26th U.S. & Japan Minyo-Buyo Festival

Today at Ala Moana Shopping Center, center stage, the 26th U.S. & Japan Minyo-Buyo Festival began with the following Hawaii local dance groups such as the Miyazono Minyo Buyo Kai, Omiya Minbu Kai, Hawaii Shinryu Kai, Yonezatokikuji Shinbuyo Kenkyusho, Dazzman Toguchi, East Minyo Dance Club (Kauai), Nishiyagi Suzsetsu, and Miyazono Kimie. Other dance groups were from Oita, San Francisco, Mie, Kanagawa and Tokyo.

What is Nihon Buyo? Nihon buyo is "Japanese dance". However, unlike forms of Japanese art more closely associated with daily life (Shinto ritual kagura, local art transmitted across generations, bon folk dances, minyo folk songs), nihon buyo is an artistic dance based on the tradition of classical techniques transmitted from preceding forms of art, and expressed through the medium of the stage.

There are four building blocks of nihon buyo. First and foremost is kabuki buyo, secondly the circular movements, thirdly the folk performing arts, and fourthly, a collection of creative, original works emerged as part of a trend to break away from nihon buyo's dependency on kabuki and to pioneer new ground as a dance form. Continued performances will be held at the Ala Moana Hotel "Hibiscus" Ballroom between 5:30pm-10:00pm. More photos, "click here".