Kitaro’s ‘Kojiki and the Universe’ Coming to California

Kitaro brings a totally unique audio/visual experience to California with his upcoming “Kojiki and the Universe” tour beginning Nov. 16.

The tour stop in Los Angeles is Friday, Nov. 17 at the Historic Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 3300 Wilshire Blvd., following the opening night performance at The Garfield Theater, 4126 Executive Dr. in La Jolla, on Thursday, Nov. 16.

Presenting a totally unique visual experience, the presentation of “Kojiki and the Universe” merges Kitaro’s Grammy-nominated music from the album “Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 5″ with dynamic space-age photographic scenes of the universe. The awesome visuals feature time-lapse images, expertly intertwined with real-time films provided by, and in cooperation with, NASA and Kyoto University.

“Kojiki and the Universe” was created by Kitaro in collaboration with astronomy professor Kazunari Shibata. The entire production was developed using modern film editing techniques, as well as state-of-the-art hardware and software.

In Japanese mythology, Kojiki is a story closely related to evolution of the universe. It describes the origin of heaven, Earth and the creation of the gods. Utilizing Kitaro’s album as the soundtrack, “Kojiki and the Universe” is a chronicle of astronomical research as well as a beautiful introduction to modern astronomy for everyone.

All California tour dates include the “Kitaro VIP Experience” ticket purchase option, which provides guests with Gold Circle seating; an intimate, in-person post-concert reception with Kitaro; a personally autographed copy of his “Kojiki and the Universe” DVD; his most recent CD album release, “Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 5”; and a tour poster.

Having received Grammy nominations for Volumes 1-4, Volume 5 is presented by Kitaro’s long-time label, the Domo Music Group. The Ku-Kai series concept arose after the global events on the fateful day of Sept. 11, 2001. Kitaro was traveling on a jet from Japan to Los Angeles when the transcontinental flight was diverted to Hawaii for five days due to the tragedy. It was during this time of disbelief and uncertainty that he envisioned the Ku-Kai series as a means of uniting the world through music embracing his frequently referenced universal message of peace.

The series is an earthly voyage that transports the listener to the 88 sacred temples located on the island of Shikoku in Japan, ancestral home of the beloved Buddhist holy man Ku-kai. The music pays homage to the true-to-life excursion made over 1,100 years ago on Shikoku. Each track on the album revolves around the unique bell sound from the individual temples, using actual sampling and Kitaro’s inspired musical interpretations and distillations of their essences.

Other California stops on the tour are Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., San Francisco, on Saturday, Nov. 18; and Raven Performing Arts Center, 115 North St., Healdsburg, on Sunday, Nov. 19.

Scheduled performances at First Congregational Church in Portland on Nov. 30 and at Center for Spiritual Living in Seattle on Dec. 1 have been postponed until next year.

For tickets and more information, visit www.domomusicgroup.com/kitaro/.