And she went off on me! The way she talked about tsugaru shamisen made it sound as if tsugaru players are demons walking the earth! And then she talked about some female player (I don’t know specifically who) who plays in an evening gown, and she was scandalized by that, and said she’s a horrible player (she must not be too bad if she’s playing to large audiences).
So, wow, what’s the deal here? I’m a bit shaken.
Lorraine,
Generally speaking, traditional Japanese arts are like the dishes in a bento box - each sealed off in its own little section, with no chance of mixing with the others. My first shamisen teacher was a nagauta player, trained at the prestigious Tokyo arts university, and she very reluctantly taught me a few folk songs when I asked about other types of shamisen music. Tsugaru shamisen really used to be looked down on by players in other traditional genres because it was originally played by blind beggars. Today you are just as likely to see a Tsugaru player scoff at other traditional shamisen genres, believing that they are all much easier than Tsugaru shamisen (which is, of course, not true - mastering any genre is extremely difficult). That Tsugaru shamisen has become by far the most popular genre of traditional Japanese music probably makes some other players a bit jealous too.
The player your teacher was talking about is Nidaime (“The Second”) Takahashi Chikuzan , who was doing interesting things with Tsugaru shamisen long before the Yoshida Brothers brought the instrument back into the public eye. She is a very good player - there is a reason that Chikuzan chose her as his successor.
What was the deal with the evening gown? I’m sure glad I didn’t show her the video of team Bachido in the competition! Jeans and Bachido swag T’s! She might have had a stroke. I’ve been working on the Rolling Stones on my shamisen. But quietly, veeeerrry quietly!
You know, I’ve been a musician my entire life. I sing and listen to everything from Baroque, to opera, to Lady Gaga. I remember hating classical music when I was about 10, but after I joined my first choir, I have never been closed to any type of music, nor any type of any fusion of music. I just love music.
This really threw me - I never expected a grown-up who truly loved music to reject or look down on any of it.
P.S. don’t get me wrong - she’s a NICE lady!
And, thinking about it later - it really made me angry. I realize it was a long time ago, but when I see people busking in the street, I always give them money, because they are actually out there working, not sitting there with some sign that says “will work for food” (and you know they won’t, really).
Those men were blind, broke and hungry, but they still went out there and actually played and maybe made people tap their feet and hum. They were NOT beggars. They did NOT have an empty hand out, expecting something for nothing. They gave all they had - even if it was just music. They are still giving today, given that they gave birth to a whole new musical genre!
If you go to Washington DC, on a nice day, there are always buskers near the metro. And they’re AWESOME players most of the time. They give all they have, and they always make me smile. I’ll have to see if I can dig up the video that I have of the awesome drummer in Chinatown who has an entire drum set made of paint cans and shopping carts. I watched him for over an hour, and danced, and smiled, and took video. I gave him 5 dollars at the end, and had a much better time than I would have if I had seen a movie. Great investment, and I still have a video, too! OK, little rant there, thanks for indulging me, lol!
But I hope that I have given everyone something to think about the next time that you see someone busking in the street.
Here he is. This is not my video - but its the same guy - following the Bachido principle! No money for instruments? Gotta play - I’ll make my own!
wow yeah I guess being used to the openmindedness around here on bachdio I almost forgot that such fierce attitudes surely are out there also after all I guess though no different than in any other field including snowboarding for example . . . and I shall spend some more bucks on the buskers this summer 
Although, I guess if I ever want to play in a public park, I’ll have to put out a sign that says - “please don’t give me money - playing for FUN!” LOL
I will not I was already joking with collegues about the value of practicing further so I could busk on the side of the taxi stands when business is low . . .
I busked on shamisen for many years all around Japan, so I’m the last person to say anything negative about buskers. But about the early Tsugaru performers being beggars, that is how they were perceived. They practiced kadozuke, which means that they went from house to house asking for rice, or whatever the people there had to spare. They weren’t all accomplished musicians, from what I’ve read, and often just hit the open strings on the shamisen for maximum volume to get the attention of the people whose house they were standing in front of. They were seen by many as nuisances and some people gave them something just to get rid of them . Even Chikuzan said that he didn’t develop his art while doing kadozuke, because the circumstances just weren’t conducive to the kind of delicate playing we’ve come to associate with him.
To answer your other question (“What was the deal with the evening gown?”), I think she was trying to show that you didn’t have to dress traditionally to play traditional music. I spoke to her a few years ago about this, and it probably came from playing at Jean Jean, an avant-garde club in Shibuya (it was just down the street from Tokyu Hands, in the basement of a church, if I’m remembering right. It closed several years ago - the space is now a coffee shop). At first she opened for (the original) Chikuzan’s regular gig there, then started to do solo performances with other genres occasionally thrown in the mix. I saw Chikuzan twice at Jean Jean, and the place was strongly identified with him, but I think most of the other people who played there weren’t traditional Japanese musicians. So Chikuzan’s successor was exposed to a lot of other performance styles, and it influenced who she became as a performer.
Wow, Gerry, you are awesome! I think the history of tsugaru and shamisen in general is almost as much fun as playing.
