Jayesh

Journeys

– 9 January 2025

Jayesh
Jayesh
2024
2017
Jayesh
14 april 2022
2016
Jayesh
2015
2014
2014

Jayesh (aka Yoshihiko ‘Yuya’ Asano / 朝野由彦 )(his sannyas name meaning ‘victorious’) was well-loved among the musicians in Pune and at Meditation Centres in Japan, and well-known as a folk singer by the general public in Japan. His last stage performance was the Hoboes concert on 30 December 2024.

There were already a few concerts scheduled for this year, which then had to be cancelled when he felt unwell a few days before his death. Since then, concerts and celebrations to honour his life have been organized all over the country for his fans, as well as farewell parties in many sannyas communities.

Ritambhara writes that many friends in Japan were shocked by Jayesh’s unexpected departure, and that many sannyasins were writing very lovingly about him on Facebook. “There have also been many gatherings, in all areas in Japan, where people have meditated, celebrated, and played music together, in celebration of Jayesh’s life, and it’s still happening! With Jayesh we’ve all shared countless music celebration events, under Osho’s name.”

Jayesh was born in Nagoya. Japan, in 1951 and lived in Kanazawa. His first recordings were as far back as from 1975 (Pilgrimage, and Long Letter, Bellwood Records).

Watch on YouTube – Folk Song – Performance 9 Oct 2023

Ritambhara adds, “Some years ago, Jayesh opened a cafe / coffee shop / art gallery-type place in the middle of Nagoya city, called This Is It. It had two floors; the second floor displayed Osho’s art / posters and downstairs was the coffee shop. My partner, Viru, and I often joined the Nagoya musicians for many Osho celebrations in his place. I remember even singing with Osho’s percussionist, Nivedano, who had visited Japan and stayed for a few months with Satprem.”

Jayesh and Anurakti
In the fields
Jayesh in the rice paddies
In the fields

After a few years, Jayesh was pressured to close it down, due to some city planning in the area. Not long after, that was now seven years ago, together with his partner, Anurakti, he moved to a rural area and started a new life – that of a farmer.

In the countryside, he grew rice and vegetables. He also began to take care of the forest, because forests in Japan are very sick.

He received a lot of inspiration from nature, and new songs were born. Last year he made a new CD – for which Anurakti had drawn the cover – and became very passionate about singing at many live venues, where he could then also sell the CD. He was planning to use a portion of the CD sales to take care of the forest.

concert 23 January 2025 cr Satoru Washino
cr Satoru Washino 2
concert he did not make cr Yamada Etsuji
12 dec 2024
11 nov 2024
poster
poster 26 oct 2024
Little Heads 20 Sept 2024
14 Sept 2024

Thanks to Ritambhara and Anurakti – Credit for photos: Yumiko Tada, Hiroshi Nakajima, Tatsuya Yoshimura, Yamada Etsuji, Anand Pushpo, Giri Maruta, Anurakti and Ritambhara

More Tributes

Jayesh singing with Ritambhara

Thank you, Jayesh for all the wonderful sharing, over the years!

Fly high into the light, Jayesh!

Ritambhara

More videos to enjoy

You can leave a message / tribute / anecdote, and send a photo, by writing to web@oshonews.com (pls add ‘Jayesh’ in the subject field). Your contribution will be added manually, typically within 24 hours.

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