Japanese School Girl Enchants Powerful Talk Show Host: Part 1

Dec 25, 2019

Japanese School Girl Enchants Powerful Talk Show Host: Part 1

What does a 9-year old Japanese child have to teach what is arguable one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful person in American show business?

A little of the Japanese Way from Yokoka, the 9-year old drumming sensation to her very powerful and most gracious host.

The meeting of these two minds really starts when Yoyoka-Prodigy gave the most very powerful host a gift of a two-character calligraphy picture.

When asked “What does this say?”, Yoyoka-Prodigy points out to the most very powerful host, “this is your name”;

“E 絵
REN 蓮”

You can see the delighted surprise in the most very powerful host’s face, and then remarks “Oh, that’s my name”.

If you look at the picture below carefully, you can see what someone who is startled looks like.

I believe the most very powerful host had actually had no previous knowledge of what this elegant two-character ideographic calligraphy piece would mean.

Now, the wonderful name Yoyoka-Prodigy gave the most very powerful host was, 絵蓮 (E REN), which happens to mean “Lotus-Picture”.

I think you will have to agree, this was a very tender, well thought-out, and indeed meaningful gesture to honour this most very powerful host, who is now known to Yoyoka-Prodigy as Eren(sama).

Of course, Yoyoka-Prodigy was undoubtedly appending an honorific suffix to Eren’s name in her head, because you would never “throw away” {yobisute} anyone’s name without some kind of title, and thus an indication of the hierarchical tree, to which the Japanese are beholden.

LF = Lotus Flower (most very powerful host)
YP = Yoyoka Prodigy

LF continues, “Thank you very much, that beautiful, did you, did you do this on your own?”, stammering just a tich.

YP cheerful chimes “hai!”, while giving the whole scene a big thumbs up.

LF continues, “That beautiful, thank you.”

You can then see LF has been truly moved by this simple gesture from a 9-year old child.

Continuing “And we think it’s hard to teach our kids….., I mean that’s really intricate!”

Always the professional, LF brilliantly continues; “You know, we are taking her word for it, we don’t know what this says, this could really say anything….!”

This extraordinary exchange continues:

LF: I want to give you a gift, what kind of instrument do you want “learn” how to play next?
YP: In Japanese: I don’t want to “learn”, however, I am into playing the bass and guitar now, you know, guitar, bass.
LF: She is naming a lot of instruments, I just want to give her one. What, what is she saying?
Interpreter: She does really want to “learn” it, but she working on the the guitar and the bass right now.
LF: No Oh!!!
YP: In Japanese: Pardon? (looking perplexed as she tilts her head slightly)

LF: That’s not what I was hoping she would say.
Interpreter: Not that…
LF: Ask her some other instruments…
Interpreter: Any thing else???
YP: (stroking chin pensively) Nope!
LF: That’s it?

You can see the puzzled wonderment in the eyes of LF, shaking the head in semi-disbelief.

LF: Does she like a xylophone?
Interpreter: In Japanese; How about xylophone?
YP: “Learn” it??? (while giggling)

Interpreter: She doesn’t want to “learn” it.
LF: Does she want to look at one?
Interpreter: In Japanese; Would you like to see one?
YP: Nods her head in puzzlement
LF: Bring it out! (with a wave of the hand)
YP: Expresses a shakojirei (polite and diplomatic), by going “Yeahhh” and waving her arms.

I really had to smile at the title of this clip on EllenTube entitled; “Kid Drummer Yoyoka Soma Gets a Present She’ll Never Forget”.

I suggest the title read; “Most Powerful Person in American Show Business Has Most Meaningful Meeting of Minds With 9-Year Old Japanese Schools Girl.

Keep in mind, your TV program tends to take some unexpected and indeed delightful twists and turns, when talking to a 9-year-old Japanese schools girls who simply has no idea what; “What instrument do you want to learn next” means, and in her mind also thinking “why exactly are you talking about a xylophone?”.

Here is this incredible segment on Ellen Tube.

You can see the viral-video of Yoyoka covering one of rock music most difficult drum parts in; “Good Times Bad Times” by Led Zeppelin here.

Here is Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame reacting to Yoyoka playing “Good Times Bad Times”.

Stay tuned for part 2 next week where we explore more of this most intriguing meeting of the Japanese and the Western mind, when Yoyoka returns to the Ellen Show.