Episode 19 of the podcast takes us into the deep snow country of Tokamachi in Niigata, where we venture into the beautiful, heavily forested hills and minor mountains of that area, and onto the secluded Mithila Museum to speak with its director Hasegawa Tokio. An avant-garde musician and artist, Hasegawa-san founded Mithila Museum in 1982, and today, the museum houses one the world’s major collection of Mithila or Madhubani art while Hasegawa-san remains an active, innovative and legendary musician. We discuss his story, how the museum came to be, his music and of course, his love for life in the snow country in today’s interview.

Originating in the Madhubani district of Bihar – a northeastern state of India – Madhubani art is created by local women and defined by its geometrical and contrasting patterns, bold lines and colours and broad themes ranging from cosmological and ritual practices to the images of everyday life. The museum houses one of the world’s largest collections of Madhubani art, along with Warli and Gond art. 

Hasegawa-san was a founding member of the avant-garde music group ‘The Taj Mahal Travellers’ during the 1970s and to this day, is an active and innovative musician. Released in 2019, ‘Stone Music’ includes recordings of performances in Japan, India and Taiwan. Blending Japanese drums, flutes, keyboards, electronic sounds, Indian instruments and captivating vocals, the music is both real and tangible while also evoking the cosmological and metaphysical terms Hasegawa-san so often speaks in.

You can find more information on the episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website or via the Mithila Museum website or YouTube Channel. Hasegawa-san's 'Stone Music' album can be purchase via the Bandcamp website while you can also watch the recent live performance on YouTube.

Snow Country Stories Japan is a bi-weekly podcast about life and travel in Japan's legendary 'yukiguni'. For more information about the show and your host, visit our website - www.snowcountrystories.com - and make sure to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.