Takato Yoshida: Kyoto Imperial Palace
The ancient capital's Central Park, still sublimely beautiful even in the darkness
Yoshida Takato, who returned to Kyoto after working in Tokyo for many years and now enjoys living there, spending weekends playing along the Kamo River with his children, feels an overwhelming sense of tranquility at Kyoto Gyoen National Garden at night.
"When I go home by subway, I pass through the Imperial Palace from Inui-gomon Gate to Ishiyakushi-gomon Gate on the east side, and it's endlessly dark, with almost no city lights reaching it. My normally reliant sense of sight gradually becomes blurred, and my other senses seem to become sharper. I stop to take photos and explore, and my journey home ends up being long."
Marihiko Hara: Millet
An "unusual" cafe in Shizuhara, surrounded by mountains
Hara Marihiko is a musician who also composed the soundtrack for the film "National Treasure." He has been visiting Millet with his family "at least once a month for the past few years." The cafe is surrounded by mountains and is about a 30-minute drive from the city center. There is a field behind the cafe where rice is also grown. You can enjoy bread baked in a stone oven and a vegan lunch made with ingredients that make use of Shizuhara's abundant nature.
Apparently, he is an old friend of the owner and sometimes holds concerts in the store and helps plant rice in the fields. He visits "to find peace. This natural environment feels extraordinary compared to the city. I try to make time for myself, but the busier I am, the more I look forward to spending time at Millet."
He has also had many opportunities to participate in concerts and projects at shrines, temples, and gardens, such as Daigoji Temple and Chishakuin Temple.
"If you listen carefully in a natural environment, such as around Millet, you can hear a variety of sounds, such as the chirping of insects and the sound of the wind. Playing is the act of placing the sound of your piano in that environment. It really opens your ears, or makes you stand up straight. But music, including gagaku, has originally been performed in nature.
With "National Treasure," the music for the play within the film already existed before I composed the sound for the film. So I used my experience to think about where to place the new sounds, and how the sounds could coexist. It was quite difficult, though."
We talked about the endless sounds inside the shop, where plenty of soft sunlight pours in through the windows. It seems that Hara-san is able to nurture his creative energy in a space like this.
