It was at an after-party for the legendary African percussionist, Mamady Keita, at the Sea Hawk Hotel in 1999 that I first saw Koko. I was surprised to see her and the other young Japanese performers so deeply engaged in a culture so far and distant from Fukuoka. Since then Koko’s covered a lot of ground, but now she’s back in Fukuoka exploring her Japanese roots. I guess we all need to leave our homes to see more clearly. I know I did.
Nick Szasz / Editor-in-Chief, Fukuoka Now
NOTE: Encounter is Fukuoka Now’s interview page. Each month an inspiring individual from the Fukuoka community is introduced. The interview is conducted and printed in Japanese. For the convenience of non-Japanese, phonetic kana characters appear above the kanji (Chinese characters) Unfortunately, this can not be replicated on our site. Click on the word “Japanese” ot the small Japanese flag to read the text in Japanese.
