- country:Japan
- label:Arize
- type:Band, Solo, Duo
- gender:male
- instrumentation:vocal, singer songwriter, guitar
- artist posted by:Music from Miyakojima - Okinawa
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Isamu Shimoji is a unique singer-song writer who performs his original compositions in the Miyakojima dialect of Okinawa prefecture. Located some 300 km south of Okinawa, Miyakojima, where Isamu was born in 1969, is proud of having one of the most beautiful seas in the world.
At the age of 30 Isamu wrote his first song to celebrate his father's 60th birthday. This song immediately became popular among music fans spreading by "word of mouth" and led to his first indie album The island where we were born which sold 8,000 copies. His next album Ten-tin was sold 10,000 copies. Since then, he has released a new album every year.
Isamu has broadened his activities in Asia from Japan to South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore. He has performed outside Asia notably in Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, UK and Spain. In November 2013, he will be performing with the internationally acclaimed French singer song writer TETE in Okinawa.
One of Isamu's most popular activities is performing in the duo 'Sakishima Meeting' with Yukito Ara, a noted sanshin player and vocalist from Ishigaki Island. This group wrote and performed the theme song for the film 'Kara Kara' which won "The Public Award for the most popular Canadian Feature Film" and "Openness to the World Award" at the World Film Festival Montreal 2012.
In 2012, Isamu celebrated the 10th anniversary since his debut by organising a outdoor concert in Miyakojima. The concert was a great success attracting thousands of fans from all over Japan.
Isamu is well known in Okinawa as the face of Toyota Okinawa and Orion Beer, the premier brewery in Okinawa.