Mitsune is a Japanese folk fusion band based in Berlin, with members hailing from Japan, Australia, Germany and Greece. Fronted by a powerful trio of female shamisen players, accompanied with percussion and double bass, Mitsune take their love of Japanese folk music and infuse it with jazz, psychedelic and cinematic music to create an evocative music fusion experience.
The heart and soul of Mitsune is the Tsugaru shamisen, a 3-stringed Japanese lute once favoured by blind folks and itinerant musicians of olden Japan. Mitsune both honours and modernises shamisen tradition, conveying folklore imagery, personal and cultural stories and raw emotion through this ancient instrument. They perform reimagined Japanese folk songs and original compositions filled with virtuosity, driving beats and wild group vocals. On stage, Mitsune delivers a visual and sartorial feast, where tradition meets avant-garde, their shows spiced with an ever-present sense of joy and fantasy.
Since their formation in 2018, Mitsune have performed extensively across Europe, sharing the stage with acts such as Hiatus Kaiyote and surprising audiences at festivals of all kinds, from techno to folk. Their debut album was praised in Songlines Magazine as "consistently excellent. If you need a contemporary introduction to the world of Tsugaru shamisen, this is it." They released their second album Hazama in 2022, with accolades from Songlines and Rolling Stone and entering the Transglobal World Music Chart's Top 10. Mitsune is set to release a follow-up EP in early 2024.
Mitsune is:
Shiomi Kawaguchi - Shamisen, Vocals, Shinobue
Youka Snell - Shamisen, Vocals
Tina Kopp - Shamisen, Vocals
Petros Tzekos - Percussion
Daigo Nakai - Bass
Mitsune
Mitsune 蜜音 - Soran Bushi
Live at the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin, August 2023
Songlines Magazine, 2022
“Since their inception, the group have cultivated a sense of maturity that shines on their sophomore album Hazama, which exudes confidence, energy and creativity.. Fun and eclectic, while maintaining a strong sense of identity, Hazama is a fantastic second release from an ensemble with an ocean of creative potential.”
Upcoming SHOWS
JULY 13, 2024
VelkY Senov (CZ)
EASTERN TUNES FESTIVAL
JULY 18, 2024
DOUR (BE)
DOUR FESTIVAL
JULY 20, 2024
OSTRAVA (CZ)
COLOURS OF OSTRAVA FESTIVAL
JULY 26, 2024
LONDON (UK)
NEW RIVER STUDIOS
JULY 28, 2024
CAMBRIDGE (UK)
CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL
AUGUST 2, 2024
NÄSÅKER (SE)
urkult FESTIVAL
AUGUST 11, 2024
BUDAPEST (HU)
SZIGET FESTIVAL
AUGUST 14, 2024
LEUVEN (BE)
OLEVODROOM
AUGUST 16, 2024
Biddinghuizen (NL)
LOWLANDS FESTIVAL
SEPTEMBER 1, 2024
BERLIN (DE)
LUFTSCHLOSS AM TEMPELHOFER FELD
MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS COMING SOON