Authentic Japanese culture will be on display this weekend at the 12th annual Nikkei Matsuri in South Burnaby. This festival at the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre features a wide range of performances, food, and festivities on Saturday (August 31) and Sunday (September 1). One of the headliners is a sanshin master from Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture.
Masaki Yogi will perform this three-stringed instrument at 5:30 p.m. on the Main Stage on Saturday along with dances from Okinawa. He will also perform on the Garden Stage at 5 p.m. on Sunday with Bon Odori, which is another style of dance welcoming back spirits of the dead.
Similar to the Chinese sanxian, the sanshin has a snakeskin body and neck and is a revered folk instrument in Ryukyuan culture. In the olden days, it was created from the skin of a Burmese python. Okinawans traditionally believed that it carried the voice of the gods.
Yogi learned how to make the instrument from his grandfather, who operated a woodworking shop. Beginning at the age of five, Yogi also began attending his grandfather’s lessons to learn to play the sanshin.
By the age of 15, he had his teaching licence and five years later, he won a folk song competition. Earlier this year, Yogi launched the Yogi Folk Song Institute in Japan.
Sanshin workshop follows festival
Meanwhile on Monday (September 2), Yogi will offer a workshop at the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre. There, he will explain how the sanshin can be maintained and repaired to enhance sound quality. His workshop will be presented in Japanese and English.
In addition to Yogi, Nikkei Matsuri will feature several musical groups. The list includes Koto No Ne Kai (Koto Ensemble), the local J-pop group Non Sweet, and the pop-idol group ember*night.
GO Taiko and Chibi Taiko will also be at Nikkei Matsuri. Moreover, lots of dance troupes will also be busting some Japanese-style moves at the festival. They include the Yosakoi-oriented Appare, the Japanese hula performing Wailele Waiwai, Satsuki-kai Dancing Group, and the children and youth group Tenrikyo Joyous Stars.
For more information on Nikkei Matsuri, visit the website. Follow Pancouver on Instagram @PancouverMedia.
