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Momoyama Harue (桃山 晴衣, 1939–2008) was a Japanese singer-songwriter who specialized in the shamisen. Her real name was Kashima Harue (鹿島 晴江).

Biography

Momoyama began learning to play the shamisen at the age of six. In 1961, with the support of her father, Kashima Daiji (鹿島大治), a researcher of ryūkōka and historical Japanese music, she established the Momoyama school (桃山流, Momoyama-ryū) of shamisen-playing and became an iemoto.

Two years later, in 1963, Momoyama was introduced to the Miyazono-bushi (宮薗節) style of jōruri and came to be one of the few students of its then-final master Miyazono Senju IV. In 1974, she retired as iemoto of the Momoyama school and became the last disciple of Tomomichi Soeda [ja], an authority on the enka of the Meiji and Taishō eras.

In 1981, Momoyama began a project attempting to resurrect the Ryōjin Hishō, a collection of songs from the Heian period. This came to occupy the greater part of the remainder of her life. While touring in Europe, she met the percussionist Tsuchitori Toshiyuki. The two would go on to found the record label Ryūkō Gakusha (立光学舍) in 1987. Later, the two collaborated with other artists, including Ōno Kazuo.

She died of breast cancer at a hospital on December 5, 2008, in Nisshin, Aichi. She was 69 years old. After her death, Tsuchitori continued to publicize her music.

References

1. "Journal of the Oriental Society of Australia". Oriental Society of Australia (22–26): 85. 1992.
2. "立光学舎ワークショップ Ryūkō Gakusha Workshop". 土取利行・音楽略記 Tsuchitori Toshiyuki – Music Exposition (in Japanese). May 25, 2009. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
3. 大野 Ohno, 一雄 Kazuo; 大野 Ohno, 慶人 Yoshito; 溝畑 Mizohata, 俊夫 Toshio; Barrett, John (July 15, 2004). Kazuo Ohno's World: From Without & Within (1st ed.). United States: Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 9780819566942.
4. Tsuchitori, Toshiyuki. "@drumythm". Twitter. Retrieved January 29, 2022.

• 1939 births
• 2008 deaths
• Japanese women singer-songwriters
• Musicians from Tokyo
• Deaths from cancer in Japan