OKI is one of the last living masters of the tonkori, the rare five-string harp at the heart of Ainu musical tradition — the Indigenous culture of Japan's Hokkaido island. He performs at ALICE with his trio this September, offering an extraordinary live experience that bridges ancient tradition and global musical currents.
OKI discovered his Ainu heritage only as a young adult, after his mother had concealed the family's background for years. This revelation led him to abandon a career in New York's advertising industry and return to Hokkaido, where he taught himself the tonkori and began reviving a near-lost musical tradition. Since his debut album Kamuy Kor Nupurpe in 1996, he has released numerous solo records and albums with the acclaimed Dub Ainu Band.
His music brings the tonkori's virtuosic fingerpicking and Ainu vocal harmonies into dialogue with dub, African rhythms, throat singing, Irish folk, and Central Asian sounds — forging a musical language entirely his own. Beyond performing, OKI is also a cultural advocate and instrument maker.