Day 18: Japan Album Release Tour JINSEI 2024 – Ueno Park, Percussion, and a Night Out with the Strong-Eyed Master

This morning started at the local Starbucks across Otsuka Station. The sky was clear and blue. It wasn’t exactly warm, but nice enough to have a coffee outside. With only a couple of outdoor seats available, I grabbed one and watched people pass by. Since it was Sunday, things were fairly quiet, and I enjoyed the morning sun.

With no big plans for the day, I texted Johan to see what he was up to. Since I love Ueno Park and Johan had never really visited, we decided to meet at the main entrance for a stroll.

Ueno Park is a large public park next to Ueno Station in central Tokyo. Originally part of Kaneiji Temple, one of the city’s largest and wealthiest temples during the Edo Period, the park is now famous for its museums, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum for Western Art, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and the National Science Museum. It also houses Ueno Zoo, Japan’s first zoological garden, and is one of Tokyo’s most popular cherry blossom spots, with more than 1,000 cherry trees lining its central pathway.

We had a great time walking through the park. The weather was perfect, and despite it being a Sunday, it wasn’t too crowded. After circling Shinobazu Pond and visiting some temples, we started getting hungry. A quick Google search led Johan to a noodle place nearby. A short walk later, we arrived at what seemed to be a Chinese restaurant with a massive menu. We both ordered gigantic bowls of noodles and an additional side of gyoza. Meanwhile, a chef behind the counter was vigorously pounding fresh noodles—clearly a specialist at work.

After lunch, Johan and I parted ways at Ueno Station, knowing we’d meet again later that night for drinks with Mr. Amano San. I had some shopping to do before heading back to Amsterdam, so I took the Yamanote Line to Akihabara to look for some comfy travel clothes.

While in Akihabara, I texted Kazuhiro, who was interested in checking out some percussion instruments at Ikebe Music – Drum Station Rivole Akihabara. We agreed to meet in front of the bus exit. As I waited in the sun, three young guys from Australia, I had met the night before randomly walked by. They had just arrived in Tokyo for a week of fun to celebrate their graduation. Surprised to see me again, they laughed at the coincidence. I asked them where to find cheap but decent travel clothes, and they recommended GU, a sister brand of Uniqlo. When Kazuhiro arrived, we headed straight there, and I quickly found what I needed.

From there, we visited the drum store, where Kazuhiro wanted to test a pan instrument. The shop was a drummer’s paradise, with an entire room packed with snare drums. As a surprise, I decided to buy the pan instrument for Kazuhiro as a thank-you for all his help recording and taking photos over the past two days. He’s been supporting Dutch musicians for years, always showing up to gigs, so it felt good to give back. He was clearly thrilled.

That evening, I had plans to meet Mr. Amano San. Before heading to the hotel lobby to meet him, I watched his documentary special on Tokyo TV. Amano San is a producer who creates National Geographic-style documentaries about incredible places around the world and this evening his show was broadcasted.

Meanwhile, I had another problem to solve: my pocket Wi-Fi rental needed to be returned to Narita Airport, but I was flying out of Haneda. I asked Kazuhiro if he could make a call for me to find a solution. We grabbed some beers, went to my hotel room, and he got on the phone with the rental company. What should have been a two-minute conversation stretched out—as things often do in Japan, where everything follows strict procedures and politeness. In the end, the only option was to mail it back to Narita, which Kazuhiro kindly offered to handle for me.

At 6 PM, we watched Amano San’s show, and at 6:30, I got a text: “Joris, I am in the lobby. See you soon.” Kazuhiro and I headed downstairs to meet him.

I first met Amano San in 2014 when he took me and Yuichiro to a small izakaya and introduced me to Hoppy, a drink mixed with shōchū. Back then, I loved it, and since this was my last night in Japan, Amano San planned to find a bar near Otsuka Station that served it and it not take long to find the right bar to start the night.

After some drinks and food, we were joined by the wonderful singer Yamada Tamaru. I had met her on previous tours and even appeared in one of her music videos with my kids, Ravi and Faia. Later, as we moved to another spot, Johan also joined the festivities. More drinks, more food—just a perfect night out with the “Strong-Eyed Master.” That nickname comes from a tune I wrote for Amano San on my first album. He has a strong spirit and an open mind, always eager to explore new things.

As the night wrapped up, we said our goodbyes at Otsuka Station, thanking Amano San for his generous hospitality. At this point, it was super late, and I suggested to Kazuhiro that I book him a room at the APA Hotel so he wouldn’t have to travel back to his capsule hotel in Shinjuku. My hotel had an artificial onsen on the top floor, so we agreed to meet there for some late-night soaking. At this hour, the onsen was completely empty—the perfect way to unwind after Hoppy-fueled adventures. After this Onsen time Kazuhiro and I went up to our rooms and soon sleep set in.

The next day, I had to check out, so I had already packed my bags and set aside my new travel clothes. After 18 days of non-stop playing and traveling, I was running on fumes, but this last night in Tokyo was one to remember.