Concert to be Held at World Heritage Site Kumano-Nachi Taisha in Wakayama

25.August.2022 | MUSIC / SPOT

Each year, an incredible event is held at Kumano-Nachi Taisha, a Shinto shrine and World Heritage Site located in the Kii Mountain Range of Wakayama Prefecture.

 

To kick off the ‘diamond celebration,’ a special concert will mark the 1,250th anniversary of the birth of Kobo Daishi, the Japanese Buddhist monk who founded the Shingon school of Buddhism. Yoshimi Tsujimoto, a shakuhachi player from Hashimoto, will perform, while the event also hopes to bring tourism to the area by sharing more information about Wakayama with the masses. 

 

Date: October 22, 2022, 13:30
Venue: Danjo-garan Buddhist Temple

Program:

[Part 1] Chorus of local elementary school students, etc.

[Part 2] Talk Session

Participants:

Hougen Yabu (Director of Head Temple Kongobu-ji on Mount Koya)

Yoshimi Tsujimoto (Shakuhachi player)

[Part 3] Concert

Performer: Yoshimi Tsujimoto (Shakuhachi player)

*Will include a percussion, guitar, and keyboard session

 

<About the Call for Visitors>

350 Guests are Invited!

*If there are too many applicants, a drawing will be held.

*Livestreaming of the event will also be available online.

 

Application Period: August 23 – September 26, 2022

 *Postcards must be postmarked by September 26. Those applying n the website must do so by 23:59 on September 26.

 

How to Apply:

  1. By postcard

Address: Yamabutai Concert Section
Wakayama Broadcasting Co.
3-3 Minatohonmachi
Wakayama, 〒640-8577

What to Include: Zip Code, Address, Name, Age, Phone Number, Admission
*Can include up to 2 guests.

 

     2. On the special website

Please apply using the application form on the special website.

URL: https://yume.wbs.co.jp/

 

Keep in Mind:

1. Incomplete entries will be considered invalid.

2. Only one application per person is allowed.

3. If there are too many applicants, a drawing will be held. Winners will be announced when numbered tickets are sent out.

4. Personal information provided in each application will not be used for any purpose.

 

(For Reference) Past Performers

2015 – Hitomi Shimatani (Danjo-garan Buddhist Temple)

2016 – Chitose Hajime (Kumano-Nachi Taisha)

2017 – *Canceled due to typhoon.

2018 – Kumiko (Oyunohara)

2019 – May J. (Kumano-Nachi Taisha)

2020 – *Canceled due to the ongoing pandemic.

2021 – Yuki Koyanagi (Kumano-Nachi Taisha)

 

■Cast Profiles

◆ Hougen Yabu / Director of Head Temple Kongobu-ji on Mount Koya

・1993 – Graduates from Koyasan University

・In 2011, he became the chief priest of Kirihata Temple, where he remains to this day.

        *Kirihata Temple [Fukuoka Prefecture] / Sasaguri 88 Sacred Sites, #10

・In 2021, he became the Director of Head Temple Kongobu-ji on Mount Koya and was also appointed as the director of the 1,250th birthday celebration for Kobo Daishi, the founder of the Buddhist sect.

◆ Yoshimi Tsujimoto / Shakuhachi Player

・Born in Hashimoto, Wakayama Prefecture in 1987.

・Graduating from Tokyo University of the Arts, she has attracted media attention since she was a student, and has been active in a number of fields from traditional Japanese music to pop.

・She has been invited to perform around the world, from the U.S. to Italy.

  (Overseas tours: 33 cites in 24 countries, 53 total performances)

・In 2015, her cover of a song using traditional Japanese instruments went viral.

 She began her solo project Bamboo Flute Orchestra to share the beauty of Japanese traditional instruments with people around the world.

・In 2016, she made her major debut as the first-ever female solo shakuhachi player.

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    Photo: Aki Ishii

     

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    Each year, an incredible event is held at Kumano-Nachi Taisha, a Shinto shrine and World Heritage Site located in the Kii Mountain Range of Wakayama Prefecture.

     

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    My father loved the shakuhachi, and because of that, I grew up surrounded by the sound of it. That’s how it all began!

     

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    −Are there any local foods or places that you’d recommend?

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    Mount Koya and Kumano Kodo are both World Heritage sites, and they are both absolutely breathtaking. Other than those, I’d recommend Adventure World! It has adorable pandas roaming around freely and the most wonderful dolphin shows. Everyone from around the country should visit!

     

    −Finally, do you have a message for Moshi Moshi Nippon readers?

    Japan is filled with incredible places and culture. The shakuhachi, a beloved traditional Japanese instrument, is one piece of that culture.

    I want audiences around the world to hear the sound of the shakuhachi and to make it more familiar. If you have a chance to hear it, I hope you will.

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    The music video for the group’s song Grande Amore, released in 2015, has racked up over 200 million views on YouTube. Loved by fans around the world, Il Volo’s music transcends language barriers, and the group is sure to impress on their Japan tour.

  • Studio Chizu to Hold Cinematic Orchestra to Commemorate the First Anniversary of ‘Belle’

    21.May.2022 | ANIME&GAME / MOVIE / MUSIC

    To celebrate the first anniversary of the animated Studio Chizu film Belle, a special Cinematic Orchestra will be held on August 14 at the Tokyo International Forum. The event will feature a number of other beloved Studio Chizu works.

