Guess who I saw today? That's right! Fuji-san! I took this picture through the window of a bullet train to Nagoya... a few seconds after all of us scrambled from our seats to the doors for the perfect view. The mountain takes your breath away at first glimpse. It absolutely dwarfs all the other mountains in the area. It is majestic, graceful, and utterly awe inspiring.

It's definitely been awhile since my last post. I've had so many amazing experiences and I've been video blogging as well. I hope to get the videos up on here soon. In the past few weeks I've visited Aomori, Yokohama, Tokorozawa, Nirasaki, Iwata, and Kariya. We travel often. Yesterday we shared a car on a bullet train with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. They are touring Japan for two weeks. Such an interesting coincidence.

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I saw just a glimpse of Mount Fuji and almost cried. It towers.

Life is so sweet right now. Just the sweetest. More to follow. Much more.

Declaration

It's official. I'm in love with Japan. It's a clean and quiet Country full of humble people who welcome you with a warmth and dignity that is unprecedented.

A single emergency siren sears through the stillness of even a city night like a knife. Well-dressed folk swarm like bees in Shibuya, yet nobody runs into anybody. The people take immense pride in how they dress and it's clear that every part of the body is cared for.

The diet, though difficult for a Westerner to adjust to, is based on 100 different kinds of food/week. 30 different kinds of food/day. And GALLONS of green tea. The people have amazing skin and are overall extremely healthy. The life expectancy is 5 years longer here than in America and I'm finding out why. The Japanese know how to live healthily. It's part of their culture. Self-care, food-intake, meditation, volunteerism, and any and all mental and technological advancement for the betterment of society is what seems to be the way. Respect for the elderly, and an apologetic nature have made an incredible impression on me thus far, and I'm sure I'll uncover more and more as I become familiar with the language. (Which by the way, as I learn, sounds like French to me. Strange and unexpected, but true.) That seems to be part of the theme since we've been here. "Strange and unexpected, but true."

I'm off to find more sushi. Tomorrow we will take a train from Shinjuku to Kamakura for a biking excursion. Hooray for days off. Four, to be exact. Adventure awaits! Opportunities abound!

A Sapporo in Sapporo

Could there be anything better? I cracked open an ice cold can immediately after witnessing a breathtakingly golden view of the sun setting in the mountains from behind the curtains in my darling hotel room. What. A. View.

Landing in Sapporo truly gave me the feeling I have been looking for since I got here. A foreign Country. Finally. Tokyo seemed like a giant New York City to me and though I LOVED it, I had been aching to get out of the city. Flying over the Sea of Japan and into the mountains completely satisfied that itch. Not to mention the butter ramen/miso we so delightfully enjoyed in a hole in the wall noodle shop.

A group of us went out to the Sapporo Bier Garden where they were playing German music from the 50's. Odd, but equally beautiful. There was so. much. meat. Lamb. Too much lamb. And just as much beer. Fun times. Too much fun, for some of us.

One highlight of Sapporo was a little old man on a bike who somehow found several of us in different places throughout the city. He kept saying "hello" and staring and waving at us as he passed by. Waiting for us to say hello back. I had an image of myself as an old lady, riding a bike down the streets of some U.S. city saying "Ohayo Gozaimasu!" to any Japanese people I passed by. Not quite as charming. Not quite.

We are now on our second bus of the day, heading into Sendai after a short flight from Sapporo. They welcomed the company of Disney on Classic on the plane over the PA. Very sweet.

Something interesting about Japan. They love their 7 elevens. I mentioned to one of the girls, Jen, that it makes me feel right at home. She then added, "Yeah, only you're not worried about getting shot." Sad, but true.

Japan is very safe. Mothers and Fathers leave their babies in cribs in the bathrooms while they go in the stall. Amazing. Also, they are very quiet people. I feel like a fog horn when I laugh... EVERYONE looks at me. Embarassing.

We are about to get to the hotel so that's it for now. Much more to follow!

