This is not Ethiopian music. It is not Manuel Göttsching’s “E2-E4.” It is not spiritual jazz. This is Japan’s oldest form of kagura, passed down in Hiroshima Prefecture. It may be hard to believe, but it is true. The mysterious tones and beats produced by striking a string stretched across a real “bow” with a slender bamboo stick; the minimalist handclaps; the floating sound of the flute, seemingly unrelated to the rest; and the “voice” that controls it all with a formidable centripetal force. This release is a remastered version of a 1991 recording made by the late Shigeo Tanaka, a Shinto priest who was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, for archival purposes. Additionally, the CD edition includes a bonus track featuring a chant by Ritsuko Tanaka, the sole successor to Yumi Kagura. We cannot allow this incomparable music—which transcends the boundary between entertainment and sacred ritual—to remain buried in a library simply because it is designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property. Riyō Sanmyaku and M Records present this work with the utmost respect and reverence.

“Sounds absolutely great! Super interesting and engaging.”—Ben UFO

“Just Give Me That Old Time Religion, It’s Good Enough For Me.”—Japan Blues


“Deep session! It is rare to hear folk music from Japan with such beautiful fidelity and incredible dynamics. This recording is intensely gorgeous and hauntingly disarming. This should open up a whole new world of adventurous listening for people outside (and inside!) Japan.”—Brian Shimkovitz (Awesome Tapes From Africa)