Chikuzan Takahashi
He was born in Nakahiranai, a village that is now part of the Hiranai township in Aomori Prefecture. He lost his sight at around age two from measles before becoming a live-in apprentice of a Tsugaru-jamisen performer called Toda Jūjirō near his home town. Before World War II he spent many years touring Tohoku and Hokkaido, playing before doorsteps and making money any way he could.
Also recorded as Sadazō Takahashi · Takahashi Chikuzan
Chikuzan Takahashi
- Name
- Takahashi Chikuzan
- Born
- 18 June 1910
- Birthplace
- Nakahiranai, Aomori Prefecture
- Died
- 5 February 1998
- Place of death
- Hiranai, Aomori Prefecture
- Occupation
- Musician, composer
- Full name
- 高橋 定蔵.
- Nationality
- Japan and Empire of Japan.
- Fields
- min'yō.
- Honours
- Order of the Sacred Treasure and 4th class.
- Languages
- Japanese.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
He was born in Nakahiranai, a village that is now part of the Hiranai township in Aomori Prefecture. He lost his sight at around age two from measles before becoming a live-in apprentice of a Tsugaru-jamisen performer called Toda Jūjirō near his home town. Before World War II he spent many years touring Tohoku and Hokkaido, playing before doorsteps and making money any way he could.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Chikuzan Takahashi. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q7677031 · wikipedia · Takahashi Chikuzan
In this article
Biography
Biography
After the war he became more widely known, first as an accompanist for the famous Tsugaru folk song singer Narita Unchiku (who named him "Chikuzan"), and subsequently as a solo performer of the Tsugaru-jamisen repertory. His performances, for many years taking place regularly at a small venue called Shibuya Jean-Jean in Shibuya Ward of Tokyo, often featured long solo improvisations, which he entitled "Iwaki" after the tallest mountain in Tsugaru. His most famous disciple, a woman who has assumed the name Takahashi Chikuzan II, continues to perform versions of Takahashi Chikuzan's repertory. Takahashi Chikuzan made a huge number of recordings, some of which are still in print today.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Takahashi Chikuzan • Born — 18 June 1910 • Birthplace — Nakahiranai, Aomori Prefecture • Died — 5 February 1998 • Place of death — Hiranai, Aomori Prefecture • Occupation — Musician, composer
Identity
Identity
Chikuzan Takahashi is recorded as a citizen of Empire of Japan. Recorded with the occupation composer. Classed in the genre min'yō. Recorded at birth as 高橋 定蔵.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1910
Chikuzan Takahashi born at Aomori Prefecture.
1998
Chikuzan Takahashi died on 5 February 1998.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Chikuzan Takahashi was born in Aomori Prefecture.
Birthplace
Aomori Prefecture.
Birth place
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q7677031: Chikuzan Takahashi
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “Takahashi Chikuzan”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority record
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Formation and teaching.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
42,934 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Chihchun Chi-sun LeePerson
- Chihiro FujiokaPerson
- Chihiro OnitsukaPerson
- Chihiro YamanakaPerson
- Chill WillsPerson
- Chilly ChillPerson
- Chilly GonzalesPerson
- ChimanoPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Chikuzan Takahashi?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.