The sound of Japan brought to you

The sound of Japan, brought to you

Shamisen expert.
Contact KIKUOKAMATSUNO for your shamisen performance needs.

Kikuoka Matsuno manufactures, sells, and repairs shamisen, operates a shamisen school, as well as plans and manages shamisen concerts and events in Yamanashi and Nagano prefectures.We want to convey the charm of the shamisen to many people and connect the tradition to the future.

If you want to invite a shamisen player

Where should I ask for a shamisen player…
What should we do about the venue and sound?
How much does it cost…

In such cases, please consult
with KIKUOKAMATSUNO

Features of KIKUOKAMATSUNO

01

We not only dispatch players, but also plan according to your needs.
02

Connections with players that only a shamisen shop can provide.
03

Because we know the shamisen so well, we are confident in our ability to convey the authentic tone of the instrument.

Usage Scenes

Educational institutions

We will hold a shamisen concert at schools. By coming into contact with traditional Japanese music and learning about your own culture, you can lay the foundation for developing your identity as a Japanese person.
Facilities

We provide a stage for residents of nursing homes, care facilities, etc. to enjoy. Please spend a moment playing and singing nostalgic songs and soaking in your own memories.
Weddings and other events

We provide a stage suitable for various events such as weddings, New Year’s parties, year-end parties, school festivals, and festivals. If you are tired of the usual entertainment and performances, why not liven up your event with a different atmosphere?
Travel Tours

As part of a travel tour, we can hold a shamisen live performance at your hotel, ryokan (Japanese inn), or historical building. Hearing the shamisen live will satisfy and impress your guests beyond their expectations and make their trip a memorable one. This event has been very popular with our overseas guests.
Domestic Events for Foreigners

In recent years, we have received an increasing number of requests from overseas customers who wish to hear the shamisen live. The sound of the shamisen, a traditional Japanese cultural instrument, will allow participants to fully experience the traditions and aesthetics of Japan.
Overseas Events

We dispatch players to overseas events such as gaming and anime events, Japanese festivals, events for Japanese living abroad, and private concerts. We will listen carefully to the details of your event and propose the most appropriate players and plans for your event.

Recommended Plans

Tsugaru Shamisen Solo Performance

Most of the shamisen is played in combination with singing, but the Tsugaru shamisen has its own charm as a solo instrument. Please enjoy the rough and somewhat sad sound of the shamisen, which evokes the harshness of the Tsugaru region’s winters.

Recommended occasions：From mini live performances in small venues to outdoor events.
Tsugaru Shamisen × Japanese drums

The sounds of Tsugaru shamisen and the pulse of taiko go hand in hand, and when combined, they create a stage that is even more powerful and dynamic, exciting and overwhelming to listen to.

Recommended occasions：Medium-sized venues (20 to 50 people) to outdoor events
Minyo (songs × shamisen)

Minyo singers perform traditional Japanese songs that everyone has heard before, as well as local songs that move the heart, all of which bring to mind the emotional scenes of the songs. Of course, local folk songs can also be performed. We will provide an enjoyable stage performance that will make you want to sing along.

Recommended occasions：From mini live performances in small venues to outdoor events.
Nagauta (song × shamisen)

Nagauta expresses Japan’s prestigious traditions and sense of beauty, and is said to be the culmination of traditional Japanese music. It is an appropriate venue for “appreciating Japanese traditional performing arts to the fullest.
The performance can range from a mini live performance by one shamisen player and one singer to a full-fledged musical performance with five shamisen players, five singers, and musical accompaniment (flute, kotsuzumi, otsuzumi, and taiko drums).

Recommended occasions：From mini-live performances in small venues to large-scale indoor events
Kouta and Hauta (singing × shamisen)

Kouta and Hauta offer a taste of chic Japanese culture in the tatami room. These short songs depict the seasons and changes in the hearts and minds of men and women, and offer a relaxing atmosphere.

Recommended occasions：Small venues such as Japanese-style rooms to medium-sized venues (20 to 50 people)

Flow from order to event

Inquiry

Please use the inquiry form or call us to make a request. When making an inquiry, please let us know the date, time, place, and budget for the performance.
Click here for the inquiry form.
TEL：055-232-1423
Meeting and Estimate

We will provide you with a proposal for casting, time, venue, sound setup, etc., according to your needs and budget, and submit an estimate. Estimates are free of charge.
Contract

Once you are satisfied with the contents of the estimate, you will sign a contract to complete the agreement.
On the day of the event

Performers will visit the site and present their performance.

Prices

Dispatch of performers within Japan

Fee per performer for 15-30 minutes per stage. Transportation, lodging, and instrument transportation are not included.

