East meets West

The Beat Brothers

Play with Tony Sheridan and not looking too happy about it.....

Evil Spirits in the Darkness

In 1971, John and Yoko attended the Cannes Film Festival.  Besides promoting Yoko's films, they saw a film called "Evil Spirits in the Darkness."   In this photo the director,  Nakahira Yasushi along with a fan named Hiroko chat with the famous couple.

The secrets of Karuizawa and John Lennon

In my forever search for new content for this blog, I came across an article about where John Lennon and his family visited in Japan in 1979 that I thought you all would find interesting.   

John, Sean and Yoko with the owner of the Rizabno

The Secrets of Karuizawa and John Lennon

By Jonathan Hewitt

Karuizawa is a small town in the mountains of central Japan. It was discovered early last century by missionaries looking for somewhere to relax out of the sweltering summer heat of Tokyo. Before that it had been a small stop-over on the Nakasendo, the old postal road between Kyoto and the capital. Over the years it's become a popular mountain resort as a getaway, and in the forests that surround it there are many small and enjoyable tea shops and trinket stores.

One family, the Ono family, had a summer house here too. And they used to pass the days cycling around the woods and hills, visiting lakes and waterfalls to simply enjoy the peace and tranquility. And then one of them, Yoko, married an English man. She used to bring him to her favourite tea shop here, Rizanbo, and he became friends with the owners. A year after the photograph posted along with this article was taken he was shot five times by a complete stranger on the streets of New York. Over a cup of coffee there today I sat and thought "what a waste".

The Rizanbo today, which remains unchanged

John Lennon enjoyed staying in Karuizawa. He became almost anonymous there, being more than five hours drive from Tokyo in the days before the highways shrank the country. I often think of Yoko Ono as curiously English and find it easy to forget that although they met in London she is Japanese and her family lived in Japan. Walking around the town there are a number of small bars and cafes with pictures of him on the walls simply having a normal day. In Karuizawa, he became a regular guy again.

Sean and Yoko went back to visit with the owner

The staff at the Rizanbo are very friendly and the lady who befriended them still works there today from time to time. To find Rizanbo you can take two separate routes. Hiring a bicycle in Karuizawa you can trace the route John, Yoko and Sean would take. Cycling west along Route 18, the old Nakasendo, turn left into the forest when you see the Karuizawa Junior High School. Follow the road and after nearly a kilometer you'll find it on your right. Alternatively if you're driving, after coming off the highway and scaling the mountain pass, turn left onto the new Route 18, the Karuizawa By-pass. Follow it for a few kilometers until you see a Shell gas-station. Turn right here and follow the road for a short distance and you'll see it on your left. And if you have a guitar, sit on the porch, enjoy your tea and sing Norwegian Wood.

Sunny Heights

Found on the Kenwood Blog.
You do not find a lot of photos of Ringo signing autographs at his doorstep.  This is a rare treat!

Up with the Beatles

It isn't very often that you get to see photos of male Beatlemaniacs from the 1960's!   I love this!   Any idea what country this is from?   For some reason I am guessing Italy, but I really have no clue.

India trip 1966

Gate fold Beatles

"so this is the new contract..."

Love to Paris

I can't allow this weekend to go by without saying how deeply my heart goes out to the people of France.    I was fortunate to have gone to France in 2010 and I often talk about how I found many of the people to be rude and pushy.   I also found a lot of the people to be kind and friendly.    Which just showed me that people are people regardless of where you live.    Having said that--- I think all of us that read this blog hearts break to think that a group of 1,500 people went to a concert to have a night of fun listening to a band and forgetting about the worries of the day.    And 80-90 people did not leave that hall alive and the others had to survive unthinkable things during the attacks and their lives will never be the same.    

I know that a lot of Beatle fans in France read this blog and I want to tell you that I am praying for you and your country during this time.    I wish there was something I could physically do, but I am at a lose.    However, we are all a Beatles family and we are in this together.  

After John and Yoko were married they went to Paris on their Honeymoon.   And John drew this picture which he titled "the city in my heart" which I think is just  a beautiful title and it really hits home today, don't you think?

Of course I personally am a very peaceful person and I do not agree with fighting and war.   I hope for a day when the world will agree that "War is over if you want it."

Peace and Love my Friends around the world!

Sara (aka Starshyne)