Takahashi Chikuzan, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetTakahashi Chikuzan
Japanese musician
Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Aomori Prefecture, Japan
About Takahashi Chikuzan
- Takahashi Chikuzan (????) (born Takahashi Sadazo (?? ??); 1910–1998) was a renowned Japanese Tsugaru-jamisen performer and composer. He was born in Nakahiranai, a village that is now part of the Hiranai township in Aomori Prefecture.
- He lost his sight at around age two from measles before becoming a live-in apprentice of a Tsugaru-jamisen performer called Toda Jujiro near his home town.
- Before World War II he spent many years touring Tohoku and Hokkaido, playing before doorsteps and making money any way he could.
- After the war he became more widely known, first as an accompanist for the famous Tsugaru folk song singer Narita Unchiku (who named him "Chikuzan"), and subsequently as a solo performer of the Tsugaru-jamisen repertory.
- His performances, for many years taking place regularly at a small venue called Shibuya Jean-Jean in Shibuya Ward of Tokyo, often featured long solo improvisations, which he entitled "Iwaki" after the tallest mountain in Tsugaru. His most famous disciple, a woman who has assumed the name Takahashi Chikuzan II, continues to perform versions of Takahashi Chikuzan's repertory.
- Takahashi Chikuzan made a huge number of recordings, some of which are still in print today.
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