YUMI TORIMARU・Kotori japanese music

Yumi Torimaru is the founder, artistic director, and core performer of Takohachi. With hundreds of performances in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Tokyo, Japan over 15 years, she continues studying Japanese music; Taiko drums, Tsugaru Shamisen, and Shinobue (Bamboo Flute). In 2018, she has begun solo performances to explore musical possibilities with her three hearts (Taiko, Shinobue, and Tsugaru Shamisen), and to collaborate with other musicians and artists. 

With Kotori Japanese Music, she focuses more on Education in Japanese culture and Japanese music.

Yumi’s project:

Yumi has obtained a 'natori' certificate from one of the biggest Tsugaru Shamisen Organization, ‘Oyama Kai’ in Japan in 2019. She has given a stage name as Oyama Kotori (小山浩鳥), and is newly launching "Kotori Japanese Music". With this project Yumi will introduce some history of different instruments and Japanese culture during the show (live or virtual) with traditional and original contemporary music.

She is teaching Tsugaru Shamisen (online lessons available) under Kotori Kai (浩鳥会) and also teaches shinobue bamboo flute. Please contact Yumi, KotoriJapaneseMusic@gmail.com for any inquieries.

Yumi’s American Story introduced by the Immigrant Story:

Taiko

Yumi started Taiko in 2001 with Portland Taiko. In 2007 she founded her own NPO, Takohachi to serve community. She is interested in learning festival pieces from Japan, and also composing many original songs. 

SHINOBUE

Yumi has self-taught Shinobue (bamboo flute) for accompanying some Taiko songs. She has composed several Taiko songs featuring Shinobue duet, and also made shinobue arrangements with many minyo (Japanese folk music) songs. Now she is seeking new possibilities with Shinobue music featuring Tsugaru Shamisen!

Yumi won the special award in the Internet Shinobue Contest 2018, and first place in 2019 as Takohachi. She performed Shinobue Festa Tokyo for both years as an awardee.

Tsugaru shamisen

Yumi has started learning Tsugaru Shamisen under Ryuhiro Kai (Oyama school) with a shamisen master, Ryuhiro Oyama in 2016. She fell in love with this challenging instrument and is very enthusiastic about learning more. She has received Natori title as “Kotori Oyama” in 2019.

She is accepting Tsugaru Shamisen students (online lessons available). Please contact Yumi, KotoriJapaneseMusic@gmail.com

(photo credit: Arian Hormozi)