O'Jizo website

2008年結成、豊田耕三、長尾晃司、中村大史によるアイリッシュ・ミュージックのインストルメンタル・バンド。 2011年、初のアルバム「Highlight」発表。2014年、テレビ東京「オレゴンを歩く～LONG TRAIL HIKING～」テーマソングを担当。2016年10月、アメリカ・ポートランドにて現地のミュージシャンを交えての録音を敢行。同ツアー中、ワシントン・Ocean Shoresで開催された「Galway Bay Celtic Music Feis」に出演。 2017年3月、ポートランドレコーディングによる2ndアルバム「Via Portland」発表。2018年まで3年連続でアメリカツアーを行い、同フェスティバルに参加し、大成功を収める。2018年はさらに活動拠点をハワイにまで広げる。2019年にはやはりポートランド録音の3rdアルバム「Cranking Out」をリリース。2021年3月、作曲・アレンジ・録音・ミックス・デザインを全てリモートで作り上げた4thアルバム「MiC -Music in Cube-」をリリース。同年、カナダの最も歴史あるケルト系音楽祭、Goderich Celtic Roots Festivalが主催するオンラインのコンテストthe Robinson Emerging Artist Showcaseで優勝し、2022年8月に同フェスティバルに出演し大成功を収める。2024年1月、アイルランドはDundalkで開催されたカンファレンス、Your Roots Are Showingに出演し、各国のフェスティバルの主催者、プロモーター、エージェント、ミュージシャンから絶賛される。8月にはアメリカのDublin Irish Festival（オハイオ州）、カナダのGoderich Celtic Roots Festival、さらにアメリカ最大級のケルト系フェスMilwaukee Irish Festに出演し、熱狂的な絶賛を受け、聴衆、ミュージシャン、関係者の間で常に話題に上るほどの一大旋風を巻き起こす大成功を収めた。2026年は3月にアメリカはボストンのツアーを、8月には再びDublin Ohio、Goderich、Milwaukeeの３つのフェスに出演する北米ツアーを敢行し、成功を収めた。

O’Jizo is a trio of multi-instrumentalists from Tokyo, Japan who play traditional Irish music. Formed in 2008, the band plays both traditional arrangements and original compositions. Featuring the Irish wooden flute, and the Irish tin whistle, their sound is layered with combinations of the piano accordion, bouzouki, guitar, and mandolin. As authentic as a traditional music session by a turf fire in County Clare, Ireland, their unique style shows subtle influences -- from the smooth syncopation of Chicago jazz, to the driving rhythms of World music, and the soft flutter of cherry blossoms in the Land of the Rising Sun. O’Jizo perform -- with serene gleefulness -- the cutting edge of a new Celtic sound. Their warm personalities shine through on stage, and they enjoy meeting audience members one-on-one after a performance. Their path to Irish music began in childhood, with the magic of Tokyo Disneyland and Hollywood movies which introduced the band members to American music. Later, after advanced studies in ethnomusicology, and experimenting with classical and traditional music from around the world, the band members met each other and chose Irish music as their favourite. It was the natural choice because the music felt familiar and comfortable -- and is the root of many of the American music styles they were drawn to in their youth. With great respect for the music, they studied in Ireland and have since been welcomed back as Masters of the Tradition. They began as a duo called Jizo -- a combination of the last syllables of their first names: Koji and Kozo. The band decided to add an Irish flair when Hirofumi joined, and have been O’Jizo ever since. Influenced by many of the legends of Irish music -- The Chieftains, Altan, Lúnasa, Flook, Grada, Solas, Téada, and Beoga, the members of O’Jizo have been humbled by invitations to join their idols on stage. O’Jizo have thrilled thousands of people in audiences at many major festivals throughout Japan, on multiple tours, including I Love Ireland Festival, Celtic Christmas, Chō Utage, and Omni Heat Camp. In 2014, they composed and recorded the theme music for the television program, Walking in Oregon" by Columbia SportsWear Japan. In 2016 and 2018, O’Jizo travelled to America to record two albums: Via Portland and Cranking Out. In 2021, they were featured in Irish Music Magazine and included in the magazine’s prestigious online concert series. Also in 2021, they won the Robinson Emerging Artist Showcase, and have been invited to perform at Canada’s longest running pan-Celtic festival, Goderich Celtic Roots Festival in 2022. In 2024, they took part in the conference called "Your Roots Are Showing" at Dundalk in Ireland, and their performance got standing ovation. O’Jizo’s current album, released in 2021 is MiC--Music in Cube which is a play on words. The album, made at home during lockdown, features several new compositions. In 2024, they had a great success at US & Canada tour in August, including Dublin Irish Festival Ohio, Goderich Celtic Roots Festival Canada, and Milwaukee Irish Fest, one of the biggest Celtic festival in US. In 2026, they achieved great success on a tour in Boston this March, and is scheduled to embark on another North American tour in August, including appearances at Dublin Irish Festival, Goderich Celtic Roots Festival, and Milwaukee Irish Fest.

https://www.ojizo.org