New Sony Studios

Corbett | March 15, 2003 11:03 PM

Today was a great catch up visit and lunch with my old friend Yasohachi Itoh. Most friends call Itoh "88" because that's what his name means in Japanese. It's also relevant because "88" happens to be the number of keys on a piano, and "88" happens to be one of the most respected jazz producers in Japan. He now has his own jazz label under the name Eighty-Eight's showcasing Sony's new 1-bit recording process called Super Audio CD. The sound quality is breathtakingly amazing.

"88" also oversaw the building of the new multi-million dollar Sony Studios in Akasaka. I remember looking over the blue prints with him 4 years ago, and today he showed me around the complex, which is stunning. For every piece of equipment I bumped into or leaned against, he'd kindly remind me, "Hey, that cost over a million dollars..."

After some nice sushi and updated Sony gossip...guess whose son bought up an entire mountain in Japan's northern alps to turn into a Telluride of Japan, which is now losing money like crazy, and even imported German bulldozers to push the dirt around, but no one knows how to operate them??...we set off for Hakone which is a couple hours outside of Tokyo on the Odakyu line, and where people are serious about their hot baths.

Category: Mr. Asia