Dan Grunebaum

Minyo mixed with rock, reggae, hip-hop, or in its pure folk form—almost as soon as you step off the plane into the surprisingly bustling capital of Japan’s southernmost prefecture, it’s clear that Okinawans take their music seriously.

The onetime Ryukyu Kingdom, integrated into Japan only in the late 19th century, has given the world the likes of Namie Amuro and Speed. But it’s not J-pop aidoru fluff that’s brought me to the island. (Well, ok, it’s really my sister-in-law’s wedding.) With one night to check out the Naha music scene, it’s minyo—and the piquant sounds of the snake-skinned sanshin—that I’ve come for.

For advice I’ve turned to resident Keith Gordon, one half of crossover electronica duo Ryukyu Underground, an Englishman whose knowledge of Okinawan music comes from years of working with local musicians. He sends me first to Shimauta (“Island Song”), a live house on the busy Kokusai Dori main drag that features nightly performances by Nenes, a four-member female group produced by Okinawan legend Sadao China. China was one of the first to integrate minyo with pop in the ’70s, and Nenes have been one of Okinawa’s more successful musical exports.

It’s a bit of an uncomfortable moment for an American to be visiting Okinawa. A marine has just been accused of rape, triggering international recriminations. A curfew is in place on all US military personnel, and as I make my way down Kokusai Dori, not a single serviceman comes into view.
As the crowd trickles into roomy, modern Shimauta and lubricate themselves with beer and local awamori spirits, the Nenes women sweep on stage in kimonos and begin to regale us with a mix of folk tunes and rock-influenced originals. Lifting their voices in the tangy scales of minyo, they accompany themselves on taiko drums and the three-stringed sanshin.

A Nenes performance is halfway between a Las Vegas revue and the kind of “cultural show” you might see in Thailand or Hawaii. Purists might take offense at a minyo version of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” (actually it works rather well), but it makes an easy point of entry to the island’s folk music. And as Nenes incite the audience into singing along and waving their arms with the music, it’s hardly a sterile experience.

In search of something more “authentic,” I head for another venue recommended by Gordon. Owned by a renowned minyo sensei, and a world away from the tourist dreck of Kokusai Dori, Shimaumui is the kind of small Japanese sakaba (pub) that isn’t easy for an outsider to enter.
It’s about the size of a large hotel room, and as I crane my head to duck through the narrow entrance, all eyes turn on me. But the mix of wizened locals and a smattering of curious young Japanese from the mainland turn out to be friendly, and as the mamasan begins to ply me with beer, I’m starting to feel less the sore thumb.

Tonight’s performers are a dignified gentleman in a cravat and an elderly woman in a kimono and heavy face paint who occupy one corner of the narrow bar. Unlike at Shimauta, there’s no canned music here: the unadorned plucking of the sanshin and the minimal rhythm-keeping of the drum are the only background for the pair’s sometimes beautiful, sometimes blood-curdling singing.

Before I’ve even had time to get over the self-consciousness of being the only outsider here, the mamasan grabs my hand and ushers me out of my chair to dance as the whole bar gets off its feet. The simple hand movements (goo, choki, pah) and arm waving look easy, but not for this city boy.
Before I realize it, it’s midnight and I’ve been imbibing minyo and beer for the last five hours—time to call it quits if I’m to meet the in-laws tomorrow morning with some sense of dignity intact. I’ve barely grazed the surface of Naha’s resurgent minyo scene, but it does really seem that compared to mainland Japan, where traditional music has fallen out of peoples’ daily lives, minyo is a living tradition on Okinawa.

Should you wish to pick up a sanshin during your trip to the island, Takara Records is an excellent music shop on Kokusai Dori. Prices range from ¥5,000 for toylike versions to ¥200,000 for superb pieces of craftsmanship made with rare tropical hardwoods.There’s also a wide selection of CDs and cassettes of music by local artists—apparently the local ojisans and obasans have yet to upgrade to CD players.

Address book

Shimauta
Okinawan maestro China Sadao’s new club on busy Kokusai Dori features shows by Nenes, the female singing group that has been one of Okinawa’s top musical exports.

3F, 1-2-31 Makishi, Naha-shi. Tel: 098-863-6040. Nightly performances 7-11pm. www.ne.jp/asahi/okinawa/shimauta/pc/top.html

Shimaumui
Owned by 50-year veteran minyo star Misako Oshiro, Shimaumui is a cozy basement bar. Oshiro does not always perform, so best to call ahead and check on the day.

B1, 4-6 Higashi-machi, Naha. Tel: 098-866-0234. Nightly performances 9pm-2am.
www.shimaumui.net/about

Nakuni
Owned by Seikichi Uehara and his wife, who also sing and play there. Uehara has cult status among sanshin aficionados. Near to the Tomarin ferry port, Nakuni has been running for 35 years.

Tomarin 3-7-14, Naha. Tel: 098-868-3924. Nightly performances 9pm-3am.

Takara Records
Outstanding selection of Okinawan CDs, cassettes, and musical instruments of all kinds on Kokusai Dori.

3-11-2 Makishi, Naha. Tel: 098-860-1610. Open daily 10am-8pm. www.takara-r.com

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