Shamisen (all genres)

¥50,000～
Singing (all genres)

¥50,000～
Japanese drums

¥50,000～
Koto

¥50,000～
Shakuhachi

¥50,000～

Dispatch of players overseas

Fee per performer for 15-30 minutes per stage. Transportation, lodging, and instrument transportation are not included.

Shamisen (all genres)

¥100,000～
Singing (all genres)

¥100,000～
Japanese drums

¥100,000～
Koto

¥100,000～
Shakuhachi

¥100,000～

Mini-Live/Concert Planning and Management

We will provide an estimate based on your budget and content.

We can also propose casting of Japanese instrumentalists other than those listed above, or stages combining multiple genres.
Transportation, lodging, and instrument transportation costs may not be incurred depending on location and time.

Explanation of genres

Jiuta

The oldest established genre, since the Edo period, along with koto music, blind musicians have been responsible for its creation, teaching, and transmission as a full-time occupation. It is characterized by a very delicate and tasteful expression.
Nagauta

Nagauta was developed along with Kabuki as music to color Kabuki performances. It is performed on stage with multiple shamisen and songs, and accompanied by narimono (musical instruments) such as flutes, kotsuzumi (small hand drums), tsuzumi (large hand drums), and taiko (drums).
Hauta

Hauta is a style of singing with short lyrics on the shamisen that became popular among the common people of Edo at the end of the Edo period (1603-1868). By the end of the Edo period, training halls were opened throughout the city, and numerous groups of enthusiasts emerged and competed with each other. Many of the lyrics are shared with kouta.
Minyo

Folk songs are music that originated from the lives of the people and have been sung freely by word of mouth since ancient times. In the mid-1800s, the shamisen began to be used as an accompaniment.
Kouta

Kouta is a song developed from hauta, and is played and sung in a small space. The style of playing is to pluck the strings with the fingers rather than a plectrum, and the condensed lyrics, seasonal feeling, and gentle sentiment create a unique world.
Tsugaru
Shamisen

Originally developed in the Tsugaru region (western Aomori Prefecture) and originally used to accompany folk songs of the Tsugaru region, today the term “Tsugaru shamisen” is often used to refer to solo performances. It is highly improvisational, with a rough and somewhat sad tone, and is characterized by rhythmic and fast-paced music.

Cases

October 28 & 29, 2023 Tsugaru Shamisen × Shakuhachi at Lumiere Winery

Japanese instrument live performances were held at the “Autumn Wine Festival” at Lumiere Winery, featuring performances by the Tsugaru shamisen unit “Geta and Setta” on the 28th and the Tsugaru shamisen player Takaaki Fukushima and the shakuhachi player Seizan Ichinose on the 29th.
Guests enjoyed the performances while relaxing and sipping a glass of wine under the autumn sky.
October 8 and 16, 2023 Tsugaru Shamisen × Japanese drum × Shakuhachi at Kakurinbo

Live performances of Japanese musical instruments at Kakurinbo, a 550-year old inn located in front of Kuonji Temple on Mt. Minobu in Yamanashi Prefecture, featuring performances by Tsugaru shamisen player Takaaki Fukushima and taiko drummer Rinpei Yamaguchi on October 8 and Tsugaru shamisen player Takaaki Fukushima and shakuhachi player Seizan Ichinose on October 16. The guests enjoyed the sounds of traditional Japanese music while feeling the flow of time different from the busy world in the solemn and historical inn.
Tsugaru Shamisen Unit at Kakurinbo on September 20, 2023

Performance by the Tsugaru shamisen unit “Geta and Setta” at Kakurinbo, a 550-year-old inn located in front of Kuonji Temple on Mt. Minobu in Yamanashi Prefecture. The Tsugaru shamisen performance with the wonderful Japanese garden in the background was very well received not only by foreign tourists but also by Japanese guests.
June 18, 2023 Tsugaru Shamisen and Japanese drums on the Noh stage at Kayabuki-no-Yakata

Performance by Tsugaru shamisen player Hiroshi Yamaguchi, wadaiko drummer Masashi Itohara, and Japan’s best elementary school student Tsugaru shamisen player “Rinon Miyazawa” on the Noh stage of Kayabuki-no-Yakata in Tatsuno Town, Nagano Prefecture. The guests are 22 teachers from Harvard Westlake School in the U.S. This is a private concert without public viewing.
The event was requested by a travel planner who is planning a premium tour in Japan.
The audience was mesmerized by the Japanese tones played by the three musicians and gave them a standing ovation after each song…music transcends borders.

We have also dispatched our musicians to other facilities and educational institutions, as well as to concerts hosted by our company.