Discover Japanese music from early modern Japan
with a rare performance of shinnai bushi.
Sunday, 9 August 2026, 18.00-19.00
Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, Queen’s Lecture Theatre
This event is free of charge
Removed from the theatre and at the heart of the pleasure quarters of Yoshiwara in the megacity of Edo (nowadays Tokyo), shinnai bushi deploys the string instrument known as shamisen to perform songs full of life: love, sex, passion, gambling, and much more. Anyone could request a song by stopping the performers who would be walking around Yoshiwara.
This form of popular music that fired the imagination of early modern Japan is still alive in Japan.
Join us for the first performance of its kind in the UK and discover the world of shinnai bushi with renowned master Okamoto Miya no suke.
The performance is part of the Thirteenth edition of the Mitsubishi Corporation Summer School in Early Modern Japanese Palaeography (University of Cambridge, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies).
Some e tenugui Fujiya 染絵てぬぐい ふじ屋
Courtesy of Dyeing Tenugui Fujiya
Performers:
Master Okamoto Miya no suke 岡本宮之助
Official webpage
Shamisen player Okamoto Tora no suke 岡本虎之助
Instagram
No knowledge of Japanese is required to enjoy the performance.
The performance will be punctuated by explanations in Japanese and English by Prof Konoe Noriko (Komazawa University) and Prof Laura Moretti (University of Cambridge).
The performance starts at 18.00 sharp. Please ensure to arrive by 17.45.
There is no parking in College.
The event is free of charge.
For any information please write to Prof Laura Moretti: lm571@cam.ac.uk
We would like to thank our sponsors:
Emmanuel College
St Andrews Street
Cambridge
CB23AP
Japanese Early Modern Palaeography 