On May 3rd and 4th, I visited string instrument events held in Tokyo. It made for a very fulfilling Golden Week holiday.
String Instrument Exhibition
Although I learned about this event a year ago, I had to give up on attending because I couldn’t book flight tickets due to being too late. This year, I caught the information early and was able to visit in person. From antique violins to those showcased by contemporary makers, I tried many instruments but didn’t have enough time to figure out what was good or discover my own preferences—there were simply too many options.
La Folle Journée Tokyo 2025
When I informed the exhibitors at the string instrument exhibition that I would be attending, they told me about this event. It was my first time experiencing such a large classical music event, and I was so moved that I immediately purchased tickets for three concerts. However, there were 90 performances in total, so I only experienced a small fraction of this massive classical music festival.
Former Tokyo Music School Concert Hall
On my first day in Tokyo, I had some free time so I visited this hall in Ueno Park, but it was reserved for a private event. I returned first thing on the final morning for another try. I had recently been reading a book about Suzuki Masakichi (founder of Suzuki Violin) as part of my violin studies, and the Tokyo Music School appeared in it, which sparked my interest. The thought that Masakichi himself might have visited this building filled me with deep emotion.
It was my first Golden Week holiday so thoroughly immersed in classical music and violins. I definitely want to return next year to experience even more violins and music. And I hope to create an opportunity to reflect on my experiences from this trip.
Back to work after the holiday break!