First established as a bookstore, Ginza Jujiya proudly celebrates 140 years of history<\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- May I ask when Ginza Jujiya was first established?<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Ginza Jujiya was established in Meiji 7 (1874). This year, we are celebrating 140 years of business here in Ginza San-chome. We originally started out as a bookstore that sold bibles and hymn books.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Really!<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- The lifting of the ban on Christianity in Meiji 6 (1873) enabled us to openly promulgate our faith. The bible and hymns were essential in our promulgation activities and hence, we sold them at our store.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I see. Then, the name Jujiya must come from\u2026<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- The name Jujiya comes from the Christian jujika (=cross). We eventually came to sell organs, which are essential to singing hymns. Later, we imported accordions, mandolins, harmonicas and other musical instruments that were not yet widely available in Japan.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- So, you were constantly introducing new things.<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Yes, we were. I have been told that when we displayed the first jukebox in Japan, people formed long queues outside our store.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_39_01.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_39_02.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_39_03.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nWe organize lessons and concerts in an effort to share the beauty of the harp, a healing instrument<\/h4>\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I have heard that Ginza Jujiya is currently very focused on the harp.<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Yes. In an era when various things have become widespread, I felt that people were not yet familiar with the harp. In an effort to invite more people to play the instrument, we have been giving harp lessons for almost 60 years now, but when we renewed our music classes eight years ago, we decided to enhance our focus on the harp.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Do you also take harp lessons?<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- I have taken a few lessons in the past because I love listening to harp music and I wanted to learn to play.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What do you think are the most fascinating features of the harp?<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- The harp has a beautiful form and an elegant sound. When you play the harp, you let it rest on your shoulder, which allows you to feel its beautiful sound pleasantly vibrate through your entire body. I believe it to be a healing instrument.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- You also offer free admission to your weekly concerts, held on Wednesdays, in order to share the beauty of the harp with a wide audience.<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Yes, I\u2019m very pleased to say that we have held over 400 concerts. We have arranged a diversity of harp concerts in many different styles, including duets with other instruments, such as the flute and violin. Welcoming a wide range of musicians \u2013 from young to experienced artists \u2013 all of our concerts have been very successful. Through our concerts, I hope to further acquaint our audience with harp music.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I just recalled the first time I heard live harp music. It was when I was in second grade and I had been invited to dinner at my friend\u2019s house. Her mother was playing the harp slowly\u2026.and we had waffles for dessert. Waffles, as we listened to harp music \u2026 I was simply amazed. As a child, I remember thinking, \u201cWhat is going on here?\u201d (laughs)<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- The music must have beautiful. (laughs)<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What are your ambitions for the future?<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- I would like to have more and more people get to know the harp, and so I am inspired to expand my activities outward. We currently offer harp classes at some schools, and give concerts at nursing homes as well as mini concerts at restaurants. I believe we have been successful in offering more opportunities than people have had in the past to listen to harp music.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_39_04.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_39_05.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
\nI am inspired to offer a diversity of musical entertainment from Ginza<\/h4>\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Ginza Jujiya hosts not only concerts but a variety of events. Do you organize all of these events on your own?<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Yes, I enjoy planning events very much. However, I always get stomach cramps as the day approaches. Every time, I get nervous that something might go wrong. (laughs) My ultimate wish is to entertain the audience and that is why I have continued this activity, inspired to offer a wide variety of musical entertainment. It gives me so much joy when the audience leaves the hall smiling and when the musician feels good about having performed in our concerts. But then, it is almost time that I passed the baton. (laughs)<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Oh no, not at all! My father is 80 years old, but he is still running around every day with his work. My mother prefers that he didn\u2019t stay home and is very supportive of his continuing to work. (laughs)<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- What does your mother do?<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- She plays the piano all the time. My mother\u2019s favorite pastimes are playing the piano and playing mahjong.<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Mahjong! That sounds exciting. I would love to try some time. Your mother must be a good player.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Yes, she seems to be a very skilled player. (laughs)<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
Music is my way of thanking Ginza. I hope that we can always be a community of mutual support.<\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Were you born in Ginza?<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- I was not born in Ginza, but my mother was. Even as a child, going to Ginza meant dressing up.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- My grandmother also brought me to Ginza as a child. She would buy me shoes at Yoshinoya and clothes at Saegusa, and then eventually musical scores at Yamaha\u2026<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Oh, you didn\u2019t come to Ginza Jujiya to buy your musical scores? (laughs) Until around the 1960s, we had a rich collection of imported musical scores that were not yet available at other stores.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Really! I\u2019m afraid I wasn\u2019t aware of that\u2026.
