PROFILE

Shinobue (Japanese bamboo flute) performer

Kazunari was born in Ehime and raised in Tokyo, Japan.
He participated in the taiko performing arts group KODO for 14 years from 1995, and appeared in the role of Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto in the premiere of "AMATERASU" which was directed by Kabuki actor Tamasaburo Bando.

After going independent in 2010, he participated as a composer and performer in plays such as "Puz/zle" and "ICON," directed by Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. He has performed at venues such as the Avignon Festival in Europe, as well as the Middle East, Asia, Oceania, and North and South America.

In addition to solo concerts at planetariums and votive performances at shrines and temples, he has collaborated with a variety of artists both in Japan and abroad in fields such as contemporary dance, Bunraku puppet theater, and comtenporary circus, performing in 33 countries on six continents.

He has released three original albums: "The Echo of Dragon Singing," "Distant Winds," and "purify."

Since 2021, Kazunari Abe have been participating annually in the Ama-no-Iwato Shimenawa Shinto Ritual, a dedication ceremony held on the winter solstice at Ama-no-Iwato Shrine in Takachiho, Miyazaki, Japan.

He is also scheduled to perform at the 76th National Tree Planting Festival, which will be held in May 2026.