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Ken Koshio has for many years dreamed of touring the original
Route 66. He loved America, because she gave him the love of
music. He wanted to fully experience America, her people, and
to share his own music along the way. His desire to tour Route
66 started off as a very simple dream, but it soon became so
much more. Ken said his tour plans were originally quite
selfish. "Only thinking of me," as he put it. But
after September 11, 2001, the tour took on a new meaning. It
wasn't just about him anymore, it was about the victims of
9-11 and all the others for whom he wanted to give back to. He
wanted to give back to America a gift-- a gift of peace,
healing, and hope. Ken will be performing his inspirational
music across America, and he will deliver 1,000 paper cranes
to the city of New York, paper cranes folded by the many
caring volunteers here in Los Angeles. His tour will begin on
August 6th and will follow the original Route 66 from Los
Angeles to Chicago, and then he will continue on to New York,
where he will deliver the 1,000 cranes at ground zero on
September 11, 2002. Why 1,000 cranes? Ken originally wanted to organize a fund-raiser for the victims of 9-11, but he quickly realized that so many complications could arise with so many people suspicious nowadays of mishandling of funds. Ken wanted to avoid such problems, so instead he wanted to deliver a gift that was powerful, heartfelt, and made by everyday people. He wanted to deliver 1,000 paper cranes, a traditional Japanese gift symbolizing peace, healing, and hope. Paper cranes have become this powerful symbol as a result of its connection to a young Japanese girl named Sadako Sasaki, who was born in 1943. Sadako was two years old when the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945. As she grew up, Sadako was a strong, athletic girl. In 1955, at age 11, while practicing for a big race, she became dizzy and fell to the ground. Sadako was diagnosed with Leukemia, "the atom bomb" disease. Sadako's best friend told her of an old Japanese legend which said that anyone who folds 1,000 paper cranes would be granted a wish. Sadako hoped that the gods would grant her a wish to get well so that someday she could run again. She started to diligently work on the paper cranes and completed over 1,000 before dying on October 25, 1955 at the age of twelve. What so powerfully moved people is that Sadako, through all her pain and suffering, never, never gave up and always held on to hope. And that is what we all should do-- hold on to hope. The Thousand Cranes Tour will begin on August 6th, the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, in honor of those who have suffered in Japan. And Ken will be delivering 1,000 papers cranes on September 11th, the anniversary of the World Trade Center disaster, in honor of those who have suffered here in America. From the ashes of so much pain and suffering, came a little girl who rose to be a powerful symbol of hope through the simple act of folding paper cranes. Ken hopes this gift of 1,000 cranes will somehow help to bring love, peace, and healing to all our brethren in America and the world. About Ken Koshio. Ken was born and raised in Japan and came to the U.S. four years ago to share his soulful music with America. It wasn't an easy task to accomplish. After all, Japan is a very rigid society where there is immense pressure to become a briefcase-toting "salary man." Being a dutiful son, Ken went to college in Japan and studied economics. But he knew his heart was in the world of music, especially music from America. He was heavily influenced by artists such as Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and John Lennon, to name a few. Ken knew that one of America's greatest gifts to the world was her music. Much of the peace he felt throughout his life was given to him from the melodies arising from the heartland of America. So despite the immense societal and familial pressures to stay in Japan and become a salary man, he came here to follow his dream of visiting America and sharing with her a few soulful melodies of his own. |
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