Film / Reviews Jun 24, 2021
‘Ito’: Ren Komai strums the right notes
by Mark Schilling
Satoko Yokohama’s drama, set in the director’s native Aomori Prefecture, features a troubled teen whose talent for playing the shamisen is hindered by grief.
Culture Apr 20, 2021
Japanese artisans showcase Olympic collection under virus cloud
A collection of 104 items from the country's 47 prefectures has gone on show ahead of the games.
Music Feb 26, 2020
Departing from tradition with Hiromitsu Agatsuma and Akiko Yano
by Patrick St. Michel
Shamisen player Hiromitsu Agatsuma teams up with singer and musician Akiko Yano for a new album which sees both depart from their previous styles and genres.
Books Jun 22, 2019
'The Fourth String: A Memoir of Sensei and Me': Music, life and reflections on the space in between
by Kris Kosaka
Janet Pocorobba's "The Fourth String" reconfigures the typical Japan fish-out-of-water memoir into a meditation on music and mastery, relationships, culture and narrative.
People | WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN? Aug 11, 2018
Duo Yumeno: Making music across the Pacific
by Katherine Whatley
Contemporary classical duo bring together the cello, koto and shamisen for original classical contemporary compositions.
Lifestyle Mar 4, 2018
Traditional arts live through kids
by Kit Nagamura
Nurturing respect for cultural traditions is a daunting challenge these days, when kids are glued to cellphones and game apps. So what does a country with centuries of carefully polished artistry do to preserve its heritage? Drop a curtain on the whole show? Not ...
Music Nov 22, 2017
The Yoshida Brothers get in on Kubo's big adventure
by Kaori Shoji
Speaking as a Japanese person, I can't help but feel a short burst of national pride when Hollywood gives my country any kind of attention, like with the animated film "Kubo and the Two Strings." Directed by Travis Knight of Oregon-based Laika Entertainment ("Coraline," "The ...
National Aug 20, 2017
After 13-year quest, shamisen maker sheds animal skin in favor of synthetic
A shamisen instrument maker near Tokyo has developed a synthetic substitute for the cat and dog skins used to craft the traditional three-stringed instrument. Developed by Komatsuya Ltd., the artificial material has been well received by professional musicians for its ability to match sound created ...
Music Dec 29, 2016
Shamisen faces crisis as cat skins fall from favor
by Dave Hueston
Few instruments are as integral to a nation's traditional culture as Japan's shamisen, whose evocative sound accompanies a range of performances from kabuki and puppet plays to folk songs and geisha entertainments in teahouses. But in the 21st century, the three-stringed instrument is facing something ...
National Apr 13, 2015
The central government has named seven individuals as envoys to promote cultural exchanges with other countries in fiscal 2015, the Cultural Affairs Agency said Monday. They include Kenichi Yoshida, a member of the Tsugaru shamisen duo called the Yoshida Brothers, and photographer Naoya Hatakeyama. The five ...
Music / CD Reviews | LISTENING POST Oct 14, 2014
Wasabi crafts sounds of old Japan into something new
by Daisuke Kikuchi
Wasabi "Wasabi 2" (Japan Traditional Cultures Foundation) Wasabi refines its take on traditional Japanese music for sophomore album "Wasabi 2." Ryoichiro Yoshida, the elder of well-known shamisen duo the Yoshida Brothers, started Wasabi in 2008 with shakuhachi player Hiromu Motonaga and taiko drummer Naosaburou Bihou. ...
Our Lives | TELLING LIVES Sep 30, 2014
Quebecoise shines as 'minyo' singer
by Magdalena Osumi
Learning to play the three-stringed Japanese traditional instrument shamisen topped Canadian Maud Archambault's list of things to do while in Japan. She arrived here in 2001 to explore one of her fields of study: Japanese culture. Fast forward to today, where she is recognized as ...