Scene of a Classical Performance at the Hawaii Fiesta

In 1930 Ryojin and Ryosho Kin traveled for a year to Hawaii and North America, where many Okinawan emigrants lived, to teach Sanshin. After the war, instructors of Sanshin, dance and karate frequently traveled abroad to introduce and instruct the performing arts culture of Okinawa. The performing arts were especially popular in Hawaii, and the "Hawaii-Okinawa Festival," held on the first Saturday and Sunday in September every year, is always successful, making it an important event in Hawaii.

Scene of a School Sanshin Session

There is not a day that goes by without hearing Sanshin music. It can be heard anytime, anywhere. It doesn't come just from concert halls, but also from wedding ceremonies. It can also be heard emanating from school grounds where students are practicing Eisa and from average homes. People from Okinawa who emigrated or traveled abroad to look for work always had Sanshin with them. During the Battle of Okinawa, people made Sanshin out of cans and played them in prison camps. It was a valuable means of entertainment. Moreover, it also provided a type of spiritual support to overcome hardships. It is wonderful that Sanshin music is included in school curriculums these days. However, it is undesirable to view the Sanshin only as one of the music teaching materials or musical instruments. Uta Sanshin is the Okinawan people's sound of the soul, created from the climate and history of the islands. Music education in which this is emphasized must be realized. There is a necessity to discover one's state of mind in addition to discovering the performing arts culture of Okinawa through Uta Sanshin. By doing so, Sanshin music will go beyond the limits of one region -- Okinawa -- and acquisition of a universal music philosophy will be possible. We feel that Okinawa's Sanshin is abundant in such potential.