YOSHIYUKI KIMURA
(born 1982 in Sapporo, Japan)
Taiko and Tsugaru Shamisen artis
Kimura began playing Taiko when he was ten years old and Tsugaru Shamisen when he was 16. At the age of 17 he won the Tsugaru Shamisen National Competition and at the age of 20 he won the Japanese National Ipponuchi Odaiko Contest.
To this day, no one repeated the achievement of winning contests in both disciplines and thus mastering both Taiko and Shamisen at this level.
Being named “maestro” in Russia and an “exceptional musician” in Germany, Kimura has performed globally for more than 150.000 people. Not only as a performer but also as a teacher and trainer, he has exceptional skills and he and his students keep appearing in and
winning national Taiko and Shamisen competitions
CONCERTS and PERFORMANCES
2003
Cultural program as part of the celebrations marking the Russian-Japanese peace treaty
negotiations of the ministry of foreign affairs
Vladivostok, Russia
2007
Opening of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
Sapporo Dome, Japan
2011
150 years anniversary of German-Japanese relations
Hamburg and Bremen, Germany
2012
Fabrik Hamburg, Germany
Laeiszhalle Hamburg, Germany
Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara, Japan
2013
IDO Festival Düsseldorf, Germany
2014
Hotel Nikko Düsseldorf, Germany
2015
Living Hotel De Medici Düsseldorf, Germany
2022
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, Japan
Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Japan
Ninna-ji Kyoto – head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism
(UNESCO World heritage site), Japan
CULTURAL INHERITANCE ACTIVITIES
2011 – today
German-Japanese School Hamburg, Germany
VIDEO WORK
2020
Starring in “Sound of Hokkaido” (which was awarded with the Greek Ermis Award)
PRIZES AND AWARDS
1999 and 2000
Winner of the Tsugaru Shamisen National Competition
2001
Winner of the National Odaiko Competition
2022
Higashi-Kuninomiya International Culture Award
(Established after the second world war by Prince Higashikuni Morihiro, the HigashiKuninomiya International Culture Award honors people, not limited to Japanese nationals,
who contribute to society in various fields.)
