Teams of elementary school children have been hard at work practicing, and now finally present the fruits of their labor!

Gidayu (traditional puppet theater music) performance
Children perform Kotobuki Shiki Sanbaso, a ceremonial dance piece from the gidayu tradition dating back 400 years!
Time: 13:15
Venue: Ekoin Nenbutsudo Hall 1F

Gamelan performance
Gamelan is an ancient form of music from Bali in Indonesia. Have a go at this strange and enchanting tradition fusing performance and dance.
Time: 14:30
Venue: In front of Ekoin Nenbutsu Hall

Steelpan performance and live concert
HOKUSAI STEEL ORCHESTRA performs in separate ensembles of younger and older students. This is followed by a live concert by members of the Panorama Steel Orchestra, led by steelpan maestro Yoshihiro Harada.
Time: 15:30 (younger students), 16:00 (older students)
Venue: In front of Ekoin Nenbutsu Hall

Experience music from around the world, making things and performing on stage!

Sumo exercises
Relax your body all day long with energetic, fun and safe exercises!
Time: 12:45
Venue: In front of Ekoin Hondo
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults
Instructor: Tomimichi Urakaze

Sing together! Hokusai Serenade (opening ceremony)
Learn some words in different languages, and sing along to the steelpan tune “Hokusai Serenade”!
Time: 13:00
Venue: In front of Ekoin Hondo
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults

Open mic for all
Go solo, or sing with friends/family! Perform familiar songs or show off the fruits of your musical instrument practice on a mini-stage!
Time: 13:30 — 14:30, 15:00 — 15:30 (on-the-spot participation is fine!)
Venue: Ekoin Hondo 1F
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults

Kawachi Ondo experience
The “Kinshicho Kawachi Ondo Bon Odori” event, which bustles with 30,000 visitors every summer, comes to Ryogoku. Enjoy the challenge of the “Kinshicho Mambo” dance steps!
Time: 14:30 — 15:00
Venue: Ekoin Hondo 1F
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults
Instructor: Shoko Yamada

Ukelele experience
Play and sing along to the small guitar-like ukelele from Hawaii in this eye-openingly easy class, led by popular YouTube ukelele instructor Gazz.
Time: 15:30 — 16:00
Place: Ekoin Hondo 1F
Target participants: Elementary school students
Capacity: 20 (Numbered tickets will be distributed from 11:00 at reception on the day of the event)
Instructor: Makoto “Gazz” Kubota

Ukelele joint practice and performance
Practice a set piece at home, then take it to the Hokusai Music Expo stage as part of a large ensemble and chorus!
Time and venue:
16:00 — 16:30 (joint practice / Ekoin Hondo 1F Nenbutsu Hall 2F)
16:45 — (performance / in front of Ekoin Hondo)
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults
Instructor: Makoto “Gazz” Kubota

Family crest making experience
Family crests have a history of a thousand years in Japan. Ramp up the fun at Hokusai Music Expo by designing your very own original family crest.
Time: 13:30 — 16:30 *Participants may join any time
Place: Ekoin Hondo 2F
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults
Instructor: Kimiaki Takeuchi (graphic designer)

Newspaper reporter experience
Post your own spot reports on the day’s activities in sketch form to this website
http://hokusai-expo.com/
Time: 13:30 — 16:30 * Participants may join any time
Venue: Ekoin Hondo 2F
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults
Instructor: Rui Ishiguro (gm projects / webs designer)

Notebook-making experience
Choose your own paper and make a notebook! Another option is making a passport for the Hokusai Music Expo stamp rally.
Time: 13:30 — 16:30 *Participants may join any time
Venue: Ekoin Hondo 2F
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults
Price: From 500 yen
Instructor: Dochido papercraft

Steelpan experience
How can a metal drum make such a shimmering sound? Have a go at steelpan, a drum instrument from Trinidad and Tobago.
Time: 13:30 — 14:00, 14:00 — 14:30
Venue: Ekoin Hondo 3F
Target participants: Preschoolers to elementary school students
Capacity: 10 per session (Numbered tickets will be distributed from 11:00 at reception on the day of the event)
Instructor: Yoshihiro Harada

