Kaori Kitsu　Profile

Kaori Kitsu (木津かおり)
Born in Yokohama in 1967, Kaori Kitsu grew up surrounded by traditional folk music. She studied min’yō (Japanese folk songs) under her father, Kizu Chikurei, and shamisen with master Honjō Hidetarō, making her stage debut at the age of three. Since then, she has appeared on numerous national TV programs such as NHK Min’yō and Untitled Concert, and has performed widely across Japan.

As an exclusive artist for Nippon Columbia, she not only pursues her career as a professional min’yō singer but also teaches and mentors younger generations, leads community workshops, and works with the Folk Song Association to revitalize and spread folk traditions nationwide.

In 2015, she formed “Kaori Kitsu and the Min’yō” with percussionist Yoichi Okabe and violinist Keisuke Ohta, blending the timeless spirit of folk songs with contemporary sound to create a unique and powerful musical identity. Their music was featured in the 2022 NHK Special Satoyama – Living with Terraced Rice Fields of Niigata / Living with the Volcanoes of Aso, receiving wide acclaim.

Kitsu has also brought her artistry to the world of Kabuki, performing voice, shamisen, and taiko in productions such as Aterui and Oboro no Mori ni Sumu Oni (The Demon Dwelling in the Foggy Forest), led by the celebrated actor Matsumoto Kōshirō X. The energy and inspiration she received from the Kabuki stage continue to fuel her evolving expression of min’yō.

She is currently preparing for a major recital in December, presenting a bold new vision that bridges tradition and innovation.

Selected Recent Works

  • 2019 – Untitled Concert “The Secret of the Singing Voice” (with Ayaka Hirahara and Tomotaka Okamoto)

  • 2024 – Song instruction (voice, shamisen, taiko) for Fukusuke, written and directed by Suzuki Matsuo

  • 2025 (March) – Folk song coaching (Tasuke Haiya-bushi) for Komatsuza’s Frois – The Unwritten Death (with actress Asuka Kawatoko)

  • 2025 (June) – Vocal performance (Yome Namasu Ondo) in Wife is Miracle – The Hottest Wife in the World by Otona Keikaku theater company