Please join us for this free performance at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival! They will perform at the O&W Grove Stage on Ingalls Mall.

This summer at A2SF, experience a Japanese Bon Odori Festival with Sakura, a Japanese instrumental group! Named after the word for cherry blossom, this group of artists hails from hometowns in both Japan and the Midwest. As Sakura, they come together to share both traditional folk music and the soundscapes of traditional music as expressed through the compositions of their mentor, Yamada Mizue from Kanazawa, Japan. From the dynamic sound of taiko drums to the melodies of festival music and the traditional Lion Dance known as the Shishimai, the live performance is a true celebration of the art of traditional Japanese culture.

After the concert, the group will host a Bon Odori Dance Festival for the audience to join! People of all ages are welcome to participate, standing or sitting, as the group coordinates simple dance movements to a festive beat. Bon Odori is the name for a popular style of dancing during the Bon Festival season in Japan, when the community comes together to celebrate family. In Japan, yukatas or kimonos are often worn (temperature permitting), so attendees are encouraged to dress up in their own festival attire! No matter how you’re dressed, the wonderful stylings of Sakura are not to be missed!

https://www.a2sf.org/events/sakura-instrumental-group/

This event is part of Japan Week 2025 in partnership with the Ann Arbor District Library.

The 11th annual Ann Arbor Japan Week is from June 15 to 21. Join us all week for free Japan-themed events and activities for all ages! View the complete schedule at: https://myumi.ch/V7nxn.

If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us at cjsevents@umich.edu. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.