Gamelan experience
After listening to the children’s gamelan performance, you can experience these rare and unusual gamelan instruments up close!
Time: 14:40 — 15:00
Venue: In front of Ekoin Nenbutsu Hall
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults
Instructor: Makoto Torii

Poetry-writing experience
Try your hand at writing and reciting poems with wordsmith Sibitt. Spin poetic inspirations from your ABCs!
Time: 14:00 — 15:00
Venue: Ekoin Nenbutsu Hall 2F
Target participants: Elementary school students
Capacity: Around 10 (Numbered tickets will be distributed from 11:00 at reception on the day of the event)
Instructor: Sibitt

Bateria (samba percussion band) experience and parade
Samba wouldn’t be samba without baterias. Show off your new Brazilian rhythms in a samba parade from Ekoin temple to Ryogoku station!
Time: 13:30 — 14:00, 15:00 — 15:30
Venue: Special tent, Ekoin
Target participants: Elementary school students
Capacity: 10 per session (Numbered tickets will be distributed from 11:00 at reception on the day of the event)
Instructor: Masayoshi Adachi

Samba costume experience
They’re chic, colorful and dazzling. Don your carnival clothes and feel like a samba dancer!
Time: 13:30 — 16:30 * Participants may join any time
Venue: Special tent, Ekoin
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults

Musical instrument-making experience
Try making original musical instruments from all sorts of everyday items!
Time: 13:30 — 16:30 * Participants may join any time
Venue: Gallery X (Kai)
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults
Fee: From 300 yen
Instructor: Otoiro Engeisha (toy making instructors)

Daikagura experience
Sure to make you popular in class! Try your hand at Daikagura, an Edo juggling tradition known for kasa-mawashi and sara-mawashi (balancing acts with umbrellas and plates).
Time: 14:00 — 14:30, 14:30 — 15:00
Venue: -Ryogoku- Edo NOREN
Target participants: Elementary school students
Capacity: 10 per session (Numbered tickets will be distributed from 11:00 at reception on the day of the event)
Instructor: Maruichi Kosuke & Kotoki

Gidayu experience and live concert
Take on the challenge of gidayu, Japan’s traditional puppet theater music. You’ll love the feeling of shouting from your belly! Go nuts to a powerful live concert by the instructors!
Time: 16:00 — 16:30
Venue: -Ryogoku- Edo NOREN
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults
Instructors: Kyonosuke Takemoto, Yaya Tsuruzawa

Sumojinku (closing ceremony)
To close a fantastic day we’ll sing a traditional sumo song penned for this event by Tomimichi Urakaze.
Time: 17:00
Venue: In front of Ekoin Hondo
Target participants: Preschoolers to adults
Instructor: Tomimichi Urakaze

Kyonosuke Takemoto (gidayu)

Yaya Tsuruzawa (gidayu shamisen)

Yoshihiro Harada (steelpan)

Makoto Torii (gamelan)

Nyoman Sudarsana (gamelan)

Tomimichi Urakaze (sumo exercises / sumojinku)

Makoto “Gazz” Kubota (ukelele)

Masayoshi Adachi (samba)

Sibitt (poet)

Maruichi Kosuke & Kotoki (daikagura)

Shoko Yamada (Kawachi Ondo)

• Numbered tickets will be distributed from 11:00 on the day at the Ekoin reception.
• Events to be held rain or shine. In the event of stormy weather the program will be canceled. In the event of cancellation, we will give notice on the official website.
• Some experience programs will end when numbered tickets and food/drink supplies run out.
• There is no car parking availability. Please be aware of and plan for limited bicycle parking spaces.
• The advertised program is subject to change.

Topping East (NPO)
TEL: 080-9671-7507 (11:00-18:00 Irregular closings)
E-mail：info@toppingeast.com

What is Hokusai Music Expo?
Founded on respect for the world-famous Katsushika Hokusai, the Hokusai Music Expo is a music program in which children from areas surrounding Sumida-ku (Hokusai’s birthplace) experience the euphony of instruments from around the world, learn about their history and go on to perform in concert after a practice period.
By early direct contact with music and the sound of instruments from all over the world, children get a feeling for these places. The hope is that these children keep hold of their curiosity, and before long spread their wings like Katsushika Hokusai and go on to have global impact.