Real classical Japanese music is a rare thing today. There is a wide-ranging repertoire for Japanese traditional instruments, but there are few performers who specialize in the classics of these genres, or whose musical education focused on those classics.
Two such women, however, about half a century apart in age, will present their art May 10 and 12 at Kioi Small Hall in Tokyo. This hall, tiny by modern standards at 250 seats, claims to be the only one in the country built for the express purpose of presenting Japanese classical music.
This may simply emphasize that Japanese music does not need a dedicated hall to be performed successfully, but the existence of such a hall is an inspiration to classical performers.