ic ▁rock ▁music ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁He ▁often ▁went ▁to ▁museum s , ▁art ▁gall eries ▁and ▁cin emas ▁to ▁see ▁exhib itions ▁of ▁contemporary ▁art ▁and ▁the ▁new ▁cinema . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁he ▁also ▁saw ▁Japanese ▁traditional ▁N oh ▁plays , ▁and ▁heard ▁ancient ▁and ▁medieval ▁music ▁from ▁Japan ▁and ▁Europe . ▁All ▁these ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁become ▁important ▁influ ences ▁in ▁Ay uo ' s ▁music ▁and ▁music - the ater ▁pieces . ▁Ay uo ' s ▁parents ▁divor ced ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁and ▁Ay uo ' s ▁mother ▁married ▁an ▁Iran ian - American , ▁who ▁came ▁from ▁a ▁family ▁that ▁performed ▁traditional ▁Pers ian ▁music ▁in ▁the ▁courts ▁of ▁the ▁Iran ian ▁Shah . ▁This ▁gave ▁Ay uo ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁hear ▁Pers ian ▁traditional ▁music , ▁which ▁was ▁also ▁to ▁leave ▁a ▁last ing ▁influence ▁on ▁his ▁music . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁Ay uo ' s ▁mother ▁and ▁step - father ▁separated , ▁while ▁Ay uo ▁was ▁visit ing ▁his ▁father ▁in ▁Japan , ▁forcing ▁him ▁to ▁live ▁there . ▁His ▁first ▁studio ▁recording ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁with ▁his ▁father , ▁Yu ji ▁Tak ah ashi , ▁Ry u ichi ▁Sak am oto , ▁and ▁Mas ah iko ▁T og ashi ▁on ▁the ▁CD ▁" Tw il ight " ▁released ▁on ▁Columbia ▁Records ▁in ▁Japan . ▁ ▁Ad just ing ▁to ▁life ▁in ▁Japan ▁as ▁a