What kind of image do you have of the Martin sound?

"The strumming is truly beautiful. It's very difficult to describe in words, but if I had to say, it's like 'jallan.' On the other hand, Gibson sounds more like 'sharaan.' ...That's not very clear, is it? (laughs) While Gibson has a certain rock feel to it, Martin has a more New Music-like taste. Of course, this is just my personal feeling, but the well-behaved sound is what makes Martin so appealing. I certainly feel that's one of its important characteristics."

Since this event marks Martin's anniversary, Hiroshi Fujiwara has prepared not only a prototype of the "000-ECHF Belleza Nera" but also another special Martin for the live performance. That is the "0-28E," which is said to be the only one of its kind in the world. The "E" in the model name stands for "electric," and its most distinctive feature is that it is a small size and equipped with a pickup. Its sound is closer to an electric guitar than a well-behaved one, and he says he likes that slightly unconventional aspect of it.

"What I like about Martin guitars is how each note comes through so clearly and distinctly. I also like the Gibson-style sound, but there's something comforting and appealing about this organic, warm Martin sound."

Some people might associate Hiroshi Fujiwara with a rock image. However, his roots also include a considerable amount of folky elements, primarily acoustic guitar. As proof of this, the song he played at the beginning of the live performance was "Puka Puka," a little-known hit song by Kyozo Nishioka, who hails from Mie Prefecture, the same prefecture as Hiroshi Fujiwara. During the MC, he added, "I remember my older sister listening to this song a lot back in the day."

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