Japanology Plus

Season 9, Episode 27

Episode Title: Japanophiles: Colleen Schmuckal

Air Date: 2022-12-22

Overview:

Hanawa-bayashi is the name both of a parade of floats in Kazuno, Akita Prefecture, and of the traditional music that is performed all night at the festival. These days, the performers include Colleen Schmuckal, a musician, composer and researcher from the USA. She plays the shamisen, a three-stringed instrument that was once a feature of everyday life in Japan. In a Japanophiles interview, Schmuckal tells Peter Barakan about the unique appeal of the shamisen and of Hanawa-bayashi music.