When I visited the Ethiopian Embassy in Japan for the support of famine-stricken people, a government official of Ethiopia told us, “We need no material or money. Famine and poverty are social problems, and because humans constitute the society, the fundamental solution to the problems is to change people’s internalities. What we wish for the most is for human internality to change. But firstly, I would like you to know the reality.” I proposed to the Ethiopian government to hold the Idaki Shin concert, which can fundamentally change human internality. The then Ethiopian Ambassador to Japan said that the concert could be held if we can prove that the music indeed changes people from within. I told him about the story of my life, and all staff at the embassy participated in a concert held in Tokyo. Afterward, we sent the ambassador’s message on his experience of the concert to every head of state across the world. Below is an excerpt of his message.

“Several months ago, I was very pleased to experience Mr. Saito’s concert in Tokyo. I was very impressed by the expression of the internal cosmic energy that tightly connected humankind and the universe. I became convinced that when this dynamic energy is fully expressed, it will transcend all boundaries in this world such as race, religion, and politics.”

After the decision was made to hold the “Cosmic Manifesto” concert in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on November 10th, 2001, we visited Ethiopia and traveled across the country in preparation for the concert. That day happened to be my birthday. Under the night sky filled with stars, I was asked by the Ethiopian people to start a coffee business. Ethiopia, suffering from famine and poverty, was a producer of coffee. Furthermore, it was its birthplace. People in Ethiopia were and still are drinking coffee as a medicinal drink. They requested us to “introduce their delicious coffee that is good for people, true to its true value.” I rejoiced and accepted their request. This was the beginning of our coffee business.

As a program of the SADC summit conference, we held the Idaki Shin “Torch of Peace” concert in Tanzania in 2003. Tanzania is the origin of Kilimanjaro coffee. The story of coffee from Tanzania finally came true, coffee beans from the homeland of the former Tanzanian Ambassador to Japan. He went to the university owing to the support of the villagers and later entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; he wished, someday, to repay the people of his village for their support. The foot of Kilimanjaro is said to be a land of healing. When I visited there a couple of times, it was indeed filled with healing energy. The coffee filled with the energy of the land of Kilimanjaro was exposed to plenty of Idaki Shin sound at the time of roasting, and Kilimanjaro Gomata Suji Coffee was born.

One day when I was feeling ill and resting, Master Idaki Shin handed me coffee, freshly roasted by him at the roasting cabin in Yamamoto-cho. When I opened the package, I was surprised at the unfamiliar color of beans. I brewed a cup, feeling I may be able to drink this coffee even in my sick condition. I named it “White Coffee” in my mind. When I had a sip, a pain ran through my body; I then felt the distortion of my body being corrected, so drastically that I could almost hear its sound, and my body was restored to its good condition. The pain disappeared instantly. I was astonished by it and recalled the time I visited Ethiopia for the first time. A cup of coffee relieved me from my fatigue at once, and I shouted, “This is like medicine!” I vividly remembered how surprised I was when a local person told me that it is indeed medicine. And I was even more surprised that people there have been drinking it as a medicinal drink since the time of its discovery. I had thought that coffee was not good for me, and when I was sick, I did not feel like having a cup. Now in Japan, people have started to say that coffee is good for us. Since I experienced my first cup of “White Coffee,” I now wish to drink it whenever I am not feeling well, and when I have a cup, I can feel my blood circulation improve and my body turn warm. Feeling surprised every time my bad condition is cleared, becoming invigorated, I am sincerely thankful for this coffee.