From May to June 2026, Min-On presented 11 school concerts across Japan, welcoming approximately 3,850 students from 14 schools and bringing live music directly into their communities.
Among the highlights was a concert on June 4 at Shirokane Elementary School in Minato City, Tokyo, co-presented by the Embassy of the Republic of Ghana in Japan and held in cooperation with Minato City. The Winneba Youth Choir, one of Ghana’s leading choral ensembles, performed alongside the school’s own chorus — a group that has earned national recognition in choral competitions — before joining all the students in a combined performance. The occasion offered a genuine cross-cultural exchange between young people, with music as the common language.
On June 22 and 23, the comedy duo Up Down performed at elementary and middle schools in Nagasaki City, bringing an original manzai (comedic dialogue) piece created to pass the memory of the atomic bombing to the next generation. Developed at the request of Kazuyuki Yamazaki, former chair of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors Councill’s second-generation group, through manzai, the performance brought to life the resilience of ordinary people during wartime — only to show how swiftly war and the atomic bomb shattered everything they had. It represents a new approach to preserving hibakusha memory as the generation of survivors grows older.
The musicians who performed in the school concerts are as follows:
INSPi (A cappella group)
— May 1, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Yoshiko Hanzaki (Vocalist)
— May 13, Kushiro City, Hokkaido
Cousin (Duo)
— May 28, Miyoshi District, Tokushima Prefecture
Winneba Youth Choir (Choral ensemble, Ghana)
— June 4, Minato City, Tokyo
Kasai Yoriyuki (Tsugaru shamisen)
— June 16, Minami-Aizu District, Fukushima Prefecture
Up Down (Comedy duo)
— June 22, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Japan Marvelous (Taiko ensemble)
— June 30, Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture
Voices from Participants:
“The performer’s gentle, conversational way of singing made me feel somehow held. It reminded me just how powerful music can be.”
“I learned that music can connect hearts even without shared language. This experience has made me want to share the wonder of music with the world.”
“Through these concerts, I discovered how music unites people and brings everyone together. I want to listen to more music and enjoy it as much as I can going forward.”
Min-On will continue bringing smiles to children through music and cultural exchange.
This program was made possible through the generous support of Min-On’s sustaining members, to whom we extend our sincere appreciation.
