Mr Mitford et al. in Tokyo

from Music and manners; personal reminiscences and sketches of character, pages 168-169:

At every street-comer in Japanese towns minstrels of the improvisators class may be encountered, who chant extempore ballads of inordinate length, accompanying themselves on guitars of different shapes and sizes, every one of which has its own special title and "method." In the Yoshiwara (District of Delights) at Tokio, Mr. Mitford counted nearly four hundred tea- houses, in which the well-to-do inhabitants of that city gave their formal dinner-parties and "receptions." Music is a leading feature of these entertainments, and the establishments in …   more >>

cite as

William Beatty-Kingston, Music and manners; personal reminiscences and sketches of character, volume 1 (London, 1887), p. 168-169. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1447704506642 accessed: 29 March, 2024

location of experience: Tokyo

Listeners

William Beatty-Kingston
journalist, Librettist, memoirist, Translation
1837-1900

Listening to

hide composers
Traditional japan music performed by Geshias
Japanese ballads

Experience Information

Medium live
Listening Environment in the company of others, indoors, outdoors, in public

Originally submitted by Meg Barclay on Mon, 16 Nov 2015 20:08:26 +0000
Approved on Fri, 20 Nov 2015 17:30:51 +0000