Well, I have a soft spot in my heart for people who are kind of down on their luck, so I have a tendency to vociferously defend the underdog. Gotta say, though, if a guy came up to my porch and just banged on guitar strings without playing anything, that would be pretty annoying. Don’t get me wrong, I’d still give him money (if I had extra), because I’m such a sap. 
More than likely I’d offer to give him a guitar lesson as well! (For free of course, that’s how I roll sigh)
Well, I thought I was the only one who felt the pressure in this traditional class, but I talked to my two friends from my taiko group who are also taking the class, and they kind of agree with me that our teacher is pretty on the intense side, lol. We had a good laugh about the evening gown thing; that our sensei was so scandalized by that. I haven’t been able to find any videos of her, but I found some of Chikuzan. Thank you for this great discussion, and additional insight into the history! I’m kind of a history buff, so this just fits right into my interests.
Oh by the way, BH - GO for it! If I am walking by, I’ll definitely throw a few bucks your way, and then sit down and join you! lol
And she went off on me! The way she talked about tsugaru shamisen made it sound as if tsugaru players are demons walking the earth!
-Well of course that’s because we are indeed demons walking the earth! Haha!
And then she talked about some female player (I don’t know specifically who) who plays in an evening gown
-You should show her Hanawa Chie who sometimes performs in a miniskirt!
Hi everyone! I’m a little late jumping in on this thread but glad to see a lively discussion here! In my humble opinion it seems that your teacher, although surely a nice lady as you say, is simply waaaaaayyyy out of touch with the reality of the times. Her attitude twords Tsugaru Shamisen may have been appropriate and common in the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and maybe even a little into the 1960s and perhaps to stretch it out a bit, slightly into the 1970s and 80s. But by then Yamada Chisato was already redefining what Tsuagru Shamisen could be as a creative expression of Japanese culture and the influence of Jaw dropping masters like Shirakawa Gunpachiro was already felt. Mihashi Michiya was also on the scene in the 70s displaying an awesome style that, in my opinion, still rocks ! By the 1980s Chikuzan had begun to make his mark and by the 1990s young players from the tournaments were already hard at work incorporating Tsugaru Shamisen into modern pop culture. Kinoshita Shinichi and Hiromitsu Agatsuma were both involved in Musashi, a hard Rock band based on trad. Japanese instruments and the Yoshida brothers were just around the corner all set to initiate a Tsugaru Shamisen boom that would resonate throughout the planet. and this was well over a decade ago, mind you! In the past decade Tsugaru Shamisen has exploded into a globally known symbol of modern Japan and has far exceeded many of the other Shamisen genres in both popularity and technical potential. As Gerry has respectfully stated all styles are challenging in their own way but Tsugaru style keeps the door open for “New” developments, “New” techniques and “New” ways to challenge the player in terms of phrasing, harmony and rhythmic content.
I’m sorry but to have missed all of this I would have to conclude that your teacher has chosen to live inside a rather thick bubble. But then perhaps it is this very “New” and forward way of thinking that makes us “Demons” walking the earth. Tsugaru is one of the only styles in Japan that encourages one to find one’s own voice. Not to simply copy others. Could be a threat to someone who has dedicated their life to preserving tradition within very specific boundaries. Hmmmm.
“I’m sorry but to have missed all of this I would have to conclude that your teacher has chosen to live inside a rather thick bubble. But then perhaps it is this very “New” and forward way of thinking that makes us “Demons” walking the earth. Tsugaru is one of the only styles in Japan that encourages one to find one’s own voice. Not to simply copy others. Could be a threat to someone who has dedicated their life to preserving tradition within very specific boundaries. Hmmmm.”
You didn’t miss the convo at all, I’m glad you jumped in!
I’d like to think that we as human beings have eliminated prejudice from the planet, but alas, it’s not to be yet. And as some prejudices are eliminated, new ones will rise, I’m sure!
This is why I was so blown away when I mentioned tsugaru to my sensei. She’s a VERY learned woman, so when she went off like that, it really took me aback! It reminded me of when someone I love (who shall remain nameless) occasionally says the “f*g” word about one of my many homosexual friends (and no, they’re not talking about a British cigarette). This person is actually VERY supportive of that community, and fully believes in marriage equality - but is also older, and still hasn’t qquuuuite got over the deeply ingrained prejudice.
Oh, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Kevin, I just found your YouTube Channel, and it’s called "shamisendemon’!
ROTFL! That’s awesome!
My nagauta shamisen teacher is ‘younger’ (younger than I am , maybe in his 50s now). When I went to Norm’s gathering last year, we went to the Kikko restaurant (which we also went to this year) and one of the young players at Kikko later turned up assisting my teacher at a nagauta student recital. I asked him quietly if my teacher knew about his Tsugaru playing–he said it is no problem. So the younger generation seems to understand a bit more. The world of nagauta (and most other shamisen genres) is very tradition oriented. It is almost a religion. On the other hand, for many people, Tsugaru shamisen is like a ‘new religion’ – the founder, Chikuzan, lived into the late 20th century. So, maybe the traditionalists feel that Tsugaru is still too young, and they dismiss it out of hand. Others may be just watching to see what Tsugaru develops into. Current Tsugaru trends are moving in completely new, non-traditional directions. So, it is difficult to compare, and for some, difficult to accept something so new. For me, I just watch and enjoy! (I don’t really play Tsugaru myself). One point, from the standpoint of Japanese social norms–don’t bring up the topic if you think it is a possible source of friction. Just smile, nod, and have another cup (tea, sake, whatever)!
