Concert Tour in Japan - June 2008

Hi all,

Here, I would write some kind of a report.


So far, there have been many busy and uncomfortable days to me and I've decided to change my job at last. Also I've changed my place of living. what's more, I've been arguing with my parents and course adviser about quiting my course program at university. So, after I've settled theses things, almost suddenly, I became aware of the calender and realized that it was already in June!

I regretted my foolishness but what's over is over, and I began to put my every effort to think about the way I can see Hayley at one of the concerts. At first, the Aichi concert seemed the most hopeful of all, but it is on 15th and I have a friend coming from NZ, no actually a Kiwi coming from South Korea on that day . This left only Osaka and Shiga concerts though sadly it was almost clear that there would be no seats left for Osaka one, considering Hayley's growing popularity and the big population of the city. So the only hope for me: Shiga was left and after all it seemed fair enough. The Biwako Hall (1,850 seats) is slightly bigger than the Symphony Hall in Osaka (1,700 seats) and the concert starts at rather an early time (2.p.m.) and what's more, Otsu city in Shiga is not populated heavily like Osaka or Nagoya.

With those encouraging facts, I got on a train bound for Kyoto in the morning and I listened the album "Treasure" on my i-pod while on the train. After exchanging the train at Kyoto station, it took me only ten minuets to Otsu, the capital of Shiga Prefecture. Situated nicely beside the Lake Biwako, the venue looked somewhat like a miniature of the Sydney Opera House in Aussie.

Although a "rainy season" called Tsuyu has already began here in Western Japan, it was almost a fine day and I certainly regretted for not bringing my camera today. Lake Biwako, the largest lake in our land is nothing like Lake Te Anau in NZ, but its calmness resembles something to Lake Wakatipu beside Queenstown and also of the harbor around the Sydney Opera House.

Just as my "calculation" has worked out, there were about 60 seats left and I could at last buy myself a ticket. Can you imagine how glad I was in that moment!

After having my lunch down by the water, the hall opened at 1:15. I seated myself and looked at the program but I wasn't quite happy with the song-list, thinking, "Oh no, 'You Raise Me Up' and 'Let Me Lay' are not listed here... ah Samon, you filthy little preacher!" But when Hayley appeared on the stage wearing a beautiful golden dress that twinkles in the light and started to sing 'Pokarekare Ana', I put all those stupid thoughts away. Biwako Hall, indeed was an excellent venue and I could clearly see a difference in the echos of her clear voice. What a beautiful song from the "land of long white clouds", I thought, even though I've been listening to the song a hundred times.

Specially, the last two songs, 'Yuki no Hana' and 'Sen no Kaze ni Natte' were sang, just unbelievably beautifully and I definitely loved these English versions. I hadn't listened to the new album before coming to the concert, by the way.

After the intermission, Hayley changed to a rose-coloured (pink?) , elegant dress and behold! She sang one entire song in Japanese. 'Shiroi Iro wa Koibito no Iro', that was! Her singing was perfect and we all wondered at her ability and also at her loveliness.

Though the English lyrics was translated not technically but rather imaginatively for 'Tsubasa wo Kudasai' it seemed, Hayley sang it with such passion and emotions, and I was deeply moved.

The first encore, 'Nada SouSou' was sang beautifully (in English) as always and Hayley sang last few lines in Japanese. Even now, I can perfectly recall how charming that was.


Best Wishes,


Akito