     

    The event will feature a symphony orchestra performing songs from many Studio Chizu films while famous scenes play on an oversized screen. The works to be featured include The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, Wolf Children, The Boy and the Beast, Mirai, and Belle.


    Masakatsu Takagi will be playing piano while Hanako Oku and Ann Sally will be attending as guest vocalists.

     

    Original merchandise will also be on sale at the venue, with some pieces featuring an incredible illustration of Belle from the feature film.

    Which Studio Chizu film is your favorite?

     

    Featured Works

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    Summer Wars (2009)
    Wolf Children (2012)
    The Boy and the Beast (2015)
    Mirai (2018)
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    Last month, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu performed on the Gobi Stage at Coachella, one of the largest music festivals in the United States. The singer has now returned to Japan for the second half of her ‘Kyary Pamyu Pamyu 10th ANNIVERSARY JAPAN TOUR 2022 CANDY WAVE,’ seeing the singer performing 30 shows across Japan. The tour will conclude with a solo performance at Budokan in October. 

     

    In conjunction with the nationwide tour, the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project was launched to energize Japan through the appeal of regional towns and cities and has been attracting major attention. Kyary’s newest collaboration in Yamagata has been announced ahead of her concert there on May 13!

    The singer will be collaborating with Shelter Nanyo Hall in Nanyo, Yamagata, a small town of only around 30,000 people. The hall is the world’s largest wooden concert hall, made entirely from laminated local cedar. It uses the most advanced fire-resistant technology for wood in Japan and was certified as the world’s largest by Guinness World Records in December 2015. The multi-functional hall can seat over 1,400 people, and the property also features a Japanese-style tea room, meeting rooms, an open tree-growing space, and more.

     

    “I want the local population to be incredibly proud of this magnificent wooden structure,” said Norihito Shimanuki, the hall’s director. “Through this concert hall, we’d like to promote Nanyo and Yamagata Prefecture both domestically and internationally.” 

    The collaboration logo for the newest partnership was inspired by the ‘KPP NANDA COLLECTION LIVE in HAWAII’ visual. The one-night-only concert was held in July 2014. Since the main focus of this team-up is ‘wood,’ the visual’s palm tree has been transformed into a cedar tree!

     

    A collaborative T-shirt is also on sale featuring the new logo and the singer’s 10th-anniversary logo. The shirt is available on the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project website for two weeks only starting May 12. Support Japanese businesses and pick one up while you can!

  • Kirby 30th Anniversary Music Festival to be Held at Tokyo Garden Theater

    28.April.2022 | ANIME&GAME / FES

    The Kirby game series turns 30 on April 27, 2022, and to celebrate this impressive event, the Kirby 30th Anniversary Music Festival will be held on August 11!

     

    While the event will be held in person at the Tokyo Garden Theater, fans from all over the world will also be able to watch for free on YouTube.

     

    The concert will feature songs from the series performed by a “big-band style ensemble” made up of 35 musicians, with Kirby himself participating in real-time on an LED monitor, dancing around as fans celebrate his birthday.


    Those attending the concert venue in person will be able to snag a special penlight that will sync to the music for some extra magic. 

     

    What’s your favorite Kirby soundtrack?

     

    ©HAL Laboratory, Inc. / Nintendo

  • Wakayama’s Adventure World Opens Spring ‘Picnic with Animals’ Event

    04.April.2022 | FES / FOOD / SPOT

    Adventure World, located in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, has opened its 2022 Spring Festival until April 10, 2022. The event includes a limited-time picnic menu inspired by adorable animals, with desserts made using fresh local fruits. 

     

    Picnic Offerings


    Kannonyama Fruits Garden Collaboration Menu

     

    Adventure World Original Menu

  • Hatsune Miku Symphony 2022 to Travel to Yokohama and Osaka Following Suntory Hall Performance

    05.February.2022 | ANIME&GAME / MUSIC

    The Hatsune Miku Symphony 2022 event will be performed at Pacifico Yokohama and The Symphony Hall Osaka following the Suntory Hall performance later this year. The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra will perform alongside visual effects, and Vocaloid fans won’t want to miss this incredible show!

     

    In addition, the Blu-ray and CD of the Hatsune Miku Symphony 2021 Yokohama performance are now on sale. Each contains an advanced ticket application to the Suntory Hall performance. A digest video of KAITO’s 15th Anniversary song, the theme for the event, is also available to watch on YouTube.

     

    Hatsune Miku Symphony 2021 – Yokohama Performance Digest [Orchestra Live Blu-ray & CD]

     

    On February 5 and February 6, a Hatsune Miku Symphony 2022 booth at SNOW MIKU 2022 will be selling the 2021 Blu-ray and CD. Those buying fast enough will get an original pin.

  • Iconic Moments from Attack on Titan Brought to Life in New Video

    03.February.2022 | ANIME&GAME / MUSIC

    A new YouTube video is bringing iconic Attack on Titan moments to life. To commemorate the release of The Final Season Part 2, the video features Hiroyuki Sawano’s prolific soundtrack to the anime series being performed live while accompanied by scenes from the show. The concert was held last year at Pacifico Yokohama last year.

     

    Attack on Titan – ətˈæk 0N tάɪtn <WMId> [Official Live]

     

    Attack on Titan The Final Season Part 2 is currently airing every Sunday and is available to stream on a number of global streaming services.

     

    ©諫山創・講談社/「進撃の巨人」The Final Season製作委員会

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