Isshi's Passing

I'm sure everyone has heard the news, and I'm very sorry about it.

Isshi is a very big influence on me, as you know, and will forever remain as the inspiration to my calling of spreading and preserving Japanese culture.  He was an extremely talented person and a very intelligent, interesting, creative, and artistic musician and performer.  He has always remained constant in his beliefs and eager happiness to share with everyone his poetry, voice, and knowledge about Japan. 

I still wish to continue his message, and owe him very much through his music which has helped me through some extremely dark times in my life.  I will always consider him a dear friend.

I have not updated recently because I was working on an entry on him, in fact, but that will have to wait; I don't think now is the right time.  But I will keep writing about him.  I will work even harder to continue spreading his message and his memory through all that I write.  That message, his life, and his talent should be remembered, and I give all credit to my aspiring occupation of "folklorist" to the all the brilliant and hard work that he shared with the world.

It has been said before, by another Japanese writer of great prestige and exquisite talent, that,

"A silent death is an endless word."

It is always there, waiting to be spoken, and will remain forever.  Isshi himself has often stressed that his spirit is encapsulated in his lyrics and his songs.  Please continue to listen, please continue to keep him alive, because he will always remain where the melody is heard. 

The Supreme Essence of Neo-Japanesque, the truth behind words and spirits, the wholeness of Isshi and Kagrra, and Japan remain rooted firmly like the sakura trees.  While the cherry blossoms bloom for only a short time, and we look at them in awe and reverence, feeling some mixture of envy and thanks for the beautiful and violent way they have burst into bloom, so too do they violently strip themselves from the trees and scatter in the wind.  Beauty and life fade, but the sakura choose to fall on their own, flying around us like butterflies returning home, the image of which has become an ideal for the Japanese life, an eternal symbol of Japanese culture. 

The world Isshi flies through must look glorious.

He will never fade away and he will be missed sorely.

私の生きてきた鬼の街はとても寂しくて、

果てない痛みから遠く遠く遠く逃げたくて、、、。

I'll see you again in the next life.

ええ、一志様。 次に会うのは、境なき世です。