The Final Echoes of the 2026 Exploration Tour: A 3-Day Wrap Report from the Heart of Tokyo (days 21,22,23)

The Monday after our grand finale at Cloud 9 opened with a beautiful, heavy sense of relief. For the first time in 21 days, there were no charts to review, no soundchecks to rush toward, and no heavy cross-country train schedules to map out. I spent my morning taking a completely relaxed stroll around my familiar base at Otsuka,  dropping into a few local shops to pick up some cool Japanese graphic t-shirts for my kids back home.

Around noon, I hooked up with Johan to make a highly anticipated return trek across the city to the legendary Ishimori Wind Instruments shop in Shinjuku. At the very beginning of our exploration journey, Johan had tested out one of their premier Wood Stone saxophones, and the incredible character of that horn had stayed in the back of his mind through every single tour date. Today was the day to make a definitive choice and officially buy it.

Stepping back inside the pristine, instrument-lined walls of Ishimori for a second time was a fantastic experience. Johan slipped back into the testing rooms to put the horn through its paces one last time, checking the action, resonance, and response to ensure everything was absolutely perfect. While the shop staff prepared the paperwork and dialed in the final adjustments on his new saxophone, we decided to take a break and find a local sushi spot nearby for a late lunch. Sitting down to a beautifully fresh spread of classic Tokyo nigiri and maki after weeks of hot ramen and heavy bistro food felt incredibly clean and grounding. We took our time savoring the meal, completely relaxed, before heading right back to the Ishimori shop to pick up the brand-new horn case.

By the time we wrapped up at the shop, the weeks of non-stop travel and performing finally caught up with me. Feeling a deep wave of tour fatigue setting in, I split off from Johan and headed straight back to the hotel in Otsuka to crash for a few hours and recharge my batteries.

After a much-needed rest, it was time for the evening plans. Around 17:00, I reconnected with Johan at the hotel, and we made our way over to Edogawabashi Station on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line, where we had agreed to hook up with Mr. Amano.

Me and Mr. Amano have a wonderful, longstanding ritual whenever I am in town. During one of my very first trips to Japan, I met Amano-san, and he formally introduced me to Hoppy—a legendary, low-alcohol, beer-flavored carbonated beverage created in Tokyo back in 1948 as an affordable mixer for shochu. Mixing it with a shot of spirit to create a classic, retro highball has become our absolute signature tradition, so a proper Hoppy drinking date is mandatory every single time I cross the Pacific. Aside from being an incredible host, Mr. Amano is an incredibly fascinating guy who works in television, traveling the globe to produce brilliant documentaries all over the world.

Amano-san was officially hosting us for the evening, so as soon as he picked us up right at the station exit, we gladly followed his lead. He marched us straight into a great local izakaya nestled nearby in the neighborhood. Sitting down over a cold glass to catch up on our respective global adventures was the ultimate way to toast the end of a legendary run.

As we were settling into the lively izakaya groove, our paths split slightly for the evening. Johan actually had plans to head back toward Shinjuku to check out a gig that Yanagi-san was playing that night at the legendary Shinjuku Pit Inn . Because he wanted to make sure he caught the downbeat of Yanagi’s set, he ended up leaving midway through our drinking date. Getting to continue the deep conversation with Amano-san solo while Johan headed off to support our trustful pianist was an absolute blast.
After wrapping up a truly fantastic night out, Amano-san walked me back and dropped me off right at the station. I caught the train back to Otsuka, but before heading up to the room to crash, I couldn’t resist taking one final brief stop at my favorite local ramen place for a late-night bowl. Content, full, and thoroughly celebrated, I finally called it a night.

On Tuesday, the luxury of unstructured free time rolled on. I woke up wonderfully late, completely giving in to the relaxed holiday pace. I spent the quiet first hour of my day lazily packing away parts of my suitcase, carefully nesting tour memories and souvenirs between layers of clothes. Once that was sorted, I walked out into the Tokyo sun and headed straight over to my favorite local coffee spot—the Starbucks located right at Otsuka Station. Sitting there with a hot cup in hand, watching the city drift by, was the perfect slow-motion transition. My only hard appointment on the calendar for this final full day wasn’t until late in the evening, leaving my afternoon delightfully open.

Around 13:00, I met up with Yanagi-san right at the station. Just outside the exit, there was a charming, small park-like space equipped with nice places to sit down, slightly removed from the heavy foot traffic of the main thoroughfare. We settled into the quiet green pocket, pulled out a phone, and recorded a short, heartfelt thank-you video. We delivered the message in two languages—English and Japanese—expressing our deep gratitude to every single person who came out to see the shows, as well as all the incredible music venues and talented musicians who joined us along the way. Recording that final broadcast together in that peaceful little corner felt like the perfect artistic punctuation mark to the entire creative journey.

After we finished wrapping up the video clip, I said my warm, heartfelt goodbyes to my brother Shunichi Yanagi. Parting ways with him after he anchored all twelve tour dates as my most trustful partner on the road brought a real wave of completion to the musical chapter of the trip.

I headed back to the hotel for a short, relaxed break to get off my feet for a moment before walking right back out to meet up with Kazuhiro at that exact same park-like plaza near the station exit. Kazuhiro had graciously offered to go shopping on my behalf, and he completely overloaded me with an amazing bundle of small gifts, souvenirs, and a few specific t-shirts I had asked him to track down for me.

