2025/01/18 10:55

IRWS　hoping towards　EXPO2025

EVENT

The International Red and White Singing Festival (Kokusai Kohaku Utagassen) is a musical event that promotes international exchange and mutual understanding. In this unique format, Japanese participants sing in foreign languages while non-Japanese participants perform songs in Japanese.

This event draws inspiration from Japan's traditional New Year's Eve program, "Kohaku Utagassen," but with an international twist. The festival typically divides participants into two teams regardless of race, nationality, and gender.


The primary goals of the International Red and White Singing Festival are:

  1. To foster cross-cultural appreciation through music
  2. To create a platform for international exchange
  3. To build a compassionate society that transcends ethnic, national, and gender boundaries

Many foreigners living in Japan and international students are working hard to contribute positively to Japanese society. Through this event, organizers aim to create an inclusive environment where people from diverse backgrounds can unite and build a brighter future for Japan.

The Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan aims to foster cultural understanding and international exchange through music. Japanese participants will sing foreign songs, while international participants will perform Japanese songs, creating a unique platform for cross-cultural appreciation

Event Details (quoted from the 2024 event)

Objective: To expand international networks through music and create a welcoming atmosphere for global visitors in Osaka

.Performance Structure:

  • Approximately 20 acts, including individuals and groups
  • Performers are divided into two teams, regardless of gender, competing in a format similar to Japan's famous Red and White Singing Festival.

Musical Diversity:

  • Genres: J-POP, anime songs, enka, and various others
  • Japanese participants will sing in English, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and other languages
  • International acts include Brazilian music groups and gospel choirs
  • Other performances which inspired by the concept of IRWS.

Additional Features

Cultural Exchange Activities:

  • Fashion show utilizing recycled clothing, aligning with SDG concepts
  • Hula dance performances featuring arrangements of Japanese songs
  • "Radio Taiso" (Japanese radio calisthenics) sessions with international participants

Grand Finale:

  • All performers and volunteers will gather on stage
  • Audience participation in a mass chorus
  • Live streaming of the event to a global audience

This event at the Expo site aims to create a vibrant, inclusive atmosphere that welcomes visitors worldwide while promoting cultural exchange through the universal language of music.

The International Red and White Singing Festival (IRWS) and the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 are being promoted through a multifaceted approach that combines cultural exchange, volunteer activities, and international outreach.

Volunteer Activities

Since April 2022, a group of dedicated university and high school students has been conducting volunteer activities on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month

 These activities include:

  • Learning about the excellence of Japanese culture
  • Providing English-language guided tours of Osaka Castle and Houkoku Shrine

Over 60 participants have completed the initial training in Osaka, and the number is expected to grow with support from Osaka City and Osaka Metropolitan University Volunteer Center.

Expo 2025 Involvement

The volunteer activities will continue during the Expo, with participants sharing the excitement of the Osaka-Kansai Expo with foreign tourists.

 Many of these volunteers are also involved with the IRWS and the Expo.

International Red-White Singing Festival

The IRWS is actively promoting cultural exchange and the Expo through various initiatives:

  1. Global Reach: Holding events not only in Japan but also in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brazil, inviting outstanding performers to Osaka.
  2. Live Streaming: The Osaka event will be broadcast live worldwide, increasing global exposure.
  3. Collaboration: Working with the Osaka-Kansai Expo's radio calisthenics group and Children's EXPO to enhance the welcoming atmosphere for international visitors.
  4. TEAMEXPO Challenge: The IRWS is registered as part of the TEAMEXPO Co-Creation Challenge, aligning its goals with the Expo.
  5. Multilingual Performances: Japanese participants sing in foreign languages while international participants perform in Japanese, fostering mutual understanding.

By combining these efforts, the IRWS and the volunteer activities create a strong foundation for promoting the festival and the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025, emphasizing cultural exchange, international understanding, and the warm welcome awaiting visitors to Osaka.

The International Red and White Singing Festival (IRWS) aims to evolve into an event similar to Okinawa's Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival but focused on welcoming people with Japanese roots to mainland Japan, particularly in Osaka. The future goals of the IRWS beyond the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 include:

  1. Creating an "International Uchinanchu Festival" for mainland Japan, warmly welcoming those with Japanese heritage, including those who may not speak Japanese.
  2. Expanding the event to include and celebrate not only those with Japanese roots but also foreign nationals with an affinity for Japan.
  3. Strengthening connections with Japanese diaspora communities worldwide, estimated at 4.5 million people, including 300,000 living in Japan.
  4. Deepening collaboration with Japanese karaoke organizations in countries with significant Japanese populations, such as Brazil, the United States, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, and China.
  5. Using music and cultural performances to bridge generations and maintain Japanese cultural heritage among descendants living abroad.
  6. Fostering international relations and cultural exchange between Japan and countries with large Japanese diaspora populations, as exemplified by the successful collaboration with São Paulo in the 12th IRWS.
  7. Providing a platform for Japanese descendants to showcase their preservation of Japanese culture, as demonstrated by Paula Hirama's performance in Brazil.
  8. Utilizing the momentum gained from the Osaka-Kansai Expo to strengthen ties between Osaka and cities like São Paulo, and more broadly between Japan and countries with significant Japanese populations.
The IRWS aims to foster relationships with both incoming foreign residents and the global Japanese diaspora, recognizing the importance of maintaining connections with Japanese communities worldwide while promoting international exchange within Japan.