Team Kawachi Ondo seeks dancers in Arizona and Little Tokyo

Tanko Bushi and Uptown Funk by Team Kawachi Ondo  at Taste of Japan AZ, Maaya Ota & Shinichi Hirokawa https://youtube.com/watch?v=fpZAFP65hKk&feature=shared

Team Kawachi Ondo to perform at Taste of Japan, Phoenix on Dec. 14, 15

The Japanese Bon Dance Music group, “Team Kawachi Ondo” will perform at “Taste of Japan” event in Heritage Square,  Phoenix, Arizona on Dec. 14 and 15, 2024.

This is Team Kawachi Ondo’s second appearance in Arizona and they are seeking  local Bon Odori dancers to join on Dec. 14 and 15.

Tanoshii Project is now hosting “Taste of Japan” once a year in Southern California and another time in Arizona featuring authentic Japanese foods, pop culture experience, live performance, merchandise and sumo demonstration.

Team Kawachi Ondo will be singing new songs such as Dai-chan’s Kazoe Uta and Chanchiki Okesa.

Performers and dancers from Southern California will include lead vocalist Shinichi Hirokawa, former SKD performer Noriko Yonami, singer and songwriter Maaya Ota, and team’s new addition 5Rhythms Teacher Masayo Benoist, Tomi Oyama, and Fumio Mayuyama; and these singers will be accompanied by Peaceful Forest, a family taiko unit led by renowned artist Takumi Kato from Gifu Prefecture, Japan.

For more information please contact Fumio at LaKansai.Club@gmail.com.

Team Kawachi Ondo at the New Year Day stage in Little Tokyo in 2020 https://youtu.be/nXbD3faVD0A?si=90x5eUo_2VLZNqq_

Team Kawachi Ondo to perform at Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo on Jan. 1, 2025

Yes it’s that time of the year! This is Team Kawachi Ondo’s 5th appearance at the New Year stage for Oshogatsu event in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.

Celebrating the traditional new year rituals, Team Kawachi Ondo will bring dances and gathering, and  make the Japanese traditional Oshogatsu more festive and memorable.

Oshogatsu programs will also include Awa odori dance, Japanese folksongs by Minyo Group Matsutoyo-Kai, Kimono show by LA Kimono Club, Japanese calligraphy, and Mochi Maki on the first day of the 2025 at Weller Court and Japanese Village Plaza in Little Tokyo.

Program details will be announced at later date.

Kawachi Ondo performers will include Shinichi Hirokawa, former SKD performer Noriko Yonami, singer and songwriter Maaya Ota and team’s new addition 5Rhythms Teacher Masayo Benoist; and  these singers will be supported by Atsuyuki Kono (Guitar), Akemi Davenport (Taiko), Toshi Sakamaki (Base and Shamisen), Masa Endo (Cajon), Masumi Yoneyama (Shinobue) and Yui Yamamoto (DJ).

Team Kawachi Ondo (2018-Current)

Team Kawachi Ondo is the only live music group in Los Angeles focusing on “Kawachi Ondo,” a traditional folk-dance music originated in the Kawachi district in Osaka, Japan.

This group was born in 2018 as a small Yukata dancers group with ambition for having Bon Odori with live music at summer festival in Los Angeles.

When the chance was given to perform at the Bridge USA Summer Festival in Torrance in 2019, the music band was formed with vocalist Shinichi Hirokawa, guitarist Ryoji Inatsuji and members of Matsutoyo-Kai.

Team Kawachi Ondo were invited to Japan Day of Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Cherry Blossom Festival at Shoseian Teahouse in Glendale, Children’s Day at Terasaki Budokan in Little Tokyo, Oshogatsu event in Little Tokyo and more.

Team Kawachi  Ondo is a members’ activity inside the Los Angeles Kansai Club, a home prefecture association with 200 members.

The pandemic did not stop Team Kawachi Ondo from offering Zoom Bon Dance sessions to the public.

In 2023, Team Kawachi Ondo was invited to perform at the Chicago Cultural Center to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Osaka-Chicago Sister City. In Chicago, the audiences loved “Tanko Bushi” with the same movement on “Uptown Funk.”

In 2024, a repertoire of Team Kawachi Ondo was added with anime songs such as Pokemon Ondo and Our Neighbor Totoro’s Theme. New dances give more fun aspects to festivals, and appeal to wider audiences such as non-Japanese anime fans and children.

Team Kawachi Ondo brings out the Bon Dance momentum and such joy. Young and old, Japanese, Japanese Americans, Asian, Non-Asian, anyone can enjoy simple fun steps and share the essence of Japanese culture through Bon Dance.

It was not a coincidence that the 82nd Nisei Week allowed Team Kawachi Ondo to perform at both the Plaza and at Street Ondo programs. Team Kawachi Ondo just adds new songs for this winter and practices weekly in Torrance and Gardena areas.

If you would like to join the dance activity, please contact Fumio Maruyama at LaKansai.Club@gmail.com.