What is "Aizu Bandaisan"? Aizu Bandaisan is one of the most famous folk songs from Fukushima’s Aizu region. It is sung at summer festivals and bon dances, where shinobue(flutes), shamisen,...
Read more
What is Rokyoku? Rokyoku（浪曲）, also known as Naniwabushi（浪花節）, is a form of entertainment that began in the early Meiji period (1868-1912) in which a story is told to the accompaniment...
Read more
What is Ningyo Joruri? Ningyo Joruri is a traditional Japanese performing art that began in the Edo period (1603-1868). In it, puppets are manipulated to act out stories. Music is...
Read more
What is a geisha? A geisha is a woman who enlivens a banquet by dancing, singing, and playing Japanese instruments. Geisha have been popular with the public since the Edo...
Read more
The Gokayama region is located in the southwestern part of Toyoama prefecture, surrounded by 1,500-meter-high mountains with heavy snowfalls of two to three meters in winter. Gokayama Gassho-Zukuri Village, designated...
Read more
What is a Japanese Folk Song? Japanese folk songs were sung by ordinary people in various parts of Japan. They may be sung alone, sung with hand-clapping, or sung with...
Read more
"Tale of the Bamboo Cutter" is Japan's oldest story. The author and the year of writing are unknown, but it is said to have been written between the 9th and...
Read more
Awa Odori has over 400 years of history Awa Odori（Odori means dance, 阿波踊り）is a traditional performing art in Tokushima prefecture that is said to have over 400 years of history....
Read more