Today I went into one of the music stores in town to do some research on how much a clarinet would cost. While waiting to see the instrument a Asian looking guy who was paying for something at the counter next to me and we started talking. We were joking about needing to live on noodles after purchasing expensive instruments and I told him that this clarinet was not even coming close to my shamisen.
He stared at me for a second and then startled me with saying "you play the shamisen? So do I." It turned out he's Japanese and has some kind of shamisen, but the skin has been peeling of and he hasn't played it for the last year.
By then I got the clarinet and needed to focus on the purchase. I walked out as a proud owner of a new Yamaha clarinet and with a new friend.
We went over to the park by our church and sat down on a bench and continued talking. He told me he moved over to Sweden from Japan with his parents a couple of years ago, when his father was offered work. When his parents moved back he decided to stay, because he had all his friends in Sweden and wanted to continue living here.
I showed him some photos and videos from this years trip to Japan and the bachido gathering. It was funny to realize I knew more about shamisen and the culture around it than he did. We talked for almost an hour and I got his business card. I invited him to Bachido, so I hope he'll find his way there!
Yet another shamisen player, in the town that I live in. What a total surprise! Life sure goes in mysterious ways!
A little chat in a music store with a stranger. I'm happy I'm not of the shy type. :P
