Meet The Japanese Artist Using Irish Music in Video Games: Kozo Toyota
Words: Rachel Hannon
Kozo Toyota may not be a name you immediately associate with trad ceoil, but he is defining what it means to keep Irish traditions alive. Kozo is an exceptional Irish Trad musician, hailing from Tokyo, Japan. This week, he travels to Dublin as the face of Smithwick’s new ‘Originals Find Originals’ campaign, to play Tradfest’s Smithwick’s Sessions.
Smithwick’s wants to connect with communities who are seeking out and re-inventing old Irish traditions through these sessions. Find out more here.
Kozo Toyota has no connection to Ireland except for his love of Irish traditional music. Born in Tokyo in 1981, Kozo is a virtuoso flute-player. Having discovered Irish traditional music, he founded the Toyota Céilí Band in Tokyo, in response to an increasing demand for céilís in Japan.
Since then, Kozo has taken part in recordings with many renowned Irish musicians, as well as written music for TV dramas and even video games. He has also founded numerous Irish music groups in Japan involving all generations, such as g-celt, Intercollegiate Celtic Festival, FisdaM, and more. We caught up with Kozo to find out more about he discovered his passion for Trad.
Finding Dervish
One day, while training as an ethnomusicologist, Kozo stumbled upon a CD by Dervish (‘Live in Palma’) in a store in Tokyo, which ignited a passion that would take him across the globe. His studies often centered on exploring musical traditions of diverse cultures, and this discovery led him to the rich tapestry that is Irish music. He realised the strong ties between Irish Trad, American bluegrass, and so much more.
Kozo has said, “from reading scores to listening to music and remembering it with my body, it was a dramatic change for me. The first few tunes we’re difficult to learn and took a long time. I was so nervous and a musician advised that I should remember at least 100 tunes without scores. After that, my vision changed dramatically.”
Irish music changed my personality. If I hadn’t started it, I might be more closed off, not a communicative person. I would have never imagined to go abroad to play music with foreign people. Not only in this country, but also in the U.S. and Canada. Irish music gave me another world.”
“Irish music is good at connecting people, you can form stronger connections through music than you can with language.”
Before Irish music entered his life, his musical journey was deeply rooted in classical traditions. However, upon discovering the fluidity of Irish music, he came to admire its improvisation, its sporadic sessions, and ability to bring people together. Although this music originated from a country nearly 6,000 miles away, he soon realised that Irish music transcends language or culture.
Kozo’s influence doesn’t stop in Ireland. He’s part of a growing traditional Irish music scene in Japan, where he’s helping to introduce new audiences to the genre with his Toyota Céilí Band, as well as his solo work. There seems to be a growing popularity of Irish music in Japan, with other trad bands like ‘Pinch of Snuff’ gaining notoriety both in Japan and more unexpected territories around the world. And speaking of unexpected territories, Kozo has now brought Irish music to the gaming world. He has recently recorded flute for the renowned video game Super Mario ‘Odyssey.’ What else would you want to listen to while gathering coins and fighting off angry mushrooms?
“Irish music is old, but it’s not in a museum. I found it alive in the pub”
Playing in Ireland
This week, Kozo is flying into Dublin for the Smithwick’s Sessions – which are curated Tradfest events, and are happening in classic Smithwick’s pubs around the city. From Thursday to Sunday, the gigs will showcase Irish music at its finest.
At the heart of all of this, is Kozo. His association with the festival is paramount for the campaign’s celebration of originality and connection through the power of music. A frequenter of Irish trad hubs like The Cobblestone, and Piper’s Corner, he’s also been a regular at the Fleadh Cheoil as part of the Toyota Ceili Band. But this January marks his Tradfest debut.
Kozo hasn’t just learned a new genre of music, he has learned a new way of life. Whether he’s performing in a Dublin pub, recording video game music in Japan, or travelling worldwide to connect with musicians, he is living proof that traditions continue to be passed down. Unlike in the past when Irish music was heavily reliant on the oral tradition, the modern globalisation and technological advances of music in today’s world have allowed these traditions to become more accessible. Kozo is a prime example of this, and as he continues cross borders, oceans, and cultures, so does Irish music. As Smithwick’s Sessions kick off, we’re really excited to see who Kozo connects with as his musical journey continues to bridge this universal language with the rest of the world.
Catch Kozo joining The Murphy Sisters on stage from 6pm in the Old Store House this Thursday as part of the Smithwick’s Sessions.
The Smithwick’s Sessions Temple Bar are a series of over 50 free curated Trad & Folk concerts which take place in only 12 premium venues across Temple Bar. These concerts feature some of the best-established folk and trad artists from across the island of Ireland along with some of the most exciting emerging talent. More info and the full line-up can be found here.
