On May 17, Shamisen Jack brought Steve—who is also a director at Ronin Gallery in New York—to Shiozawa’s studio. Ronin Gallery is a New York-based gallery dedicated to introducing Japanese and East Asian artists to the United States. Steve is so well-versed in traditional Japanese culture that he has even set up a tea room inside a building in Manhattan.

Jack had met Steve over ten years ago, but he said they bumped into each other for the first time in ten years when he was riding his bike on a street in Kyoto and Steve was walking toward him.

Shiozawa also met Kumi and Steve at the temple in Kyoto where he first began creating Buddhist paintings more than 10 years ago. They later attended one of Shiozawa’s events, so this reunion marks their first meeting in about three years.

Just like they did ten years ago, they listened intently to the explanation of Shiozawa’s latest work today.

Even if we first met under completely different circumstances, people with whom we share a strong bond will inevitably find their way back to each other, no matter how many years have passed.

Jack and Shiozawa performed their duo “Shakuson Babe” for the first time for Kumi and Steve

Kumi, Steve, and their close friends—Yoshihide Hirayama and Asako Yamamoto from the design firm Modern Antenna—joined us for dinner. Since they are both musicians and designers, we had a lively conversation about the arts.

Asako Yamamoto is well known for her work with the band The Dkuros.

Today, everyone who reunited rejoiced in their own inevitable encounters.