Tomoyasu Hotei (布袋寅泰 , born February 1, 1962 in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture… Read Full Bio ↴Tomoyasu Hotei (布袋寅泰 , born February 1, 1962 in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture) is a Japanese musician, guitarist and actor. Hotei rose to prominence in the 1980s as the guitarist for BOØWY, one of Japan's most popular rock bands, before starting a solo career. In 2003, he was ranked number 70 on HMV Japan's list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts. He ranked second in a 2011 poll on who the Japanese people thought was the best guitarist to represent Japan after Tak Matsumoto.

Hotei is best known internationally for his song "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" , which has been used in numerous films, commercials, and video games, most notably Quentin Tarantino's feature film Kill Bill.

Born to a Korean father and a Japanese/Russian mother, Hotei first began playing the guitar in junior high school. In high school, his band Blue Film finished runners up in a school contest to Death Penalty, a band led by Kyosuke Himuro. Hotei was expelled shortly before graduation. The reason was that, when warned about his long hair he replied “Jesus had long hair!” Shortly after, he went to Tokyo where one day he received a phone call from Himuro. The two had never really known each other but hit it off and went on to hold auditions for a new band, which in 1981 became the six-member BOØWY. The band became major stars in Japan, in 1985 played the Marquee in London, and in 1986 had their first million seller, Beat Emotion.

When the band broke up in 1988, Hotei established himself as a solo star, as did Himuro. Hotei also made two albums with Koji Kikkawa as Complex, both of which went to number one in the national charts. Hotei frequently records overseas and has collaborated with many foreign musicians, including playing on The Stranglers Hugh Cornwell’s 1993 solo album, on stage with David Bowie at Nippon Budokan in 1996, and at the closing ceremony of the Atlanta 1996 Centennial Olympic Games with Michael Kamen.

He later recorded “Guitar Concerto” with Kamen. He has also worked with Andy Mackay of Roxy Music, guitarist Chris Spedding and Mike Edwards of Jesus Jones. Hotei also sometimes plays in Europe, including a number of major festivals. His regular drummer in recent years, Zachary Alford, has previously played with Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie. Hotei's 1998 album Supersonic Generation, recorded in part with Apollo 440 and Ofra Haza, was released in 14 European countries.

In addition to many bestselling solo albums, Hotei composed and performed the score for Hiroyuki Nakano’s Samurai Fiction, as well as starring in the film. He composed the score to Terry Gilliam’s feature film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas together with Ray Cooper. Hotei's song “Battle Without Honor or Humanity” was used in the Quentin Tarantino’s feature film Kill Bill, the PlayStation 2 version of Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA,and Michael Bay’s feature film Transformers. Hotei recorded a cover of John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” for Merry Axemas, an instrumental guitar Christmas album featuring tracks from guitarists including Jeff Beck, Joe Perry, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai and Steve Morse.

The Nintendo DS game Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan features his song "Thrill". The game's sequel, Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii, features another Hotei song, "Bambina". (Both songs are cover versions.) Hotei is featured in “Grace” on the Apocalyptica album Worlds Collide. The song is featured in the game NHL 09.

SECRET
布袋寅泰 Lyrics

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路地を迷い抜けて静寂
廃墟に隠されてた庭園幻影か?
Secret garden 苔生す水面咲く睡蓮
Hong Kong, daydream 記憶の底にある風景 oh yeah

そばで微笑んでる China girl
心を安らぎに満たす妖精達よ
Secret Garden 光揺らめく桃源郷不思議な

Hong Kong, daydream 霧の紗幕に舞う蝶々
風を吸い込んで

失くしたものを知るだろう
見えないモノは fairy tale
そう封印した世界で
何を愛せるんだろう? そして信じるんだろう?

時計逆回りの状態
彼女の肩には極楽鳥歌ってる
Secret garden 夢の間に間に奇々怪々すべてが
Hong Kong, daydream 亜細亜の熱が呼ぶ妄想
時を牛耳って

壊れた過去に戻りたい儚いモノは illusion

そう決める前世界は
何を愛したんだろう? 何を信じたんだろう?

Overall Meaning

These lyrics are from the song "SECRET" by 布袋寅泰 (Hotei Tomoyasu). The song describes a mysterious and enchanting secret garden hidden within the ruins. The persona wanders through narrow streets and finds solace in the tranquility and beauty of this hidden oasis. The garden is depicted with imagery of water lilies blooming on the moss-covered surface, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. The lyrics also mention Hong Kong, which adds to the sense of daydreaming and a distant memory of a landscape that exists deep within one's recollection.

The chorus expresses the presence of a China girl who smiles nearby, filling the persona's heart with a sense of peace. These fairies, or enchanting beings, residing in the secret garden bring a subtle magic and illuminate the place with shimmering light. The daydreaming and surreal atmosphere of Hong Kong are further enhanced by the fluttering butterflies dancing in the misty screen. The persona inhales the wind, perhaps as a way to absorb the essence of this magical place.

The song suggests a longing to understand what has been lost and the invisible things that exist like a fairy tale. There's a sense of sealing off the world and wondering what can be loved and believed in such a confined space. The reversed state of the clock and the presence of a paradise bird singing on the girl's shoulder adds to the surreal nature of the song and hints at a distorted perception of time. The bridge asks whether the world loved and believed in something before making a decision to seal it away, indicating a desire to go back to a broken past and a curiosity about what was truly loved and believed.

Line by Line Meaning

路地を迷い抜けて静寂
Navigating through narrow streets, surrounded by silence

廃墟に隠されてた庭園幻影か?
A hidden garden in ruins, is it an illusion?

Secret garden 苔生す水面咲く睡蓮
A secret garden with blooming water lilies on the moss-covered surface

Hong Kong, daydream 記憶の底にある風景 oh yeah
A daydream of Hong Kong landscapes deep in the memories, oh yeah

そばで微笑んでる China girl
A China girl smiling right beside me

心を安らぎに満たす妖精達よ
Fairies that fill my heart with tranquility

Secret Garden 光揺らめく桃源郷不思議な
A mystery of a secret garden, a dazzling paradise

Hong Kong, daydream 霧の紗幕に舞う蝶々
Butterflies dancing in the misty stage of a Hong Kong daydream

風を吸い込んで
Breathing in the wind

失くしたものを知るだろう
You would know what you have lost

見えないモノは fairy tale
The invisible things are like fairy tales