About 50 years ago, when I was in middle school, I had a classmate (now a musician) who played guitar. I thought, “Damn, that’s awesome!” and started playing myself. Back then, I took my New Year’s money to a pawn shop and bought a ¥7,000 folk guitar hanging there without really understanding what I was doing.
Looking back now, it was truly awful—no truss rod, a severely warped neck, and a flat fingerboard. It was unimaginably terrible by today’s standards. But that’s the determination of a young man! I wished, “I want to play guitar coolly too!” and somehow managed to learn chords (though F and B♭ were tough, haha).
Then I entered high school, got a new (normal) acoustic guitar, joined the folk song club… Just as I thought, “Now I can do what I want!”—the era changed dramatically. Hard rock and fusion burst onto the scene, making folk feel outdated. I got hooked on electric guitar too and played my heart out. I practiced like crazy. (For me, anyway.)
After that, I put my guitar away to focus on studying for entrance exams. But just as I finally got into university and thought, “Alright, now I can finally get back to music!” family circumstances meant I couldn’t just play around anymore, and I ended up spending my days buried in part-time work. Later, I somehow landed a job and became someone who earned a salary, but music had become a distant world.
About 20 years later, I was talking with the bassist from my high school band. We discovered we both worked in Hokkaido. One day, we headed out to a session bar in Hokkaido. That’s where my second musical life began.
Later, after moving to another company, I discovered a session bar near my workplace and started going there regularly. There, I’d just drink and play my favorite guitars. I’d go out for drinks, sing, and play. Even so, I made lots of friends, including people much older than me. And most importantly, I met the important partner I now live with there.
We have many mutual friends, so we visit each other’s homes and go on trips together. As we approach the latter half of our lives, I truly feel blessed to have built such relationships.
Unlike sports, music is something you can actively pursue your entire life. And since it’s difficult to expand your expressive range alone, you often need the support of other parts. In that context, playing together means sharing the same tension, which naturally brings people closer.
I believe pursuing music has a high potential to enrich your life. Why not make friends through music?
[Message for International Readers] Music is a universal language that connects us all. My journey started with a modest Japanese acoustic guitar, and it led me to the fascinating world of “Made in Japan” (MIJ) vintage guitars. Whether you play a high-end masterpiece or a simple vintage find, the joy of creating music is something I truly cherish. I hope my stories inspire your musical journey too.
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