I was there for this. Nara, Japan, May 1994. UNESCO sponsored it and hoped to repeat the idea (local musicians blended with international stars) at major cultural heritage sites around the world (Great Pyramids, Taj Mahal, etc.). Only this one got off the ground. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Music_Experience Wild and weird. Dylan with the Tokyo Philharmonic, INXS with Japanese Taiko drummers and Ry with Shoukichi Kina and the Irish Chieftans. Oh, and Bon Jovi. Joyful insanity...kinda like Japan itself.
Back in the days of World War 2, fought against the Japanese like me and you...Geez, Ry's generally a fairly aware guy, but that's really simplistic thing about the Japanese-Okinawan relationship, and to say it in Japan? Never mind that the US occupied Okinawa and used it as a staging area for the Vietnam War.
