Guest Performers

Magician Akua Shin started practicing magic at a young age. He has received high praise at magic competitions, both in Japan and abroad for his light-hearted stage magic that uses doves and playing cards and is set to music.
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Shin is one of the few magicians who has mastered the traditional Chinese mask changing art of 'Bian Lian'!

Shotaro is a skilled darbuka player from Japan, known for his role in TABLA KWAIESA, Japan's pioneering Arab percussion band.

The darbuka, a hand drum with origins in the Arab world and Middle East, is commonly used in belly dance music.

Shotaro's performances blend traditional and contemporary rhythms, reflecting his deep passion for the rhythmic traditions of the Arab world, the Middle East, and the Balkans. His dynamic style and energy have earned him the nickname "Darbuka Rockstar."

Yu Ooka is a talented jazz guitarist and shamisen player from Osaka, Japan. 

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He leads “Minyo Station”, known for its modern style of traditional Japanese folk music. Blending Japanese traditional songs with contemporary Eastern music styles (such as Rock, R&B, Jazz, Latin, and more). Their sounds have a strong following in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Atlanta.

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Yu is also known for his shamisen performances and trained under “Sato Matsutoyo”, who is known as “the best Japanese folk singer and shamisen player” in Japan. Matsutoyo’s performances have been featured in several films, including “Karate Kid 2”.
 

Junko Fujiyama is a singer-songwriter and talented piano player born and raised in Japan. She has been performing at JapanFest for the last decade, and her core fans come back to this event year after year just to see Junko.

She also has performed at numerous cultural events, benefit shows, music festivals and local clubs.

She arranges J-pop/rock and anime songs, adding American pop flavor and making them sweeter. 

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[Photo Credits: Mark Chandler Photography; Cobb Photographic Society]

A traditional Japanese shamisen performance by Kyle and Su.

The shamisen, a distinctive three-stringed Japanese instrument with its roots in the Chinese sanxian, is played with a plectrum known as a bachi.​​​​​​

Enjoy performances of Japanese songs, chanson, and jazz, while appreciating creative costumes that blend the beauty of traditional kimonos with sustainable materials, such as medicine blister packs and used MetroCards, embracing the spirit of SDGs.