People from Aomori

I thought “How much do I know about Northerneast Japan ?” First, I checked out who’s from 青森 Aomori prefecture.

棟方志功 Munakata Shiko(Wood Printmaker)Munakata Shiko Memorial Museum of Art
People from Aomori 東北関連 Hidemi Shimura
First of all, he’s the greatest artist from northerneast. The greatness of his unsophisticated woodprint, and the way he talks with strong Aomori accent… Since his eye sigthts were so weak, he always curved with his face very close to wood panel.

奈良美智 Nara Yoshitomo(Contemporary Artist)
People from Aomori 東北関連 Hidemi Shimura
The next one should be him, this world famous painter from Aomori. Even his works are well sold in high price, he still talks with Aomori accent & always wears hoodies, in his own lovely style.
I also recommond the movie “Traveling with Yoshitomo Nara”

太宰治 Dazai Osamu(Writer)
People from Aomori 東北関連 Hidemi Shimura
He is one of the great writer who was born in Aomori too. The novel “Tsugaru” he wrote about his hometown is a little in comedy touch and easy to read.

寺山修司 Terayama Syuji(Poet, Novelist, playwriter, director, etc…)
People from Aomori 東北関連 Hidemi Shimura
A mysterious multi-talented guy like Jean Cocteau. He’s the organizer of experimental play Laboratory “Tenjyo Sajiki”.

ナンシー関 Nancy Seki(columnist, eraser printmaker)
People from Aomori 東北関連 Hidemi Shimura
Kibitz in the entertainment industry with hand curving eraser prints & caustic column. I wonder why she needed to pass away so early …

馬場のぼる Baba Noboru(cartoonist for children)
People from Aomori 東北関連 Hidemi Shimura
Japanese children’s byble “11 Cats” series were created by him.

矢野顕子 Yano Akiko (musician)
Everyone admires this fluffy musician. Her husband is Sakamoto Ryuichi.

泉谷しげる Izumiya Shigeru (musician)
Everyone knows his very destructive force in his uncle unabated

SUPERCAR (band)
They already stopped their activity, but I liked them.

人間椅子 Ningen Isu (person’s chair) (band)
They became famous in a TV program “Ika Ten”, they are still doing activity.

淡谷のり子 Awaya Noriko (Chanson Singer)
A pioneer of chanson in Japan.

吉幾三 Yoshi Ikuzo (Enka Singer)
The rylics of his song “Ora Tokyo sa Iguda (which means I’ll go to Tokyo)” was quite shocking & amazing.
*Enka is one of the style of singing like old style country songs in Japan.

I feel like now I understand more about Aomori Prefecture.