shakuhachi – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today. Wed, 03 Apr 2024 09:46:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/05/en_rocket_1024.png?w=32 shakuhachi – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com 32 32 176746664 Six of our favorite songs performed on traditional Japanese instruments to get you to the weekend https://soranews24.com/2016/01/28/six-of-our-favorite-songs-performed-on-traditional-japanese-instruments-to-get-you-to-the-weekend/ https://soranews24.com/2016/01/28/six-of-our-favorite-songs-performed-on-traditional-japanese-instruments-to-get-you-to-the-weekend/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2016 13:00:33 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=297450 
From “Shake it off” to “Smooth Criminal”, these Japanese cover songs will definitely have you tapping your toes!
As you might have guessed, we love music here at RocketNew24. Of course, everyone loves music — one of the best things about being human is getting to make and listen to music. And as much as we love a wide variety of music and musicians, but we have a special place in our hearts for music performed on traditional Japanese instruments like the shakuhachi, koto, and shamisen.
But as much as we enjoy folk tunes, sometimes it’s even more fun to take a contemporary piece and give it a unique spin with some traditional instruments. So, to help you get through the rest of the week and make it to the weekend, we thought we’d share some of our favorite covers performed on Japanese instruments!
1. “Smoke on the Water”
This video is actually quite old, so we’re guessing there’s a good chance you might have seen it before — but even if you have, it’s still worth giving it another listen! Of course, there is more than just Japanese instruments being played here, but “Edo Firefighters” (“Smoke on the Water”) is simply too catchy not to include.
2. “We Will Rock You”
The same group also produced this amazing rendition of “We Will Rock You.” Again, they’re obviously not exclusively using Japanese instruments, but we think those instruments really give the song a fresh and unique feel.
3. “Shake It Off”
Whether or not you actually like Taylor Swift’s music, we have a feeling you’ll enjoy this rendition of “Shake It Off” performed on koto and shakuhachi by the same people who produced a cover of Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” a few years ago.
▼ You won’t want to miss the dancing that starts around 2:22!
4. “Smooth Criminal”
We’ve seen “Smooth Criminal” covered before with the shakuhachi and koto, but this version is a bit more of a straightforward rock thanks to the Seshami Street Boys’s tsugaru-jamisen performance.
5. “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis”
Of course, we couldn’t get through this list without at least one anime song! Here’s “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” the Evangelion theme song, performed on biwa, shakuhachi, koto, taiko, and shamisen. The video also features a Okura-kyogen-style dancer with what appears to be an Eva mask.
6. “Minority”
We’ve been watching Camui Hiroharu perform “shamirock” on his YouTube channel for a number of years, so this might be the perfect time to introduce the young performer. He’s certainly got the energy of a young Green Day on the Warped Tour!
We hope you enjoyed the list and found some new music to get your foot tapping. Be sure to let us know which cover was your favorite in the comments section!
Reference/featured image: YouTube/CAMUI HIROHARU, YouTube/Yasumi Miyazawa, YouTube/The Seshami Street Boys セ三味ストリート, YouTube/shaku8kozan
]]> https://soranews24.com/2016/01/28/six-of-our-favorite-songs-performed-on-traditional-japanese-instruments-to-get-you-to-the-weekend/feed/ 0 297450 top top Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” played on Japanese instruments? Yes, please!【Video】 https://soranews24.com/2015/10/20/michael-jacksons-smooth-criminal-played-on-japanese-instruments-yes-please%e3%80%90video%e3%80%91/ https://soranews24.com/2015/10/20/michael-jacksons-smooth-criminal-played-on-japanese-instruments-yes-please%e3%80%90video%e3%80%91/#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2015 03:00:30 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=275068 
Michael Jackson‘s popularity remains strong world-wide despite his death six years ago, and that includes in Japan. There is no shortage of MJ fans in the country, and many still consider him one of their favorite artists. Of course, with a discography as massive as his, it’s nearly impossible to choose one “most famous” Michael Jackson song, but “Smooth Criminal” is certainly a strong contender. This has resulted in the tune being covered in nearly every genre imaginable, but there’s always room for one more. Especially when it’s played on shakuhachi and koto…even more so when it’s played this well!
