Pictured l to r: Uzuru Tomita, Sam Sims, Forrest Robinson, Utada Hikaru, Taku Hirano, Tsuyoshi Kon, Matt Rohde (not pictured is cellist Imaizumi Fumiki).

This past summer 2006 was without a doubt the most important summer for me. After several years of accepting the disappointing reality that the music industry is just not the “healthy, healing, pro-community music and art environment” that I grew up dreaming that it was (not today anyway), this summer touring with Utada Hikaru was a healing experience that I desperately needed if only to say that all my hard work towards doing what I am so blessed to do hasn’t been in vain. For the first time, I felt like I was working with an artist that truly appreciated me being there - not with praise or adoration, but to just hear “thank you” literally frightened me because I came to the reality of how starved I am of hearing those two simple words, and because I was sort of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Working with her in 2005 had me looking over my shoulder because things were just too good for me to believe. It took some getting used to. Adding into the equation that I was touring with one of my best friends, Matt, was also something new to me. Reuniting with Matt and Sam from our Atlanta days in the 1990s was something very special to me. I’d met Taku through Matt back in 1996. He is a most excellent percussionist and gentleman. Tomita and Kon are two wonderful and talented brothers I had the pleasure to meet on the tour. Everyone from the technical and sound engineers, the stage crew, catering, production staff, security, you name it, were all stellar individuals that I was sad to say “goodbye” to at the end of the tour.

This was my first experience as part of the headlining act at arena shows and performing to sold out crowds. It was so great to see people show up in support of Utada Hikaru. I could tell that there was an established connection built over time through her music. This restored my faith in how people really can connect with you through your music. The age range simply blew me away! People from kids in their early teens through adults in their 60s!? Come on. Now THIS is something special! This was consistent night after night, city after city.

The biggest and truest blessing for me was the realization that the UTADA UNITED 2006 TOUR was not just about a gig or a tour. I really just needed a good musical experience that didn’t feel like a job and I wanted to be present with it, accepting the experience for just what it was instead of trying to convince myself that it was something that it was not. I was blessed to meet some of the most wonderful people in Japan. I’d made it a point to just be there, present for every moment. It turned out to be the most wonderful summer and touring experience I’ve been blessed to experience yet. It threw some of the youth off when they’d assume speak hip-hop slang with me, but found that I spoke like a "normal" human being (lol!), but it only took them 10 seconds to adjust. Many of them were quite relieved! I was very quick to let them know that the American media does not always portray other males who look like me and other certain demographics accurately. We don’t all speak only hip-hop slang, and some of us in the real world do realize that it’s only a matter of time before people eventually grow up and decide to no longer speak that way. Besides, in trying to experience and learn all that I can while I was in Japan, I decided to try my hand at learning to speak Japanese. Some good, kind people were very helpful and patient with me in teaching me words and phrases along the way. I have a very good friend there named Blossom who took trips with me. We went to visit many Shrines and Temples, and on several nights, I was invited to experience real feasting and community within a true traditional Japanese environment. It was indeed a blessing for me to meet such wonderful people who were willing to share their history and culture with me! In July, my wife Paige flew to Osaka and met me there for a week and also caught a show with her host family when she lived there for a year several years ago during Grad school. I have to acknowledge that I was COMPLETELY blown away by how fluent Paige was with the language!

Later on during the summer, I learned through Blossom and Tommy (Blossom’s mentor) that the Ocha Tea Ceremony is a very high honored tradition as well. I was floored by how much important history is involved in Ocha. Another thing I really looked forward to about traveling to Japan is the fact that I have LOVED Japanese food for many years, and there is so much food there in Japan that I had not heard of and believe me when I say that there was nothing I tried there that was less than INCREDIBLE! This also includes Tommy, Blossom’s mentor, who invited me into his home for Sukiyaki along with a completely charming group of good friends in Nogata on more than one occasion while I was there. God is so good. If anyone had tried telling me that I would go to Japan with just one good friend there and leave with many more by the end of the summer, I’m not sure that I would’ve believed the person telling me. I knew how blessed I was just to be able to experience the food, people, history and fun of Japan, but there was no way to expect all of this. I also knew that I had to make the best of this experience and that I must hang on to it because these types of opportunities certainly don’t happen everyday. It’s rare for many of us in this world. I even ventured out and braved the enormous and tumultuous crowd on a rainy early evening in Koenji to witness the Summer’s End Festival, which was so beautiful that I was moved to tears at times. The dancing and singing really moved me. There was just something about it that is still such a mystery. That night was so much fun! I was also trying to learn the language while I was there out of respect for the good people there and was humbled by the patience everyone had with me as they were trying to teach me the language. Unfortunately, I still don’t speak the language, but I tried really hard and did manage to pick up a few words and phrases along the way. Well, I can at least say that I came back home with more knowledge of Japan and Japanese culture and traditions than I arrived in Japan with! And that is a blessing enough for me!!

Forrest Robinson