Chindon

Chindon'ya (チンドン屋), also called Japanese marching band, and in the old times also called tōzaiya (東西屋) or hiromeya (広目屋 or 披露目屋) are a type of elaborately costumed street musicians in Japan that advertise for shops and other establishments. The performers advertised the opening of new stores and other venues, or promoted special events such as price discounts. Nowadays, chindon'yas are rare in Japan. The word consists of Japanese sound symbolism chin and don to describe the instruments, and the -ya suffix which roughly equates to the English "-er" suffix in this context.

Street performers existed in Japan for a long time. However, the connection with advertising forming a chindon'ya first appeared in Osaka during the 19th century (Late Edo period and early Meiji period) at the beginning of industrialization. The first known chindon'ya is generally considered to be a candy seller in Osaka named Amekatsu, who around 1845 used singing and a noise making toy to attract attention to his own portable candy stall, as many other salespeople, especially candy sellers. Due to his strong voice he was well known in Osaka, and hence tried to sell not candy but rather advertise for other stores and a theater, wearing a large hat and straw sandals, and small bells at his belt, and used a wooden hyogoshi noisemaker. He was succeeded by a former bath attendant Isamikame, who also used to shout tozai (Literally East-West, equivalent to Listen up or welcome (come one come all)). Subsequently, such advertising street performers were called tozaiya in Osaka up to World War II. He soon received competition from another advertiser called Matemoto, and they split their business, with one covering the Uemachi region and the other covering the Shinmachi region of Osaka. After Maemoto died in 1891, his brother, also called Maemoto took over the business, and he was soon joined by his son and daughter, probably the first female chindon'ya. Maemoto is also famous as being the first person in Osaka to die from electric shock in 1893. Other well-known performers from this time are Tanbataya Kurimaru, a former Sweet Chestnut seller, and Satsumaya Imosuke, a former bean seller. These two also occasionally added a second performer to their band.

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