NEWS ​

The second installment featured an unusual three-piece band lineup consisting of Tsugaru shamisen, piano, and tap dancers.

​A fusion of genres that can only be found here (Kirishima Kokusai Hotel)

■ Overview ■

A collaboration between various artists from both Japanese and Western genres, led by Tsugaru shamisen player Kohei Honda.

"Words are born from seeds in the human heart that grow and flourish."
We create and express this as "sound," and this idea led to the name "Otonoha."
The fusion of genres that can only be found here, the combination of Japanese sensibility and Western delicacy, creates a diverse musical worldview.

For this second installment, the band consists of an unusual three-piece group: the organizer Kohei Honda, tap dancer Takamaru Koba, and pianist Rentaro Kuromatsu.

■Performers: Kohei Honda (Tsugaru shamisen), Rentaro Kuromatsu (piano), Takamaru Koba (tap dancer)

■ Venue: Kirishima Kokusai Hotel 1F Lounge

■Date and Time: Friday, April 17, 2026

■Part 1 19:00-19:20

■Part 2 20:00-20:20

■ Free admission

Tsugaru Shamisen / Kohei Honda

Originally from Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Currently residing in Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture.

He began playing Tsugaru shamisen at the age of 14, and at 15, he became a student of Keita Fukui, a master of the Fukui school of Tsugaru shamisen. After graduating from high school, he moved to Tokyo and based his activities there. From 2007, he was a regular performer at "Min'yo no Mise Oiwake" (now "Wa no Ie Oiwake") in Asakusa for about 13 years, gaining extensive stage experience. In 2020, he moved his base of operations to Kagoshima Prefecture, and currently performs Tsugaru shamisen throughout Japan, including Kumamoto, Kagoshima, and Tokyo.

Beyond classical Tsugaru shamisen solos and folk song accompaniments, he collaborates with various genres including Japanese drums, shakuhachi, Amami folk songs, and flamenco, and has expanded his activities into a wide range of fields, including participation in game music.

He is actively involved in various projects, including the unit "Fukurou," which focuses on Tsugaru shamisen, folk songs, and folk dance, and the band "Kohei Band Project (KBP)," which incorporates Western instruments such as piano, percussion, and bass. He also presides over "Otonoha," a diverse artist unit that transcends both Japanese and Western genres.

Tap dancer / Takamaru Koba
As a tap dancer based in Kagoshima, he mainly performs at live shows, events, and gives lessons in Kyushu, Tokyo, Los Angeles, and New York.
He formed the trio unit "TreStir" and devised "Rehabilitation Tap," a movement therapy that combines tap dancing and rehabilitation under the supervision of a physical therapist.
Received the Kagoshima Arts and Culture Association's "45th Kagoshima City Spring Newcomer Award".
In addition to tap dancing, he is active as an artist with a unique style that incorporates various fields regardless of genre, including street dance, jazz, contemporary dance, and Japanese traditional dance.

Piano: Rentaro Kuromatsu

Graduated from Kagoshima International University, Faculty of International Cultural Studies, Department of Music, Piano Course. Influenced by his mother, he has been exposed to music since his childhood.

While in high school, he played the electronic organ, but in college, he began studying classical piano.

While attending university, he was influenced by jazz and began performing and composing music in genres other than classical. Currently, he mainly performs jazz.