traditional Japanese music

hey there!
I am really into traditional
Japanese music (shamisen, koto) and I would like to see some live..
does anybody know where to go check this out..
thanks for your help!

Matty,

It would help if you indicated where you live or are staying...

sorry there..
I am in Osaka

I hope you don't mind me for tagging along on this thread, I'm also interested in japanese classical music, but in the Tokyo/Saitama area. :)

There are a few different types of Japanese music, of course.

For 'serious' shamisen, used skilfully, sparingly and absolutely to move a story along, try the National Bunraku Theatre in Namba.

At the other end of the scale there is festival 'hayashi' music, and particularly the Bon Odori music, of which I think the best is in Sakai, a suburb of Osaka. You will have to wait until summmer for the festival, but I seem to remember bars in Sakai where the festival musicians play during the year.

Try calling the Sakai City Hall, Tourism Dept.

It is going to be a search, though. Except for Okinawa and northern Tsugaru regions, and the Taiko culture of Niigata Japanese music is not so much on the surface.

I love it, too.

hello, my name is payton and I just got a shamisen recently and I was wondering if there is books (in english) that teach you it, or movies. I really want to learn it is such an interesting instrument and I can't wait until I can play beautifully. Also I live in the United States and in Arizona and if anyone nows that there is schools that teach shamisen lessons or teaching japanese or even japanese dance!!! I really really want to learn that too. so if you know anything about helping me learn either things let me know. by emailing me. payton_calderon@hotmail.com