You can take the girl out of the country...

I'm sure that when you picture Japan, country music and cowboys are about the last thing that come to mind. But believe it or not, country music has its own share of followers in a country that takes dressing up and "acting the part" to an art, but only in groups, of course... and just think of line-dancing... what better same-same dance is there?

OK, I'll admit it... I'm not a big fan of country music. I mean, I'll belt out the occasional Shania or Dixie Chicks song at karaoke (and for your die-hard country fans out there, I know they don't even really count) but that's about the extent of it.

But likes and dislikes aside, the biggest country music festival in Japan just happens to take place once a year in my very own part of Japan. Seriously, people come from all over the country to wear their cowboy hats and rejoice in their own adapted style of Americana. I've missed out on the COUNTRY GOLD FESTIVAL the last two years, so I figured this was my last chance to check out all the Japanese cowboys and cowgirls and honor my "roots," a bit, too. The festival was all day on Sunday and even included fireworks at the end.
The festival is organized by a man named "Charlie" Nagatani (aka "Good Time Charlie" in the country music world.) He's a country music guru of his own right in Japan and this was the 18th year of Country Gold. He has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and has toured the U.S. He is even an honorary citizen of 13 U.S. states! He even has his own Jim Beam label (displayed by this cute Japanese guy who I kept flirting with at the festival!) For more about the man behind the music, check out http://members.at.infoseek.co.jp/NBAC/News/october22_2000.html or http://www.countrygold.net/charlie/ (even though that seems to be the 2005 Country Gold website, not 2006.)

Charlie also happens to be a graduate from my high school (he actually performed there last year, and I was asked to introduce him on stage. The students weren't sure what to make of the music at first, since it was the first time some of them had really listened to country, but before long, they were getting into it. He owns a country music bar downtown that my friends and I have been known to drop in at from time to time.



COUNTRY GOLD is held at Mt. Aso, technically an active volcano, though you'd never know it from the beautiful green backdrop. There were 4 American bands that Charlie brought over: Moot Davis, The Grascals, Cowboy Crush, and The Charlie Daniels Band. I don't know if they're "big names" back home or not, but the Japanese fans loved them here.

As you can see, the people there definitely got into the country-western look, from the boots to hats, and some even had holsters for their cell phones!

Miss Montana Rodeo Queen was even there, promoting U.S. beef, so it was a nice Japan-America friendship event.

It was, by far, one of the most surreal things I have experienced in Japan. It felt like I had been transported to another place... this was definitely not the Japan I knew but so interesting all the same. Aside from the music and food, it also felt very "American" with all the open space and kids and dogs running about and people just relaxing on the grass. All that was missing were some horses. Yee-haw!!!