13th International Red-White Singing Festival Report

2025/09/24 01:00

13th International Red-White Singing Festival Report

This time, with the cooperation of the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau, we were able to hold the event at the Osaka-Kansai Expo venue. We are very grateful that it could take place inside a dedicated indoor event hall.

Purpose

A new international exchange event where Japanese participants sing in foreign languages and foreign participants sing in Japanese, to promote mutual cultural understanding. Through the power of song, we aim to deliver a new message of multicultural coexistence to the world, while also bringing excitement to the Osaka-Kansai Expo.

Date & Time

September 19, 2025, 13:30–16:30 (with live streaming).

Venue

Festival Station, inside Osaka-Kansai Expo (Yumeshima Higashi 1-chome, Konohana Ward, Osaka City 554-0000).

Official Support

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Osaka Consortium for International Student Support
Japan-ASEAN Center (International Organization)
Association of Nikkei and Japanese Abroad

Operating Support

Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau
Asua Link Co., Ltd.
Handy Network International Co., Ltd.

Special Participants

Gruppo Friends (São Paulo, Brazil)

Organizer

International Red-White Singing Festival Executive Committee

As part of the sister-city exchange program between Osaka City and São Paulo City, on September 18 (the day before the event), two participants and two staff members from Brazil, who came to Japan for this occasion, also visited the Brazil Pavilion for a courtesy call.

Participation Overview

20 groups, with about 90 participants, joined from more than 10 countries, including the USA, Brazil, Ireland, Australia, Benin, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Nepal, China, and Japan. From São Paulo, two singers selected through the July audition also participated.

Special Features

“Radio Exercise for One Million People”
“International Student Fashion Show”
“Kyo-en Sodefure!” (Kyoto Student Festival performance)

Guest Artists

Tatsuya Kitagawa, Minoh J-POP Ambassador
Shinji Harada, Hiroshima Peace Ambassador

Both participants supported the event’s purpose.

Participation Overview

Twenty groups, comprising approximately 90 participants, joined from more than 10 countries, including the USA, Brazil, Ireland, Australia, Benin, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Nepal, China, and Japan. From São Paulo, two singers selected through the July audition also participated.

Special Features

“Radio Exercise for One Million People”
“International Student Fashion Show”
“Kyo-en Sodefure!” (Kyoto Student Festival performance)

Guest Artists

Tatsuya Kitagawa, Minoh J-POP Ambassador
Shinji Harada, Hiroshima Peace Ambassador

Both participants supported the event’s purpose.

Event Highlights

The event took place in a 300-seat hall, but it was so popular that some people were waiting outside just to listen to the singing.

Volunteers played a major role in operations: mainly university and high school “student interpreter volunteers” who usually support foreign visitors at Osaka Castle and Toyokuni Shrine, joined by professionals such as nurses and university staff. Together, they formed a cohesive and effective team. In addition, seven high school students from Oozora High School volunteered for the first time, and according to their teacher, they gained valuable experience.

At the opening, a video letter was introduced from the Japan Singers Association Los Angeles Branch (USA), whose board member expressed a vision for hosting an “International Red-White Singing Festival in Los Angeles.” It was also noted that the São Paulo Nikkei karaoke association, which held a preliminary audition in July, sent its representative.

Performers included:

Kinaya from Indonesia, who decided to study abroad in Japan after participating in the 2023 Festival, has been attending ECC Japanese Language Institute Kobe since April.
Paula Hirama has studied Japanese dance and enka in São Paulo since the age of three.
Mika Takagi from Nepal, who managed a Japanese language school for 17 years while continuing her singing career, with many performances at the Nepalese National Day and related events.

Their performances greatly enlivened the hall.

Volunteers from Tokyo also joined and commented that they were deeply moved, saying the event “truly embodies the spirit of the Expo.” On September 18, just before the event, the two participants from Brazil made a courtesy visit to the Brazil Pavilion, accompanied by their director. Three more representatives from the community also visited the Festival as audience members.

The official Expo recording team expressed satisfaction, saying they captured “many wonderful scenes that are representative of the Expo.”

For us, this year was also special because we had the opportunity to hold auditions in Yao City (Osaka) in March, Kyoto in August, and São Paulo in July, which allowed both organizers and performers to prepare sufficiently. Thanks to being held inside the Osaka-Kansai Expo venue, participants, volunteers, and staff united seamlessly to support the event together.

Audience members, too, welcomed this international exchange program with great enthusiasm, which made this one of the most moving stages in the history of the Festival. Many long-time participants since 2021 commented that it was “the most touching experience yet.”

Media Announcement

Kiss FM Kobe – "Bandi’s What’s Going On"
On Air: September 14, 2025　　　　　　　　

Yomiuri Shimbun
Publication Date: September 17, 2025

Yahoo NEWS

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c287d15d768e77f018cf67c8dfac531fdf7a027e

WALKERS　PLUS

https://www.walkerplus.com/event/ar0727e557476/

YOMIURI　ONLINE　（大阪府八尾市　選考会）

https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/local/osaka/news/20250308-OYTNT50228/

LETS　ENJOY　TOKYO

https://www.enjoytokyo.jp/event/2028417/

SANKEI　SHINBUN　WEBSITE

https://www.sankei.com/pressrelease/prtimes/AZF2FKI3N5NRBKK6VUZDSUGDV4/

NIKKEI COMPASS

https://www.nikkei.com/compass/content/PRTKDB000000001_000169440/article

他、プロトガル語メディアでも告知される予定です。