The Japanese traditional musician, Takeharu Kunimoto, studied bluegrass music at East Tennessee State University and formed a band named “The Last Frontier.” It is the world first bluegrass band incorporating the Japanese traditional music instrument “shamisen” in the composition. With a fusion of America and Japan’s traditions and the boundless potential of traditional bluegrass and “rokyoku” that is the Japanese traditional performing art, “Takeharu Kunimoto and the Last Frontier” slowly launched out into the sea of music.

(Photo from the Japan Tour in 2005. )