Born in the snow-covered land of Aomori, the Tsugaru shamisen shakes the hearts of listeners with its fierce yet delicate sound. Once passed down as a regional folk art, this instrument is now gaining attention as a traditional Japanese music that crosses borders and fascinates people all over the world. How did the Tsugaru shamisen advance to the international stage and come to possess a unique presence in the global music scene? We explore its trajectory, the possibilities that open up through encounters with different cultures, and future prospects.
Tsugaru Shamisen, Doorway to the World
The Tsugaru shamisen began to be seriously introduced overseas from the late 1970s to the 1980s. During this period, international interest in Japanese traditional culture as a whole increased, and talented Tsugaru shamisen players had the opportunity to perform overseas. While early performances sometimes had the aspect of introducing “exotic” Japanese culture, the powerful sound, improvisational nature, and passionate expression of the Tsugaru shamisen, which appealed directly to the heart across language barriers, deeply impressed many overseas audiences and laid the foundation for its subsequent international development.
International Breakthrough by the Yoshida Brothers
A major catalyst for the Tsugaru shamisen gaining wide international recognition in the context of “world music” was the success of the Yoshida Brothers, who made their major debut in 1999. Based on their excellent traditional playing techniques, they gained a wide range of fans, including younger generations both in Japan and abroad, with modern arrangements incorporating elements of rock and pop music, and sophisticated stage performances. Through CD releases from overseas labels, successful overseas tours including in the United States, and introductions in international media, they demonstrated a new appeal of the Tsugaru shamisen to the world and played a significant role in raising its international evaluation.
Tsugaru Shamisen Bearers Active Worldwide
Today, many Tsugaru shamisen players are active on the international stage. They pursue the possibilities of the Tsugaru shamisen in their own styles and continue to share it with the world.
- Fusion with diverse genres: Active collaborations are taking place that cross genres, such as co-performances with jazz, rock, classical, pop, club music, and even folk music from other countries. For example, Hiromitsu Agatsuma is engaged in various activities both domestically and internationally that are not bound by genre, including co-performances with jazz and rock musicians, and concerto performances with overseas orchestras.
- Participation in international music festivals: The Tsugaru shamisen is increasingly included in programs at international trade fairs like WOMEX (World Music Expo), jazz festivals worldwide, and comprehensive arts festivals. Performances at such venues are important opportunities to appeal the musical value of the Tsugaru shamisen to the world. Talented young players like Sho Asano are also actively participating in overseas festivals.
- Activity of female players: The number of female players is also increasing, such as Chie Hanawa, who expresses the new appeal of the Tsugaru shamisen with her unique sensibility in addition to traditional power, and is active both in Japan and overseas.
- Activities in units and groups: In addition to solo activities, there are also examples of players forming units or groups and conducting domestic and international tours with ensembles centered around the Tsugaru shamisen (e.g., a unit in which Kazuo Fukui participates).
Through these activities, the Tsugaru shamisen is raising its global recognition not just as a “Japanese folk instrument,” but as an instrument capable of diverse musical expression.
New Creation Born from Dialogue with Different Cultures
The international activities of the Tsugaru shamisen have led to encounters and dialogues with various music cultures, resulting in new musical creation.
- Deepening collaboration: Attempts are being made not just to play together, but to understand each other’s musical backgrounds and structures to create new music. For example, the unique rhythm and improvisational nature of the Tsugaru shamisen can resonate with other highly improvisational music such as jazz, flamenco, and African music, leading to stimulating sessions.
- As a bridge for intercultural understanding: During overseas performances and workshops, explanations are sometimes given not only on playing techniques but also on the harsh nature, history, people’s lives, and the meaning of folk songs in the Tsugaru region, which form the background of the Tsugaru shamisen’s origin. This allows the audience to deepen their understanding of Japanese culture through music.
Overseas Diffusion and Education
With the increasing international popularity of the Tsugaru shamisen, the number of people learning the instrument overseas is also growing.
- Overseas Tsugaru Shamisen Communities: Tsugaru shamisen enthusiast groups and classes exist in various parts of the world, including North America, Europe, and Oceania, where Japanese players and experienced local players provide instruction.
- Appearance of foreign players: Foreign players who have learned Tsugaru shamisen overseas and are active professionally are also emerging. They shed new light on the Tsugaru shamisen from different cultural perspectives and contribute to its diffusion.
- Utilization of digital technology: Video platforms like YouTube are important tools for easily delivering Tsugaru shamisen performances to people around the world. Furthermore, online lessons have made it possible to learn directly from instructors in Japan without geographical constraints, promoting international diffusion.
Challenges and Issues Accompanying Internationalization
On the other hand, there are also some challenges in the international development of the Tsugaru shamisen.
- Difficulty in conveying cultural context: There is a difficulty in deeply conveying the regional history and spirituality that form the musical background of the Tsugaru shamisen to overseas audiences within a limited time.
- Instrument maintenance and management: As the instrument is delicate to changes in climate and humidity, maintaining the condition of the instrument during long-term overseas performances and procuring consumables such as skins can be challenging.
- Balance between “tradition” and “innovation”: While performing overseas, there is a demand for “Japaneseness” on one hand, and expectations for new expressions on the other. In this context, players face the question of how to establish and express their own musical identity.
International Future Vision of Tsugaru Shamisen
The Tsugaru shamisen is expected to further increase its presence in the global music scene in the future.
- As universal musical expression: It has the potential to be accepted by a wider range of people as a universal instrument capable of expressing diverse emotions, going beyond the framework of being a “rare Japanese instrument.”
- Coexistence of the global and the local: Even as international activities expand, it will be important to continue transmitting the “soul” rooted in the climate and history of the Tsugaru region without losing it, and to convey its essential value. Respect for Aomori as the “roots” and dissemination to the world will be key to future development.
- Activity of the next generation: The emergence of young players with international experience and players from diverse cultural backgrounds will bring new perspectives and possibilities to the expression of the Tsugaru shamisen, fostering further development.
Conclusion – From Aomori to the World, and Towards the Future
In the harsh natural environment, the Tsugaru shamisen has turned the soul’s cries and living energy of the people into sound. Its powerful sound, while possessing a regional character rooted in Aomori, has the power to appeal to universal human emotions. That is why it captures the hearts of people around the world, crossing cultural and language barriers.
The spirit of the Tsugaru shamisen, which respects tradition while constantly seeking new expressions – “guarding the form, and breaking the form” – will surely be passed down without change. From Aomori to the world, and towards the future, the soul-stirring sound of the Tsugaru shamisen will resonate even wider and deeper.
