The band is no stranger to the country, returning for the seventh time.
"There are very good music teachers [in Japan] who are, to a certain degree, 'products' of the Kodály method, just like Kaláka is. They find that what we do has a good influence on Japanese youth," said Vilmos Gryllus, a founding member of Kaláka.
The first stop on the band's latest tour of Japan was the Royal Park Hotel in Tokyo, where they played at the launch of the Hungarian Cultural Focus on September 16. They will travel to Jamagata County, where they have played many times, before returning to the capital.
Kaláka is not bringing a special programme with them to Japan, although they do make some additions to their set.
"We have gradually realised that it is best if we perform [our repertoire] exactly the same way as at home. The unity of the music and the words, which we set out to develop 40 years ago, remains most credible and effective if we sing in Hungarian." Gryllus said. "We do sing one of two songs...in Japanese in order to make audiences realise that we are indeed happy to come and play here," he added.
Kaláka will give a "report" of their tour to fans at home at a concert at the Marczibányi Square Community Centre when they return.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
