2025 PERFORMERS
Enjoy traditional music, dance, drama and more!
photo by Saori Matsuda
UMEDA GEIJYUTSU GEKIJYO
Umeda Geijyutsu Gekijyo or Umeda Arts Theater (UAT), located in Osaka, Japan, is part of the Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Group, which operates various businesses, including urban transportation, real estate, and entertainment.
In addition to owning two railway companies linking Osaka to nearby cities, the group has also been a leading force in Japan’s entertainment industry, managing the professional baseball team Hanshin Tigers as well as Billboard Japan. One of the group's major businesses in the entertainment sector is the management of the Takarazuka Revue, a renowned all-female revue company with a legacy spanning more than 100 years.
Additionally, UAT produces an impressive line-up of around 10 productions each year – sometimes more – featuring a diverse mix of musicals, straight plays, and concerts. In total, the group boasts one of the largest audiences in the Japanese performing arts industry. UAT strives to inspire and bring excitement to audiences internationally through a wide range of live entertainment. Expanding its international presence, UAT established a UK subsidiary, Umeda Arts Theatre UK Limited, in 2025.
Sponsored in part by the City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board
photo by Night Sky Creative
KAMINARI TAIKO
KAMINARI TAIKO was founded in 1996 by Jay Mochizuki along with a number of talented musicians from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities.
KAMINARI's unique style of dynamic taiko performance is inspired by the traditional values of Japanese art and propulsive, toe-tapping world beats. The group's high-energy shows are powered by an arsenal of over 30 professional-quality taiko.
KAMINARI TAIKO enjoys sharing the spirit of taiko with audiences throughout Texas and beyond. Over the past nineteen years, KAMINARI has toured to over 20 cites, performed hundreds of concerts for live audiences exceeding 150,000, and developed into a prominent performing taiko group.
photo courtesy of Creative Minds Collaborative
CREATIVE MINDS COLLABORATIVE
Creative Minds Collaborative (CMC) is a non-profit organization, established by Nao Kusuzaki (former Soloist dancer with Houston Ballet) in 2016, to cultivate cultural understanding between Houston’s diverse communities and their artists.
At Japan Festival Houston 2024, CMC will share “Meiji Dances” is a new dance piece choreographed by Kusuzaki. Inspired by the exhibition Meiji Modern: Fifty Years of New Japan, the movements intertwine traditional Japanese dance forms with contemporary vocabularies and reflect the collision and integration of Western influences.
The dance is set in modern-day Japan and mirrors the spirit of the era, celebrating both the richness of Japan's heritage and its embrace of global influences.
The performance is accompanied by pianist Kana Mimaki, who draws from Japanese composers such as Rentaro Taki, with Western compositions by Camille Saint-Saëns.
photo courtesy of Okinawa MICE NAVI
RYUKYUKOKU MATSURI DAIKO
Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko translates to Ryukyu Kingdom Festival Drums.
Performances are characterized by unique choreography, which incorporates Karate kata into Eisa with dynamic Bachi (drum sticks) movements.
Eisa (Okinawan: エイサーEisaa) is a form of folk dance originating from the Okinawan Islands, which were once known as the Ryukyu Kingdom. Eisa is a celebratory dance that is performed by young people of each community during the Obon festival to honor the spirits of their ancestors and is considered an important part of Okinawan culture.
The group is exploring and preserving Okinawan culture through the art and the spirit of taiko.
SAKURA CHORUS
The Houston Japanese Choir Sakura (meaning “cherry blossoms”) was founded in 2014, following a moving performance at Japan Festival Houston. Formed to carry a message of hope and solidarity to East Japan Earthquake survivors, Sakura has grown into a dynamic ensemble dedicated to cultural exchange through music.
Under the direction of Artistic Director Teruhiko Toda, whose extensive opera career spans Japan’s leading stages and Houston Grand Opera, Sakura Sakura blends Japanese and global genres.
Their performances are crafted to delight singers and audiences alike, forging connection and inspiration through song.
photo by Thomas Dwyer
CLEMENTS HIGH SCHOOL YOSAKOI CLUB
Yosakoi is a type of dance that originated in Kochi Prefecture in southern Japan. It combines traditional and modern song and dance. and is iconic for its use of naruko, wooden clappers held in the hands.
The Clements Yosakoi Club was established in 2009, and performs at several events throughout the year.