2019.6.29 (Sat.) From 18:00 at Munakata Taisha Shrine
2019.7.28 (Sun.) From 18:00 at Kinpusenji Zaodo
AUN J CLASSIC ORCHESTRA is a Japanese instrument focused musical unit with a unique sound. They have performed at various World Heritage Sites around the world, including Mont Saint-Michel and Angkor Wat.
H ZETTRIO is a piano trio known for their groovy, rhythmical music and humorous permonces that enrapture the hearts of every listener.
On June 29 (Saturday) and July 28 (Sunday) 2019, these two groups will perform together in an offertory concert at World Heritage Sites, a type of live that is extremely rare.
Munakata Taisha, facing the sea of the Genkai Pass, a prominent fishing spot in Fukuoka, is a shrine with a rich history that contributed to the cultural exchanges between Japan and the Korean Peninsula. The facility is actively involved in environmental preservation projects. It has hosted the MUNAKATA Eco - 100 International Symposium in recent years.
Kinpusenji Zaodo Hall, a World Heritage Site in Nara, the ancient capital of Japan, is located on Mount Yoshino, a famous cherry viewing place sung in poems since antiquity.
Regarding the reason why they chose World Heritage Sites surrounded by nature as venues for their concerts, AUN J CLASSIC ORCHESTRA said: “Humans can create new things and step forward toward their future only if they coexist with nature. This is the message we wanted to transmit.”
H ZETTRIO has participated in the Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland), Fuji Rock Festival and other large festivals in Japan and abroad. Performing live at World Heritage Sites will be a new approach for them and their fans’ expectations are really high. In recent years they have been running the program called “SPEED MUSIC”, in which they weekly perform covers of famous songs using original arrangements out of the wish to transmit hit songs of the past to the new generations.
Due to the fact that these concerts will be held at World Heritage SItes and that the seats are limited, the tickets might get sold out immediately.
In order to have as many people as possible witness these amazing concerts, they will be broadcast live by MATCHA, one of the largest platforms offering information on traveling in Japan.
A collaboration between AUN J CLASSIC ORCHESTRA, who brings the sound of Japan to the world, and H ZETTRIO, who delivers the entertainment of music through a new type of jazz.
Don’t miss out this special musical event held at two of Japan’s World Heritage Sites!
| Sound × Entertainment THE SOUNDS OF JAPAN: A Prayer to the Sea - World Heritage Sites Offertory Concert |
Sound × Entertainment THE SOUNDS OF JAPAN: A Prayer to the Forest - World Heritage Sites Offertory Concert |
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| Date and time | June 29, 2019 (Saturday) Starting at 18:00 (venue opens at 17:30) *The performance will be held even if it rains a little but will be rescheduled in case of stormy weather. |
July 28, 2019 (Sunday) Starting at 18:00 (venue opens at 17:30) *The performance will be held even if it rains a little but will be rescheduled in case of stormy weather. |
| Venue | World Heritage Site Munakata Taisha Shrine (Munakata City, Fukuoka) Special temporary stage in front of the Main Hall |
World Heritage Site Kinpusenji Zaodo (Yoshino, Nara) In front of the Main Hall |
| Ticket price | Reserved seats only - Tickets: 2,500 yen (tax included) Part of the concert revenues will be donated to the MUNAKATA Eco - 100 International Symposium. |
Reserved seats only - Tickets: 2,500 yen (tax included) Part of the concert revenues will be donated to the Yoshinoyama Hoshokai Association. |
| Tickets go on sale | Early bird reservations: May 30 (Thu) 12:00 - June 2 (Sun) 23:59 LAWSON TICKET Regular tickets: June 8 (Sat) 10:00~ |
Early bird reservations: May 30 (Thu) 12:00 - June 2 (Sun) 23:59 LAWSON TICKET Regular tickets: June 29 (Sat) 10:00~ |
| Buy tickets |
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| Featuring | AUN J CLASSIC ORCHESTRA、H ZETTRIO Opening act: Konno Leo (Japanese harp, winner of the Idemitsu Music Award) |
AUN J CLASSIC ORCHESTRA、H ZETTRIO Opening act: SAKURA J SOUNDS (Tourism Ambassadors of Yoshino) |
| Special support offered by | Idemitsu Kosan | Idemitsu Kosan |
| Inquiries | BEA TEL：092-712-4221(weekdays 11:00-18:00, second and fourth Saturday 11:00-15:00) |
Kyodo Information TEL：0570-200-888(10:00～18:00) |
| Notes | *A ticket is necessary to enter the venue for persons over 3 years of age. Children under 3 years of age can enter the venue only if they watch the event from the lap of their guardians. *The content of the event may change without notice. We kindly ask for your understanding. |
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Japanese taiko drums, shamisen, koto (Japanese harp), shakuhachi flute, shinobue flute, and other instruments that are usually never played together. AUN J CLASSIC ORCHESTRA arranges the sounds of all these instruments into a musical landscape that is one of a kind. This unit was formed in 2008 and consists of eight performers who work at the forefront of Japanese instrumental music.
