Mikage Project: 50 years of ASEAN-Japan friendship

The MIKAGE PROJECT ASEAN Tour with Asmidar, in honor of the 50th ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation anniversary, reached its grand finale on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. This monumental event showcased the enduring partnership between ASEAN and Japan, symbolizing a deep commitment to regional harmony and prosperity. The tour brought together the renowned MIKAGE PROJECT and Malaysia’s sensation, Asmidar, to strengthen bonds and trust between both regions.

The MIKAGE PROJECT, a music group dedicated to modernizing folk songs from various regions of Japan, embodies the name “mikage,” meaning “divine spirit” in Japanese. Their mission is to uncover the spirit within ancestral folk songs. The group consists of SATO Kouki, ASANO Sho, and HONMA Takashi, and they joined hands with Malaysia’s sensation, Asmidar, for this ASEAN Tour.

Asmidar, a remarkable performer with an illustrious career in the world of music, is a celebrated Malay traditional song artist dedicated to promoting traditional Malaysian culture. She passionately believes in preserving and celebrating the unique sounds of Malay traditional music for generations to come.

A fusion of cultures and traditions

The first concert, held exclusively by invitation, took place on October 24 at Dewan Seri Budiman, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam. They concluded their ASEAN tour with a public concert on October 25 at Stage1 Theatre, PJPAC, 1 Utama E.

In addition to the concerts, a special workshop was conducted at UiTM Shah Alam, where the Japanese instruments featured in the performances were introduced. Cultural exchange was facilitated by engaging with local music students on campus, as they were provided with an introduction to several traditional Japanese instruments, including the Shamisen, Shinobue, Shakuhachi, and Koto.

A select group of students were given the opportunity to have these instruments played under their guidance by the MIKAGE PROJECT members. Furthermore, a lesson in the famous traditional song and dance, Soran Bushi, which originates in the Hokkaido fishermen’s community, was administered to the students.

During a press conference, ASANO Sho, a member of MIKAGE PROJECT, expressed his admiration for collaborating with Asmidar, highlighting her passion for the Malaysian traditional music and culture.

“Asmidar is a wonderful artist and is someone who truly loves and treasures the Malaysian traditional music and culture. It was a wonderful experience being able to create music together with her. She also greatly respects Japanese culture and its traditional art form, ‘minyo’ or folk song. She can perform one of the Japanese ‘minyo’ songs with impeccable pronunciation. When I asked how she managed to do it, she said she got a friend to give lessons for a long time in preparation. And I was truly touched by her passion for this project.” he shared,

Strengthening bonds and trust

ASANO Sho emphasized the importance of this collaboration, especially in the 50th year of friendship between ASEAN and Japan, highlighting their commitment to strengthening bonds through folk song culture, with the intention of preserving this long-lasting friendship for generations to come.

Asmidar also expressed her excitement about the collaboration, sharing, “This was a significant opportunity for me to collaborate with them [MIKAGE PROJECT] because, in my view, we share a similar background. MIKAGE PROJECT, like me, are musicians known for playing traditional instruments and singing traditional songs. Our journey began in a comparable way. After studying these traditional songs, we’ve both ventured into creating new styles, which is truly fascinating. I’ve realized that this collaboration shares the same goals, which is why I’m very excited about it.”

Asmidar went above and beyond in her preparations for the performance, seeking assistance from her friend in Japan to perfect the pronunciation of the lyrics of Kokiriko-bushi and understand their meanings. She also expressed her openness to the possibility of collaborating with MIKAGE PROJECT in Japan one day, with the aim of sharing this cross-cultural fusion with Japanese audiences.