"At a turning point in life,
It took me to the next stage.”

Vol.3

Flamenco guitarist

"Flamenco guitar"

Jin Oki

Live comfortably. You will shine.
Lineart Charmant 15th Anniversary Special Interview Project

A person who is full of radiance is sure to have the best partner by their side.

When you become one with a wonderful partner, you can shine endlessly.

Line Art Charmant also wants to be a "partner" that is close to people and helps them shine even more.

From the stories of 15 professionals active in various fields

We will unravel the secret of the brilliance that comes from a sense of unity with your partner.

People who are full of brilliance are sure to have the best buddies by their side. When you become one with the perfect partner, you can shine endlessly. That is also the idea behind Line Art. We want to be close to people and increase their brilliance.

We will speak with 15 professionals active in a variety of fields and unravel the miracles that unity brings about and the secret of its brilliance.

Live in comfort. You will shine.
Lineart Charmant 15th Anniversary Special Interview Project

Vol.3

Flamenco guitarist

"Flamenco guitar"

Jin Oki

- The impact of experiencing music I'd never experienced before

Jin Oki grew up in a family with a deep appreciation for music and the arts, and has been exposed to a variety of musical instruments since he was in junior high school.

"I started out as drummer, then bass. I even tried things like being in a one-man band, and at the age of 14 I taught myself to play the electric guitar, and that's how I first encountered the guitar."

The reason he decided to become a professional was because he studied classical guitar in Canada while studying abroad after graduating from high school.

"My teacher told me to go to a music conservatory, which made me want to do it, so I started preparing to go to America to study classical guitar."

With her homestay decided and just about to depart for her studies, she "came across" an album by flamenco guitarist Vicente Amigo .

"I was shocked by this unknown music that I had never experienced before. I felt like I had stumbled upon a treasure trove different from the various genres of music I had been exposed to up until then, and I sensed incredible potential. My parents and others around me were against my decision and I caused them a lot of trouble, but I was determined to learn flamenco guitar, so I quickly changed my destination for studying abroad from the United States to Spain."

From Madrid, he traveled to the southern part of Andalusia, the home of flamenco guitar. However, his studies there did not go smoothly.

"There weren't many open flamenco guitar schools like there are today, and the Spaniards around me were like, 'What have you come all the way from so far away for?' Learning flamenco guitar was a much tougher path than I had imagined. I had to relearn, along with the children, everything from how to hold the guitar to how to play it. Still, I thought I had no choice, so I practiced passionately every day."

- I want to connect with the people in front of me through guitar

He spent his 20s commuting back and forth between Japan and Spain, and in 2010, he won first place in the international category at the 5th Murcia "Niño Ricardo" International Flamenco Guitar Competition held in Spain, catapulting him into the limelight.

"I already had two children and thought this would be my last time to enter a competition, so I was very happy, as if God had given me his stamp of approval. The event was also broadcast on 'Jonetsu Tairiku', which allowed a lot of people to know about it."

The flamenco guitar developed as an instrument to accompany the intense and passionate flamenco dance, but the music that Oki plays goes beyond that concept; it is free, profound, and sometimes delicate.

"Even before I started playing flamenco guitar, I had the desire to play my own music, and perhaps this is the expression I arrived at. Of course, I have respect and love for Spanish history and traditional flamenco music, but I always want to pursue what only I can do through flamenco guitar, and connect with the audience and fellow performers in front of me."

The flamenco guitar, an important "partner" in Oki's musical activities, has a different sound and way of playing from the classical guitar.

"It has a sharp, dry sound and a fast speed. It's similar to percussion and other rhythm instruments. I'm sometimes surprised by the sound I make when I'm playing, and the guitar often takes the lead in the performance."

The Yamaha FC-50 was also used by Oki Jin when he became the first Asian to win the international category of the 5th Murcia “Niño Ricardo” International Flamenco Guitar Competition held in Spain in 2010. He describes the instrument as his “partner” that helped him overcome the toughest moments of his life and led him to the next stage.

The glasses worn this time are the XL1843 DB from the Brio collection. The combination of the demi-brown resin front, which is carefully hand-patterned one by one, and the silver temples gives it just the right trendiness, and shows the wearer's sense of style.

- Glasses become popular again from the mid-40s

He has received offers from many artists and has also collaborated with people from a variety of fields, transcending genres.

