Japan Tour ’26 – Chapter 8: “Hinooka Day Service Center”
Leave a comment
There is a building in Yamashina that I have walked past many times during our visits to Kyoto. I first noticed it during our trip last year, while walking along the streets of this neighborhood that has become so special to us.
Through its large windows, I could see groups of elderly people sitting together, sometimes talking, sometimes participating in activities. I always wondered what kind of place it was, but for some reason, I never stopped to find out.
This year, during one of our walks around Yamashina, I finally decided to take a closer look. I discovered that the building was the Hinooka Day Service Center, a place where elderly people spend part of their day receiving care, participating in activities and enjoying time together.
And immediately, an idea came to mind: what if we offered to play a little concert for them before leaving Kyoto?
We found an email address and wrote to the center, introducing The Kyoto Connection and explaining that we were musicians from Argentina visiting Japan. We told them that we would love to share some music with the people attending the center, simply as a way of giving something back to a neighborhood that has given us so much.
To our delight, they accepted our proposal.
On October 7, Cielo and I arrived at Hinooka Day Service Center with our instruments, ready to perform a small concert of about thirty minutes.
But we were completely unprepared for the welcome we received.
As we entered the room, the residents and staff were waiting for us, waving little Argentinian flags they had prepared especially for our visit. It was such a thoughtful and unexpected gesture that we immediately felt at home.
We set up our instruments and began playing for an audience that listened with incredible attention, warmth and affection. Cielo joined me throughout the performance, and her presence brought a special kind of joy to the room. We shared our music, exchanged smiles and enjoyed one of the most intimate and rewarding performances of our entire tour.
There was something particularly moving about recognizing some of the people I had seen through those windows so many times before. For more than a year, I had walked past that building wondering about the lives of the people inside. Now we were sitting together, sharing music, without needing to speak the same language.
And for the first time, we were on the other side of that window.
After the concert, we had the opportunity to spend a little time with the residents and staff, who continued to make us feel incredibly welcome.
Later, Nomura-san, who had helped us organize the visit, sent me a beautiful message. She told me that both the residents and the staff had become so absorbed in the music that they had completely lost track of time. She also mentioned how much Cielo’s presence had contributed to the warm atmosphere of the afternoon.
I don’t think we could have received a more meaningful compliment.
Throughout this tour, we have performed in cafés, cultural venues, museums, universities and artistic gatherings. Each experience has been different, and each has taught us something about the many ways music can bring people together.
But this small concert at Hinooka Day Service Center reminded me of something particularly important: music doesn’t always need a stage, a large audience or a special occasion. Sometimes all it takes is a room, a few instruments and the willingness to share something with others.
For me, this experience also had a very personal meaning. Yamashina has become one of my favorite places in Kyoto, a neighborhood where I feel an increasingly strong sense of belonging. Being able to offer something to the people who live here, even something as simple as thirty minutes of music, was a wonderful way to express my gratitude.
As our time in Kyoto was coming to an end, this afternoon felt like a particularly beautiful farewell.
I want to sincerely thank Nomura-san and everyone at Hinooka Day Service Center for welcoming us with such kindness, for preparing those wonderful Argentinian flags and for allowing us to share our music with the residents.
And, of course, thank you to everyone who listened, smiled and made us feel that our little concert was something special.
We came to Kyoto to make music, meet people and strengthen our connection with this city. Experiences like this have given that connection a meaning far beyond anything we could have imagined.
We will never forget the afternoon we spent on the other side of that window.