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

After an amazing opening in Chofu City complete with a dazzling bouquet of flowers from my parents and a young woman literally sobbing in the front row during our bows, we are on our way. We took a bullet train to Nagoya yesterday morning, had two shows there... and took a bullet back to Tokyo (Shinjuku) where we have been since we arrived. It was raining yesterday and we were so busy, I had little time to do much more than crash on my futon, get in a cab, rehearse, and perform. We have a lengthy sound-check and rehearsal before EVERY performance, which is new to me, but I actually really like it. I treat rehearsal as though the Tokyo Philharmonic is giving me and my new friends our own private concert.

Anyway, sorry Nagoya. I didn't see much of you. But that's okay. We're flying North to Sapporo on Tuesday... where I will most certainly enjoy a glass of my favorite beer as well as, I'm sure, a tour of the brewery.

The bullet train was kind of cool. We were traveling at around 200mph. I saw some exquisite looking temples and beautiful mountains in the mist. The quote, "faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain" popped into my head. I thought I'd like to see those mountains move in the mist. Totally cracked myself up. Dancing mountains in the mist. I AM on a Disney tour. Though I didn't see the big guy, Fujiyama, yet... I know I will on one of our days off. I am very much looking forward to that.

Speaking of Disney, Beauty and the Beast has to be one of the most poignantly touching stories in the archives. I cry every single time I sing the title song. Not only because of the angelic sound of a Philharmonic Orchestra (come on!) supporting me, but simply, the transformational power of true love. We are love, but this world with it's hardships can harden us in ways we don't even realize. We give this life the power to turn us into either one, Beauty or the Beast. No matter how ugly we think or anyone else thinks we can get, the beauty, the love... is within us all... just waiting to be shown the truth. Metaphors within metaphors. What a story.

Tomorrow we will play Ichikawa city. We will travel from the hotel by bus. It looks like it should take an hour to get there. I look forward to every performance, especially after seeing how deeply moved these people are by what we do. What makes it even more special for me, is the humility of the realization that I am only a small part of this show. Everyone I'm with has a different function, like organs of the same body... all integral but all unique, including the musicians, the producers, our incredible conductor, the managers, even every member of the audience. Unlike a theatrical experience where there is a fourth wall, we get to look people in the eye. We become one. It's the string theory. I witness it in motion.

After our show today, we did a "fan greeting" for maybe 20 people out of the 2,500 people in the audience. Some of them were in tears or shaking... just to have a picture taken with us. I couldn't help but feel that my soul was valued in some profound way. Somehow our expression of spirit is something they value enough to cry over. To fuss about. Where? When did I stop thinking of myself as that? How could I not look at them and see a mirror. They are me and I am them. The miracle of humanity. In valuing me, they also value themselves... and vice-versa. I embrace the people of Japan with open arms. In doing so, I am certain I will learn once again, to embrace myself.

We had our "dress rehearsal" tonight. I realized with tears in my eyes how lucky I was to be sitting on stage with some of the most talented musicians in Japan, a country where being a musician means playing an instrument like you were born with it. Holding a foreign object in your hand and turning it into a perfectly brilliant and powerful expression of the human soul. It is clearly evident that these people spend more time with their instruments than anything or anyone else in this world. The amount of practice and heart they put into the precision of sound and truth is beyond imaginable. Every note is crystal clear. The dynamics are astounding. The music soars, and I am transformed.

In a swell of music, I find myself in a storm of memories. I am a little girl in love with the sounds and waves of blended notes. My childhood was spent collecting the sounds of souls in the form of music. It is truly a gift to be doing the music of Disney in this concert tour. The very first solos I ever loved enough to sing were from the Disney movies. My heart is long last at ease knowing that so many people will experience these stories of sound with me. I used to torture my best friend Natalie by filling all of our girl time with song after song and lengthy explanations of what was so perfect about every one. What a darling friend she was to listen so intently and respond with patience and love.

I cried at the sound of our first violin player, Takashi Aoki San, playing his solo in "When You Wish Upon a Star" ... It was a beauty so pure and so present, I could feel his soul speaking through his strings. It happens every time he plays. I feel divinity in the sound through his fingers. Like an angel speaking. You cannot help but be captivated, forget anything but what you are hearing, and be filled with the greatest sense of peace and awe you could imagine. How lucky are we that we can witness this?? I have certainly been given a gift in the experience of hearing these musicians every night. I cannot believe they will be behind me. I simply cannot believe it.

I have been transformed. This music. It is who I am. I am never looking back.