Do-Re Mi!

Sanshin: Traditional Japanese Instrument

This elementary school teacher is a really nice guy and plays a mean sanshin (and guitar too)... :)




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanshin
The sanshin (三線, literally meaning "Three strings") is an Okinawan musical instrument, and precursor of the Japanese shamisen. Often likened to a banjo, it consists of a snakeskin-covered body, neck and three strings.

Party at Kazekobo!

One of our good friends, Kazue Sato, threw a party recently. All of the local English teachers from foreign countries were invited and it was held at "Kazekobo" (the restaurant and stained glass worksshop owned by our good friend Kayo).There were plenty of delicious dishes, drinks, & unrehearsed silliness!

Dan & Gabe singing a little:


Enzo pretends to play guitar:

Concert Pics

Here's pics of me Steph on stage during the "We Are the World" International Fellowship Concert. Many thanks to Matsuo for giving us these pictures. I like to think we ended up looking like a modern day Johnny and June Cash. I'm, of course, not as cool and Steph is much prettier in my opinion (see below).
And below is a pic from the finale of the concert when many local foreigners living here in Japan along with several Japanese got up onstage to sing "We are the World". It was a real success! Everyone, including the audience was singing and doing the "two-hands-above-the-head-waving-and-swaying-thing". We were just so happy that everyone enjoyed the concert.
Thank you to all of you who worked so hard to make this concert a wonderful success and one of our greatest memories here in Japan!
We love you all!!!


--------------------------------other posts-------------------------------------
the poster:
http://gscraft.blogspot.com/2006/04/pretendin-to-be-famous.html

Steph on Iwate TV:
http://gscraft.blogspot.com/2006/06/steph-on-japanese-tv.html

pics from and thank you to all the people who made the concert:
http://gscraft.blogspot.com/2006/06/concert-pics.html

Steph on Japanese TV

On Friday June 9th I got the wonderful opportunity to appear on Japanese TV. We went to promote the concert that we did on June 10th. It was such a fun day! We started out at 11am and drove to our capital city, Morioka, and first had a live radio interview then went on to the TV station. It was me, a group called "Cafe" and our friends Mutsuko, Kame-chan and Kazuyoshi.
When we first planned the trip it didn't look like Mutsuko was going to be able to go and nor was anyone else who spoke English. So I was having these fears that I would end up looking like Bill Murray in "Lost in Translation" when he appears on a Japanese TV show. If you've seen the movie you will understand my worry!! Luckily I had someone to help me understand everything although I may have still ended up looking a little silly! hehe! So without further adeu...here is the show in 3 different sections! Enjoy!
P.S. I messed up a little in my singing...oops (I don't quite have the scream/singing abilities of Cyndi Lauper hahaha!)
P.S. again I will post pictures later from the day!

Just a note for playing the videos: Make sure and only click the video play button once! Otherwise, it'll take you to another site.


Part One


Part Two


Part Three









the poster:
http://gscraft.blogspot.com/2006/04/pretendin-to-be-famous.html

Steph on Iwate TV:
http://gscraft.blogspot.com/2006/06/steph-on-japanese-tv.html

pics from and thank you to all the people who made the concert:
http://gscraft.blogspot.com/2006/06/concert-pics.html