Yakimochiya, a farmhouse inn set in a restored Meiji-era traditional house in the Nakajo area of Nagano City, will host two special music events over the weekend of April 18 and 19, 2026. The events — an "Irori Bankside Concert" and a "Spring Sunshine Concert" — bring together live music and food in a satoyama (rural mountain village) setting in northern Shinshu, offering visitors a chance to engage with Japanese nature and culture through all five senses.
Irori Bankside Concert (April 18)
The evening event on April 18 takes place around the inn's traditional irori (sunken hearth). With firelight flickering and live music filling the space, guests can enjoy drinks and food in a relaxed, intimate atmosphere away from everyday life.
Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM onwards
Venue: Yakimochiya (5286-1 Kushikano, Nakajo, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture)
Performers:
- Keiichi Fujimori (vocals)
- Kumika Shimokawa (keyboard)
- Miki Imai (erhu)
- Daisuke Watanabe (quena)
- Yuka Kawanishi (guitar)
Concert Plan: ¥2,500 (tax included) per person
※ Junior high school students and under: ¥2,000 (tax included); preschool children: free
※ Limited to the first 20 guests
Reservations: Yakimochiya (026-267-2641)
Overnight Stay Plan (1 night, 2 meals): ¥16,500 (tax included) per person
※ Single bookings may be placed in a shared room
※ Limited to the first 20 guests
Reservation form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdusGFNdEsvNqmDEeUW8wWa7WQfyaoekZ_KC--KMMVtCIipag/viewform?usp=header
Spring Sunshine Concert (April 19)
The following day features an outdoor concert bathed in the soft light of spring, with koinobori (carp streamers) soaring above the venue. Held at Yakimochiya's engawa (veranda) plaza, the event is divided into two performances across the afternoon.
A special lunch featuring original curry from local spice shop spice & herb AYA CURRY is included with admission. Also on sale are Yakimochiya's signature haiyaki oyaki (ash-baked rice cakes) for ¥250 each (tax included) and the local dish obukko (a regional noodle soup) in half portions for ¥500 (tax included).
Date: Sunday, April 19, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Venue: Yakimochiya Engawa Plaza (5286-1 Kushikano, Nakajo, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture)
Schedule:
Part 1 — 11:00 AM
Vocal Concert
- Keiichi Fujimori (vocals) / Kumika Shimokawa (keyboard)
Part 2 — 2:00 PM
Instrumental Concert
- Miki Imai (erhu) / Daisuke Watanabe (quena) / Yuka Kawanishi (guitar)
Admission: ¥4,000 (tax included), special lunch menu included
※ Both Part 1 and Part 2 are included
※ Limited to the first 60 guests
Performers
Miki Imai (Erhu)
Photo: Tang Heng
Imai studied at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music as a Chinese government scholarship student in 2000. In 2017, she was invited to perform at the International Ethnic Instrument Jazz Festival in Sardinia, Italy, where she received a warm reception. She has also worked as a music interpreter and coordinator for television productions and the NHK Symphony Orchestra's China tour, participating in numerous Japan-China cultural projects. She currently serves as a demonstrator for a modern erhu developed by world-renowned erhu player George Gao.
Keiichi Fujimori (Vocals)
Born in 1961 in Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture. After graduating from Shinshu University's Faculty of Education, Fujimori taught at elementary and junior high schools in Nagano Prefecture before retiring to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter. In 2002, he was selected from 346 applicants to perform the "Song of Nagano Prefecture" produced by Yasushi Akimoto on NHK BS2's program "O! Nippon. Today in Nagano." He made his CD debut on Crown Records with the song "Kimi to Koko de Kurashitai" (lyrics: Yasushi Akimoto, music: Tsugitoshi Goto).
Kumika Shimokawa (Keyboard)
After working as a Kawai music instructor, Shimokawa established her own piano school in Azumino City. Since 2009, she has performed alongside Keiichi Fujimori at numerous concerts and competitions. She also performs solo and accompanies vocalists, choirs, and players of instruments such as ocarina and quena. Her versatile playing — often described as "like an orchestra" — draws on a wide range of tones and colors from the electronic piano.
Daisuke Watanabe (Quena)
Watanabe learned to play the quena at the University of Tsukuba. After working at Tsuchiura City Hall, he left public service to become a professional quena player and joined MAYA, one of Japan's leading folklore music ensembles, as a full member. His recording credits include the album "Hibi Rinrin" by Higuchi Ai (Teichiku Entertainment) and the soundtrack for the NHK drama "Meiji Kaika: Shinjuro Tantei-cho." He was appointed a Furusato Ambassador for Kasumigaura City in 2024.
Yuka Kawanishi (Guitar)
Born in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture. Kawanishi discovered classical guitar through her high school mandolin club, and later broadened her range through the folklore music club at the University of Tsukuba. After serving as an elementary school teacher in Narashino and Ichikawa cities in Chiba Prefecture for approximately 20 years, she transitioned to a freelance guitar career in 2025. She currently serves as the dedicated backing musician for Daisuke Watanabe.
About Yakimochiya
Located in the Nakajo district of Nagano City, nestled at the foot of Mt. Mushikura — a mountain steeped in legend — Yakimochiya is a Meiji-era farmhouse that was relocated and restored to preserve the essence of traditional Japanese rural life. Guests can gather around the traditional irori, taste regional dishes such as obukko (a local noodle soup) and the inn's signature haiyaki oyaki (ash-baked rice cakes), and unwind in the quiet natural surroundings that change with each season.
Lunch Hours: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM (last order 1:40 PM)
Café Hours: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Day-Trip Hot Spring
Day-Trip Bathing Hours: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM (last entry 6:30 PM)
Private Bath: ¥2,500 (tax included) per hour (2 to 4 guests; advance reservation required)
Accommodation
Yakimochiya offers nine guest rooms across five types: upper, middle, and lower parlors in the main wing, and a Japanese room and Japanese-Western room in the new wing. The interiors retain the warmth of natural wood throughout, offering a restful retreat from daily routines.
Address: 5286-1 Kushikano, Nakajo, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture 381-3202
Phone: 026-267-2641
Official website: https://xn--w8jxbxfg7046c.com/
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nakajyo_yakimochiya/
