In Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture Oct. 15, Shuntaro Tanikawa read such scatological, contemporary poems as "Onara (Fart)" and "Unko (Crap)" from his collection "Hadaka" (the English edition, "Naked," is jointly published by Stone Bridge Press and Saru Press).
Tanikawa performed his poetry with the jazz band Diva first, then singer Mariko Takase sang the poems in clear and elegant Japanese, making the poems even more enjoyable and listenable. Takase's reading of Tanikawa's poem "Tobu (To Fly)" exhibited her powers of interpretation and exquisite intonation. On piano for Diva was Tanikawa's son, Kensaku.
By coincidence, editor and poet Jerome Rothenberg had a few readings in Naha, with a number of Okinawan poets and singer Shokichi Kina at Kina's live house. To enhance the mini-Renaissance of poetry in Okinawa, Yoshimasu Gozo also did readings there a few nights earlier. Though originally Gozo and Rothenberg were to collaborate on performances together, Gozo only had time to interview Rothenberg for an upcoming issue of the poetry journal Eureka.