Yukito Ara

Born in Ishigaki Island, studied Yaeyama folk songs under his father,folk singer Ko-ei Ara, from age 11. While attending Yaeyama Prefectural HighSchool, he won the highest award at the Yaeyama Classical Music Competition,becoming the youngest recipient at the time.
Ara moved to Naha for collegeand has since lived and worked in Naha, the main island of Okinawa. Besides hissolo activities, Ara collaborates on various projects, including Parsha Club with Masa-aki Uechi, Satoshi “Sunday” Nakasone, and Tsuhako Jino, as well as The Sakishima Meeting with Osamu Shimoji, and presents music that incorporates Yaeyama and Okinawan folk traditions.