NW26 Tradition | Team Kwachi Ondo Dancers to Bring Japanese Folk Fever to Nisei Week | JACCC Plaza Festival | Saturday, August 22 at 4PM
Second Weekend Entertainment – Aug. 21-23
Crazy Talented Asians will entertain Little Tokyo visitors both Friday and Saturday night, from 730 p.m. at the David Henry Hwang Theater. In addition, the Shotokan Karate Exhibition and Tournament will take place from 1-4 p.m. at the Terasaki Budokan on Saturday. The Plaza Festival at JACCC returns Saturday and Sunday with entertainment and activities for the entire family. Enjoy a beer garden and free cultural exhibits throughout the weekend. The Taiko Gathering will take place Sunday at the JACCC Plaza. To close out the festival, Ondo street dancing will take place on Sunday along First Street in Little Tokyo, beginning at 4 p.m. The public is encouraged to join this traditional Japanese community dance.
Team Kawachi Ondo will return to Nisei Week at JACCC Plaza Festival on Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.
LA Kansai Club and Team Kawachi Ondo Remembering Dr. Shinichi Hirokawa: Preserving Tradition, Building Community Through Bon Odori Gathering
LA Kansai Club, established in 1967, is a Japanese Prefectural Membership Association based in Greater Los Angeles that connects and celebrates the cultures of Japan’s Kansai region, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Hyogo prefectures.
For more than a decade, members of LA Kansai Club have contributed to the Nisei Week Japanese Festival through music, dance, volunteerism, and cultural exchange.
Although LA Kansai Club officially began participating as an organization in 2022, many of its members had already been actively involved in Nisei Week and other Japanese cultural events throughout Southern California.
Among these longtime contributors was Dr. Shinichi Hirokawa, former President of LA Kansai Club and lead vocalist of Team Kawachi Ondo. Beginning around 2015, Dr. Hirokawa proudly participated in the Nisei Week Grand Parade as a soldier representing the historic 442nd Regimental Combat Team, honoring the courage and legacy of Japanese American veterans while helping share their remarkable history with the broader community.
Another longtime supporter of Nisei Week is Ms. Fumio Maruyama Moo, President of LA Kansai Club (2014–2018; 2026–Present) and leader of Team Kawachi Ondo. Through Awa Odori and many other Japanese cultural activities in Los Angeles, Ms. Maruyama has been dedicated to preserving and sharing Japan’s regional traditions while building connections across generations and communities.
In 2019, a shared passion for Japanese traditions inspired the founding of Team Kawachi Ondo, a cultural group dedicated to preserving and sharing the spirit of Bon Odori.
For Ms. Maruyama, performing Awa Odori from Tokushima—reflecting her maternal family roots—and Kasa Odori from Tottori, the hometown of her paternal grandmother, has always been a meaningful way to honor her family’s heritage.
One of Team Kawachi Ondo’s defining characteristics has been its appreciation for traditions from across Japan. Although Dr. Hirokawa was born in Niigata Prefecture, he became a passionate performer of Kawachi Ondo, the traditional folk music of Osaka.
He also learned and performed Ashibinaa, a modern Okinawan folk song, memorizing its Okinawan lyrics and dialect out of deep respect for the culture. His example demonstrated that Japanese traditions can be embraced by anyone with curiosity, respect, and dedication, regardless of regional or family background.
Today, Team Kawachi Ondo brings together traditional Bon Odori, live music, and contemporary arrangements to create performances that welcome people of all ages and backgrounds to celebrate Japanese culture together.
2022 – The team’s official participation in the Nisei Week Closing Ceremony marked a new chapter following the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also marked LA Kansai Club’s first official participation in Nisei Week as an organization.
2023 – Dancers from Team Kawachi Ondo joined the Nisei Week Grand Parade, further strengthening the group’s connection with one of Southern California’s longest-running celebrations of Japanese American culture.
2024 – An important milestone came when Team Kawachi Ondo was invited to present the finale performance at the Nisei Week Closing Ceremony. The performance featured an outstanding group of volunteer musicians and performers, including Ryoji Inatsuji on guitar, Sakamaki on shamisen, Chiaki and Akemi on taiko, and Maaya, Karin, and Mama Kay providing traditional hayashi (festival call-and-response vocals).
Together, they presented an energetic live performance featuring Kawachi Ondo, Pokémon Ondo, and a special finale combining Tankō Bushi with Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.”
The performance demonstrated how traditional Japanese festival music can be creatively reimagined while remaining true to its spirit.
2025 – Building on the previous year’s success, the group returned with an even more diverse program, featuring collaborations with Choichikai of the Okinawa Association and an expanded repertoire of both traditional and contemporary Bon Odori music.
The program included Ashibinaa, Hokkai no Abarenbo, Kawachi Ondo, Tankō Bushi combined with “Uptown Funk,” Dancing Hero, and a special arrangement of “Ei Ja Nai Ka” and Michael Jackson’s “Beat It!”
Originally created by San Jose-based musician P.J. Hirabayashi, Ei Ja Nai Ka is a Japanese American Bon Odori song celebrating the history, contributions, and resilience of Japanese Americans.
By combining the song with Beat It, the performance created a musical bridge between Japanese American heritage and contemporary popular culture.
The 2025 program also featured special collaborations with Masayo, performing Ei Ja Nai Ka; Allie, performing Dancing Hero; and guitarist Shin Kawasaki, whose participation further enriched the live ensemble.
2026 – As Team Kawachi Ondo continues to grow, preparations are underway for another special performance at the Nisei Week Closing Ceremony, bringing together an even larger group of volunteer musicians, dancers, and supporters.
This year’s Obon season carries special meaning, marking the first summer festival since the passing of Dr. Shinichi Hirokawa in December 2025 at the age of 62.
Throughout his years with LA Kansai Club and Team Kawachi Ondo, Dr. Hirokawa believed that Bon Odori was far more than a traditional dance. To him, it was a bridge connecting generations, cultures, and communities.
Whether performing Kawachi Ondo, singing Ashibinaa, or marching in the Nisei Week Grand Parade, he shared that belief through his actions and inspired others to do the same.
His legacy continues through the people who perform, volunteer, and support Team Kawachi Ondo today.
As LA Kansai Club and Team Kawachi Ondo look toward the future, their commitment remains unchanged: to preserve the spirit of Bon Odori, celebrate the richness of Japan’s regional traditions, and create opportunities for people of all backgrounds to come together through music, dance, and cultural exchange.
Each performance builds upon those that came before, creating new memories while honoring the individuals whose dedication made the journey possible. Through Nisei Week and cultural events across Southern California, LA Kansai Club and Team Kawachi Ondo will continue to strengthen community connections, preserve Japanese traditions, and inspire future generations to experience the joy of Bon Odori. This history continues to grow with every performance, every volunteer, and every person who joins the circle of Bon Odori.