We sat down together in the plaza, enjoying the comfortable afternoon air as we talked through our favorite memories from the tour. We laughed over the logistics and discussed the massive archive of multi-angle video recordings and high-quality photo files he had preserved, which he promised to compile and send over as a digital download link later that month. Kazuhiro still had some free time to burn in the city himself before catching his long-distance highway bus back up to Sendai. When the time finally came to part ways, we shared a true marker of friendship. As we say in Japan, Mata ne (またね)—meaning until next time.

As the late afternoon faded, it was time to get ready for the absolute final evening of the journey. I caught the train down the Yamanote line to head over to my highly anticipated dinner date in Ebisu . This beautifully sophisticated, trendy district of Tokyo is incredibly well known for its hip, fashionable avenues and upscale culinary scene. It is an area famously anchored by Yebisu Garden Place—a stunning, stylish architectural complex prized for its high-end shopping and elite dining spots. The plaza is a true cultural hub; the mall area features world-class international art displays at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, while the nearby Museum of Yebisu Beer offers fantastic heritage tours and curated tastings. Just a short walk away, the atmosphere shifts into the vibrant, narrow corridors of the Ebisu Yokocho food alley, which constantly bustles with local commuters and foodies tightly packed together, eating steaming bowls of ramen and charcoal-grilled beef. Flanked by its neighboring district Daikanyama—a hip, stylish slice of the city overflowing with creative bars and independent designer boutiques—stepping out into this modern landscape felt entirely distinct from the retro charm of Otsuka.

The dinner date itself was incredible, and the company was absolutely wonderful. We dived into a spectacular multi-course spread of amazing seasonal dishes.

Savoring exquisitely prepared, tender hotaru-ika (firefly squid) served over fresh wakame seaweed.

The menu showcased the very best of Japanese spring. Along with a beautifully composed plate of hotaru-ika (firefly squid) glazed in a savory umami sauce, we were served tara no me (the highly prized young sprouts of the angelica tree). Fried into a perfectly light, crisp tempura, these delicate mountain vegetables brought a wonderfully subtle, bitter, and aromatic crunch that tastes exactly like spring in Japan.

Golden, crispy taranome (angelica tree shoots) tempura garnished beautifully with pink sakura blossoms.

We paired this spectacular array of delicacies with a very special, milky white sake (nigori) poured in the traditional, generous style—overflowing from the glass into a small bowl underneath until it was completely brimming. It was an exceptionally beautiful, sensory dining experience and the ultimate way to toast to the success of the 24-day journey.

After my dinner date wrapped up, I hooked up with Johan back on our home turf. To officially bring our last night in the capital to a close, we walked over to a lively local izakaya we discovered tucked away right close to our hotel in Otsuka. Sitting at the counter, clinking glasses one final time, and soaking in the rhythmic hum of the neighborhood was the ultimate, authentic way to wind down.

The next morning, the reality of departure arrived. Wednesday marked our official travel day back home. I woke up, did my final sweep of the hotel room and officially checked out of my home base. We made our way straight toward Narita Airport, checking our heavy bags and securing our precious saxophones as carry-ons.

Before navigating the final departure gates and boarding the long flight back home to the Netherlands, Johan and I tracked down Komeraku, a fantastic eatery right at the airport specializing in traditional Ohitsu Gohan. Poring over the Komeraku menu at Narita Airport, planning our final absolute meal on Japanese soil. The menu offered an incredible setup of rice bowls served in traditional wooden tubs (ohitsu), highlighted by variations like fresh salmon with salmon roe (salmon ikura), savory roast beef, and traditional grilled unagi eel. Eating here allowed us to practice the classic, two-step culinary ritual: first dressing the premium rice with custom savory toppings to eat half of the bowl as a direct donburi, and then pouring a hot, fragrant dashi broth over the remaining half to enjoy it as a comforting bowl of ochazuke. Washing down that absolute final, deeply satisfying meal on Japanese soil with a cold draft beer was the ultimate culinary conclusion to our journey. Looking out the window as the plane finally lifted off over Chiba Prefecture, the full weight of what we had accomplished truly hit me. Twenty-four days, twelve historic jazz venues, a lifetime of new musical bonds, and an unforgettable journey through the heart of Japan.

Exploration Tour 2026: Acknowledgments & Credits

The Stages

A journey of this scale is only possible thanks to the profound dedication and hospitality of the venues that hosted us along the way, keeping the spirit of live music thriving:

• • Salt Peanuts

  • Studio Wuu

  • Livehouse Naru

  • Jazz Club The Moment

  • Lifetime

  • Old Earth

  • Gallon

  • Jazz Inn Lovely

  • Chez l’ami Noix

  • Cloud 9

The Musicians

Crafting this cross-cultural dialogue night after night required immense artistry. We are profoundly grateful to the master musicians who elevated every single performance:

• • Shunichi Yanagi – Piano

  • Yuki Nakae – Tenor Saxophone

  • Yuki Hirate – Trumpet

  • Naoto Suzuki – Guitar

  • Yuhei Honkawa – Double Bass

  • Junichi Sato – Double Bass

  • Tomo Nakayama – Double Bass

  • Satoshi Tokuda – Double Bass

  • Hiroyuki Demiya – Double Bass

  • Kent Yokota – Double Bass

  • Yota Tukada – Drums

  • Katsunari Furuchi – Drums

  • Gaku Hasegawa – Drums

  • Sota Kira – Drums