Interview: Hibiki Ichikawa Talks Shami-sensational

Master tsugaru shamisen player Hibiki Ichikawa returns with his latest CD release Shami-sensational!

The blend of traditional and contemporary music across 8 tracks never sounds misplaced, both remarkably intertwine giving the listener a whole new shamisen experience.

Diverse Japan is honoured and delighted that the UK-based Japanese maestro, officially recognized as a world-leading talent of tsugaru shamisen, has taken time out of his busy schedule to chat with us about the ins and outs of

Memorial Concert For Japan Earthquake & Tsunami 2016

Kakehashi Project: “The Unity Bridge Project”

11^th March 2011 was a devastating day in Japanese history. A 9.0 magnitude earthquake, the most powerful to ever be recorded in Japan, hit the country’s east coast and triggered a massive tsunami that devastated the Tōhoku region. The wave travelled 10km inland in some areas of the country, and over 15,000 people were killed by the event. To this day, Japan is still in shock about the disaster but they are determined to remain brave in the

Halloween Party 2015 With Japanese Music 18+

An evening of live music and fancy dress!

Date: Thursday 29th Oct 2015

Venue: BETHNAL GREEN WORKING MEN’S CLUB 42-44 POLLARD ROW LONDON E2 6NB

http://workersplaytime.net/CONTACTUS.html

Time: Opens 7:30pm Starts 8pm til 1am

Price: ADV £4 / DOOR´£5

Event: Hyper Japan 2015 In Pictures

The UK’s biggest celebration of Japanese culture!

Hyper Japan, the UK’s biggest and best-loved annual J-Culture convention, returned on 11th – 13th July for another weekend extravaganza of all things Japanese from the authentic and traditional to the contemporary. Thousands of Japanophiles descended upon London’s O2 in Greenwich over the three days for an exciting time of live music, fashion shows, videogames, manga/anime activities, martial arts demonstrations and

FestivalAsia 2015 – Three Days Of Exotic Fun & Excitement

London’s largest indoor festival on all things Asia!

Date: 15 – 17 May 2015

Venue: Tobacco Dock, 50 Porters Walk, London E1W 2SF

Tickets: Adult £12.50 adv – £15 door

Children (up to 10 years old, accompanied by one adult with an Adult Ticket) £8 adv – £10 door

Indulge your senses and experience the exotic cultures of Asia under one roof.

Hyper Japan 2014 In Pictures

The UK’s biggest celebration of Japanese culture!

Every year since it first began back in 2010, the annual London event Hyper Japan keeps getting better and better, not to mention bigger and bigger, and this year’s extravaganza held on 25 – 27 July at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre was no exception.

The fantastic line-up catered to all tastes in Japanese pop-culture from traditional dancers and musicians like the very popular Hyper Japan regulars Hibiki Ichikawa and Akari Mochizuki, who this time around were accompanied by guitarist Hide Takemoto, to contemporary

Master Shamisen Player Hibiki Ichikawa FREE Student Concert

An open evening of traditional Japanese music!

Date: Saturday 1st February 2014

Venue: Trinity Church, 15 Nether St, North Finchley, London N12 7NN

Time: 6.30pm – Doors open 6.00pm

Admission Free

Improvising within Tradition: Artist Nao Matsunaga And Musician Hibiki Ichikawa Join Forces For A One-Off Special Event

Date: 6 December 2012 from 6:30 – 8:00pm

Location: Daiwa Foundation Japan House, 13/14 Cornwall Terrace, Outer Circle, London, NW1 4PQ,

As part of Nao Matsunaga’s art exhibition My Primal Memory at the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, which started 19 Oct and ends 13 Dec 2012, highly-respected master Tsugaru Shamisen player Hibiki Ichikawa will give a live performance at the special event Improvising within Tradition. Both Matsunaga and Hibiki’s practices stem from training in traditional

NEO Magazine Celebrates 100th Issue With Free Party In London

Location: Stage/Room – Kingpin Suite, Bloomsbury Lanes, London WC1H 9EU

Get Saturday 7 July in to your diaries, because NEO Magazine is throwing a party – and you’re all invited!

To celebrate reaching a remarkable 100 issues – setting NEO as the longest running British magazine of its type, ever! – publisher Uncooked Media will organise a free event at London’s Bloomsbury Lanes, consisting of music, cosplay, live bands, Japanese food and

J -Triangle: A Special Evening Of Japanese Music In London

Prepare yourself for a fantastic night of music performed by some of the best Japanese musicians London has to offer!

On Saturday 9th of June, two professional Tsugaru Shamisen (Japanese banjo) players will get together at St Leonard’s Church Shoreditch High St in London to showcase the brilliant sound of this Japanese traditional instrument.

Performers include Hibiki Ichikawa, who is currently the only professional player of Tsugaru Shamisen in UK, and Jack, who is a Japan-based ‘shamisenist’ to create his own original sound of

“Night For Japan” Charity Gala Evening At The Hilton London

Location: Hilton London Metropole Hotel 225 Edgware Road, London W2 1JU

On Friday, 18^th May the Hilton London Metropole will be hosting a spectacular evening event called “A Night For Japan” in aid of two charities: the Hilton in the Community Foundation and the Ashinaga Foundation. Entertainment will be provided by some of London’s most talented Japanese performers, including the amazing Shamisen player Hibiki Ichikawa and enka

Tsugaru-shamisen, Minyo, and Enka Dinner Concert At So Restaurant London

A spectacular one-off evening of entertainment not to be missed!

Experience an evening were traditional and modern Japanese music intertwine as your senses indulge in fine contemporary Japanese cuisine.

Enka singer Alika Mochida and shamisen player Hibiki Ichikawa will perform together live at So Restaurant in London on Tuesday, 21^st February 2012 for an unforgettable