You're allowed to hold on. Swaying is the beautiful part.
Every Japanese family name means something. Fujii is wisteria and a well.
Kobayashi is a small grove. Nakayama is halfway up a mountain.
For each name we research where it came from, then write one original song that never explains the meaning —
it moves the meaning into a scene you could walk into today. A commuter train at dusk. A stairwell landing.
The moment before applause starts.
So far, 8 Japanese family names have a song.
Once the Japanese series passes 10 songs, we may take the same approach to names from the United States, China and India — research where the name came from, move it into a scene, and write one song that belongs to it.
