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Visiting Syamisen group entertains man’amko
The Tsuagru Syamisen band entertained the man’amko with traditional Japanese songs yesterday at the Office on Aging Center in China Town. The group just came from a brief ceremony at Banzai Cliff before heading to the Aging Center.
The group is on Saipan for a one-night concert as part of Himawari’s 10th anniversary celebration. The man’amko gave the members of the band necklaces made from local beads as a show of thanks.
The syamisen, shamisen, or samisen is a Japanese three-stringed instrument plucked by a plectrum called a bachi. The first string shows the powerfulness of the sound, the second kindness, and the third expresses the feelings of the music conveyed to the audience.
Group leader Saratsu Risu, who has been playing the syamisen for more than 30 years, said that this was their first time to travel to Saipan. The members all came from Gifu Prefecture in central Japan.
“We only have been playing as a group for four years and most of us this our first time to visit Saipan. We love playing and promoting traditional Japanese music,” said Risu. “We are happy to see the man’amko and get the chance to perform traditional Japanese music in front of them.”
Some man’amko knew most of the songs played by the group and they joined in by either humming or singing with them, which surprised and delighted the visitors.
Their last performance was a dance usually performed during the Gifu festival in summer. They taught some man’amko the easy steps and everyone had a great time dancing.
Saipan Senior Citizens president Joaquina Mendiola thanked the group for taking the time to visit them at the Man’amko Center.
“We really appreciated that you traveled this far from Japan to Saipan just to perform and be with us. We hope you enjoy your stay here on out beautiful island and have a safe trip back to Japan,” Mendiola said.
Tsuagru Syamisen band’s one-night concert last night was organized with the cooperation of the Marianas Visitors Authority and the Japanese Students Society of the Northern Marianas.
