Beloved local busker says farewell to the city he loves
The Toronto Centre area lost a piece of its heart and soul recently.
Over the last two years, Takahito Nakamura, also known as Duckman, charmed passersby at the Yonge-Dundas intersection with his energetic character and acoustic percussion music.
Nakamura returned home to Japan earlier this month, as his work visa was about to expire. Many members of the Ryerson community have come forward to express their gratitude and appreciation for the energetic entertainer.
“He was one of the little things that would brighten up your day,” said Alex Mitchell, a Ryerson graduate student. “You have a rough commute or a boring class and you would see him in the corner of your eye on the way down to the subway.
“It was everything. It’s real sad to hear him leave. Walking through that intersection will never be the same,” he said.
A multi-talented musician, Nakamura used a makeshift drum set. With a collection of different buckets, pans and cymbals, the creative musician artistically influenced several of Ryerson’s musicians.
“If you consider yourself a musician to any degree, you can feel a connection to a performer like Duckman. Musicians kind of consider each other like our own kin,” said Michael Kang, director of education operations at Musicians@Ryerson.
“To leave an impact on somebody’s mind just by doing something specific like he did, it’s something, especially as a musician, we try to achieve,” added Kang.
Nakamura also regularly played around Toronto’s Chinatown and appeared at several Toronto conventions, such as Anime North.
Fourth-year nursing student Allie Nguyen said she will never forget the time Nakamura stood between a group of religious protesters and convention-goers.
“He literally stood between the two groups and shouted, ‘We accept everyone. Don’t let anyone decide who you are. We decide who we are.’ I’ll never forget that. What an amazing soul,” said Nguyen.
Nakamura set out in full-body spandex and a duck suit yearround just to make people happy.
“To hear all the words from the community is why I went out and kept going,” said Nakamura. “It was like (an) exchange of motivation.”
“At times, I actually got more motivated just by seeing him,” said Eric Tran, a Ryerson graduate. “Like you’d see him … performing every day, no matter what. It was kind of inspiring to see his energy around the crowds of stressed people,” he said.
In a farewell post, Nakamura encouraged Canadians to continue to love one another and protect the city he called home.
Nakamura says that he will continue to busk, naming New York City, England and Germany as possible future destinations. “I really hope he continues to do his thing. More people deserve to be in the presence of Duckman,” said Kang.