We booked this experience for the three members of our travel party during our recent trip to Japan. Both the Townhouse and Bathhouse venues seemed like fantastic experiences, but we decided to go with the more intimate Townhouse setting as it offered the Koto workshop add on. The venue was intimate as promised, with only five of us in attendance. The entire Gen team did a fantastic job giving us the history of the Koto and Shamisen, and explaining the mechanics and musical techniques used when playing the instruments. Any music lover or performer in your group will really appreciate the mini ethnomusicology lesson. The concert itself consisted of five pieces with two pieces being traditional and three being more modern works. The two traditional pieces might be a bit jarring to any listener who is not familiar with Japanese traditional music as the playing and vocal styles are very different from what Western listeners are accustomed to, but don’t let this deter you. Be open minded about the music, and I do not doubt you will hear the beauty despite the dissimilarity of the style to what you may be used to hearing. Even if the traditional pieces do not resonate with you, the modern pieces will be very accessible to any listener. It was a beautiful concert, and my entire party really enjoyed it. We also participated in the Koto workshop after the concert, and we had a blast. None of us will be becoming masters of the Koto any time soon, but it was awesome to have a hands-on experience. It really gave us an appreciation for how skilled the performer was. I highly recommend this concert and workshop experience to anyone who has an interest in both experiencing and learning about traditional Japanese music. There is also a question and answer session after the concert, so I would recommend coming with questions in mind. Do remember that not all western musical terms translate well into Japanese, so keep that in mind when you are brainstorming questions.

One of the best experiences we had while in Kyoto and 1 of the few that I would want to do again on a future visit. The small place provides an intimate setting allowing for a deeper connection to the music and artist. I found that after an hour I was wanting more and could easily have enjoyed a longer show.

This concert was an incredible, cozy experience! It took place in the comfort of a small home, where everyone could see and hear clearly, and featured an incredibly talented musician who played multiple different pieces on two different instruments, the Koto and the Shamisen. Some of the songs were contemporary and some were traditional and some included singing so you got to listen to a wide variety of paces and tones which keeps you captivated the entire performance. They even took pictures and sent them out after the trip!

A beautiful musical experience, in private concert, accompanied by an interesting presentation on traditional Japanese instruments and music. I highly recommend going to a concert at Gen Home Saiin to deepen your knowledge of Japan and live a unique musical moment.