The video was apparently recorded at Meguro Gajoen for NHK World Blends and broadcast in February this year, but it became a hit online when it was uploaded to YouTube earlier this month.
The woman playing shakuhachi is Yoshimi Tsujimoto, a professional musician who has performed both internationally and domestically and been a member of various groups. She even studied shakuhachi in university, so there’s no doubt that Yoshimi’s skill are world-class—she even had a hand in recording the music for Final Fantasy XIII-2.
▼ Yoshimi performing solo
Joining the flutist in the video are Erina Ito, playing the koto, and Yuko Watanabe on the 17-string koto. This isn’t Yoshimi’s first time performing with Erina—in fact, they actually play together as a pair in a group called 523 Koibumi, which they formed in university.
▼ A video of one of their performances recorded last year
Yoshimi also performs with the three-person group Yui, whose members play traditional Japanese instruments, including the koto and tsugaru-jamisen in addition to Yoshimi’s shakuhachi. If you enjoyed any of the other videos above, you’re sure to like their music as well.
For those of you living in Japan, be sure to check out Yoshimi’s homepage to find schedule information for a chance to see her perform live.
Sources: YouTube/xangre, Japaaan, Yoshimi Tsujimoto, Facebook/Yoshimi Tsujimoto, Erina Ito, Yuko Watanabe
Top image: Facebook/Yoshimi Tsujimoto
]]> https://soranews24.com/2015/10/20/michael-jacksons-smooth-criminal-played-on-japanese-instruments-yes-please%e3%80%90video%e3%80%91/feed/ 0 275068 Screen Shot 2015-10-19 at 13.06.31 yoshimitsujimoto Famikoto celebrates Nintendo with medley of game music played on traditional instruments【J-Tunes】 https://soranews24.com/2015/01/05/famikoto-celebrates-nintendo-with-medley-of-game-music-played-on-traditional-instruments%e3%80%90j-tunes%e3%80%91/ https://soranews24.com/2015/01/05/famikoto-celebrates-nintendo-with-medley-of-game-music-played-on-traditional-instruments%e3%80%90j-tunes%e3%80%91/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2015 01:00:30 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=207329 
It should be no secret that we at RocketNews24 love traditional Japanese music. Whether its Ki&Ki with their tsugaru-jamisen songs or the Wagakki Band with their fusion of vocaloid-inspired rock and traditional instruments, we simply adore the sound. Of course, we’re also fans of Nintendo’s old video games–which is what makes Famikoto one of our favorite discoveries this season!
Check out this group’s music and get ready to take a walk down memory lane with some of Nintendo’s best theme songs!
Famikoto, obviously, is a portmanteau of Famicom, the Japanese name for the NES, and koto, the incredibly awesome Japanese instrument, and we’ve haven’t seen a band name quite so on the nose since Death! Though it’s not entirely accurate–the group also features a number of musicians on the shakuhachi and shamisen in addition the host of koto players. Regardless of their composition, the group absolutely nails the four songs they play through. First, we have the theme song from Fire Emblem, followed by the very short start-up music for the Disk System, and then music from both The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros.
▼Nostalgia never sounded so beautiful!
In case you’re wondering just what a Disk System is, be sure to check out this video which features a photo of the system itself, its start-up screen and music, and a little Easter egg you not have noticed about the GameCube.
Next, you’re probably hoping that Famikoto has made some more music–and luckily for your ears, they have! It turns out that the group has even recorded an EP! The album teaser is below, and if you like what you hear, you can order the CD from the 2083 Online Shop or Amazon Japan.
There’s also a live performance of the music on the EP, including songs from Final Fantasy X (“To Zarkland”) and Mother (“Mother Earth,” “Pollyanna,” “Eight Melodies”). The group is much smaller here, giving the music a slightly more intimate feel.
