English Blog

Prayer for New Year December 27, 2019

May God make your year a happy one! Not by shielding us from all sorrows and pain, But by strengthening us to bear it, as it comes; Not by making our path easy, But by making us sturdy to travel any path; Not by taking hardships from us, But by taking fear from our heart; […]

A Movie “Parasite” 12/27/19 December 27, 2019

“Parasite” is a 2019 South Korean black comedy/thriller/social justice movie. But most importantly it is very entertaining! It is about the two families, Park – typical rich and high-class family, and Kim – smart, but living in a horrible condition. With some coincidence those families are brought together and Kim family sees it as an […]

A Movie “Knives Out” 12/18/19 December 18, 2019

Are you looking for a good holiday movie? This is the one to watch.  I love this kind of humor and twisty wit. It is so perfect. Do you like “mystery” ? Do you like “comedy”? It is a parody of Agatha Christie, but it is very sophisticated. It is not just a parody. When […]

A Movie “Citizen K” 12/7/19 December 7, 2019

What do we believe? It is up to us. I don’t want to discuss about any politics. I was born in Japan, and will die as a Japanese wherever I will be. And I feel very lucky in that position. The enigmatic case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once believed to be the wealthiest man – amass a fortune […]

Norton Simon Museum “By Day & by Night: Paris in the Belle Époque” exhibition 11/29/19 November 29, 2019

I attended the lecture and the exhibition at Norton Simon Museum. This museum is 15 minutes from my house by car, and it is so nice to enjoy their beautiful garden as well as the museum. LA offers a lot to do, including a famous traffic war!, and museums are ones of great assets in […]

A Movie “Pain and Glory” 10/31/19 October 31, 2019

It is a fantastic movie. Human being is vulnerable and precious. How wonderful we are! It is a biographic (not a true story) movie of a celebrated director, Pedro Almodóvar. He wrote and directed this movie. Every so often in “Pain and Glory, ”Salvador Mallo (Antonio Banderas), a film director in his physical decline, closes his […]

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat Major, K. 271, “Jeunehomme” 10/15/2019 October 15, 2019

I have been practicing and polishing Mozart’s concerto No. 9, which is one of the first master works by Mozart, for the opening concert of 2019-2020 3rd@1st concert series. I have been trying to play with perky and transparent sound, and with true finger legato. It is not easy. It requires a great care for […]

2019-2020 3rd@1st Season 9/16/2019 September 16, 2019

2019-2020 season will make our concert series for 6th season! This year’s offerings run the gamut: from Mozart to Jazz, from Paris to Broadway. Featuring my musician friends and visiting artists from the community and beyond, the concerts are presented in the inspiring surroundings of the beautiful First United Methodist Church of Pasadena’s historic building. […]

Movie “Honeyland” 8/26/19 August 26, 2019

It is a sad and heartbreaking documentary movie, but shows a dignity, sublimity, and tenderness in human’s life. Hatidze Muratova is apparently the last of Macedonia’s nomadic beekeepers, who uses an ancient method. This movie does not tell us too much. It gives us moment to imagine, feel and think. We hear constantly bees’ buzzing […]

An Animation Movie “Mirai” 8/26/19 August 26, 2019

4-year-old boy, named Kun, feels forgotten by his parents when his little sister Mirai (It means “future” in Japanese) arrives. Kun-chan (Little Kun) thought his little sister is stealing all of attention from his family. He feels neglected. His world is different.. Mirai is cute and everybody pays attention to her. As his mother returns […]