Matsuri in Matsudai (10′15″ 9.4 MB MP3)
Every year on August 26th, the village of Matsudai in Niigata prefecture holds its summer festival. This year I was was in town to see some of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial and I stayed over to enjoy the festival. I recorded some of the singing and dancing fun to share with you.
Credits
Singing by the townspeople of Matsudai; background music from the Kinseees! performance soundtrack.
Art Triennial (13′01″ 11.9 MB MP3)
The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial, one of the world’s major contemporary art events, is in full swing this month in Niigata Prefecture. In this podcast, you’ll meet Emi Suzuki, a Japanese artist walking 80 km for her art; Andrea Kliest, public art program manager visiting from Melbourne, Australia; and Hanako Murakami, leader of the Fibonatti Kingyo art support team.
Links & Resources:
Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial Japanese – English
Hotta Rakashi Memorial Museum
Travel information: To get to Matsudai from Tokyo, take the Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa station. Transfer to the Joestu line heading towards Naoetsu. At Rokamachi, transfer to the Hoku-Hoku line (some trains are straight through, no transfer required). Get off at Matsudai Station. The trip takes about 2 1/2 hours and costs about 7500 yen.
Credits
Piano music by Ehren Starks, magnatune.com