If you really like the music, you can even order some cellphone straps from the 2083 Online Shop as well. Sadly, it looks like neither the CDs nor the straps can be shipped internationally. Time to make a friend in Japan!
▼Post-Christmas present time!
If you’re as in love with the koto as we are, you’ll also want to check out some koto cover by Kazushi Okimasa, one of the primary koto players in Famikoto. For instance, this version of “Let It Go,” played by an ensemble of three koto, is one of the most gorgeous things you’ll ever hear.
There’s also a cover of the Kyari Pamyu Pamyu song “Ninja Re Bang Bang” that captures the original’s playfulness while simultaneously sounding almost elegant.
Finally, we have this delightful koto-only version of the vocaloid classic “Senbonzakura.” We’ll leave it up to you to decide if it’s better with or without Hatsune Miku singing.
If you need more music featuring Japan’s national instrument, be sure to check out this cover of “Telephone,” the 2013 song by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé.
Sources: Famikoto, YouTube, 2083 Online Shop
Images: YouTube
]]> https://soranews24.com/2015/01/05/famikoto-celebrates-nintendo-with-medley-of-game-music-played-on-traditional-instruments%e3%80%90j-tunes%e3%80%91/feed/ 0 207329 famikotocover2 famikotocover 68942740 Rocking out with the Wagakki Band: Giving vocaloids a human voice https://soranews24.com/2013/10/18/rocking-out-with-the-wagakki-band-giving-vocaloids-a-human-voice/ https://soranews24.com/2013/10/18/rocking-out-with-the-wagakki-band-giving-vocaloids-a-human-voice/#comments Thu, 17 Oct 2013 21:30:32 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=95013 
While vocaloids like Hatsune Miku are still relatively unknown in the West, they have quite the following in Japan and can be found taking part in everything from live concerts to limited edition smartphones. Though some may worry that the digital singers mean the end of “human” music, so far that’s hardly been the case. In fact, it’s nothing strange to find regular bands performing cover songs of vocaloid originals!
One band has taken the concept a step further by introducing some unique, traditional elements and are garnering quite a bit of attention among Japanese Internet users. Meet the Wagakki Band with Yuko Suzuhana and get ready to rock!
The Wagakki Band, which consists of seven musicians and the singer Yuko Suzuhana, deftly fuses traditional Japanese instruments with contemporary rock. Though the stage may get a bit crowded with a drummer, a guitarist, a bassist, a tsugaru-jamisen (Japanese lute) player, a koto (Japanese harp) player, a shakuhachi (Japanese flute) player, a taiko drummer, and a fan-swinging singer, they manage to put on a surprisingly dynamic and cohesive performance.
But you don’t have to take our word for it. Today we have their three most popular songs, and the vocaloid tracks that inspired them. Give the music a listen and tell us which versions you like best!
The first video the group released was “Tsuki Kage Mai Ka” (“Moon Shadow Dance Flower”), a cover of the Hatsune Miku song featuring electronic dance music mixed with distorted guitars and traditional Japanese instruments. If you look closely, you can see “Wayou Secchuu,” meaning a blending of Japanese and Western styles, written in large, black kanji on the drummer’s back. You couldn’t ask for a more perfect description of their music.
If you’re a fan of electronica or vocaloid music, be sure to give the original song a listen, too!
Their second song, which appeared on Nico Nico Douga in April and has over 480,000 views, is a cover of “Rokuchonen to Ichiya Monogatari” (“The Tale of Six Trillion Years and One Night”), a track featuring IA -ARIA ON THE PLANETES-, a vocaloid based off the singer Lia. Eagle-eyed viewers will also notice a new shamisen player, who we’ll mention more about later. The drummer’s message in this video is: “Tomodachi boshuuchuu,” which means “now taking applications for friends.”
If you have trouble with the video player below, you can also view it on YouTube.
For comparison purposes, here’s the original vocaloid track, which itself has 2.7 million views, showing just how popular this “niche” music is.
