A reflective essay on witnessing Bruce Springsteen’s first Japan tour and a moment that embodied the highest meaning of human existence—supreme joy, beauty, and the radiance of life through music and art.

2019-01-03

Whenever I recall this scene, I am overcome with a cry from the depths of my soul…because one of the greatest radiances of human life, one of the meanings of being alive as a human being,
I rarely go to concerts, but when Bruce Springsteen became America’s champion and held his first tour in Japan, I left my work behind and headed to Osaka-jō Hall.
This song is one of my most beloved, and on that day Bruce Springsteen pulled a Japanese woman up from the audience and danced with her to this song.
Whenever I recall that scene, I am seized with a deep emotional cry…because one of the greatest radiances of human life, one of the meanings of being alive, was unmistakably present there.
Why do human beings live.
We live for supreme joy and for supreme beauty.
Bruce Springsteen – Dancing In the Dark (Official Music Video)