BY TSIN NING LAU
Have you ever found yourself transported back to your past memories simply by listening to a song from your formative years? That’s how I feel every time I listen to Japanese singer-songwriter, YUI’s songs. Her songs conjure up memories of one of my best trips — my pre-exchange trip around Japan. She navigated an era of EDM and JPOP songs with summer bops, ballads about the melancholy of leaving her hometown for a new life and pop songs with addictive hooks. Full of apprehension about travelling to a new place amongst unfamiliar people, and dreading the start of yet another long-distance relationship, her songs comforted me and became the playlist of my trip.
LAUGH AWAY
I first arrived in Okinawa, an island off the coast of Japan. On one of the days, my travel companions and I decided to head to Mihama America Village. A quick Google search will show you that the village is a large, American-themed outdoor mall featuring shops, restaurants, a cinema and a Ferris wheel, which doesn’t sound particularly enticing for broke students in their first week in Japan. After spending less than half an hour in the mall, browsing a handful of stores half-heartedly, we headed towards Mihama Beach. Wandering aimlessly, we stumbled upon a high school baseball team practicing at a nearby baseball court. Locals would’ve walked past them without a second thought, but baseball fields are practically non-existent in my home country and the fact that I could watch a common scene out of a typical Japanese drama play out in real life was too good of an opportunity to be missed.
A couple of girls noticed us from afar — I guess they don’t usually get many foreign spectators and we stood out like a sore thumb. They were hyped and kept waving to us, shouting, “Hello, where are you from?” in an exuberant tone so characteristic of teenage girls. With us in the audience seats and them on the field, we replied with some simple phrases in English. Our conversation was punctuated with much giggling and internal whispering on their part, oblivious that we could understand Japanese. Their energy was electric and infectious and, in that moment, I felt an instant connection. I didn’t know their names and wouldn’t be able to recognize them even if we met again, but we shared the same sense of excitement in meeting people we would never have crossed paths with.
見上げたら ヒコーキ雲 明日へと消えた
逸れそうな get away, get away
情熱を get away, get away
逃がさないように 手を伸ばして
ちっぽけな事に悩んじゃって
とにかく君に会いたくなった yeah
そう 笑って そっと 笑って laugh away
そう 笑って いつも 笑って
窓のそと 海がすぐだよなんて 話してた
だから あの場所あたり? 同じ “今” 感じている
目の前に広がる景色を
忘れてはいけない気がした
いつだって 負けないように
Never mind, never mind 落ち込んだら
Yeah, yeah ここに来て 風に吹かれたい
(lyrics from LAUGH AWAY by YUI)
The setting seemed like a scene out of <Laugh Away>, against the backdrop of blue skies and the nearby sea. Despite it being banal and part of their everyday life, the scene etched itself into my memory and gave me an added spring in my step, invigorating me for the rest of the trip.
***
DRIVING HAPPY LIFE
After a few more uneventful days in Okinawa, my travel companions and I embarked on a 25-hour boat ride to Yakushima, an island off the shore of Kagoshima. It was famous for the forest that inspired Princess Mononoke and could be reached via plane or ferry. On the day after arrival, we decided to split up to take whichever hiking path we wanted before regrouping for dinner. One of my travel companions and I decided to take the same trail, the Shiratani Unsuikyo trek; it wasn’t too difficult for novices like us, but would allow us to take a peek into the nature Yakushima had to offer. We had to hurry; the last bus would leave at 4.30 pm. Alas, we found ourselves caught up in deer sightings, the entrancing cedar forest, and the more-treacherous-than-expected trail, making it back to the bus stop only at 4.40 pm. The road down the hill was winding and would take at least an hour if we chose to walk. That was hardly feasible considering we had just completed a 4-hour hike. While we were still weighing our options (or lack thereof), we spotted a Japanese guide with a man who seemed to be a tourist walking towards their car. We exchanged glances.
“We could hitch a ride.”
“I don’t mind if you don’t mind doing the asking.”
Forgetting that my friend spoke close to no Japanese, the responsibility of saving us an hour and getting the easy way out fell onto my shoulders. I was the archetypal Asian who was too reserved to raise my hand in class, let alone hitchhike; yet, my hurting feet and clammy body made me desperate. And so I did.
“すみません、最終バスが出てしまいました… (Excuse me, the last bus left…)”
“乗るか (Do you want a ride)?”
They said yes with an ease that made me feel silly to dread asking in the first place.
