Onigajo Bluegrass Festival

Today, I would like to show you how a Japanese Bluegrass Festival looks like.

Last Fall, I attended a local festival called Onigajo Bluegrass Festival. This festival took place in a small town that located OOOO k.m. north of Tokyo. Two hours ride will bring you to this local town.

The facility was excellent with a neat logging and a spacious hall for various purposes. The main stage for the festival was set up in the camping ground.

Unfortunately, it started rain soon after we arrived there but the hall could accommodate all of us and we had a pleasant indoor festival. We could even have indoor barbeques, too!

The number of the bands attended was about 20 and they came from Tokyo metropolitan area and northern Kanto area. Majority of the bands consist of rather senior people but a few are made of college students. It is always nice to have younger generation in this kind of activities.

Here is a sample of the recordings by our band, Cloud Cuckoo Band. I hope that you can see and listen some part of the actual festival.



At night after the all bands enlisted finished playing, jam time began. Many enthusiastic players continue to jam until 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning!

You can see that anywhere Bluegrass freaks are so crazy about playing!