So I made a post a while ago, however there was some confusion- I was wondering if there were teachers in the Berkeley area for koto or shamisen, however I was interested in tsugaru and/or jiuta. While I do own a nagauta shamisen, the current style I’m learning is Jiuta, and while continuing with jiuta would probably be best, I am very anxious to learn some tsugaru. Also, the koto style I’m learning is ikuta if that means anything to anyone…
ANYWAY, THANKS FOR READING AND SORRY FOR THE REPOST.
I just realized this isn’t a global post.
I’m sorry. -.-
There’s a special place in Hell for this kind of thing you know… Just kidding of course 
Hope you can find a teacher!
Hey Anthony!
No worries! Here’s the old thread about that.
Also, this was posted on the Bachido FB page about a month ago
Recently discovered that at Yu Ai Kai senior center in San Jose’s Japantown that there is a koto instructor there named Barbara Muramoto. I just heard she also teaches (drum roll here) SHAMISEN! Was wondering if anyone here receives instruction at the center.
Hi Anthony - yes, as per my reply when you first posted, both Shirley Muramoto and her son Brian Wong (websites are in the old thread) teach both koto and jiuta shamisen. Since that older thread, I believe that Brian has moved from Berkeley back to Oakland. As for Barbara Muramoto (who also teaches both koto and jiuta, as well as miny’ou shamisen, and who does not have a website), she is mother and grandmother to those two. All three of them maintain separate, unrelated teaching studios and styles. Barbara’s main studio, where she teaches weekly/regularly, is in San Lorenzo, which is not far from Oakland. I think she also teaches at the Buddhist Church in San Francisco, but don’t quote me on that. FYI, for places besides her own studio, I believe she only goes to them irregularly (eg. monthly, or every few weeks, etc.). If you decide you need to contact her, please PM me and I can give you her email or phone number.
There’s a special place in Hell for this kind of thing you know… Just kidding of course
Hope you can find a teacher!
With each passing day I have come to find Karl Hedlund’s sense of humor revealing itself as eerily similar to mine.
There’s a special place in Hell for this kind of thing you know… Just kidding of course
Hope you can find a teacher!
With each passing day I have come to find Karl Hedlund’s sense of humor revealing itself as eerily similar to mine.
Haha, I think my laughter wrinkles will most likely multiply the day we meet!
I must say, all the comedy from the people in this community really encourages my shamisen interest. It has come to the point that when I laugh my brain tells me to do shamisen related stuff.
I’m always glad to teach if you can make it down to Santa Cruz. It’s not that far from you!