夏の冒険よ 借りた車で
真剣ドライヴ 気分最高
窓開けたら 想い出したの
今年も野外フェス
楽しくなりそうだ
初めての湾岸線走る
高速の入り口で
迷ってる場合じゃない
Happy life いいでしょ?
何処へだって行けるんだ
Happy days そうでしょ?
うまくゆかない日だってあるけど
Driving happy life
(lyrics from DRIVING HAPPY LIFE by YUI)
What would have been a 1-hour walk became a 10-minute car ride past lush greenery peppered with friendly small talk. Turns out the guide was a hāfu (multiracial) and spoke fluent English. We quickly strike up a rapport with them since my travel companion was also a hāfu in a foreign land. Sometimes life veers you off course, and you simply have to drive forth. Until now, it remains the only time I’ve hitchhiked and is now a treasured memory of an unexpected road trip.
***
SEA
As much as the other legs of the trip were a rhapsodic adventure, the trip wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t visit Fukuoka. Fukuoka is YUI’s hometown where many of her songs were written and released. It was my most anticipated leg of the trip and it did not disappoint. There was something romantic about being there — I passed by places where she used to busk, work part-time, and the sights and sounds she was exposed to everyday. I wondered how her life was like and what she went through the day she wrote certain songs. One thing I knew for sure was that she wrote about Shingu Beach in one of my favourites, <Sea>. Word has it that she grew up playing on the beach and although it was not an attraction or a particularly accessible beach, we were curious enough to plan a visit. The song immediately spoke to me once we arrived. The beach was near a residential area and completely empty during the time when we were there.
ひまわりが咲く季節になったなら
会いにゆこう 会いにゆこう ah ah
優しくなれる
あの海は今でも窓から見えますか?
みんな みんな 元気ですか? ah ah
…
砂浜を 裸足で駆け回っていた
嬉しくて 嬉しくて ah ah
歌を口ずさんだ
ふるさとの 空を見上げたりしてますか?
忘れてた 忘れてた ah ah
(lyrics from SEA by YUI)
Walking along the stretch of sand, with <Sea> enveloping my senses and waves rhythmically caressing the shore beside me, it lent me a much-needed peace — grounding me. As the conclusion of the journey drew near, a surge of confidence washed over me, reassuring that I had the resilience to navigate my long-distance relationship successfully and flourish in an unfamiliar setting.
***
GOODBYE DAYS
Starting with upbeat tracks and after transitioning to a soothing ballad, this playlist crescendoed to its finale on our last night in Fukuoka with YUI’s arguably signature tune — <Goodbye Days>. We found ourselves in a yatai (shop stand), which is a small outdoor food store that usually sits seven to eight people, and slotted ourselves in between the locals. The atmosphere was friendly, and they could tell we were foreigners who knew a smidgeon of Japanese. Turns out they were regulars at this yatai and were celebrating the birthday of the salary man sitting next to me. They were cordial and friendly and not creepy at all, albeit drunk and quite loud. The lady seated two seats away from me was the most sober of the lot and seemed genuinely curious about where we were from and what we were doing there. Out of the blue, she asked us whether we listened to Jpop.
“好きな歌手はいるの? (Do you have a favourite singer?)”
Taken by surprise but very eager to delve into a conversation about this, I replied, “YUI.”
“わたしの 旦那 は YUIの プロデューサーだよ(My husband is YUI’s producer)。”
My eyes went wide. I was flabbergasted. Japan had already given me so much in a short week and we suddenly found ourselves three degrees of separation from YUI. It felt like a full-circle moment and a perfect end to the trip. 
だからいま 会いにゆく そう決めたんだ
ポケットの この曲を 君に聴かせたい
そっとヴォリュームを上げて
確かめてみたよ
Oh Good-bye days いま 変わる気がする
昨日までに so long
かっこよくない優しさがそばにあるから
La la la la la
With you
片方の イヤフォンを 君に渡す
ゆっくりと 流れ込む この瞬間
(lyrics from GOODBYE DAYS by YUI)
***
Before retiring for the night, I called my boyfriend and despite the long distance, we didn’t feel far apart. The struggles that I imagined I would face seemed miniscule and silly. Throughout the trip, the people we’d met had been endlessly welcoming without being overbearing. I found comfort in so many strangers and uncomfortable situations and all my insecurities and doubts about committing to an exchange program dissipated. And now with this playlist, I will carry my memories and experiences from this trip for many years to come.
TSIN NING LAU is a full-time translator, part-time aerial hammock fanatic living in Singapore who enjoys doing crafts and spending time near the sea with her collection of rainbow floats and picnic paraphernalia.
