Junnosuke Uehara (shamisen)
Plays a variety of shamisen in different styles including minyo, hauta, nagauta, tsugaru, gidayu, and Okinawan sanshin. Plays concerts of traditional Japanese musical instruments for children. Has played with famous enka singers such as Sayuri Ishikawa, Kiyoshi Hikawa and Yukino Ichikawa, pop artists such as EXILE and AKB48, and for the online game, Genshin. Has recorded albums and instruction books including Okinawa sanshin playing Okinawan shima uta, J-pop and Studio Ghibli. Runs a studio, teaches and is a college lecturer.
Washu Yoneya (shinobue, noh flute)
Born in Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture (real name, Kazuyoshi Nakamura). Moved to Tokyo in 1991 to study shakuhachi (bam- boo flute) under Iwao Yoneya, a major figure of the minyo world. Studied other techniques under another shakuhachi great, Ko-hachiro Miyata and classic honkyoku. Studied shinobue and nohkan flute from various masters. Has appeared on numerous TV radio programmes as a shakuhachi and flute player and on many recordings. Has performed overseas, and for ten years has been a member of Orchestra Asia, combining instruments from Japan, China and Korea.
Kisaburo Umeya (Japanese traditional percussion)
Graduated from the Department of Japanese Music, Tokyo University of the Arts. Studied Nagauta-Bayashi under the late Fukusaburo Umeya III and Nogaku and Koryu school Kotsuzumi drum under Masahiro Sowa. Has performed in Japan with re- nowned kabuki actors Nakamura Kankuro and Nakamura Shichi- nosuke. Has performed with the National Theatre sponsored buyo (classical dance) tour to USA, Europe (Russia, Slovenia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, Lithuania), Asia (Bali, Kazakhstan, South Korea, China). Has appeared in various TV Taiga and other historical dramas. A member of the Nagauta Association spring performance committee and director of Minato Ward Japanese Music and Dance Federation, Tokyo.
