For today’s episode of “Many Voices”, I was delighted to welcome our guest, Dr Gakuto Chiba, to teach us about min’yo (folk songs) and other music from Japan. Gakuto had just graduated a few days earlier with his PhD from Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus, where I had the honour to be his PhD supervisor.

But Gakuto is not just a researcher - he is also the reigning national champion on the Tsugaru-shamisen, a 3-stringed instrument part of the same broad lute family of instruments like the guitar and the oud. Gakuto’s PhD research has explored the science of traditional folk music in Japan and around the world, including how performers like himself have to rely on visual appeal as well as musical virtuosity to win competitions. Gakuto shared some classic folk song bangers like “Soran Bushi” from his homeland of Hokkaido in the cold north of Japan, but also some more contemporary music like “Gimme Choco” from metal/J-pop fusion band BABYMETAL. Gakuto made an eloquent case for why traditional Japanese music and culture is as important as ever in the modern age.

千葉先生、今日はありがとうございました！

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:55 Opening excerpt: "津軽じょんがら節" (Tsugaru Jongarabushi) - performed by Gakuto Chiba (https://youtu.be/cHQBG84DiQs)

02:53 1 (meaningful): “ソーラン節” (Soran Bushi) - sung by Gakuto Chiba (see https://youtu.be/4_FeMek7A4I)

06:26 2 (traditional): "江差追分" (Esashi Oiwake) - sung in 1943 by "a local fisherman with shakuhachi accompanist" (https://theglobaljukebox.org/song/364)

08:24 3 (contemporary): "炭坑節" (Tanko Bushi) - performed by the Minyo Crusaders (https://youtu.be/BMIbQz20524)

09:57 4 (happy): "上を向いて歩こう" (aka "Sukiyaki") - Kyu Sakamoto (https://youtu.be/F284iB65-QU)

11:36 5 (sad): "最後の雨" (Last Rain) - Yasushi Nakanishi (https://youtu.be/yRXvNN6pGSw)

13:04 6 (dance): "ギミチョコ" (Gimme Chocolate) - BABYMETAL (https://youtu.be/rt9bEzh5r-Y)

14:21 7 (bonding): "東京音頭" (Tokyo Ondo) - sung by Naoyuki Harada (https://youtu.be/t2ItkC2zQG0)

16:38 Broader thoughts on music, science, and Japan

Credits:

Recorded on 30 March 2026

Guest: Dr Gakuto Chiba

Presenter/producer/editor: Dr Patrick Savage

Intro/outro music: "Hearing music evolve" (Patrick Savage, Hideo Daikoku, Kenta Ueda, Yoichi Kitayama, Marin Naruse, The HU, Timbaland, Gakuto Chiba, Sona Jobarteh, et al., https://youtu.be/Qe1R-R1-Q7A)

Many Voices logo design: Dr Florence Nweke