\nNow, please allow me to ask my last question. Ginza Jujiya has always been ahead of the times and I would like to hear your thoughts about the future of Ginza.<\/dd>\n - Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- At Ginza Jujiya, we hope to continue to be a musical and cultural hub, but I also feel that we have been successful because we are located in Ginza. Sharing the joy of music is our way of saying, \u201cThank you.\u201d to Ginza. In our hope of having more and more people see what a fascinating town Ginza is, we introduce Ginza\u2019s new shops and recommend good restaurants and interesting events to those who have enjoyed our concerts. We want them to find other shops in Ginza intriguing, too. It is nice when we can mutually support each other. I hope that we can all foster that warm feeling of mutual support in Ginza.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_39_06.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_39_07.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\nChisako Takashima<\/h4>\n
Violinist. Takashima started taking violin lessons from the age of 6. After a successful career abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, where she currently performs in concerts across the country. Highly noted for her character in TV and radio appearances, she has currently opened up her career to more diverse fields with an unchanged focus on her profession.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- May I ask when Ginza Jujiya was first established?<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Ginza Jujiya was established in Meiji 7 (1874). This year, we are celebrating 140 years of business here in Ginza San-chome. We originally started out as a bookstore that sold bibles and hymn books.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Really!<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- The lifting of the ban on Christianity in Meiji 6 (1873) enabled us to openly promulgate our faith. The bible and hymns were essential in our promulgation activities and hence, we sold them at our store.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I see. Then, the name Jujiya must come from\u2026<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- The name Jujiya comes from the Christian jujika (=cross). We eventually came to sell organs, which are essential to singing hymns. Later, we imported accordions, mandolins, harmonicas and other musical instruments that were not yet widely available in Japan.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- So, you were constantly introducing new things.<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Yes, we were. I have been told that when we displayed the first jukebox in Japan, people formed long queues outside our store.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
We organize lessons and concerts in an effort to share the beauty of the harp, a healing instrument<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I have heard that Ginza Jujiya is currently very focused on the harp.<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Yes. In an era when various things have become widespread, I felt that people were not yet familiar with the harp. In an effort to invite more people to play the instrument, we have been giving harp lessons for almost 60 years now, but when we renewed our music classes eight years ago, we decided to enhance our focus on the harp.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Do you also take harp lessons?<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- I have taken a few lessons in the past because I love listening to harp music and I wanted to learn to play.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What do you think are the most fascinating features of the harp?<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- The harp has a beautiful form and an elegant sound. When you play the harp, you let it rest on your shoulder, which allows you to feel its beautiful sound pleasantly vibrate through your entire body. I believe it to be a healing instrument.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- You also offer free admission to your weekly concerts, held on Wednesdays, in order to share the beauty of the harp with a wide audience.<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Yes, I\u2019m very pleased to say that we have held over 400 concerts. We have arranged a diversity of harp concerts in many different styles, including duets with other instruments, such as the flute and violin. Welcoming a wide range of musicians \u2013 from young to experienced artists \u2013 all of our concerts have been very successful. Through our concerts, I hope to further acquaint our audience with harp music.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I just recalled the first time I heard live harp music. It was when I was in second grade and I had been invited to dinner at my friend\u2019s house. Her mother was playing the harp slowly\u2026.and we had waffles for dessert. Waffles, as we listened to harp music \u2026 I was simply amazed. As a child, I remember thinking, \u201cWhat is going on here?\u201d (laughs)<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- The music must have beautiful. (laughs)<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What are your ambitions for the future?<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- I would like to have more and more people get to know the harp, and so I am inspired to expand my activities outward. We currently offer harp classes at some schools, and give concerts at nursing homes as well as mini concerts at restaurants. I believe we have been successful in offering more opportunities than people have had in the past to listen to harp music.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
\nI am inspired to offer a diversity of musical entertainment from Ginza<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Ginza Jujiya hosts not only concerts but a variety of events. Do you organize all of these events on your own?<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Yes, I enjoy planning events very much. However, I always get stomach cramps as the day approaches. Every time, I get nervous that something might go wrong. (laughs) My ultimate wish is to entertain the audience and that is why I have continued this activity, inspired to offer a wide variety of musical entertainment. It gives me so much joy when the audience leaves the hall smiling and when the musician feels good about having performed in our concerts. But then, it is almost time that I passed the baton. (laughs)<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Oh no, not at all! My father is 80 years old, but he is still running around every day with his work. My mother prefers that he didn\u2019t stay home and is very supportive of his continuing to work. (laughs)<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- What does your mother do?<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- She plays the piano all the time. My mother\u2019s favorite pastimes are playing the piano and playing mahjong.<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Mahjong! That sounds exciting. I would love to try some time. Your mother must be a good player.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Yes, she seems to be a very skilled player. (laughs)<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
Music is my way of thanking Ginza. I hope that we can always be a community of mutual support.<\/h4>\n
\n- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Were you born in Ginza?<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- I was not born in Ginza, but my mother was. Even as a child, going to Ginza meant dressing up.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- My grandmother also brought me to Ginza as a child. She would buy me shoes at Yoshinoya and clothes at Saegusa, and then eventually musical scores at Yamaha\u2026<\/dd>\n
- Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- Oh, you didn\u2019t come to Ginza Jujiya to buy your musical scores? (laughs) Until around the 1960s, we had a rich collection of imported musical scores that were not yet available at other stores.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Really! I\u2019m afraid I wasn\u2019t aware of that\u2026.
\nNow, please allow me to ask my last question. Ginza Jujiya has always been ahead of the times and I would like to hear your thoughts about the future of Ginza.<\/dd>\n - Nakamura<\/dt>\n
- At Ginza Jujiya, we hope to continue to be a musical and cultural hub, but I also feel that we have been successful because we are located in Ginza. Sharing the joy of music is our way of saying, \u201cThank you.\u201d to Ginza. In our hope of having more and more people see what a fascinating town Ginza is, we introduce Ginza\u2019s new shops and recommend good restaurants and interesting events to those who have enjoyed our concerts. We want them to find other shops in Ginza intriguing, too. It is nice when we can mutually support each other. I hope that we can all foster that warm feeling of mutual support in Ginza.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
Chisako Takashima<\/h4>\n
Violinist. Takashima started taking violin lessons from the age of 6. After a successful career abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, where she currently performs in concerts across the country. Highly noted for her character in TV and radio appearances, she has currently opened up her career to more diverse fields with an unchanged focus on her profession.<\/p>\n