On a Saturday morning, my husband -- who is arguably Ohta San's biggest fan -- was at a 'ukulele workshop with Ohta San himself, leaving me with a few hours to myself.  That night, we were going to see him perform at a gala, and then again at a formal concert the next day.

Taking a "crash course" on Ohta San via the Internet seemed like a good idea. Isn't that just the way those of us online do it these days?  I'd familiarize myself with him and his music by checking out his site, reading up on his bio, and reviewing his discography. 

While google.com does a fine job of rounding up links, the information on Ohta San is scattered all over the 'Net, tucked here and there between commercial sites.  There is no one place to go to learn about him.

To my surprise and consternation, there is no official Ohta San site in English.  There's a spate of Japanese sites on Ohta San, including a beautiful ohtasan.com site.  But trying reading this.

Unlike Ohta San, who from 1953 to 1963 served as a Japanese interpreter for the U.S. Marines during the Korean war, I never went beyond hiragana and the simplest of kanji.  In Tokyo I kept seeing the same sign written in katakana on buildings all over the city. 

"Wow," I thought,  when I finally figured out that it said: Ta ku shi.  "Yup, Takushi, I've heard of that family name in Hawai`i.  This must be a huge family enterprise,  just like the ABC Stores all over Waikiki."  

Come to find out, it's the Japanese transliteration of  "taxi."  Takushi. Taxi. D'oh.

But I digress...

"Ohta San is  world renowned.  A legend in his own time," I thought.  "Why isn't there a site for him in English?"

Instead of "monku"-ing about it, I bookmarked sites that taught me something about Ohta San. The more I educated myself about Ohta San --  the musician, the man, his music and his life, the more intrigued I became. 

Granted a full share of God-given gifts, including  a mother who taught him 'ukulele basics and how to play his first song; his wunderkind musical talent; an aunt who owned a record store that he grew up in; a loving sister who mailed him his 'ukulele when he was in the Marines and encouraged his talent; self-discipline and a strong work ethic; and mentors who unselfishly nurtured and brought his talent to fruition, Ohta San has lead a fascinating life. Marked with fortuitous meetings with impeccable timing, it is replete with synchronicities, serendipities and confluences.

Interspersed with music arranging, recording and world-wide concert tours, were difficult periods of struggling to make ends meet as a local entertainer and soul-searching, all of which added to the curious melange of experiences that has ultimately blossomed into his unexpected, remarkable and prolific life's work.

His is a singular life, filled with valuable life lessons and heavy with kismet.

A rara avis.

The ultimate Ohta San experience, however, is experiencing him in performance. 

Live. In person.  

Move over wizards in Harry Potter- and Tolkienland, Ohta San is the real wizard. There IS magic in those fingers and genius in his playing. 

The mathematician and philosopher, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz, wrote:  "Music is a secret exercise in arithmetic of the soul, unaware of its act of counting."

Ohta San is a mathematics genius of the musical kind.  His discography of 60+ albums/CDs of various genres attests to that genius. A brain capable of storing that plethora of melodies, harmonies, and sequences is that of a true genius. 

To say he is music's John F. Nash of  "A Beautiful Mind" is not an overstatement.

It's been said that one's light should not be kept under a bushel.  Marianne Williamson pinpoints the reason for sharing that light: "As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."

I create this site with clear intention:  that Ohta San's inspiration, example and light will reach across time and space to those, who like me, are curious to learn about a man who found his excellence in the mastery of a four-stringed musical instrument indigenous to Hawai`i and with it, gives expression to his genius.

Why?  Here's why.

This is an educational site.  Nothing flashy.  Just a simple site with the essentials.   It's also our way of saying thank you to Ohta San.  

For the music. For the inspiration. For the Aloha.

If life is a song, and love, the music, may Ohta San be continually blessed with a beautiful song with bountiful music.  

Me ke Aloha pumehana,

Aunty D & Uncle T
aka Lei and Pila

Educators