Nankokita

Sound Messe starts today at 11 so we had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel before we headed over. There was already a line waiting to get in and the doors don’t open for another hour or so. Apart from huge displays of instruments they have a lot of performers here for this event.
The language barrier is a little challenging for us but we manage with hand signs, google translate and the odd helpful stranger who translates for us when we’re desperate.
It was a busy day with lots of interest but the competition is pretty fierce.
It’s been raining most of the afternoon so when the show finished we had a wander through the shopping centre next door to get an umbrella and watch a Beatles tribute show in one of the restaurants there. A four girl band three with guitars and a drummer. They where very good. Graham and I got up and danced for the last song and got a round of applause from the performers and the crowd. 😂

Set off looking for where we could get a drink as this restaurant only had soft drinks and ran into the performers again. More sign language and a bit of confusion and we got some directions to a restaurant up on the next floor.
There was a line to get in and we recognised a few people from the guitar show. All the seats where full and one young girl who seemed to be in charge of either the staff or the customers I wasn’t sure which got everyone at one table to get up so we could sit down.
After about five minutes of us inviting them to join us at this big table they finally relented and some of them sat down with us again.
Half the restaurant seemed to be from the guitar show, the next table had just had a dozens beers delivered, which they insisted we have a couple of.
Suzi who seemed to be their boss introduced them all. They all work at a guitar shop here in Japan. Another couple of Luthiers we’d seen at the show came in and same thing Suzi shooed some of the boys out of the booth to make room.
Then the food started arriving, more and more and more and more beers. It was a fun night with delicious food and some good company.

The second day of Sound Messe was a repeat of the first. Lots of players and interest. No sales for us this year but there weren’t really for anyone except a couple of Luthiers who sold their guitars to a dealer of a music shop, for a very discounted price.
We got everything packed up fairly quickly and ended our night at O’s Kitakan with another great meal of Beer, Sashimi, Kobe beef, Karaage Chicken, Sake and Sweet Potato ice cream.Read more