After lunch, we wandered through the basement of Osaka Station, a vast maze filled with countless dining options and shops and when heading back up to daylight, we stumbled upon a music shop and couldn’t resist going in.
The shop was impressive, with an amazing selection of saxophone gear, including a section dedicated to parts for building your own strap – true sax nerd heaven. Johan and I made a mental note to visit the Yamaya store in Tokyo later, as he planned to check out some soprano saxophones.
By 5 PM, I returned to my hotel to change for the evening’s gig. Walking to Jazz on Top was a treat in itself. The sun had set, and the streets were beautifully illuminated with lights adorning shops, trees, and buildings. Japan’s attention to detail.
Jazz on Top was only a 10-minute walk from my hotel. When I arrived, the band was already there, and we were ready to start within 20 minutes. As always, the band played with incredible energy and commitment, mixing melody with the 2 horns.
After the concert, I said my goodbyes to Satoshi, who faced a long drive back to Kurashiki, and to Tsutomu Takei, who had an early morning job in Hiroshima. Johan, Shunichi, Katsunari, and I returned to the hotel to drop off our things before heading out to celebrate the end of this part of the tour.
Yanagi-San, our resident expert on finding the best and cheapest izakaya’s, led us to a buzzing spot filled with young people enjoying food, drinks, and lively conversation. The menu was enormous, so Shunichi took charge of ordering for the group – always a wise decision, in my opinion. It was a fantastic night out, full of great food and camaraderie.
The next day, I would move to a new hotel where I’d stay for three days, taking day trips to explore Osaka and Kyoto.
