Japan is miraculous. Everywhere I went people were exceedingly kind to me. Many places were stunningly beautiful, though from the train leaving Tokyo you can see some amazingly ugly buildings. I travelled on the plane with my wife's band and hung out with them for the first couple of days and then went off to Isesaki-Shi to visit Acoustic Revive, then to Nirasaki to visit Feastrex, then off to Kyoto for 3 days of sightseeing, and finally back to Tokyo to visit Oyaide and hook up with the band for their final triumphant performance in Yokohama. (4 encore calls and a 1 1/2 hour autograph line!) In Tokyo I met a Green Tea farmer from Shizuoka who knows more about American music than I will ever know. In Kyoto a sprightly Zen Abbess graciously served me matcha. In Ikaho and Nirasaki we soaked in
Onsens. On the Shinkansen to and from Kyoto I saw the conductors turn and bow to the car before exiting - a reminder of how Buddhism permeates the culture. In Shibuya there are more stylish young women than perhaps anywhere else in the world. The sights,
sounds, tastes and smells still crowd my awareness and writing about it all would take pages. A deep bow to all who took such good care of me and were so generous with their time.
A few Audio related highlights:
In Isesaki-shi I was treated to a whirlwind tour, visiting subcontractors who produce items for Acoustic Revive, including the people who make the chassis for the RTP ultimate power distribution boxes and the RGC-24s, the people who make the RUR and RBC, RCA and XLR connectors, the people who build the RR-77 and RIO-5 II, the people who weave the outer silk jacket for the WS-1 wall hanging acoustic conditioner and the maker of assorted crystal devices. What I saw was a powerful concentration of high level manufacturing skills, sophisticated technical knowledge and prodigious production capacity in each of these facilities, none of which could be characterized as large. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the care and attention that goes into everything that is built here. Many thanks to Aki who drove to Tokyo and back twice for my benefit and to Mr. Ken Ishiguro for his gracious hospitality and the chance to hear his fully realized Acoustic Revive systems - subarashi deshta.
I spent two days in Nirasaki with Mr. Akayama and Mr. Teramoto of Feastrex along with an assortment of Feastrex supporters.
I had the privilege of hearing the 5" NaturFlux Field coil drivers with Permendur plate and pole piece, the Nf 5 PIP. This driver is nothing short of miraculous and is considerably less expensive than the D5e II.
The world's top Feastrex Supporters!
Mr. Teramoto's personal pair of Nf 5 PIP with custom phosphor bronze/Urushi Lacquered frames - addictive sound!
A cabinet full of washi paper cones.
Mr. Maekawa's amplifier. Notice the "R" Core Transformer. The gentleman who builds this transformer is the senior builder at the transformer manufacturing plant. His life's mission is to make this special edition, absolute best quality transformer. This is the type of dedication one finds again and again in Japan.
Mr. Teramoto graciously drove me from Nirasaki to Fuji City to catch the Shinkansen. Many thanks are due Mr. and Mrs. Teramoto and Mr. Akiyama.
My visit with Oyaide was brief as I had to meet the band at 2 p.m. for the drive to Yokohama. I was met by Mr. Hayato Ishiguro at Akihabara Station, and we walked to Oyaide's original store which has to be seen to be believed. There are more parts and cables crammed into a tiny space than is humanly possible, and how the employees there keep track of it all is beyond me. Then a 10 minute walk to Oyaide world headquarters which occupies three floors of a small building. As one enters, one is met by a staff of 5 or 6 people all hunkered over computers, taking orders from everywhere. Another floor is dedicated to storage of components and assembly. One lonely individual works here terminating cables and packaging goods. The upper floor is dedicated to cable storage.
Mr. Ishiguro showed me several new Oyaide products which are revealed below. After the tour Mr. Murayama, president of Oyaide took Mr. Ishiguro and me to lunch at a very high class Teppan-yaki restaurant - a feast that will long be remembered with gratitude.
Oyaide Solder - SS47 - Highly-pure 4N tin: 90.3%, Pure silver:4.7%, Pure copper: 1.7%, Flux: 3.3%
MWA Series - New noise canceling, electromagnetic wave absorber made with Sendust Alloy available in self adhering sheets and tape. Powerful Stuff! I can attest.
QAC-202 3.5MLS LC-OFC mini cable
One thing is certain, the care and attention to detail that characterizes tea ceremony, flower arranging, sword making, and other traditional crafts permeates the whole of Japanese culture. Combine that with the world's most powerful work ethic and advanced scientific understanding and it is easy to see why the products that will continue to flow from Japan will be at the forefront of audio technology for decades to come.
What else can I say?
Domo arigato gozaimas.
I look forward to hearing from you.
