A relaxed ukulele life starting with "Poepoe" - a cute companion for your home time. 

The ukulele is popular now that people are reevaluating how to enjoy time at home.

It is a small instrument that can be carried around easily, does not take up much space, and can be easily taken out when you feel like playing. It is not loud, so you can practice without hesitation even in an apartment. It is easy to play even for beginners, and has a depth to it that can be mastered. ......

The ukulele has the perfect conditions for a "buddy" at home, but the most attractive thing is the gentle tone that makes you feel at home.
If you hold it in your hand and ring it, you will feel like you are at the beach in Hawaii. Time flows slowly, forgetting the busy daily life.

It would be great if you could sing while playing your favorite songs.
I would like to introduce you to the ukulele shop and school “Poe Poe”, the perfect shop for those who want to start a fun ukulele life.

Head north from Hisaya Odori Subway Station and walk for about 3 minutes while enjoying the greenery of Layered Hisaya Odori Park on your left. It is on the second floor of the building "Utrillo Sakae" where this sign is located. (Italian restaurant on the 1st floor)

Let's go up the stairs here.

It is the shop at the back of the second floor. The bear character "Nohohon" is a landmark.

The bassist of that super major band is the owner,
Japan's first ukulele specialty store

"Poepoe" was started in Yutenji, Tokyo in 1996, when the ukulele was still not very popular in Japan.

The owner is Mr. Kazuyuki Sekiguchi, the bassist of that Southern All Stars. Originally, the ukulele was sold in a corner of the teddy bear shop run by Mr. Sekiguchi's wife, and it became so popular that he decided to open Japan's first ukulele specialty shop.

The name "Poepoe" means "round" or "small" in Hawaiian. The name evokes the smile that comes to your face when you play a small ukulele.

In 2007, they started our Nagoya branch here. In 2012, "Poepoe Hawaiian Culture Center" was opened in Hawaii to introduce Hawaiian culture such as hula and Hawaiian quilt as well as ukulele.

They want it to be a place where people can discover the ukulele, learn the depth of the instrument connecting with others to create a new lifestyle. The owner's vision has become a circle of ukulele lovers as well as lovers of Hawaiian culture and various kinds of music.

The character "Nohohon" of "Poepoe" was designed by Yosuke Kihara, who is also famous for the Jakajaka rock-paper-scissors corner of the children's program "Ponkickies".

The relaxed, goofy expression fits perfectly with the atmosphere of Poepoe, and merchandise such as photo keychains and T-shirts are also available for purchase.

The miniature ukulele that nofofon is holding on the counter is the work of someone who makes ukuleles as a hobby. It actually makes sound!

The look, the touch and the feel.
Try it out and find your own favorite.

As soon as you enter the store, you will see many ukuleles with different shapes and materials. About 100 ukuleles are always on display at the Nagoya store. I bought a ukulele at Poepoe a few years ago, and when I first entered the store, I was overwhelmed by the large selection.

After all, it is rare to have this many in Japan, and it seems that there are many customers who come from outside the prefecture, such as Nagano and Fukuoka. There are a wide variety of brands and price ranges, from those recommended for beginners to those for intermediate, advanced, and enthusiasts.

Of course, they sell them online, but the best way to buy them is to actually touch them and try them out. Even products from the same brand have individual differences, so you want to choose one that fits well in your hand, not only in terms of appearance, but also how it feels when you hold it and when you play it. They only sell high-quality ukuleles that have been carefully selected as a specialty store, so you can choose with confidence.

We asked Akiha Kuramoto, the manager of the store in Nagoya, about recommended ukuleles for beginners and how to choose one.

– What kind of ukulele would you recommend for someone who wants to start playing the ukulele?

Kuramoto: "There are soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone ukuleles depending on the size. The soprano is the smallest and is easy to play, so it is recommended for beginners, especially women, children, and people with small hands. The concert is slightly larger than the soprano, and is for people with large hands and for men. In addition, the tenor and baritone are louder in that order. The soprano has a cute sound, and the larger the body, the deeper and louder the sound. 

There are many people who first practice playing chords on a soprano, and when their level gradually rises and they start playing melodies, they choose a concert ukulele as their second ukulele. ”

-It's hard to believe that there are so many.

Manager Kuramoto: "We also have a beginner set for beginners, so you can choose from that. A soprano ukulele recommended for beginners, a case, a tuner, an instruction book, a cloth, and a free lesson ticket. It's a great value. You can also get a beginner's set for an additional 4,000 yen for the ukulele of your choice.

After that, there is also the sound preference, so if you can tell us the size and approximate budget, we will introduce recommendations here. Please actually touch various things and check the sound. I think one of the big advantages of our company is that you can actually play many ukuleles and try them out while talking to the staff. ”

Beginner's 6-piece set (Cordoba 19,800 yen, Famous 27,500 yen, 38,500 yen)

– What price range should a beginner choose?

Kuramoto: "They start at 10,000 yen, but if you want to use them for a long time, I would recommend that you choose something around 30,000 yen. We do not carry inexpensive ones since some of them are difficult to play because they quickly lose their pitch. I think it is more economical to choose one with a stable sound and accurate pitch that you can use for a long time. For beginners, domestic makers Famous and Hawaii's Kumu are also popular.

-There are various colors, materials, and designs, and it's fun just to look at them.

Kuramoto: “Hawaiian koa and mahogany are the most popular materials. As the name suggests, Hawaiian koa is made from wood found only in Hawaii. Mahogany has a calm color and is used for furniture. Also, there are plywood and veneer, and plywood is made by gluing three thin boards together. It is characterized by being cheap and durable. On the other hand, veneer is made from only one tree and resonates well . The more you play it, the better it sounds. I would like you to start with an affordable plywood one at first, and then buy a solid one from the second one and develop it to your own sound. ."

A ukulele made of Hawaiian core material with a deep striped pattern. If you put your ear to it, you can almost hear the waves of Hawaii. Hawaii's oldest ukulele brand KAMAKA soprano ukulele 138,000 yen (tax included)

Made of calm and serene Honduran mahogany wood, this stately ukulele is from the Japanese brand LUNA. This model follows the design of the famous and beloved Martin Style 3M. 117,700 yen (tax included)

It's like a small museum.
Ukulele and related goods that are fun just to look at.

At first I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of ukuleles in the store, but when I listened carefully to each one and listened to Ms. Kuramoto's story, each one had its own personality and story. 

In addition to the usual constricted design, there are various shapes such as pineapple, guitar and bass. Designed by Grammy Award-winning artist Daniel Ho, Romero (left, middle) has a unique shape that looks like a triangular rice ball.

Ukulele with traditional craft Hakone marquetry. A “Taneita plate” made by combining pieces of natural wood with different colors to create a geometric pattern is thinly shaved and attached to the body. Yosegi Music soprano 137,500 yen (tax included)

A ukulele with a thin sheet "inlay" made of shell material. The ornament here is in the shape of a map of the Hawaiian Islands! Kanilea concert ukulele 269,500 yen (tax included)

A plastic ukulele produced by the owner, Mr. Sekiguchi. It seems that it was developed with a focus on lightness that allows you to take it to the sea or mountains with peace of mind, as well as sufficient strength and good sound. The variation of vitamin color is cute. Plastic ukulele 13,200 yen (tax included)

A kalimba that you might want to buy personally 3,800 yen (tax included) Originally an African instrument, this has a gentle tone that goes well with the ukulele. The egg shaker on the right (300 yen (tax included)) is a small shaker that is convenient to carry around. Especially recommended for those who want to play Latin music such as bossa nova and samba.

A full line of related goods. A wide variety of ukulele strings are also available.

There are also full-fledged tuners (things that match the pitch), as well as Minions and cute animal characters. This is a bear character of Amigurumi Ukulele Duo called "U90". It is the same design by Mr. Kihara as nofofon.

Carrying it around in a Hawaiian case will make you feel better.

A strap with a colorful tropical pattern.

Ukulele instruction books. There are so many books. Hawaiian, of course, but also J-POP, jazz, Ghibli, TV theme songs, Carpenters and youth folk. It seems that the fun of playing the ukulele with your favorite song will spread.

They also have a variety of ukulele CDs. There are also maniac items that are difficult to obtain on Amazon.

They also perform maintenance such as changing strings of ukulele, adjusting and repairing each part. It is said that it is difficult to tune a ukulele unless the strings are changed once or twice a year. If you find it difficult to play the current instruments, please consult them once.

Tips for improving your ukulele,
Take it easy and have fun!

Well, when you get your favorite ukulele, you still want to play it cool.

In the space behind the door of this shop, they hold ukulele lessons, live performances and workshops by inviting artists from Japan and abroad.

Due to the corona crisis, the number of people is limited, and it is operated with strict infection control measures.

Professor Shoji Kawaguchi (left)

Shoji Kawaguchi's lesson was held on this day.

Lessons at Poepoe are by appointment only, and there is no enrollment fee. There is no monthly fee system where you decide the day and time of the week to attend lessons, but rather you reserve a day that suits your schedule.

You can continue at your own pace, so it is also recommended for people who are too busy to attend on a set day. We asked Mr. Kawaguchi about the appeal of the ukulele and his lessons.

-What kind of people are most of your students?

Kawaguchi Sensei: "There are various age groups, and when it comes to the ratio of men to women, it seems like there are more women than men at a ratio of 3 to 2. Since the coronavirus outbreak, the number of people who have started playing the ukulele has increased, and from spring to summer last year, for a period of time, the number of ukuleles became widespread all over the country. There was a real shortage.”

-It's so popular! What do you think is the appeal of the ukulele?

Kawaguchi: "First of all, the sound is soothing. Secondly, it's small and easy to carry, so you can play it outside. I used to dance, but I heard the sound of a ukulele by chance on Youtube and fell in love with it. From there, I started learning on my own. You can play simple songs in a day. Of course, it gets more complicated from there, but I enjoyed playing every day.”

-Are there any songs you recommend for beginners?

Kawaguchi: "Aimyon's Marigold or Ben.E.King's Stand by me. Of course, Hawaiian songs, but now there are many styles of playing J-POP and other favorite songs on the ukulele. That's because the ukulele is easy to play. It's really fun to interact with students because all kinds of people come."

-If you have any tips for improving your ukulele, please let me know.

Kawaguchi: "Just play a lot! And then have fun. If you don't have fun, you won't be able to keep playing. Even if you can't play well, that's part of the fun."  I want you to enjoy it (laughs)

Therefore, in my own lessons, I dare to assign difficult pieces, so that the students can enjoy the process of learning to play while maintaining a balance between fun and difficulty. Even if you think something is a little difficult for you, if you challenge yourself, it will help you grow faster. 

Spreading joy connected by your favorite music.

In addition to lessons and workshops, Poe Poe hosts various events such as live performances and festivals, based on the owner's desire to create a place where people who are fascinated by the ukulele and Hawaiian culture can gather, have fun, and laugh to their heart's content. One of them is the “Ukulele Picnic in Hawaii,” which has been held in Hawaii every February since 2009.

With the motto "Ukulele connects people", it has been held in the Ward district of Hawaii as a free event that everyone can enjoy regardless of race or language. Due to the coronavirus pandemic this year, it will be held online in September.

http://www.ukulelepicnicinhawaii.org/index.html

There's the joy of playing alone, the joy of playing with friends, and the joy of connecting with friends from all over the world online. It is as if the smiles that come from the small instrument of the ukulele are expanded many times over.

"Nohohon Ukulele Life" where you can live with cute sounds. It seems that everyday life will be fun and relaxed.

Nagoya store manager Tomohiro Nomura (left)