Those who appreciate the finest koto and shamisen music will be familiar with the name of Satomi Fukami. Fukami is considered to be one of the most innovative of all mid-career hogaku performers. She developed a highly disciplined style based on classics combined with a modern sensibility. This enables her to perform contemporary music with technical perfection and liveliness. Throughout her performing career, she has commissioned and performed a number of works for the koto and, in doing so, has greatly added to the koto and shamisen repertory.

Fukami began her studies of traditional Japanese koto music with her mother when she was a child, before coming under the tutelage of the outstanding master and Living National Treasure, the late Kiyoko Miyagi. Fukami graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (Geidai) in the early '70s, and her performances have garnered a number of prestigious awards, including the grand prize for the annual government-sponsored arts festival in 1983. She performs frequently around the world and presently teaches at Geidai.

Although throughout the last decades she has done numerous performances of contemporary music, she will feature only classic pieces at her upcoming recital. She will be joined by another koto master, Keiko Nosaka, who, as I have mentioned in previous columns, is also a pioneer of contemporary koto music and was responsible for creating the now common 20-string koto in the late '60s. (The traditional koto has only 13 strings.)

This dream duo will perform several of the most interesting and engaging pieces of Edo Period (1601-1868) koto and shamisen music, including the favorite "Yaegoromo," which, with its detailed and demanding instrumental interludes, is considered the most difficult piece of its genre.

During the Edo Period, performances of such technically demanding jiuta pieces like "Yaegoromo" often contained improvised sections where the performers would try to outplay their accompanists, much to the delight of the audience. Fukami and Nosaka's rendition of this piece will also contain such improvised sections, making for a very interesting performance.

"Fukami Satomi Koto, Sangen Recital" Dec. 6, 7 p.m. Kioi Small Hall near JR Yotsuya Station or Akasaka Mitsuke subway station; (03) 5276-4500.

Admission, 4,000 yen. For tickets, or more information, call (03) 3237-0061 or Fukami Office at (03) 3301-3321.

Reigaku-sha consists of a group of young and mid-career performers, mostly graduates of Geidai, who study and perform gagaku court music. Until recently, gagaku was not easily heard or learned. The finest gagaku is done by the Imperial Household Agency Music Department that has two yearly performances of gagaku and its dance counterpart, bugaku. But tickets are not easy to come by. Various shrines and temples across the country also perform gagaku as part of their religious ceremony, but those performances are often difficult to find and sometimes not of the best quality.

Sukeyasu Shiba, a master of the ryuteki flute, and one of the finest of the Imperial Household musicians, quit his job there several years ago to devote his energies and considerable talents to widening the scope of gagaku through teaching and composition. Presently a professor at Geidai, he has taught scores of students, the best of whom form the group, Reigaku-sha.

Reigaku-sha's concerts always include a combination of classical gagaku pieces along with new compositions. The upcoming concert will premier three new compositions: Shiba's work for gagaku instruments and song, "Kokan'yazen'u," along with works by Haruma Miyake and Toshiro Saruya.

"Reigaku-sha Gagaku" Dec. 10, 7 p.m. Tsuda Hall, across from JR Sendagaya Station, Soubu Line. Admission, 3,000 yen advanced purchase, 3,500 yen at the door. For reservations, or more information, call (03) 5269-2011.

Just as there are hogaku performers who bring a contemporary spirit and outgoing style to their music, there are the ones who work quiet, long, hard hours out of public view to perfect the music they love. Hearing these kinds of musicians always gives me a special pleasure since, not caring about advertising or creating a fuss about promoting themselves, they take some effort to discover and appreciate. These kinds of musicians -- quiet, unassuming and passionately dedicated to their art -- form the true, creative consciousness of a culture.

Komei Tanaka is such a musician. He's a professional performer on both the trombone -- which he began at age 14 and studied at the National University of Fine Arts and Music-- and the shakuhachi, which he began at a later age under the tutelage of the late shakuhachi master Goro Yamaguchi. It is unusual for a musician to divide his time between such disparate musical styles, but Tanaka does, and both seem to benefit from his eclectic musical approach.

Tanaka's upcoming recital, the sixth in a series, will be a homage to his departed teacher. The concert will feature jiuta shamisen pieces with shakuhachi accompaniment and the deeply inspiring hon- kyoku solo shakuhachi pieces. He will be joined by master shamisen and koto players from both the Yamada and Ikuta styles.

"Tanaka Komei Shakuhachi Ensokai" Dec. 10, 7 p.m. abc Kaikan (03) 3436-5771, JR Hamamatsucho Station or, on the Toei-Mita subway line, Shiba Koen Station. Admission 3,000 yen. For more information call (03) 3866-3084.

Other recommendable concerts for this month include: "Shin Sokyokujin no Kai, No. 35." A concert of graduates from Geidai, featuring traditional koto and shamisen music of both the Yamada and Ikuta styles. Dec. 5, 1 p.m. at Tokyo Shoken Hall, (03) 3667-9210, Kayaba-cho subway station, outside exit 8. Admission free.

"Nagauta, Okayasu Kai," Nagauta singing with shamisen players, performed by both students and teachers. Dec. 9, 1 p.m. at Nikkan Kogyo Hall, on the Tozai subway line and Toei Shinjuku lines, Kudanshita Station exit 5. For more information, call (03) 3222-7118. Admission free.

Christopher Yohmei Blasdel can be reached through his Web site, www2.gol.com/users/yohmei