“Motofumi Yamaguchi ‘Ikkan Fugetsu'” by Narumi Matsuda

Motofumi Yamaguchi “Ikkan Fugetsu” in Sammu, Chiba

On May 16, Naruto Cultural Center Wild Chrysanthemum Plaza presented Motofumi Yamaguchi’s “Ikkan Fugetsu” concert. This hall is near the home of Ranjo-san, the craftsman who makes the shinobue (bamboo flutes) we play.

The venue erected a temporary stage in its entrance hall and sold beverages and snacks behind the audience seating. This setup made for a relaxed mood.
This was the 148th salon concert held by this hall. I saw some members in the audience who looked like they had come straight from working in their fields and they were relaxing as they listened to the concert. I could tell that these concerts are a firmly established event in this town.

Motofumi’s bamboo flute and talks to the audience created a great harmony with the piano and vocal performance by Yumi Nogami. After seeing this concert, I am already looking forward to their performances to come!

For the finale, Motofumi was joined by junior high school students to play “Hana wa Saku – Flowers Will Bloom, ” which is a song to support the regions affected by the Tohoku Pacific Earthquake. It was so moving.