I know for one thing with some Japanese, they don’t find Tsugaru shamisen as refined. It’s like comparing Mozart to the Rolling Stones. And classical guitar to the electric. I had the opportunity to learn Tsugaru while I visited my mom in Japan, but she was against it because it wasn’t refined - and insisted that I learned classical music like Jiuta or nagauta before I learned Tsugaru, saying that by learning the classical techniques, I’ll be able to play any kind of music I wanted to later on.
Of course my mom is from the generation where all upper class well educated women learned dance, koto, shamisen, tea etc.
As for teachers, I have two shamisen teachers, one for nagauta and another for jiuta. My nagauta teacher is older, but she has no prejudice towards Tsugaru, ‘It’s just a different style’ she says and she’s very open minded. She’s transposed and played a Zelda medley for Sakura Con.
And my jiuta teacher is much younger, but with the same attitude. She was however more surprised to learn that I loved classical shamisen music though and mentioned that fewer and fewer people want to learn classical music.
I think that’s what it really is, not so much about traditional, but classical vs. rock 'n roll. My American dad is 80 and only listens to classical. Hates anything else - even the Beatles (which I think is weird). Recently, he has started to enjoy jazz - real jazz (not the soft radio jazz crap) but still loves his classical. And he thinks that rock versions of classical music is blasphemous while I think the rock 'n roll version of Beethoven’s 9th is pretty cool.
So maybe that’s part of the conflict as well.
Hi John, Hi Sara! First off - John, hope you don’t get offended, but I’m happy to meet another member who is older! lol - I keep seeing photos of all these young’uns, and, while I am not THAT old myself cough cough51mumble, I sure have felt old here, especially given the fact that I started taking shamisen lessons 3 weeks ago.
I think you guys are right! I still run into those prejudices, being classically trained myself (opera and musical comedy performer), and even I still occasionally wrinkle my nose at some music (never the genre, usually the song, or the artist… basically any song that throws technique out of the window, for instance, screamer death metal, or gangsta rap that encourages violence). It particularly makes me cringe when those judges on “The Voice” think they can show people how to sing. I mean, Shakira, teaching voice??? Whuuuut??? Not that I don’t have 3 of her albums …
I did not exactly address my comments to my sensei. One of the other students asked if tsugaru technique was that different, and I said it wasn’t THAT different, and the sensei heard me say that. I actually think it blends in pretty well with the festival music (Fuji Musume, or The Wisteria Dance) that we’re playing in the class (At least, Kuroishi Yosare does). Had it not been for bachido.com, I would be nowhere NEAR the level that I am in my nagauta class!
But John, you’re so right. More nodding and smiling, less talking, because what she has to teach is very valuable to me. I really do try to keep quiet and listen very hard (I have to fight my gregarious nature), so I’m just going to redouble my efforts in that area. I was actually doing better last week until THE COMMENT, LOL!
enjoyed reading all perspectives mentioned thanks for sharing so I after all I shall keep in mind that it is sort of comparable to classical and/vs rock’n’roll or traditional and/vs demoniac . . .
Hi,
here in Ireland you see many buskers playing on streets everyday. Some of them are great and make living of it…
I go busking every now and then and its great experience…did a few performances on shamisen as well, and people loved it, me too.
i got to meet many interesting characters and made some extra money. the money is not so bad actually here…its also great for practice, since it is like a performance, your mind is set differently and you pay more attention to your playing…
I busked on shamisen for many years all around Japan…
Gerry, how is the situation with busking in Japan?
Do you have to have a permission? Can you make some money busking?
Would you have some interesting stories to share?
and perhaps some tips? I am heading to Japan soon and will definitely go busking there…ta
Busking was pretty good in the 90s, but less so in the 2000s. Around 2006 I was living in Kyoto again, and busked occasionally on weekends, but really just for the experience and practice, as by then there wasn’t enough money in it to make it worthwhile. When I was in Tokyo in 2010 I noticed that a lot of the spots I used to play in the early 90s had signs prohibiting public performance. In the last decade Ueno Park has set up a permit system, where you audition to get a license for a year or something. I don’t know if that’s been adopted anywhere else. In most places it’s always been technically illegal, but they often turned a blind eye if you seemed harmless. They may (or may not) be stricter about enforcing rules now, but even back in the glory days you always had to be ready to be shut down at any time. Playing around subway stations, or in drinking areas at night is where you tend to make the most money. And the rule of thumb has always been that the better a spot is, the less likely you are to get away with playing there for long.
Anyway, it can’t hurt to see if you can make a go of it. As you said, you meet a lot of interesting people, and you can really sharpen your skills playing in public. If you find you are getting shut down all the time, consider just playing for free – you can probably get away with that anywhere, and will meet all the same characters, and have just as much fun.