Kyokumi Tashiro 田代旭美

Kyokumi began training in Chikuzen Biwa in 1993 with her grandmother, Kyokuei Kubo, one of a few living masters trained by the original Chikuzen Biwa master, KyokusoTachibana (1892-1967).  Kubo-sensei is 101 years old and still actively involved in teaching and performing. Kyokumi received her master license in 2000 and has been performing in concerts and promoting the spread of Chikuzen Biwa music overseas. At her 2011 performance in Hamburg, Germany, she played and sang “Kuroda-bushi” to great acclaim.  She holds a master of the Chikuzen Biwa Nihon Tachibana Association and is a member of the Japan Biwa Music Society.