I just returned from my annual January jaunt to Japan. I go there every January to do shows and signings for my Japanese Agent, High Spirits & Yu. I find it interesting because being from New York, the big cities in Japan are the only place in the world i can travel to and actually be overhelmed by the congestion and architechture and sheer magnitude. Nagoya is incredible…with these tall skyscrapers and all the people!

I did three shows in three days….two at the Mitsugoshi Department Store in Nagoya and one at the Takashimaya in Tokyo.  Most of the high end art shows happen in department stores in Japan – very high end places with an incredible clientele. They had to give out numbers to people so they didn’t have to wait on line for hours to get my signature. They were able to go shopping while they waited for their numbers to be called.

The highlight of my trip had to be meeting this one fan in Tokyo. His name was Shu-To. He spoke English and told me that he was also an artist and that he had created a present for me. From behind his back, he whipped out the coolest looking airbrushed T-shirt! I was impressed. Really neat! He and his buddies own an airbrush shop and you can see more of their work at www.clowns-entertainment.com.

I never return from my trips to Japan without an interesting story to tell. It’s always an adventure. I’m looking forward to my next trip in March.

Enjoy!

–Charles