Their sound, defined by a quality and virtuosity that are based on tradition and innovation, has been highly acclaimed both in Japan and overseas. They have performed at Mont Saint-Michel in France and have held concerts at various other World Heritage Sites. After their concert at Angkor Wat in 2013, they have toured all ten ASEAN countries, registering a great success with their ONE ASIA Joint Concert in collaboration with local performers of folk instruments.
In Japan, AUN J CLASSIC ORCHESTRA has performed the national anthem “Kimi Ga Yo” at the Tokyo Dome and has held concerts at Ise Jingu Shrine, Yakushiji Temple, and other famous locations in Japan. They have appeared in television programmes such as the special two-hour programme of BS Nippon Television, where they were featured seven years in a row, or in “Nihongo de asobo” and “Daimei no nai ongakukai” on e Television. They have visited more than 300 elementary schools all around Japan to teach children how to pay Japanese musical instruments and have also planted cherry trees together with the kids. AUN J CLASSIC ORCHESTRA is always challenging the frontiers of music, promoting the universality and diversity of Japanese culture to the world, and connecting the world through music.
Since 2014 when they participated in the Montreux Jazz Festival, one of the three largest jazz festivals in the world, H ZETTRIO has been taking part in large musical festivals both in and outside of Japan. They are now famous worldwide after one of their songs was used at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The trio consisting of H ZETT M, H ZETT NIRE, and H ZETT KOU has been acclaimed for their extremely elaborate, technical piano performance with an irresistible rhythm. Their play, often appreciated as “performance that defies gravity”, has an original groovy sound that can only be created by these three members.
All the 31 singles that they released have ranked within the top 10 jazz releases on iTunes.
At the 2017 FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL, H ZETTRIO performed on the eve of the festival on the Red Marquee stage, as well as on the second day of the festival on the White Stage.
In March 2018, H ZETTRIO released their fourth album “Mysterious Superheroes.” They toured 21 cities in Japan and held their tour final live at the Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall in Tokyo, concluding their release tour with high acclaim. At the end of 2018, they had successful concerts in Asia and at various culture halls in Japan. In 2019, they are releasing a new single each month - a total of 12 songs. They have announced a long hall tour in Japan starting from this summer.
H ZETTRIO performs every week on the television programme “SPEED MUSIC”, which started as a project to bridge the musical gap between generations by performing hit songs from the past with new arrangements. The programme is very popular both on television and on the internet.
The audiences of their concerts consist of members of with ages from 0 to old age. Showing a type of performance that is enjoyed widely by everyone, the energy of this trio knows no boundaries.
Munakata Taisha is the name of three shrines located in Fukuoka. The complex consists of Hetsumiya Shrine located on the Kyushu main island, Nakatsumiya Shrine, which is located on Oshima Island 10 km offshore, and Okitsumiya Shrine, which is 50 km further away from Oshima on Okinoshima Island. Each of these shrines is dedicated to one of the three Munakata deities who are mentioned in Japanese myths. Because they are located at sea, in a straight line between Kyushu and the Korean Peninsula, these three shrines have been revered since ancient times as guardian deities of sea travel and transportation.
Okinoshima, where Okitsumiya Shrine is located, is considered a sacred island that “is inhabited by deities”. For this reason, ancient rituals have been transmitted here uninterrupted from ancient times. Because the entire island is sacred, only Shinto priests are allowed to enter it; the island is closed to visitors. Archeological excavations performed in 1954 have uncovered almost 100.000 ritual objects including bronze mirrors and golden rings. 80.000 pieces have been designated National Treasures and part of them can be viewed on display at the Shinpokan Museum Hall of Munakata Taisha Shrine. Because it preserves ancient religious traditions, Munakata Taisha was registered as a World Heritage Site in 2017 within “The Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region.”
Munakata Taisha in Fukuoka, a revered shrine with a history dating back to ancient times, is famous for its charms for the protection of travelers. Learn more about the highlights and mythical background of this impressive World Heritage site.
Kinpusenji is a Shugendo temple located on Mt. Yoshino in central Nara Prefecture. Shugendo is a folk religion combining Shinto beliefs and Buddhism with mountain worship. The place where Kinpusenji Temple stands today is a sacred center of the Shugendo faith. Kinpusenji was registered as part of the World Heritage Site “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range” in 2004.
The main hall, called Zaodo, was built in 1592. It is a giant wooden structure, 34 meters high and 36 meters wide. This hall enshrines three 7-meter high statues of Zao Gongen, the guardian deity of Shugendo and Mt. Yoshino. With bodies of a beautiful bluish hue and fiery red hair, these statues have a truly impressive appearance. (They can be viewed by the public only on special occasions.) The Niomon Gate is also a National Treasure. The two 5-meter statues of Kongo Rikishi guardians are the second biggest ones in Japan.
Kinpusenji, home to amazing architectural monuments and cultural assets, becomes enshrouded in beautiful cherry blossoms in spring. Mt. Yoshino, where Kinpusenji is located, has been a famous cherry blossom viewing spot since antiquity. On the way to Kinpusenji, visitors can relish the breathtaking views of cherry blossoms covering the slopes of Mt. Yoshino.
Kinpusenji Temple, located on Mt. Yoshino in Nara, is a temple of an ancient Japanese religion called Shugendo. The temple has been designated World Heritage site. We introduce the highlights of this temple, including access information.
