Synopsis

Hanawa-bayashi is the name given to both the elaborate floats paraded through Kazuno in Akita Prefecture, and to the traditional music performed throughout the night of the festival. Currently, the musicians include Colleen Schmuckal, an American musician, composer, and researcher. She plays the shamisen, a three-stringed instrument that once held a prominent place in daily life across Japan. In a conversation with Peter Barakan for a publication devoted to enthusiasts of Japanese culture, Schm