My friend, guitarist Brian Hughes, toured with the leader in Japan as an opening act with Loreena McKennitt. He went to perform with the Chieftains in North America and Europe when they were promoting their album Santiago. In Japan they played about ten shows between Tokyo and Osaka, mainly at headquarters Soft concert halls of classical music. The seating ranged from 1500 to 4000 capacity. They were booked through the agent plankton, which specializes in Celtic music. Although the audience was enthusiastic Brian felt that Celtic music is still a niche market in Japan.
Celtic The music and traditional Japanese music: A Comparison
If you hear a lot of traditional Japanese folk melodies they have a quality bittersweet is similar to traditional Celtic music. The Japanese pentatonic minor scale is different from the West, but some phrases especially when they are in the major could easily be bits of Irish folk songs and Scottish. If you look at the folk shinobue transverse flute traditional, it is not really so different from the fife, or Irish flute in tact. The technique of sliding and sticking with the whistle or shinobue are also similar.
Where to Find Celtic Music in Japan
The major record labels in Japan all have Celtic music under license and CDs are available imports. A reputable distributor of Irish music in Japan is a company called Music Plant. I think they probably are affiliated with plankton. JVC (Japan Victor Corporation) directly signed the group ANAM. They recorded two albums for JVC and have toured Japan three times. A talented young musician England, Tim Edey who played button accordion on my latest album Celtic Heartland just joined the group recently. It was a company Tokyo called Trinity who was specializing in importing traditional Celtic CDs but I'm not sure they are still active. Brian Cullen an Irishman from Wicklow now living in Nagoya has his own label for his own marketing material called Celtic Otter music and he has published collections of ballads.
There is a Celtic festival held annually in Tokyo Ryutsu Center. They have music and dance, fashion shows, exhibitions crafts and seminars and workshops.
There is an organization called CCE Japan that provides lessons for most Irish instruments as well as Set Dance and Gaelic. CCE Japan is the Japanese branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, an association for the promotion
Japanese Musicians specialized Irish Instruments
There are some quite accomplished Japanese Celtic musicians. Isao Moriyasu, which began as a classical recorder player, now specializes in Irish flute. He teaches at the Kunitachi Music College and has written a book on Irish music. It often occurs with his wife Masako who plays Celtic harp, accordion and bodhran. Mayumi Nagaur is a member of Rising Pints, also has his own group called BIRD. It is really good accordion, tin whistle and bodhran player. She has encouraged many other Japanese to learn Irish instruments.
Western Celtic Musicians Japan
There are few musicians who have formed groups with foreign and Japanese members. Examples include the Rising Pints and the now defunct Eye Wish as well as a group in Sendai called Callanish.
The circuit of pubs in Japan
There are Irish pubs in Japan such as Dubliners, O'Carolan's, The pint, The Warrior Celt, Shamrock that regularly have music. Irish pubs all have regular sessions as well. Because that the rent is at a premium especially in big cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Kyoto the venues are smaller than you would expect in America or Europe. Like many jazz clubs in this country the capacity ranges as low as 50 to 200 comfortable. Brian Cullen reports that The Osaka Dubliners claims to have had 600 customers on the day of St. Patrick a few years ago. I would say that must reach the maximum and after a few pints. Westerners are often surprised by the amount of hedging costs. Generally to see a band a 3000 yen cover charge is pretty typical. CD prices are still about 2500 yen fine.
While Celtic artists are not household names as major rock stars, interest in Celtic music is likely to continue to grow in Japan for some time to come.
 © 2005 Ron Korb – All Rights Reserved
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Ron Korb is a Toronto based, flutist and composer. His music blends jazz and world music (including Celtic and Japanese music) together to create a truly original sound. Ron plays a number of Irish flutes including the penny whistle and the low whistle. He has 2 Celtic Music CDs (Celtic Heartland and Celtic Quest). A number of Ron’s other CDs have Celtic music selections including Flute Traveller, Behind the Mask, and Ron Korb Live. Ron has also been a guest artist on a number of Celtic CDs, including Bruce Mitchell’s Celtic Destiny, Mychael and Jeff Danna’s Celtic Romance and a Celtic Tale.
Official Web Site for Ron Korb, Flutist and Composer,
Japanese Music, Jazz, Celtic Music: http://www.ronkorb.com
Ron Korb Fan Page http://www.ronkorb.com/fanpage.html
Ron Korb Music Catalogue http://www.ronkorb.com/mucat.html
Fife (Danny Boy) & Penny Whistle (The Dark Island)
