瞽女（ごぜ）さん

In Japan “Goze” (go-ze’) means a blind female who travels around villages to entertain local people with her stories, popular songs, ballads, and so on for a living.
In the Edo era (1603-1867) many Goze were seen everywhere throughout Japan, except Hokkaido. After the Meiji era (1603-1867), their activities gradually declined due to the spread of radio and TV.
However, in some local areas, especially in Niigata-prefecture, Goze continued, with their popularity lasting up until 1977 in the Showa era, when Goze finally ceased their trade.

Goze songs played an important role as one of the Japanese traditional entertainments. Naoko Kayamori, pupil of Haru Kobayashi, who was the very last Goze (1900-2005), is one of the few people to hand down Echigo (Niigata area)
Goze songs to our generation.