Japanese Traditional Music Show HAKONE HACHIYA FESTIVAL
The HAKONE HACHIYA FESTIVAL took place at AMASAKE CHAYA this spring to autumn. AMASAKE CHAYA is a traditional Japanese tea house that dates back over 400 years and was built on the ancient Tokaido road. AMASAKE CHAYA has been in Satoshi Yamamoto’s family for generations and he is the 13th member of his family to run the tea house . Satoshi was inspired to create the festival after a young boy from Tokyo visited his teahouse and was entranced by the open fire there, having never experienced a real fire before. Satoshi was both surprised and moved by the boys innocence and ignorance and this provided the catalyst to create the HAKONE HACHIYA FESTIVAL.
After a chance encounter with Tetsuya Hirose, a 10 hole harmonica player, the two set about creating the HAKONE HACHIYA FESTIVAL to keep alive the harmony with nature that people in the HAKONE area once had and to spread the importance of this in contemporary society.
Guests of the HAKONE HACHIYA FESTIVAL were treated to an ambiance free of electricity in the old teahouse. During the festival oil lamps were lit and typical family Kyoto cuisine was served whilst musicians played ancient Japanese nursery songs that mixed traditional local musical influences with a more contemporary blues sound.
Interspersed with the performance Satoshi and Tetsuya spoke of the beauty of the seasons, the local culture and the harmony with nature people once had and the importance of keeping this spirit alive.
The fifth and final performance of the festival culminated in a special program bringing together traditional instruments together with the 10 hole harmonica and guitar to give a unique live jazz, blues fusion inspired by the seasons from spring to autumn. This was followed by a performance of ‘CHUSHINGURA’, a famous Samurai story from the 18th century said to have been set in the AMASAKE CHAYA tearoom, with similar music accompaniment.
It was a magical event captured here on film. (CAST) Satoshi Yamamoto (Narrator) Tetsuya Hirose (10hole harmonica player) Akira Nakamura ( Jazz Guitarist) Isoroku Takanashi (HAKONE-JINRIKI) (actor) playing a Packhorse handler USHIGORO Tatsuhito Yamamoto (actor) playing the 3rd generation proprietor of ‘AMASAKE CHAYA’ In the performance of ‘ Yogoro Kanzaki –the Tale of the Written Apology on the trip East– ‘
*All proceeds were donated to the HAKONE machi Education Board to maintain the ancient stone pathway ‘Ishidatami no michi’ that runs through the HAKONE pass.
Sponsored by HAKONE AMASAKE CHAYA TENZAN TOHJIKYO Executive Committee of HAKONE HACHIYA
Supported by HAKONE machi General foundation HAKONE machi Tourist Association HAKONE YUMOTO Tourist Association HAKONE machi Education Board