But as I was facing the mid teenage-crisis, I knew I needed to grasp onto something more meaningful than all those ordinary super rock groups (or whatever) were singing about.

Then I heard KANSAS. I think I was around 14 years old then. I was already playing in a rock band and soon, I began playing KANSAS songs. Looking back, I realize how much KANSAS had influenced my life. I saw them at BUDOKAN in 1980 for the first time and I can recall those moments vividly. A couple years later, I moved to frenzied LA, California....America.

I got stuck in there for a while. Well, 14 years to be exact. And all the crazy times I had to go through....Just when I started getting sick of what was around on the music scene in LA back then, KANSAS got back on the track. I was able to catch them every time they played there.

In '96, I decided to come back to Japan. Just a couple of months before my departure, KANSAS did two nights with STYX at the Greek. I was there thinking " This is the farewell...". But as soon as I arrived in TOKYO, it was announced that KANSAS would perform in Japan for the first time in 16 years at the end of that year ! So that night in Kawasaki, I was in front screaming before Phil Ehart grabbed his sticks. That was the 9th Kansas show I had atteneded. Definitely one of the best.

Well, looking back, I realize KANSAS changed my life.

This site is my sincere dedication to the greatest rock band ever. And I hope my efforts will help the Japanese fans understand the meaning of the KANSAS songs (the lyrics are interpreted to Japanese).

At last, I'd like to thank all the member sin the band. Especially, Mr.KERRY LIVGREN who replied and encouraged me as to the uploading my own interpretation of the lyrics.

HOW　KANSAS IS PERCEIVED HERE IN JAPAN

Since this site has been introduced world wide, I have received questions about how the music of KANSAS is perceived here in Japan from curious fans. Here are some ofthe questions and answers from what I have surveyd.

Q:How do the lyrics of Kansas, which reflect such an "American"mentality, translate into a different culture.?

A:Not too many fans seem to get bothered by the contents of the lyrics. That's one of the reasons why I started this whole thing. But to explain why KANSAS is still respected as one of the greatest American progressive rock bands here, the fans would say, the ability to perform such intricate music is amazing and the orchestration alone is worth the devotion. And the voice of Steve Walsh (time and time again I hear the fans talk about Steve losing his trade-mark high tone, but to me... so what?) is the main attraction. So even the fans who've stuck with the band for so long might not have paid attention to the meaning of the lyrics at all (the same can be said to any other band's music).

Q:How do Kerry Livgren's Christian lyrics go over in what I understand as being primarilya Shinto nation?

A:Again, the Japanese fans would not hear the message behind music. Most of them are not even aware that Kerry is Christian or even religious. And even though Japanese are known to be Shinto believers in the western world, in everyday life, most of the people here don't deal with such notion(existance and influence of god are something Japanese don't deal with). Shinto suggests that there's a spirit even in the spoken words, but it's such an ancient belief and Japanese are not that old-fashioned. One can say that Japanese are realistically non-religious (I'm writing this just a couple of days before Christmas, well the excitement is here but not the spirit of it at all...). After all, Christian lyrics are taken in more effortlessly than the belief itself in Japan.

Q:How does the myth of Icarus translate into the Japanese culture? Is there a comparable myth in Japanese history?

A:Japanese have been trying to catch up with the western nations ever since finding out how behind Japan was (say, back in the mid-late 19th century). Thus still today, people here are willing to learn the western culture in all aspects. The Greek myths are probably more popular than Japanese ones. Yet in this academic society, the literature (especially foreign) is studied as record and its substantiality may be lost.... And yes, if you look, there are some comparable legends in Japan. A friend of mine has found this myth in an old story book (special thanks to UNOTAN).

---Back in the era of the Tenchi Emperor,this notable mechanic was sent over to China to improve his skills.After his days of duty over there were done, the Chinese emperorstill kept him near by because he was too useful to let go. The mechanic was worried about his aging mother left alone in Japan,so he told his wife. She comforted him with kind words but advised him to stay. Soon he started building a wooden bird in dedicationto the Chinese Emperor. When it was completed, he rode the wooden bird instead of giving it away and flew back to Japan.....<Ancientstory from TSUKIKARUMOSHUU>---

The story is comparable, yet it might not be exactly a myth. I understand that the Greek (and other) myths deal with the notion of God and not too many Japanese ancient stories do. Other acquaintance wrote; to Japanese, it's the spirit of all substance as Shinto suggests found in the Japanese myths, thus the comparison is not easy.

Q:How many times has KANSAS performed in Japan?

A:KANSAS' first visit to Japan was back in 1980. The dates:1/11- Osaka, 1/13-Fukuoka, 1/14-Osaka,1/15-Nagoya, 1/16-Tokyo. Unfortunately many of the equipments were destroyed upon the shipping by the typhoon, so they played with rented gears. And the audience didn't know and couldn't tell (Yes,I was there !). Then 16 years later the band did 2 days (Okinawa and Kawasaki) in '96. And earlier this year ('99) the played 5 nights (3/10-Osaka, 3/11-Nagoya, 3/12-Shizuoka, 3/14-Kawasaki, 3/15-Tokyo). So KANSAS has played a dozen of times here in Japan so far and they were also invited to play at the base in Okinawa for the millennium party, on 12/31/99 (but not not for the public).

I presented ''the 20th anniversary show of KANSAS' first show in Japan'' in the August 2000. 2 KANSAS tribute bands of Japan played along with my accoustic performance. We, the KANSAS freaks of Japan, will carry on the legacy ....