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Take a Break from Being Silly, Yeah! [Scoop Shamisen World Cup in Kitakami]

オールドハリー・ロックス

Well, leaving the presence of the Amaterasu big sister, the next place I'm heading to is "Kitakami City Cultural Exchange Center Sakura Hall feat. Tsugawa."

Today, a super interesting event is being held here.

I have arrived.

As I've written in other articles, this is a multi-purpose event facility that I'm quite familiar with, having participated in choral singing and ghost story sessions here. (By the way, outdoor events like summer festivals and Bon dance competitions are also held here.

Well then, excuse me.
A pleasantly open and airy interior.
Greenery is placed here and there, making it a place of relaxation for the citizens.
Desks and tables are placed everywhere, and it also serves as a study corner for students.
This is the reception desk. They handle various event reservations and inquiries, and also sell tickets.
Event information from all over Iwate Prefecture and beyond. For me, it's a treasure trove for finding important story ideas.
Now, the purpose of this visit is this!

Scoop Shamisen is an instrument where you use a scoop as a musical instrument, hitting it with a bottle opener in time with the music and rhythm to mimic playing a Tsugaru shamisen. It is said to have originated in 1986 when Hiroyuki Takahashi (real name: Hiroyuki Takahashi, currently the chairman of the Tsugaru Scoop Shamisen Official World Championship Executive Committee), a resident of Goshogawara City, used a scoop and a bottle opener to mimic playing a shamisen to Chieko Kishi's 'Chieko Yosare' at the restaurant 'Love Potion' he owned. With enka singer Ikuzo Yoshi as the honorary chairman, it is recognized as a party trick due to its



ease of playing as long as you have a scoop and a bottle opener.

Also, performers from all over the world participate in the Tsugaru Scoop Shamisen Official World Championship every year, and it has been featured on national television news and prefecture-level tournaments are also held, showing its global expansion.


Wait, what is this? This is hilarious.

Is this air shamisen, not air guitar?!

The grand prize is a 'Joboji-lacquered scoop (worth 150,000 yen).' (Hey, wait a minute.
Playing along to the music (no, they aren't actually playing.
Going solo, yeah.
This passionate performance is now nothing short of a master's art.
Dressed in 60s fashion, they perform "The Venus"
Kiss Me! (Pow
All nine members are performing in perfect unison. They must have practiced quite a lot for this.
Now, it's time for the awards ceremony.
I'm curious about the visual-kei guy's white guitar... no, shamisen, no, scoop.
Congratulations! They are being awarded a Joboji-lacquered scoop.
Now, for the finale, a performance by all the participants.
Everyone is getting into the groove, Oh Yeah!
The young boy is also striking a pose.
They are spilling into the audience seats. This vibe is the best.
A nice performance. And I'm strangely curious about the 'Three Nine' on his chest.
Teketententen. This person is last year's individual division champion.
Goodbye everyone, see you next year!

By the way, this tournament had participants in the individual division (17 people) and the group division (8 groups).

Of course, there were many entries not only from the six prefectures of Tohoku, but also from Hokkaido and Tokyo.

The song list included not only folk songs and enka, but also many pop songs.

Hmm, Akina Nakamori and... what? Creepy Nuts' 'Bling-Bang-Bang-Born'? (I really wanted to see that!)

Even so, why are these people so funny?

Grown adults going all out to be silly and having a blast... I love this vibe.

It reminded me of the 'Christ's Grave Festival' I reported on in Aomori before.

I feel like I want to give it a try!

If I'm going to face these tough competitors... I have no choice but to go with "Linda Linda" for my song selection.

I'm going to bounce around and jump like crazy.

In things like this, if you're embarrassed, you've already lost.

If you go all out and act like a fool to give the best performance, the audience will get into it, Yeah!, and become one with the stage, right?

And that is the kind of performer I want to become.

いいなと思ったら応援しよう！