We had 2 live music events last weekend…both super interesting, both very different; needless to say a good time was had by all.
On Friday the 13th (spooky) we had a duo from Spain that played Klezmer music, which is Eastern European Jewish music that is usually played at celebrations such as marriages. 2 days earlier, they also played to a packed house in the very atmospheric wanitosai.
The pair both live in Spain, but hail from Japan and France. We probably had upwards of 40 people that night, 15 of them children. It was a super energetic performance and the crowd was very much into it. Near the end of the set, they started a congo line that weeded itself though the guesthouse, with most of the guests in tow. Also, Takahiro from aforementioned wanitosai joined with a marionette perfomance featuring the slightly scary labrino and friends.
Two days later, on Sunday, September 15th, we had a last minute show by Alice Sato from Amami Oshima, which is a remote island in Kagoshima ken, slightly north of Okinawa. She was accompanied by her mother who sang some call and response and also played a traditional drum amami taico.
It was my first time to witness the music, but will surely not be my last; it was very very beautiful. We hope to continue to have live music and art events at Sen; it makes the guesthouse more than a place for people to stay, but becomes part of peoples’ trips and part of the community.