There aren’t many cultural ambassadors from the East with the pedigree and communication skills of Akari Mochizuki. Nicknamed Mochi, the enka and minyoo singer has shared the music and culture of her home country, Japan, with British audiences for nearly 2 decades.

In addition to her UK-based performances, she also performs Minyoo songs with Shamisen master Hibiki Ichikawa. The two of them have performed in approximately 20 countries worldwide since joining forces to educate audiences about the beauty, richness, and sounds of traditional Japanese folk music.

In my conversation with Mochi, we discussed her early years, when she was trained by her father in singing and performance. We also talked about the education/professional training she received in Cambridge and London, as well as several placements her music has secured, including the massively successful video game Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, which was released early this year.

Learn more about Mochi’s career here.

Watch her perform here.

Listen to her on Spotify here.

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