Taku Taku, Kyoto

Kokusyoku Sumire is a Japanese duo featuring Yuka (accordion, piano, and vocals) and Sachi (violin and piano). Formed in 2004, the Gothic Lolitas, as they have been labeled, perform a wide range of music and songs from pop to fairy tale, operatic to traditional. Gaining some international recognition outside of Japan, the two musicians have previously played successful shows in France, and director Tim Burton is apparently a fan who visits them whenever he is in Japan. Yuka is the lyricist and composer of the duo (and is said to be a fan of British punk and rock) and is a trained singer. Sachi composes string arrangements and is classically trained.