By TOMOKO NAGAI
Rafu Staff Writer
A commemorative performance marking the 25th anniversary of Yamatogaku’s activities in the U.S. was held recently at the Norris Theatre in Rancho Palos Verdes.
Visiting from Japan were the third-generation headmaster, Yamato Osho, along with masters Yamato Michiju and Yamato Hisayoshiko. They were joined by a hayashi ensemble consisting of Katada Kisaku IV, a narimono (percussion) specialist, and Tosha Suiho, a fue (flute) specialist — both of whom appeared in the acclaimed Japanese film “Kokuho.” Together, they brought an authentic Yamatogaku stage to life for local audiences.
Japanese, American Performers Unite
The five musicians invited from Japan demonstrated masterful command of a wide range of sounds — uta (vocal chant), shamisen, taiko, and fue — delivering performances imbued with the intensity born of years of rigorous training and leaving a deep, lingering impression on the audience.
Responding in kind were the natori (titled performers) and disciples of Yamatogaku USA, based in Los Angeles. Centered around local instructors Yamato Yasoyo, Yamato Shoho, and Yamato Kyosho, multi-generational performers including 12-year-old Kyoka Stevens took the stage and engaged in seamless collaboration with the artists from Japan.
Special guest artists included dancer Bando Hidesomi, with supporting performances by koto player Hiroko Masuda, flutist Joseph Monticello, and dancer Bando Hiromiya, creating a richly layered program where traditional Japanese music, Western music, and dance intersected. Emcee Mako Hattori guided the event, adding elegance and sparkle to the milestone performance.
Yamatogaku in Southern California traces its roots to 1999, when folk song master Sato Matsutoyo began studying Yamatogaku in Japan. In 2000, with the invitation of second-generation headmaster Yamato Hisamitsu, the organization was formally established as Yamatogaku USA. Today, it comprises nine natori and students spanning a wide range of generations, including participants without Japanese roots who continue to train diligently.
More than 50 performers appeared on stage, presenting a total of 22 pieces. The all-day program, running from afternoon to early evening, drew an audience of all ages with an interest in Japanese and Japanese American performing arts. After the show, attendees commented that it was “a rare opportunity to listen deeply to Japanese music” and that it “deepened their understanding of Japanese culture,” making the concert a fitting celebration of the 25-year anniversary.
A Bond of Trust Beyond Borders
Yamatogaku is a musical form that blends elements of Western music into older Japanese genres such as nagauta and kiyomoto, making it accessible even to those less familiar with classical Japanese music. While attention is often drawn to its female chorus and Western-inspired structural elements, hayashi musician Katada Kisaku IV noted that Western percussion instruments such as the triangle and wind chimes are also incorporated, broadening the expressive range of the music.
For the piece “Yuki no Furu Machi” (The Snowy Town), the production borrowed a large taiko with the cooperation of the local group Asano Taiko. “The sound of snow is simply a deep ‘don, don’ struck with soft-tipped sticks,” Katada explained, “but the atmosphere of quietly accumulating snow can only be conveyed with a large drum.” Emphasizing the resonance and depth of sound required meticulous attention to detail, he said.
Reflecting on the concert, Katada expressed hope that it would serve as an entry point for newcomers to develop an interest in Japanese music.
Vocalist Yamato Michiju, with a 40-year career, took on a central role in the singing. “It was a position of great responsibility, but thanks to the support of everyone around me, I was able to fulfill it safely, and I am truly happy,” she said.
Due to distance, she had not rehearsed with fellow performers in advance of the concert, yet found it “very easy to enter into the performance.” She praised the thorough preparation of the local musicians.
This was her first visit to Los Angeles in about 17 years, and she noted that memories of her first U.S. performance remain vivid. Referring to the many outstanding works created by the previous headmaster, second-generation iemoto Yamato Hisamitsu, as well as the current headmaster, Yamato Osho, it was noted that Yamatogaku’s signature pieces have a strong affinity with Nihon buyo (Japanese classical dance). Their widespread appreciation and frequent use, she said, will serve as a driving force for the art form’s further development in the years ahead.
Participating in both singing and shamisen, Yamato Hisayoshiko, who is based in Nagoya — Los Angeles’ sister city — shared her impressions of performing Yamatogaku in Los Angeles for the first time: “I was deeply moved by how well prepared the local performers were — so much so that I felt they were even more accomplished than my disciples in Japan.” She also expressed hope for future exchanges between students in Nagoya and Los Angeles.
Challenges Behind the Scenes
Looking back, Yamato Kyosho, who worked tirelessly to bring the performance to fruition locally, noted that this was the first time in Los Angeles that a full-scale stage production incorporating background visuals had been attempted. Large-scale elements such as the installation of a kuromisu — the distinctive kabuki music area set stage left — and scene changes were carried out smoothly through the unified efforts of disciples and volunteers. She emphasized that the on-time progression of the show was “a stage built by family.”
She also cited as a major achievement the steady alignment of performers’ skills, made possible by the visit of leading artists from Japan and repeated trips by the headmaster since last year to provide hands-on instruction, which significantly elevated the overall quality of the performance.
Although there were constraints unimaginable in Japan — such as having a single person handle percussion normally played by several musicians, or playing flute while simultaneously covering percussion roles — the team turned these limitations into strengths through ingenuity, resulting in a compelling concert.
Headmaster Yamato Osho summed up the performance with “complete satisfaction.” Even within an environment and preparation system different from Japan’s, the performers succeeded by being attentive to one another and understanding their roles without words. “More than the art or the performance itself, I felt that cooperation and heartfelt connection between people are the true essence of Japanese culture,” she reflected.
By nurturing authentic Japanese performing arts abroad and faithfully inheriting classical traditions rooted in Japan, the 25-year history of Yamatogaku USA powerfully demonstrates what is possible and lays the groundwork for even greater artistic maturity in the years ahead.