Who's Performing : PERFORMING ARTS

Aikido of Arlington will demonstrate various techniques, both Taijitsu -- empty-handed techniques -- and weapons. Aikido, a traditional Japanese martial art, is performed by blending yourself with the attacker’s motion and redirecting the force, rather than opposing it head-on. The group has performed at the NCBF for the past several years.

The Capital Area Jodokai practices a 400-year-old Japanese weapons art, under the guidance of Tsunemori Kaminoda Sensei of Tokyo. Their performance include sword vs. sword, staff vs. sword, kusarigama (sickle & chain) vs. sword, and jutte (truncheon) vs. sword. Jodo, originally a dueling art, has evolved into a policing art that is still practiced today in Japan.

Senior members of the group are licensed instructors, visiting Japan annually to train with Kaminoda Sensei and the Nihon Jodokai.

Genbukan, an officially certified school in the U.S., is run by Shoto Tanemura, grandmaster of over 20 Samurai and Ninpo families. They will demonstrate traditional Taijutsu (unarmed defense), Bojutsu, Kenjutsu (wooden sword), as well as the discipline and etiquette of the Samurai Arts.

Happy Para Para Love brings you the exciting and fun para-para moves. Para-para, a group synchronized dancing, is performed in clubs throughout Japan. Para-para has spawned the creation of video games, and has been featured in animated series, even performed at Tokyo Disneyland.

"Hobyokan presents you a demonstration of classical Japanese martial arts, including: Shindu Muso Ryu, Yagyu Shinkage Ryu, and Kashima Shinden Jiki Shinkage Ryu.

This musical group has been mesmerizing audiences throughout the DC metropolitan area since 1994, performing Kumi Daiko (ensemble drumming) with great passion and energy. Pieces include traditional festival songs as well as more contemporary compositions. Nen Daiko has performed at many events, and was featured on cable television.

The Budokai consists of 5 budo, kindo, naginata, kyudo, Batto and Jodo.

The group will perform lively and colorful folk music and dances of Okinawa. Sanshin is a 3-stringed plucked instrument that dates back to the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom (mid-1400s to late 1800s). Dressed in beautiful kimono, the Tamagusuku Ryu-Kinjo Hirae Ryubu Dojo performs elegant classical as well as lively folk dances of the well-regarded Tamagusuku style of Okinawa. Both groups have performed in many of the major cultural folk events in the Washington area, as well as in Okinawa.

Several Chapters of Ryukyu Koku Matsuri Daiko USA, along with Imajin Taiko of Okinawa, meet each year at the Cherry Blossom Festival. They have performed together in the parade, at the Tidal Basin stage, and various stages in the street festival each year, for many years.

Seichou Karate® is a traditional Japanese dojo where children and young adults learn to paint the canvass of their lives in bright colors with powerful strokes™. Good manners, respect for self and for others are paramount. “Seichou” means “growth” in Japanese and, as such, they offer a complete cultural immersion program for holistic development that includes Japanese karate, calligraphy, and language. They have been a regular performer at the National Cherry Blossom Festival since 2005.

The Shizumi Kodomo Dance Troupe is a children’s dance troupe under Artistic Director, Shizumi Shigeto Manale. The troupe was formed in 2000 when the President’s committee on the Arts and Humanities asked Artistic Director, Shizumi Shigeto Manale to create a children’s dance troupe for the White House Millennium Celebration.

The troupe is currently comprised of young dancers from diverse ethnic backgrounds ranging in age between 3 and 17 years old and exemplifies what is best about our world. A truly multicultural company, the children have discovered that dance is an international language. In creating the Shizumi Kodomo Dance Troupe, Ms. Shigeto Manale hopes that dancers and audiences alike will be inspired to connect to other cultures, contributing to the understanding and friendship between the East and the West.

The SumoKids Foundation offers a positive influence and perspective for the youth of today, through their innovative initiative that uses the tenets of Sumo Wrestling, mixed with art and entertainment.

This is a student organization that performs and hosts cultural events in Western New York. They dance Soran Bushi each year as part of their larger events and practice the dance continually.

Ten Shin Ichi Ryu is a traditional Japanese martial art founded by Shiro Shintaku of Wakayama, Japan. In addition to learning the physical, this art places an emphasis on mental focus and strategy. While physical patterns are easier to pass on, what is not as easily passed on are concepts, strategy and non-aggressive ideas, as were previously taught in order to balance the physical. Students practice sword (Iaido), Kendo and open hand protection techniques.

TSIR has held demonstrations in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Wakayama Japan, Sicily, Portugal, England and Scotland. They hold an annual seminar in May and take students on study tours of Japan. TSIR is honored to receive recognition by the Senate of the State of Maryland in Honor of Cultural Sharing, and by the City of Gaithersburg with Ten Shin Ichi Ryu Day.

“The boisterous but delicate drum beats. The elegant but brave keyboard sounds. The rageful and crazy guitar shouts. The earnest and passionate vocal performances.” Far away from their mother land, the Japanese punk rock group Uzuhi was born in New York City, in 2004. Uzuhi -- “the sun” in Japanese -- was named after their strong creed of music: “Music Has No Borders.”

They have played at many famous venues in New York City, such as CBGB and KNITTING FACTORY. They have also played in NJ, CT, DC and MA, when they went for an East Coast tour in the Summer of 2008.

The Kenshinkai trains in Japanese Sword Martial Arts, with groups that study Nakamura Ryu Batto Do, a modern style of basic swordsmanship, and Mugai Ryu Iaihyodo, a style from the 1500's that was popular with many samurai clans. They will demonstrate the basics, individual and two person forms, and target cutting.

Virginia Kyudo Renmei practices the martial art of Kyudo, the Way of the Bow, or Japanese Ceremonial Archery. The practice of Kyudo trains the individual to compose the mind and balance the body. At its highest level, the Kyudo shot of the arrow reflects the highest ideals of truth, goodness and beauty (shin, zen, bi). The NVKK is a member art of the Capital Area Budokai, based in Alexandria, VA.

The Washington DC Shotokan Karate Club is a nonprofit organization offering education and training in traditional Japanese karate. Led by chief instructor David Ernst, 6th degree black belt, the club will demonstrate basic techniques (kihon), forms (kata)—a series of pre-determined karate techniques which teach the application and meaning of the basics—and sparring (kumite).

They will be singing some songs that are from the 9th century to 2008 to celebrate this occasion. Keisho Center provides children with opportunities to pursuit their cultural and linguistic heritage of Japanese by means of fun Saturday schooling. They currently have 40+ students in 5 classes depending on students' linguistic ability and age (5 - 17 yo). Their curriculum includes traditional events, games and songs, situation skits, group discussion, writing, and presentation. We have been successfully participating in the official Japanese Proficiency Test.

The society is a group of koto players and friends, primarily in the Washington metropolitan area, founded in 1971 by Kyoko Okamoto to promote the understanding and appreciation of Japanese koto -- a traditional stringed musical instrument. The Society received a Special Award from Yuriko Kawaguchi, former Foreign Minister of Japan, in recognition of over thirty years of contributing excellent performances spreading koto music in the US and promoting mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries.

10 Tecomai is a New York based group devoted to spreading the knowledge about Yosakoi dance to everyone. Though it is a relatively new style, Yosakoi encompasses traditional Japanese dance movements as well as other cultural movements and fuses it with the contemporary to form something truly unique and powerful.