Kakushin Tomoyoshi

Kakushin Tomoyoshi

Born in 1965 in the Asakusa district of Tokyo as a grandson of Satsuma Biwa player Sokusui Yamaguchi and Kakushin Tomoyoshi. He grew up in an environment rich in traditional Japanese culture and performing arts, and learned various traditional arts including traditional Japanese dance from the age of three. 1984, he entered the Nihon University College of Art and studied Japan’s medieval performing arts in the theatre department. In 1987, he decided to become a performer of the Satsuma Biwa, as both of his grandfather were, and he studied under the master Kinshi Tsuruta. Since then, in addition to his activities as a Satsuma Biwa performer, he has performed with musicians and artists from various genres, including the rock group SeikimaⅡ, and in other activities he has recorded the first DVD of the Biwa Music Association based on a work titled Joheki no Hamlet (Hamlet on the Rampart), a newly written work by the novelist Osamu Hashimoto. Kakushin has also performed the Toru Takemitsu pieces Eclipse and November Steps with shakuhachi flute player Dozan Fujiwara. He is also active promoting the Biwa by teaching children, and has worked as an advisor on historical background of the traditional arts for historical TV drama series on NHK, Japan’s national television network. In other fields he has served as a music director and performer for computer games. He is recipient of the “Shoreisho” Education Encouragement Award of the Ministry of Education and the NHK Chairman’s Award. He is also a part-time lecturer for the Music Department at the Nihon University College of Art, and he serves on the board of directors of the NPO ACT.JC.