International Cultural Exchange Realized at World Water Festival 2024
～Three US-Based Disciples of Fuji Japanese Music Participate with Yamatogaku Performance～
September 21-22, 2024 Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
At the "World Water Festival" held in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan on September 21-22, 2024, three disciples of Fuji Japanese Music based in the United States participated with their master Yamato Kyosho (Mariko Watabe) in supporting the event through Yamatogaku performances. This represents a remarkable achievement in cultural exchange that transcends race and national borders.
Participating Artists
Master
Yamato Kyosho (Real name: Mariko Watabe) - Representative of Fuji Japanese Music
US-Based Disciples
Yamato Josho (Joseph Monticello) - Miami resident
Yamato Kyoichiro (Carlos Coronado) - Oxnard resident
Yamato Kyoto (Travis Suzaka) - New York resident
Performance Repertoire
Yamatogaku "Four Seasons of Flowers" (traditionally performed by all participants in concerts)
"Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" (performed by the Grand Master)
"Sunabikiso no Hana" (recorded in 2023)
Presentation video can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/75fJzlmjEno
The "World Water Festival" is a global-scale project aimed at uniting humanity beyond race, national borders, and religion. The festival seeks to achieve coexistence with the natural environment and restore harmony by sharing the wisdom and possibilities that water holds for the future of our planet.
This festival is held based on the following principles:
The Importance of "Water" The future of Earth depends entirely on "water." Restoring the environment surrounding "water," which is deeply connected not only to our daily lives but also to human consciousness, to a pure state is absolutely essential for maintaining harmony across the entire planet. "Water" is the source of all life and a vital presence that connects all things.
"Matsuri" originally means the worship of gods and the prayer ceremonies dedicated to them. The ancient "matsuri" and prayers are wonderful ancient wisdom that enables coexistence between us and the natural world, helping us recognize the dignity of life and harmony with all things, and providing us with a sharing of hearts that transcends our differences.
This event was initiated by environmental activists who prayed for world peace at Heitate Shrine in Minami-Aso in the autumn of 2021.
The participation of Fuji Japanese Music in this event provided a valuable opportunity to spread Yamatogaku from Japan to the world under the theme of "water connections." The disciples living in various parts of America, together with their master, expressed their wishes for world peace through traditional Japanese music, serving as a cultural bridge internationally.
This initiative is expected to serve as a model case for international cultural exchange through music and to develop further in the future. With "water" as a common theme representing the source of life, it is hoped that people from around the world will unite their hearts and continue activities toward environmental conservation and the realization of world peace.
