Japanese tsugaru-jamisen player. Born in 1931 in Ajigasawa, died in April 12, 2004. Married to the Tsugaru minyo singer Ritsu Fukushi. Yamada did much to increase the popularity of tsugaru-jamisen as a genre, playing internationally many times, founding the All-Japanese Tsugaru-Jamisen competition in 1982, and acting as chairman of the national association. He taught many younger players including Michihiro Satoh and Kazuo Shibutani. In his later years Yamada ran the Yamauta shamisen pub in Hirosaki.
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