Every summer, Kawasaki's Miyamae Ward fills with the sound of taiko drums. On Saturday, August 22, 2026, the Miyamae Ward Office and the Resound! Miyamae Taiko Meeting Executive Committee will hold the 26th edition of "Resound! Miyamae Taiko Meeting," a long-running summer tradition in the ward.
This year's theme is "One Beat, One Spirit — A Wagaku Taiko Festival Made Together." The event brings together generations of local performing arts: a powerful performance by the nationally active wagaku group Japaund, striking "Miyasaki Nebuta" floats and lanterns crafted by local junior high school students, and an endearing arama horse dance performed by preschoolers.
Visitors can also try taiko drumming for themselves, have their yukata put on for them, and join in the "Miyamae Ondo" dance in the citizens' plaza — participatory programs that let attendees experience Japanese culture firsthand. Now in its 26th year, the festival has spent more than a quarter century strengthening ties among local residents while sharing Miyamae's cultural charm with visitors from across and beyond the city.
Event Overview
- Event: 26th Resound! Miyamae Taiko Meeting
- Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
- Admission: Free
- Part 1: 1:40 PM to 5:50 PM at Miyamae Civic Hall Main Hall (2-20-4 Miyamaedaira, Miyamae Ward) — capacity 910
- Part 2: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Miyamae Ward Office Citizens' Plaza (the plaza in front of Miyamae Civic Hall); moves indoors to the Main Hall in case of rain
- Organizer: Resound! Miyamae Taiko Meeting Executive Committee / Miyamae Ward Office
- Official event page: https://www.city.kawasaki.jp/miyamae/page/0000166642.html
Program Highlights
- Traditional performing arts showcase, including an opening ceremony with hayashi ensemble music
- Performances by local taiko drumming groups
- "Miyasaki Nebuta" floats and the arama horse dance, performed by local junior high school and preschool students
- A taiko drumming experience corner where visitors can play the drums on stage
- A special guest performance by Japaund
- An exhibit of taiko drums and artwork (August 21, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM; August 22, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM)
- A yukata dressing corner (August 22, 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, in the Japanese-style room on the 4th floor of the civic hall), with volunteers from the Miyamae Ward Culture Association helping visitors get dressed in yukata
About the Guest Performer: Japaund
Japaund is a wagaku (Japanese traditional instrument) project formed in 2022, focused on distinctly Japanese sound and style.
Young, accomplished performers from a range of disciplines — taiko, shakuhachi, koto, Tsugaru shamisen, flute, vocals, and dance — come together to take on everything from classical repertoire to original compositions. Rooted in tradition while exploring new forms of expression, the group performs across the country, continuing to showcase new possibilities for Japanese instruments.
