Embassy of Japan in Canada

Chikugen-bayashi Concert

On November 24th, the Embassy of Japan was pleased to host the Japanese musical ensemble Chikugen-bayashi (Bamboo String - Tunes) in collaboration with the Japan Foundation. More than 300 people attended the concert at the National Gallery of Canada.

The two core members of Chikugen-bayashi, Michiko Yamada (on Japanese bamboo flute) and Satoshi Aikawa (on guitar) were joined by Yukiko Yamashita (on percussion).  The musicians performed Japanese children’s and folk songs as well as original pieces. The group’s innovative combination of Western-style and Japanese-style music was enthusiastically received by the audience.

 In his opening remarks, Ambassador Okuda highlighted the deeper significance of the concert in that it served not only as an introduction of Japanese music to Canadian audiences but also demonstrated how two musical cultures can be joined to create a new yet harmonious musical experience. He expressed his hope that this collaborative spirit inspires others to use the arts as a means of building bridges between Canada and Japan.

The concert was organized as part of the three-city tour - Ottawa, Toronto, and Calgary – in Canada