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July 06, 2025
 

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Paul Fisher
CULTURE / Music
Aug 23, 2018
Haruomi Hosono: 'I never tried to be a pioneer'
Haruomi Hosono is widely regarded as one of the most important figures of Japanese popular music over the past 50 years.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 17, 2009
From Okinawa, and they're singing the Japanese blues
It's somewhat ironic that after years of scouring the world for music, Japan's very own "Mr. World Music," Makoto Kubota, has ended up a bit closer to home than he ever imagined. "I never thought there was such a deep, rich folklore in my own country. It was a big surprise" he says.
CULTURE / Music
Nov 16, 2007
Hirokazu Matsuda "Sanshin Zanmai"
Nowhere in Japan upholds its musical traditions as proudly as Okinawa. There, to make your name as a musician on a small island where there are hundreds of others, you have to be something special. "Sanshin Zanmai" by the 60-year-old Hirokazu Matsuda, his first album to be released nationwide, could...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 28, 2007
Rebel yell from the desert
Saharan bluesmen Tinariwen traded guns for guitars, then set about gaining an army of famous fans
CULTURE / Music
Jul 13, 2007
Tsuru to Kame "Shakkitose"
"Shakkitose" is the third album from Tsuru to Kame, a duo made up of female singer Shigeri Kitsu and shamisen player and singer Katsuaki Sawada. While minyo (folk songs) are dying out in communities, Sawada and Kitsu have been busily learning the songs from the locals and the original lyrics, which over...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 22, 2007
Heeding the call of island music
What is it with Western artists and Okinawan music?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 15, 2006
Kodo
In 1969, the young, idealistic communist Tagayasu Den formed a commune of taiko drummers on Sado Island off the coast of Niigata Prefecture called Ondekoza. Den became an increasingly dictatorial figure, obsessed with fitness and drumming. "Everyday, just running," recalls original member Eitetsu Hayashi...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 29, 2006
Street spirits plug in and out
In Japan these days, music and politics don't generally sit well together. On the face of it, a group who seem to have bucked the system is Osaka's Soul Flower Union, who released a new best of album on Sept. 20 and are now on a nationwide tour.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Aug 12, 2001
Take time to stop and hear the music
As your Music Nomad is wandering back to the U.K., this will be my last column. Thanks for taking the trouble to read it over the years; hopefully some of you have enjoyed seeing the concerts recommended.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Jul 8, 2001
Where Nas is coming from
One of the most unlikely roots music success stories of recent years has been Olu Dara's 1998 album, "In the World: From Natchez to New York." Even more surprising than the spontaneous ease with which he combined blues, folk, Afro and Caribbean styles, or his vivid, autobiographical, half-spoken words,...
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Jun 10, 2001
A daughter of Madagascar traces a path home to Asia
"I feel at home in Asia," said Hanitra, leader of the group Tarika, during a recent visit to Tokyo. "Africa is more foreign to me."
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
May 13, 2001
Lonesome Strings come out of the shadows
Like anyone who's really good at something, Yoshiki Sakurai makes it look easy. On stage, as he lets fly with complicated riffs and rhythms in any variety of styles, he stands expressionless.
CULTURE / Music / HIGH NOTES
Apr 25, 2001
Baaba Maal
In 1989, Senegalese singer Baaba Maal released an album with blind guitarist Mansour Seck titled "Djam Leeli." A mix of two acoustic guitars, a dash of percussion and Maal's intense singing, it was simple but hypnotic and, for many, a revelation to hear the connection between West African guitar...
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Apr 8, 2001
Moreno comes of age
Escaping paternal shadows can be tricky for a musician, especially if that musician's name happens to be Lennon, Marley or Dylan. Brazil's Moreno Veloso, however, probably shares more in common with Nigeria's Femi Kuti. Both are sons of superstars in their native countries who virtually created their...
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Mar 27, 2001
Tradition and innovation in modern Celtic music
Julie Murphy and Sharon Shannon are two of the most talented, forward-looking and musically challenging women in Celtic music. Both have captured the spirit of the times, setting a benchmark for a new generation of musicians in their respective traditions. They will soon be performing in Japan with fine...
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Mar 13, 2001
Checkered history lives in a motley crew
Chindon-ya (brass, wind and percussion bands peddling goods or services on the streets) might not immediately spring to mind as a part of Japanese musical "tradition." Indeed, chindon has never been fully recognized as even a legitimate form of music.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Feb 27, 2001
Making music in no-man's land
Through my work in the music industry, I have secured record deals with local labels for foreign musicians and have organized releases and tours overseas. As a columnist and DJ, I've been sent CDs from countless bands seeking promotion. I know there is no easy route to success in the business. And for...
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Feb 12, 2001
Getting back on the right track
In all walks of life, those who make successful comebacks have always been admired. They become figures of resilience with a commendable never-say-die attitude; think Muhammad Ali or even Bill Clinton.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Jan 23, 2001
Artists with eclectic tastes dispute the 'healing' tag
Of all the nonsensical musical genres, perhaps the most irksome is one coined here in Japan: "healing" music.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Jan 9, 2001
Hitting the high notes of jazz
At the age of 5 or 6, Cassandra Wilson recalls hearing the music of Miles Davis for the first time. "Sketches of Spain" was part of her father's record collection, himself a jazz musician and was one of the records he would often play in their home in Jackson, Mississippi.
Japan braces for more quakes as authorities dismiss doomsday hype
Evacuees from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecuture, arrive at Kagoshima Port on Friday.
Hidden AI prompts in academic papers spark concern about research integrity
Waseda University is one of 14 institutions in eight countries found to have used hidden prompts in research papers.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Residents of Tokara Islands begin evacuation as seismic swarm continues
Details about evacuations from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, is seen written on a whiteboard in the city of Kagoshima on Thursday.
U.S. military apologizes over Okinawa sexual assault case
Col. Neil Owens (right), chief of staff for the 3rd Marine Division, bows in apology at the Okinawa Prefectural Government office in Naha on Thursday.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Muji has been sustainable from the beginning
Muji has been sustainable from the beginning

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