Onboard Activities

Profile

MUZIC@NET / Marionette – Overview
MUZIC@NET / Marionette is an acoustic duo formed by Takashi Yuasa, a pioneer of the Portuguese guitar in Japan, and Takeshi Yoshida, a leading figure in the world of mandolin.
Centered on the creation of their own original music, the duo’s repertoire spans a wide range of styles, from fado to popular music, showcasing their distinctive and expressive sound.

MUZIC@NET / Marionette – Details
MUZIC@NET / Marionette is an acoustic duo formed by Portuguese guitar virtuoso Takashi Yuasa and mandolinist Takeshi Yoshida.
Since the remarkable success of their debut CD Portugal Fantasia, an unusual instrumental hit, they have released a total of 17 albums. Their one-of-a-kind sound, created through a distinctive artistic sensibility, has been described as “nostalgic yet unfamiliar, like the folk music of an imaginary country.” Their music has been widely featured across various media, including television programs and stage productions.
From 2014 to 2017, they composed the music for TV commercials for Oita barley shochu Nikaido. In 2015, they received the Joana Abrantes Pinto Award from the Embassy of Portugal in recognition of their contribution to the cultural relationship between Japan and Portugal.
In addition to performing live throughout Japan, they have appeared on the world cruise of the luxury liner Asuka II.
Since 2021, they have appeared in the Mingei Theatre Company production Under the Magnolia Tree, and from 2023 in With True Kindness (with narration by Tomoe Hiiro).
Their piece “Nanban Bukyoku,” featured in the TV commercial for the Oita confectionery Zabieru, is currently airing in Oita. Since October 2023, they have once again been in charge of the TV commercial music for Oita barley shochu Nikaido.

Takashi Yuasa – Portuguese Guitarist
Takashi Yuasa began playing guitar at the age of 14. After studying at the Japan Guitar Music School, he trained in classical guitar under Gozo Ono. He later studied Portuguese guitar with the great master António Chainho and with Carlos Gonçalves, renowned for accompanying Amália Rodrigues.
As a pioneer of the Portuguese guitar in Japan, Yuasa’s work extends beyond fado, the traditional folk and popular song of Portugal, into his own uniquely Japanese artistic realm known as “Nanban Gitarra.” Through this concept, he explores a distinctive musical landscape shaped by the historical and cultural encounters between Japan and Portugal.
As a member of the duo Marionette, he performs primarily original compositions. In recent years, he has also been active as a lyricist and composer, providing works for other artists, including Graciela Susana (“Karachi Ujo”).
Since 2010, he has served as a Music Ambassador for the Macao Government Tourism Office. In 2013, he received the Special Prize at the 6th Iwami Ginzan Cultural Award. That same year, commemorating the 470th anniversary of Japan–Portugal relations, he composed “Nanban Sacay” at the request of Sakai City and presented the 470th Anniversary Concert “The Way of Namban – The World of Nanban Gitarra” in Portugal.
In 2015, he was awarded the Joana Abrantes Pinto Award by the Embassy of Portugal in recognition of his contributions to cultural exchange. In 2017, he composed “Nanban BVNGO” to mark the 40th anniversary of the Oita Japan–Portugal Association. Through these works, he has earned high recognition within the cultural context of “Nanban culture” and Portugal–Japan relations.
The Portuguese guitar is a plucked string instrument with six double courses (12 strings), primarily used to accompany fado. Its delicate yet brilliant tone holds vast expressive possibilities, possibilities that Yuasa continues to expand through his artistry.

Goshi Yoshida – Mandolinist
Goshi Yoshida began playing the mandolin at the age of 15 and studied under Masayuki Kawaguchi. He later studied with Prof. Marga Wilden-Hüsgen at the University of Music and Dance Cologne (Wuppertal Campus) in Germany, where he graduated with the highest distinction in the Concert Examination. He also passed the NHK Western Music Audition.
Through his activities with MUZIC@NET / Marionette, Yoshida is dedicated to establishing new possibilities for mandolin music. At the same time, drawing on his deep knowledge of classical repertoire and mandolin literature, he actively contributes to the instrument’s development and dissemination in Japan. He serves as supervisor of Kanaderu! Mandolin, Japan’s only specialized mandolin magazine, and is a jury member for various mandolin competitions.
He directs the Marionette Mandolin Orchestra, dedicated to performing the works of Marionette, as well as the Nanban BVNGO Mandolin Orchestra in Oita.
Since 2019, he has served as Vice President of the Japan Mandolin Federation. In July 2022, he published The Complete Guide to the Mandolin (Seikyusha), a comprehensive guidebook to the instrument.
The mandolin is a small plucked string instrument that originated in Italy. Its delicate yet brilliant metallic tone is beloved worldwide. In Japan, large mandolin ensembles are especially popular, with an estimated 200,000 players, said to be the highest number in the world.