SAMURAI MUSEUM

Samurai Live Music Show

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If you are looking for a night time activity, Samurai Museum is the place to be.You can enjoy Samurai Live Music Show every weekend at 8:00 pm.

Data Every Saturday
Time 20:15pm (Approx. 1 hour)
Fee 3,000 Yen

We show you the duet of SHAKUHACHI(bamboo flute) and KOTO(Japanese harp) played by our finest Japanese musicians. It is cozy and casual atmosphere where you can just relax and enjoy listening to the beautiful sounds of Japanese musical instruments.

What is more? Our live music show is quite fun and interactive. You can get a chance to play the musical instruments with the instruction from the professional musicians. We play both traditional Japanese music and western pop music.

And we also explain about the musical instruments and each music with an English speaking translator.
If you like to entertain yourself musically, we are sure you will have quite fun experience by joining this special event.
There are only limited seats available for each show so please book tickets to get good seats!



*Please note that Samurai Museum closes at 20:00(the last entrance is 19:30) on Saturday due this event. During Mon-Thu, we open as usual (from 10:30 to 21:00 *the last entrance is 20:30). We are sorry for the inconvenience this might case.

Profile~Shakuhachi Grand Master Kozan Ishikura

The professional musician who plays traditional Japanese bamboo flute called Shakuhachi.
(尺八)The melody he creates is dynamic yet relaxing to listen to. He has been playing this musical instrument for more than 40 years and teaching young shakuhachi players.
He has been in a lot of media outlets to spread traditional Japanese culture to the world. Being fond of western pop music, Grand master Ishikura has been releasing his covers of Queen,Ariana Grande,Taylor Swift and etc… on his Youtube Channel.

  • 1964: Born on October 14th , when the first Tokyo Olympics were taking place.
  • 1975: First practiced Shakuhachi from his father, Ozan Ishikura when he was 11 years old
  • 1982: Gained the title of Shakuhachi Master as the youngest player
    in history at The Tozanryu Shakuhachi Foundation
  • 1990: Gained the title of Shakuhachi Grand Master as the youngest player
    in history at The Tozanryu Shakuhachi Foundation
  • 2013: Formed a band called Kouzan-gumi that play traditional Japanese musical instruments
    Telephone/Lady Gaga Cover by SHAKUHACHI KOTO> got more than 400,000 views
    on his Youtube channel within 2 months of its upload (1 million views in 2019)
  • 2014: Released Technopolis(covered YMO Ryuichi Sakamoto) on Itunes
    and Amazon Music and got number 1 on Amazon Digital Music Hit Chart
  • 2014: Co-starring with Taylor Swift in a Japanese Program called “ZIP”,
    he played “Shake it off” in front of her. He got introduced by Taylor Swift’s instagram.
  • 2018: Released the first album as Kouzangumi

About SHAKUHACHI

About SHAKUHACHISHAKUHACHI is only played by using five holes. Basically, SHAKUHACHI makes Japanese original musical scale called “Miyako-bushi”. However, the music interval of SHAKUHACHI is compatible to that of western instruments , so SHAKUHACHI players has been able to collaborate with other instruments to make music.

There is no lead on the part to blow like a recorder. That means those who only have practiced can make sounds. You need to practice a lot and for many years to make beautiful sounds by this instrument.

About KOTO

About KOTOThe body of Koto is made from paulownia wood that was dried for many years.
The wood is hollow and there is one hole on the left and right side of the back part.
Koto was treated as a spiritual music instrument in the past and some parts were named after dragon, which is a spiritual symbol in Japan.

There are 13 strings attached to this instrument and you can make proper sounds only by adjusting or tuning these movable bridges called KOTOJI. You need to change the position of these bridges depending on which songs you play.

You put picks on your right thumb, index and middle fingers when you play.
Left hand is used for making different sounds that tuned parts don’t make by pulling or pushing the strings. Depending on songs, you use your left fingers or some of right fingers you don’t put picks on.