, with its cool blue lighting, murals of mountains, and bicycles hanging on the walls. The space is intimate, and the acoustics are perfect for a live jazz set. The owner is always welcoming, which makes the place feel even more special.
This night was important for many reasons. It was my first time playing with my pianist Shunichi Yanagi and drummer Gaku Hasegawa on this tour. Both are incredible musicians, and reuniting with them was exciting. Joining us for the first time was bassist Yuhei Honkawa, whose deep swing and adventurous playing added a fresh dimension to our sound.
I’m not a big fan of rehearsals before gigs, so we kept it simple—just a run-through of the heads and tails of the tunes. It became clear almost immediately that Honkawa was well-prepared. We saved our energy for the stage, and when we started playing, the connection was instant. Yuki and I have a natural way of communicating musically; we can weave melodies, throw in playful surprises, or even disrupt things in a way that sparks creativity. Yanagi and Hasegawa provided a rock-solid foundation, and with Honkawa’s bold bass lines, the music felt alive and unpredictable.
The audience was a mix of ages, from young locals to older jazz enthusiasts, plus a few tourists and expats. The room’s energy was contagious, and we fed off it, playing with intensity and joy. It’s these kinds of nights that remind me why I love performing.
After the show, we hung around for a while, chatting about music, sharing laughs, and enjoying the post-performance buzz. Eventually, Yuki, Yanagi, and I headed back to the train station to catch the last train. Riding together felt like the perfect way to end the night.
Back at the hotel, I swapped my stage outfit for my “ramen outfit” 😉 and ventured out to revisit my new favorite ramen shop. There’s something comforting about a hot bowl of ramen after a gig—it’s a ritual of its own. Satisfied, I returned to my room, scrolled through social media, checked messages, and put on a movie. Somewhere between the film and my thoughts about the day, jetlag finally pulled me into sleep.
