By MARIKO WATABE
SPECIAL TO THE RAFU
The first of three parts.
Classical Japanese Music – The Shape of Sound, the Shape of the Heart
In Los Angeles, it’s not uncommon to see minyo, nagauta, and Yamato-gaku performed on the same stage. They are all played on the instrument called shaminsen, the three-string traditional Japanese guitar.
Many people may wonder, “What’s the difference between them?” In fact, understanding these distinctions offers a deeper appreciation of the richness and background of traditional Japanese music.
So, what is the difference between folk songs and theater music? Starting with their origins, minyo are “songs of daily life” that naturally emerged from the people. They originated in agricultural rituals, Bon odori dances, and as work songs, and are typically characterized by short melodic phrases. They’ve been passed down from generation to generation, gradually changing
shape depending on the region. Their familiarity and rustic charm are among their greatest appeals.
In contrast, kabuki music — such as nagauta, kiyomoto, gidayu, and tokiwazu — and the relatively newer Yamato-gaku are classical music genres developed as theatrical art. These styles were refined by musicians since the Edo period, evolving alongside dance and drama into highly artistic forms.
The lengths of these pieces vary widely — from short five-minute works to elaborate compositions lasting over an hour. They demand technical mastery and deep expressive power. Within this form of art, one can sense the changing of the seasons, the subtleties of human emotion, and the uniquely Japanese aesthetic sensibility — elements that profoundly move the listener.
By tuning into the emotions embedded in the songs and sounds, we can feel the depth and breadth of Japanese culture.
Among these styles, Yamatogaku may be the least familiar. This innovative genre was founded in 1933 by Baron Kishichiro Okura — associated with the famous Hotel Okura in Tokyo — and blends shamisen-based music rooted in kabuki with Western musical techniques such as humming, harmony, and canon.
Unlike nagauta, which often features male vocals, Yamato-gaku has been developed to highlight the delicacy and elegance of the female voice.
All classical Japanese music belongs to the world of geido (the disciplined path of the arts), passed down rigorously from master to disciple. This unbroken transmission is what gives classical performing arts their depth.
On Nov. 2 in Los Angeles, a concert will be held featuring five professional musicians from Japan, including the third-generation headmaster of Yamato-gaku, Yamato Ousho, and the fourth-generation headmaster of the percussion school Katada-ryu, Katada Kisaku IV. It promises to be a rare opportunity to hear performances representing the pinnacle of classical Japanese music.
In addition, over 50 performers — including licensed members of Yamato-gaku USA — will appear in the concert. In the next installment, I will introduce the journey of the Los Angeles classical Japanese music community and how the spirit of sound has been passed down far from Japan.
Mariko Watabe
After moving to the U.S. in 1973, Watabe was active on stage as a nagauta vocalist until 1977. After residing in Belgium, she founded the Mari Fuji Kai in 1981 in the U.S., continuing her work promoting Nihon buyo (classical Japanese dance) and performing as a jikata (musician for dance) in nagauta and other forms.
Based in Los Angeles and New York, she is active under the names Yamato Kyosho (Yamato-gaku), Katada Kimisen (hayashi/percussion), Kineya Kichitoji (nagauta), and Bando Marifuji (Nihon buyo), dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of traditional performing arts. She has also produced over 100 bilingual (Japanese-English) episodes of her original YouTube program “Ohayashi Juku” (Percussion School).