The third video we have for you today is “Tengaku,” or “Music of Heavens,” which has gotten around 214,000 views on Nico Nico Douga since it was uploaded on October 12. A cover of the Kagamine Rin vocaloid song, the video is certainly the most ambitious yet, with a “manga” montage of sorts towards the end. For those who are looking closely, the phrase on the drummer’s back in this video is “shoudou,” meaning “impulse” or “urge.” Click here to watch it on YouTube.
And here’s the original “Tengaku” vocaloid video for comparison.
That’s all of the Wagakki Band songs today, but we’re not quite done yet! As promised, there’s a bit more to share about their tsugaru-jamisen player, Beni Ninagawa, who enjoys uploading tsugaru-jamisen versions of anime theme songs to Nico Nico Douga and YouTube.
Here’s her version of the theme song for Attack on Titan. And her pet bird.
Finally, one of the most famous songs in anime history, the theme song from Neon Genesis Evangelion, as performed on shamisen! With a bird.
We hope you enjoyed this musical odyssey as much as we did! If you’re interested in hearing and/or seeing more from the Wagakki Band with Yuko Suzuhana, be sure to check out their Facebook and YouTube pages.
Sources: Nico Nico Douga (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), YouTube (1, 2, 3), Facebook
Images: Facebook
]]> https://soranews24.com/2013/10/18/rocking-out-with-the-wagakki-band-giving-vocaloids-a-human-voice/feed/ 0 95013 wagakki1 wagakki2 Japanese duo support Lady Gaga with a unique cover of Telephone https://soranews24.com/2013/05/26/traditional-instruments-a-shrine-and-monster-dance-moves-japanese-duo-support-lady-gaga-with-a-unique-cover-of-telephone/ https://soranews24.com/2013/05/26/traditional-instruments-a-shrine-and-monster-dance-moves-japanese-duo-support-lady-gaga-with-a-unique-cover-of-telephone/#comments Sat, 25 May 2013 16:00:05 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=58547 
The worldwide hit single, “Telephone”, by Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce, is doing the rounds again on the Internet. Only this time, it’s a Japanese version, featuring two traditional instruments: the koto (Japanese harp) and the shakuhachi (Japanese flute). The duo behind the cool cover are a couple of little monsters who go by the name of Team Kozan. Not only have they created an awesome rendition of the pop single, they’ve made a cool video clip too; filmed at Suga Shrine in Shinjuku, it mixes up Gaga dance moves with the sights and sounds of traditional Japan. See why the world is raving about it after the jump.
Team Kozan explains their reasons for creating the Japanese-style arrangement and video clip:
“Two years ago, after the terrible earthquake, we Japanese received a lot of support and encouragement from Lady Gaga. Now, we want to return the favour by supporting and encouraging Lady Gaga after her recent hip surgery. We hope she returns to performing soon.”
The clip is so eye-catching and original that its popularity is slowly spreading across the world.
Here’s what some Japanese viewers had to say:
“This is Japanese-style awesome”
“Props to the middle-aged guy; I didn’t see those dance moves coming!”
“I like this better than the original!”
“I got goosebumps!”
“The musical arrangement is great but their performance was mind-blowing!”
Here’s what foreigners thought of the clip:
“Love it!” (Vietnam)
“This is the best! I like it better than the original!” (USA)
“Where can I buy this single?” (USA)
“This is amazing! I’ve never heard a Gaga song like this before!” (Taiwan)
“This is so interesting to watch! Superior to the original!” (Canada)
The Japanese cover version of “Telephone” is a perfect fusion of East and West, traditional and modern. We think they’ve done Mother Monster proud.
▼ Check out Gaga’s original version below. Which one do you prefer?
Source, featured image: YouTube/shaku8kozan
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2013/05/26/traditional-instruments-a-shrine-and-monster-dance-moves-japanese-duo-support-lady-gaga-with-a-unique-cover-of-telephone/feed/ 0 58547 キャプチャ キャプチャ