Seeing violinist Narimichi Kawabata in the spotlight at a concert, people often believe him to be one of the lucky few who have made a career out of what they love.

The 29-year-old, however, says that it was by sheer chance that he became a violinist and that it took nearly 20 years of practice, day in and day out.

"I never thought to pursue it as an occupation. For me, playing the violin is more like going through a difficult time than being happy."