Japanese November 14, 2004: The sound from 16th century
	We had a lecture meeting by Ms. Shigemi Takei of Miyazaki university at Oita Municipal Historical Museum close to my home. The lecture was planned as a part of special event of the Museum under the title of "The echo from old times."
Over 50 people joined the meeting.
	Ms. Takei insists of the fact that about 450 years ago, the first western music arrived Japan here in Oita. She has long been studying of the historical fact. Today, she will restore the western sound that Hideyoshi or Sorin Ohtomo might have heard of it.
It took more than two and a half years to visit Europe. Mansho Itoh and other young Japanese mission ventured the hard voyage and arrived Lisbon, Portugal. They visited around Spain and Italy to absorb the Western culture. She told the history in an easy tone. The frill was the feature of then time costumes, she said. The design was taken from old records.
	The audience listen to her eagerly. What sound would be revived here from now?
She first showed a small musical instrument like this. It looked like the ancestor of violin today. It made a faint sound in the room.
	The larger instrument was like a guitar. It was played in another lecture meeting by Ms. Takei.
A lovely harp. The string was made from sheep gut then, she explained. Today, the best material to make the old instrument was, surprisingly, Japanese fishlines. They make very good sound, she said. It was a very good lecture meeting. (Reported by Ken Nagano)
Oita Municipal Historical Museum, Autumn Special event. Old sounds revived Special lecture meeting Lecturer: Ms. Shigemi Takei, Professor of Miyazaki University, faculty of Education and Culture Theme: The western sound made Ohtomo Sourin enjoy The first organ's sound	Information Stage Lecture series "The sound of A Caper" December 10, 19:00 open At Grand Theatre, Oita City Ticket \1,000