Begin Japanology

This month, we present a special talk-show series called Japanophiles, featuring lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. Originally from Germany, Ernst Seiler, who has been living in Japan for decades, is a professional pianist and a proponent of a self-sufficient lifestyle. Seiler met his wife Kazuko when she was studying in Europe, and eventually they settled in the Goma district of Kyoto, where they live in an old country home and perform as a piano duo. Their concerts in a converted Zen temple hall have drawn a running total of more than 70,000 people. Seiler's rediscovery of many forgotten piano-duo pieces has established him as a world leader in this genre. Seiler is also a dedicated farmer who grows rice and many vegetables. He shares the bounty of the land with friends, acquaintances, and members of the audience. Today, we get a glimpse of life in the Kyoto countryside in the company of Ernst Seiler, a piano player and teacher with a deep love of the land.