"I believe that the flamenco guitar is an instrument that has much greater freedom and potential than is limited to flamenco music. Recently, I've come to feel that it is my role to confront that potential."

In recent years, he has increasingly appeared on stage wearing glasses.

"When I was a child, there was a big difference in vision between my left and right eyes, so I started wearing corrective glasses around the time I started elementary school. I sometimes felt self-conscious about the thick lenses, which were like the bottom of a milk bottle, but thanks to continuing to wear them, my vision was corrected, and I went through a period of time without wearing glasses after that."

It was only in the last five or six years that I needed glasses again.

"I've reached an age where I can see things far away but have trouble seeing things up close, so I've started wearing glasses again. It's a bit of a hassle to put them on and take them off when I'm walking outside, but it's not so stressful that I feel stressed. More than that, I'm happy when people tell me that glasses look good on me, and I enjoy wearing them with the refreshing feeling of having added a new fashion item to my collection."

- A frame that conveys intricacy

The glasses that Oki picked up at Charmant Ginza Namiki-dori are a model with a rounded Boston shape and silver temples that exude a modern, mature appeal.

"They're light and the fit is noticeably better. Even when I shake my neck or move my head while playing the guitar, they don't seem to slip out of place. The fitting by the store staff was also very detailed and great."

Line Art Charmant frames are designed based on data from over 20 years of research into the shape of Japanese heads, with sizes that fit the curves of the head and unique temple curves that are designed to fit snugly around the head. In addition, the flexible springiness of the proprietary material "Excellence Titanium" makes the glasses less likely to slip off, but do not squeeze the temples, making them comfortable to wear.

"I have what is known as a 'Japanese face' so I often choose designs with thicker frames, but I had never thought about the shape of my head. It's amazing how particular you are. I've worn glasses from many different brands in the past, but when I hold these in my hands, I feel a flexibility, strength, and precision that I don't get with other glasses."

Line Art Charmant's approach of conducting various research and precise design in order to become one with people is perhaps deeply connected to the feelings that Oki expresses through his guitars.

"While it may seem bold, it requires precise and delicate technique to decide what angle to aim at which string, and how fast to play. I think it is the accumulation of such aspects that allows my style to be conveyed to others. I will be performing with overseas artists from the end of this year through the beginning of 2025, and I hope to be guided by the sound I am producing and become one with the audience and my fellow performers, spreading the word about 'flamenco guitar from Asia.'"

What does flamenco guitar mean to you?

Just as Oki Jin's guitar is his "partner" that guides him through life, Line Art Charmant will continue to aim to be a partner that supports everyone and brightens their lives.

Photos: Yoshihito Sasaguchi (SIGNO)

Hair Styling: 3 Reux

Styling: Michiko Tada

Realization: Tomoko Shimizui

INFORMATION

Performance Information

2025/01/25

Oki Jin Flamenco Guitar Concert ~Song and Dance~

@Starts Otakanomori Hall

2025/02/08

Jin Oki x Koji Ohagi x Yosuke Konuma “TRES IV”

@Yamaha Hall

2025/03/23

Jin Oki Guitar Recital with Yoshiaki Sato

@Tower Hall Funabori

2025/04/18

Oki Jin Flamenco Guitar Solo SOLITO＋［PLUS］

@Tokyo Opera City Recital Hall

Official website : https://jinoki.info/

PROFILE

Born in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture in 1974. He started to learn electric guitar by himself at the age of 14. He studied classical guitar in Canada for a year, then went to Andalusia, Spain. In 1997, he won the Encouragement Award at the Newcomer Performance sponsored by the Japan Flamenco Association. In 2006, he made his major debut. In 2007, he composed the theme song for the NHK Taiga drama "Fuurin Kazan". In 2010, he became the first Asian to win the international division of the "5th Murcia "Niño Ricardo" International Flamenco Guitar Competition" held in Spain. He has performed with a wide range of solo artists, and has collaborated with various genres such as orchestras, ballet, Noh, Nagauta, recitation, and figure skating. In recent years, he has launched a flamenco guitar ensemble, and is committed to nurturing the next generation of flamenco guitarists, while also focusing on providing songs, producing, and writing, while continuing to pursue the unique flamenco guitar.