Satoko Kawagoe Photo: ©Takashi Tanifuji
lifestyle

Pipe organist Satoko Kawagoe: One Japanese woman's drive to carve a career for herself

3 Comments
By Kathryn Wortley

Though entrepreneurship and the gig economy are seeing an uptick in Japan, full-time roles in large and established Japanese companies remain the employment of choice for most job-seekers in Tokyo. Satoko Kawagoe, however, was willing to forgo that security to pursue a career playing the instrument she has loved from age 16. And she hasn’t stopped ever since.

As more and more pipe organists continue working long after retirement age in Japan, there is an enormous competition for a limited number of posts, the majority of which are part-time. Still, Kawagoe is determined to make a living from her passion. Following her graduation from one of Tokyo’s top music universities, she moved to France to deepen her understanding of historic pipe organs and hone her playing style. She then secured a post in her hometown and returned to Japan.

satoko.jpg
Satoko Kawagoe poses in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Theater in Ikebukuro where she plays as a sub-organist.

ow, one of only three sub-organists at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theater in Ikebukuro, Kawagoe plays its stunning three-styles-in-one organ, which is one of the biggest in the world. As the post is part-time, she is also an assistant professor in organ at three universities in Tokyo, thereby achieving her dream of making organ a part of her day, every day.

Savvy Tokyo asked the professional pipe organist about her unconventional job and why she loves it.

Click here to read more.

© Savvy Tokyo

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

3 Comments
Login to comment

It is always great to hear something nice on the news. Good for her. An organ is a wonderful and versatile instrument. One can play a whole orchestra on the organ.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Here in the UK we have a radio program called "the organist entertains" i hope that some one from the BBC radio crew see this news and invite her to the UK to play! I wonder if she has played in one of the many English cathedrals?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I appreciate all music's, may they be classic, bagpipes, modern(jazz, pop, punk, techno, etc).

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites