Kokusyoku Sumire

The music one hears played by the little dolls inside the treasure box is that of chansons,
classical melodies or old Japanese tunes ? sentimental but not old-fashioned.
It is with respect to such music that the unit creates their very own “treasure”.
Their wish is to be surrounded always by wonderful, adorable and beautiful things.
Perhaps the Sumire girls are the only ones with the greatest desire to pursue such dream and yearning.
They love the fear and cruelty that come with such pursuit just the same.
A new style of classical music, spinning songs by the twin dolls!
Kokusyoku Sumire are lovable yet slightly mischievious soprano Yuka and the exceptional violinist Sachi who also works as a model.
Their performances span a wide range from internationally known fairy tales, traditional Japanese songs, to operas.
Not only do they have a strong presence at the center of the current fervent European fever for “Japanese Gothic and Lolita” culture,
traversing over a diversified genres, at times performing Japanese classics in kimono,
at times with their bewitching cover of the Gypsy music accompanied by accordion music.
The unit has acquired a unique position in the Japanese musical scene.
Recently, there are more and more people from all over the world coming all the way to Japan just to see these girls perform live.
That famous director TIM BURTON is one of such people; he pays the girls a visit every time he comes to Japan. In this way, they are gaining more and more international popularity,
with a successful live tour in 2007 that took them to 3 locations including Paris.

Yuka
- vocal, accordion/piano

Yuka writes nearly all of Kuroshoku Sumire’s lyrics and music.
Being a great fan of punk music and British rock, and wishing to acquire skills necessary for her to sing as a profession, she trained as a singer at the Ferris University Collage of Music.
While at college, she became mesmerized by Japanese songs, and wished to make the good old Japanese melodies popular. She also started up her rock band Magnolia and was both the vocalist and guitarist.
After graduation she met Sachi and the two began their activities together as Kuroshoku Sumire.
As someone who possesses a unique singing style,
Yuka puts vocal singing techniques to use, while harnessing her power in punk rock yet at the same time combining the delicate expressions required in Japanese songs.
In 2004 she began learning the accordion and fell in love with it. Currently, she is in search of possibilities to express through singing and accordion music.
Other activities
* Pianist and support vocalist for ICHITA (a band created by LDP Upper House member Ichita Yamamoto) since 2006.
* Pianist for the recording of the rock band Shichisan-shiki. (CD released in March, 2007)
* Penned the novel series Mother Goose’s Skylight in the magazine Escargot Skin
* Wrote movie review for the magazine PRINTS21. * Model for Indies Lolita Bland: Angelic Pretty

Sachi
- violin, piano

Sachi does the string arrangements for Kuroshoku Sumire. She is accomplished in many other instruments, including the viola, keyboard-harmonica, toys, etc.
When she was child, she wanted to be like Shizuka (who learns the violin) in the comic book Doraemon, and so she took up the violin. After that she continued on to enter the Kunitachi College of Music, where she focused on classical music.
Sachi has enjoyed the Lolita fashion since her childhood, and has become known by many as the ‘charisma of the Lolita world’ for her aesthetic sense, which is evident in her activities as model for many independent brands and Lolita fashion related magazines.
She is the mood maker of Kuroshoku Sumire. She is cheerful and adorable by nature, a pure personality that helps bring recitals alive.
Other activities
Solo album ‘The Maiden’s Timbre Box’ (released in 2004).
This is Sachi’s solo album where she is the unique violinist dressed in Lolita fashion. Apart from original tracks, she also performs music by Bach, Beethoven and others with a romantic touch.
Caccinica
The aesthetic classical unit Caccinica weaves enchanted and sacred melodies. Sachi and the countertenor and actor Koichiro Yuzawa
* Supporting member and participation in recordings for IZAM (SHAZNA).
* Played in the backing band for former Takarazuka performer Seika Kuze.
* Model for Indies Lolita Bland: Angelic Pretty, Fairy Wish, Seraphim etc… · close