Heading East to Japan for Ukulele Explorations

In 48 hours I’ll once again be heading to Japan. I usually visit a few times a year and spend time in Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima. This time I’ll start off in Tokyo, then head to Kyoto and Osaka. Japan is of course a brilliant place to look out for ukuleles and my first visit in Tokyo will be to the excellent Ukulele Mania. I always drop by and see Dean Leoni. This time I have 20 sets of tenor Hilo strings to collect. These are IMO the best sonically and no longer made.

I’ll also be meeting up with Shimo once I land to interview him for Uke Uk magazine. I have often blogged Shinoabout Shimo’s amazing instruments and I am delighted to already own three of these. These are some of the finest instruments on the planet and the only comparable builder I know (and he doesn’t make ukes) is Stefan Sobell in the UK. There’s something quite magical about individually made instruments, which play and sound like nothing else!

In September I’ll be heading to Austin Texas and will once again be visiting Collings Guitars. Bill Collings is also one of the best builders on the planet. Austin is also a fantastic city to visit bursting with music and creative types!