Caviar Bowl Beacon (September 19, 2026)

This piece traces a story that began long before the music was written.
My father survived the Pacific War as a pilot, later becoming an instructor for a civilian airline, and eventually applying to the United Nations as a pilot.
He was assigned to Iran, where he flew over vast highlands in an era without GPS, creating maps from the sky and witnessing the many expressions of the desert and the sincerity of the people who lived there.

After returning to Japan, he moved from job to job, and in retirement was invited by former UN colleagues to Canada, where he lived for nearly thirty years.
In his later years, he returned to Japan and quietly spent the rest of his life in Atagawa.
I grew up watching his back more than hearing his words-he was strict, silent, and not one for long conversations.
Yet I still remember the stories he shared about Iran: the desert's shifting faces, the warmth of its people, and the Persian greeting "Salaam Aleikum."
He used to laugh, saying, "Why does everyone know my name?"
His own name, Sunamori, sounded close to the greeting, and the people welcomed him with affection.

To me, Iran is a place of honesty, gentleness, and dignity-
the opposite of how it is often portrayed in today's news.
Seeing the current situation breaks my heart.

This music began as a lyrical groove.
I wrote the words first, then shaped chords to match each scene, imagining the world my father once saw from the cockpit.
As the work progressed, the music itself began to speak more clearly than the lyrics.
The piece naturally transformed into an instrumental work, eventually becoming an ensemble composition for two flutes-
a form that allowed the story's light, shadow, and quiet dignity to emerge more purely.

Aircraft carry navigation lights-green on the right, red on the left-and a beacon that pulses continuously.
From the Second World War to the present day, aircraft have watched humanity from above, witnessing both its beauty and its folly.
The beacon that sounds throughout this track symbolizes my father's long journey through history,
and the dignity of people who continue to protect their families and future despite the hardships they face.

Two flutes cross gently in the air,
their lines floating like light and shadow suspended in space.
This piece is a tribute to the world my father saw,
and to the people whose lives continue under the same sky.