Japanology Plus

Season 9 Episode 27: Japanophiles: Colleen Schmuckal

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.

Genre:

Documentary, Talk

Seasons:

13

Episodes:

365

Cast:

Peter Barakan

Quality:

HD

Duration:

28 min

First Air:

2014

Rating:

6.4