Music and Art Inside an Osaka Temple

Walk down Matsuyamachi-suji through Shitaderamachi and Osaka begins to look a little different. Buddhist temples line the road through this old Tennoji temple district, including Shinkoji, where tucked inside the temple grounds is a tiny renovated-house café called KOGUMA COFFEE. On October 12, that space becomes the setting for an intimate evening of art and live music.

Doors open at 16:00 for a 17:00 performance bringing together singer-songwriter SUEMARR on vocals, guitar and banjo with digital artist Chiemi Matsui. As SUEMARR plays, Matsui draws on an iPad, projecting the developing artwork into the space in real time. Coffee and sweets are available separately, bringing music, digital art and the café setting together for the evening.

SUEMARR also comes with a connection that fans of Japanese television may recognize. Eight songs from his 2014 album Minstrel have been used across the Midnight Diner (Shinya Shokudo) television dramas and films, appearing as ending songs, insert songs and incidental music. One, “Jinsei Ikiatari Battari,” was written with lyrics by Yaro Abe, creator of the original Midnight Diner manga.

Matsui adds a visual performance alongside the music. The Kyoto-born artist works with digital live painting, drawing on an iPad while the developing image is projected for the audience to watch in real time. Her performance history includes concerts and other live events in Japan and overseas. Matsui and SUEMARR have a long history of working together. She has accompanied his music with digital live painting, created artwork for his releases and publications, and says he is the musician she has collaborated with most often in live painting.

The location brings another layer to the evening. Shinkoji sits in Shitaderamachi, part of the historic belt of temples stretching through this side of Tennoji. KOGUMA COFFEE occupies a renovated building within the temple grounds, creating the unusual possibility of stopping for coffee—or, on this particular Monday, a concert—without leaving the temple.

There won’t be an arena stage or a large crowd here. That’s precisely what sets it apart. One small café inside an Osaka temple, a musician with an unexpected Midnight Diner history, and artwork taking shape as he plays. On October 12, that’s the show.

Temple Café Setting — Live music inside KOGUMA COFFEE at Shinkoji Temple.

Midnight Diner Connection — Eight SUEMARR songs have featured across the series and films.

Digital Live Painting — Watch Matsui’s artwork develop as SUEMARR performs.

Music Up Close — Guitar, banjo and vocals in an intimate café setting.

Coffee & Sweets — Settle in with refreshments available during the evening.

Photos: Artist Websites & Instagram, Japan Scenes

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