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Web: Minami Sanshin-ten
If you’re into finding out more about the sanshin, head on over to the Minami Sanshin-ten blog for photos of their order-made sanshin. You’ll find a lot of great photos featuring different styles of sanshin (Makabii, Chinin Deeku, Kuba nu Funi, Yunaa), videos and photos of sanshin in different stages of development. You can also…
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Long-awaited debut album from Sadahito China
Gosh, I think this release is more than a decade in the making and I believe it’ll be well-worth the wait. Sadahito has for years, been one of the backup musicians for O-pop quartet Nenes, is also the second son of legendary utasaa Sadao China. So I’ve always thought it strange that it took so…
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Misako Oshiro & Toru Yonaha to release collaboration album!
Mark your calendars for this historic (well, IMHO) release: on June 24 veteran singer Misako Oshiro and popular singer-songwriter (and producer) Toru Yonaha will release a collaboration album titled “Futari Uta~Umui Keishou.” The 12-track (including a bonus track of a live performance at Misako’s Shima Umui) album is produced by Toru Yonaha and will be…
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Simple Sanshin Source shares video of Sanshin playing robot
Simple Sanshin Source shares a video of University of the Ryukyus‘s (Ryudai) sanshin-playing robot. Has to be seen to be believed. The clip above shows the robot playing “Toushin Doi.” Not perfect, but pretty amazing.
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Website: Simple Sanshin Source
Simple Sanshin Source is “an English-based guide to the Okinawan sanshin” that features kunkunshi (sheet music), lyrics, and tips by Kenji, a self-taught sanshin enthusiast. Given that I haven’t been very good at updating Three Strings, Simple Sanshin Source looks to be the online place to learn about the sanshin. There’s also a YouTube channel…
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Ayano Uema’s recording of her 2nd album
While I couldn’t find a release date for utasaa Ayano Uema’s forthcoming (and untitled) sophomore album, we can rest assured that she’s busy recording for it and is posting her progress of it on her blog here, here, and here. If you haven’t already purchased it, Ayano’s (and two other awesome female utasaa, Mika Uchizato…
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Chiaki (Syakari) posts pics of her sanshin
Chiaki, singer of the pop group Syakari, recently posted a couple pics of her sanshin on their official blog: しゃかりデジカメ日記. Originally from the band Diamantes, Chatan-born Chiaki started Syakari along with guitarist Masaru Kadekaru and former Rinken Band drummer Kazunari Uechi in 1998. Syakari’s “Kodou (コドウ)” from the 2005 album of the same title. Syakari’s…
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Matsuda Kazutoshi no Teegee Rajio
Utasaa Kazutoshi “Kaazuu” Matsuda launched his own internet radio show, Matsuda Kazutoshi no Teegee Rajio, at the beginning of the month and now he’s added a much welcome m3u version (it launched with Real Player) for the last two shows (#3 and #4). Although it’s all in Japanese, it’s worth listening to as he introduces…
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Introducing Three Strings: Everything Sanshin
Today we’re announcing a new website called Three Strings: Everything Sanshin. We’re hoping it’ll do for sanshin, what Karakui.com has done for Okinawan pop culture: make information for that subject available to a larger audience. Please kindly add the website to your browser’s bookmarks or even better, add it to your newsreader. Nifee deebitan! Richie,…
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Ryukyu Beatles, not an insect, rather, it’s the name of an album
Yup, Richie here at Karakui.com is a pretty big fan of The Beatles and it’s pretty cool to see their music redone with an Okinawan twist. The group of this wonderful album are calling themselves “Soul Gakudan” and they’re none other than Toru Yonaha (sanshin, fue), Kazunari Uechi (taiko), Yoko Onaga (koto) and Natsuko Morita…
Karakui 