Takeharu Kunimoto

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Takeharu Kunimoto (国本武春, Kunimoto Takeharu, November 1, 1960 – December 24, 2015) was a prominent Japanese shamisen player and rōkyoku singer. In addition to performing and recording traditional music, he was also the only prominent shamisen player to perform and record bluegrass music; he spent some time in the 2000s in the bluegrass program of East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. He also performed and record in a rock music-influenced style. At the age of 14 Kunimoto attended a Bill Monroe concert in Tokyo and shook his hand, thus inspiring Takeharu to play bluegrass. Kunimoto died at the age of 55 on December 24, 2015, following an illness.

Mount Head (2002)

A miserly man eats the pits of some cherries he can't stand throwing out. A tree starts growing from the top of his head. He cuts it off; it grows back. After a while, he gives up and lets it grow, but the crowds that gather on top of his head to enjoy the tree ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Koji Yamamura
CAST:  Takeharu Kunimoto

A miserly man eats the pits of some cherries he can't stand throwing out. A tree starts growing from the top of his head. He cuts it off; it grows back. After a while, he gives up and lets it grow, but the crowds that gather on top of his head to enjoy the tree ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Koji Yamamura
CAST:  Takeharu Kunimoto