Shonosuke Okura

Shonosuke Okura (大倉正之助, 1955 - ) is the 16th generation in a long line of noh performers. As a boy, he studied the kotsuzumi (small drum) under his father. He made his first stage appearance with the shoulder-held drum at the age of 8. At 17, Okura changed to the otsuzumi (large drum) which is held on the thigh. Since then, Okura has performed in traditional noh for more than two decades and has been designated an intangible cultural asset by the Japanese government. While he is known for his accomplishments on the noh stage, he also performs outside that genre. He has joined with native Americans in their tribal chants, jammed with jazz musicians, and formed a trio of Chinese, Japanese and Korean percussionists known as the Hiten Percussion Group.