Aozora (“blue sky”) Matsuri is a festival song and dance celebrating our community on the Canadian Prairies. As in Japan where each region has a local dance (Bon Odori 盆踊り) and music that is performed at Obon (お盆) festivals, Aozora Matsuri is unique to the Prairies and celebrates our history and nature.

Members of the community are wholeheartedly encouraged to join in any performance of Aozora either by dancing or drumming! We would love to see others make Aozora their own.

Special thanks to the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) for their grant funding, without which this project would not have been possible. We thank them for their continued support of taiko in Canada.

Miya ji demo

Namame melody demo

Shinobue (fue) flute demo

Odori dance demo