Blending the sounds of traditional Japanese instruments—Tsugaru shamisen, shinobue flute, and traditional drums—with the classical Western violin, the genre-defying Ryoma Quartet took the stage at the Tokyo Dome on March 19 for the Opening Ceremony of the MLB Tokyo Series presented by Guggenheim, featuring the Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers season opener.
The quartet performed two signature pieces: “YAMATO,” which embodies their samurai spirit with bold instrumentation, and “FUJIN,” a dynamic composition that balances grandeur with speed. Their unique cross-cultural sound set the tone for the event, captivating the crowd just before the first pitch.
Joining Ryoma Quartet were over 20 performers including shamisen, shakuhachi, Japanese dance, koto, and traditional hayashi percussion artists—forming a powerful ensemble that delivered a new kind of oriental sound performance and electrified the stadium.
On the previous day, March 18, Ryoma Quartet’s cover renditions of iconic Pokémon tracks—“Battle! Champion” and “Opening – Red & Green”—were featured as entrance music for the players, adding excitement to both days of the event with their stirring sounds and performance.
Photography by Ryoshi Fukuoka
Comment from Ryoma (Violinist, Ryoma Quartet):
“I’ve loved baseball since I was a child and even once seriously pursued the dream of playing at Koshien. Though I ultimately chose the path of music, I’m deeply moved to now stand on such a prestigious stage as a musician. Ryoma Quartet will continue to share the spirit of Japan with the world through music. I look forward to seeing both teams achieve even greater success this season.”
Artist Information
HP：https://ryoma-quartet.com/
X：https://x.com/ryomaquartet
Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/ryomaquartet/
YouTube：https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEE-w4D2ZKBmzjQrH2u6Rhg
