Water Boys

A performance by the Minami Yamagata High School boys - fun!

Mirror

In Sendai tonight for their lesson , you can see Shana and Brenna reflected in the mirror behind their Sensei. They are learning Nanbu Jongara- a song from Aomori prefecture.

DSi

Brenna plays with her new DSi game. She saved up her money and finally got it . Don't forget to practice

New!

The sisters stand in front of Koyo hotel in Yamagata before they go on stage tonight. They are wearing their Yukata/jeans outfit and love it!

Bad Hair Day

Kyla unpacks her shamisen for tonight's performance. The sisters are wearing an East-West outfit on stage with Yukata top and blue jeans.

Waiting 2 Go

Shana plays with her iPod.

Homepage

The sisters homepage has recently been updated and some of the links have changed.

Fun

Brenna has fun trying to keep up with a fast Agatsuma song playing loudly over the speakers.

Back 2 School part 2

Shana heads off to school with a heavy load after a relaxing summer holiday.

Brenna sensei

Brenna helps Shana learn a new song by reading the sheet music. Tsugaru shamisen players do not use sheet music to perform so they must memorize everything they play.

Summer evening

You can see a beautiful sunset this evening...it feels like summer is almost over. Yamagata has four clear seasons.

Starting up again

The sisters pose in their kimono at a hotel for a performance last month. They are getting ready for a busy Fall schedule, but have enjoyed having some free time this summer to make changes to their solos and learn some new songs.

Back 2 school

Brenna is the first of the sisters to go back to school this morning.

Sho Time

Sho Asano will play in Yamagata this fall. He turned pro last year. He is a very kind person and great shamisen player!

Obon lesson

The sisters are in a lesson with their teacher "Tokuo Sensei" in Sendai this evening. Kyla can't play much because her finger was bitten by a cat yesterday - ouch!

Bubble machine

Shana stands in a bubble machine at a science exhibit at Kajo Central in Yamagata.

Free time

Brenna and Shana pick out videos to watch over the holidays.

Fireworks

Shana does fireworks at a home barebeque. She has been working on changing her solo to make it more complex.

Vegetables

This is the sisters local vegetable store (and snacks!). Yamagata is a fruit and vegetable paradise!

What's for dinner?

The sisters try to decide what to eat for dinner at the JUSCO supermarket. When the three are together, they always get a lot of people staring or trying to see what they are buying.

Agatsuma

Brenna works on learning her favorite Agatsuma song by ear, with the help of her Dad and his computer. Her Lab, Moby is her biggest fan!

Jero

Like the three sisters, Jero has crossed cultures and is bringing more interest in a traditional Japanese music genre. Jero is also American but sings Japanese ENKA. He visits Yamagata this November..the sisters really want to meet him!

KFC

Shana meets Col. Sanders while she waits for her order. He is holding a flower hat for the Hanagasa Festival. Tonight is the last night.

Nature

Shana and her two Labs, Mac and Moby, enjoy an afternoon at a cold mountain river on the Yamagata-Miyagi border.

Lunch

Lunch at our favorite Chinese place in Sendai!

Lesson room

Inside the lesson room, you can see a lot of Shamisens and skins
hanging above. This is where the sisters have been coming several
times a month for about 5 years!

Tanabata

Double Trouble

Brenna and Shana opened their cases to find two broken skins. (gulp)

Yamagata summer

On a walk with two labs, it's a hot summer afternoon in Yamagata. The sisters are taking a break today and not practicing.

Friends

Here some photos of friends of the sisters who live in Nagoya and Toyota. The sisters were all born in Aichi. They came to the competition to support the sisters. Thank you everyone!

Back in Yamagata

The sister are on the way back home and have just entered Yamagata prefecture. Soba!

Congrats!

Kyla receives her award. Brenna did not make the finals this time as she was in the high school division.

Group

The sisters will play with their group sortly. Practicing here.

Shana

Shana walks to go on stage. Gambatte!

Curtain rises

The Nagoya Competition is about to start.

Getting ready

Kyla helps Shana change and tune her string. Shana will be the first to go today followed by Kyla and Brenna in the afternoon.