Early Life
Agatsuma began studying the Tsugaru-jamisen at the age of six, and earned his first accolade - top prize at the 1988 All-Japan Tsugaru-jamisen Competition - at 14. This was followed in 1995 and 1996, by top honours at the Tsugaru-jamisen National Competition, said to be the country's most prestigious.
Despite the high acclaim he received in the hogaku, or traditional Japanese music world, for his accomplishments, Agatsuma did not rest on his laurels. He not only continued to explore the traditional aspects of his instrument, but also avidly experimented in fusing its sounds with diverse musical genres.
Read more about this topic: Hiromitsu Agatsuma
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