He moved to Tokyo and formed the group sounds band The Beavers in 1966, who had released four albums and one single but had not had major success.

[1] He taught himself from Ravi Shankar's 1968 book My Music, My Life, looking up the Japanese translations for the English words.

It was only when their producer suggested they write new material and play it together with the old songs for a three-year period that a reunion came to fruition.

[6] Ishima also said that even though two of the other members had not played in years, they were eager and pushed him into doing it, helped by the fact that his new instrument made the old material interesting.

[1] The sitarla (シターラ, shitāra) is an instrument that combines aspects of the sitar with the solid body electric guitar.