We are very excited to have taken this new step to highlight the beautiful fusion of flamenco jazz and to build bridges between cultures through music. Japan is a country with a deep artistic sensitivity and a strong connection to authentic forms of expression. With this festival, we aim to celebrate diversity, create shared experiences, and connect global audiences through a universal language: music.
—Jesus Perezagua, CEO, Oh! Jazz
Flamenco Jazz Festival Japan Hightlights
- The inaugural Flamenco Jazz Festival Japan will blend Spanish flamenco traditions with jazz in iconic venues such as the historic Kencho-Ji Temple.
- It will take place between May 22 and 31 in the cities of Tokyo, Yokohama and Kamakura
- The Flamenco Jazz Festival Japan redefines the traditional jazz festival experience by seamlessly blending the themes of flamenco and jazz. Attendees are invited to enjoy a captivating sensory experience in stunning locations, celebrating a vibrant fusion of cultures in a rich and immersive journey for the senses.
- The program will feature performances by seven internationally acclaimed artists, a symposium on the genre’s history, and exclusive culinary experiences. The main gala will be broadcast live to over 35 million households worldwide.
Oh! Jazz, the high-quality exclusive audiovisual content platform dedicated to jazz, takes a further step in establishing itself as a central hub for the global jazz community. It now presents the first edition of the Flamenco Jazz Festival Japan—a pioneering event that blends the traditions of Spanish flamenco and jazz in iconic settings such as the historic Kencho-ji Temple.
The festival, which aims to offer a unique cultural experience, will take place from May 22 to 31 across three different cities in Japan: Tokyo, Yokohama and Kamakura.
The ‘Flamenco Jazz Festival Japan’ is designed to go beyond the traditional concept of a festival, offering a sensory journey that celebrates the fusion of global musical genres. It seeks to connect cultures through flamenco jazz in Japan’s most iconic settings. The event is conceived with a long-term vision and aspires to become an international cultural benchmark, attracting a wide and diverse audience interested in the fusion of flamenco and jazz, as well as in artistic experiences that bring together music, heritage and haute cuisine.
As Jesús Perezagua, CEO and founder of Oh! Jazz, states: “We are very excited to have taken this new step to highlight the beautiful fusion of flamenco jazz and to build bridges between cultures through music. Japan is a country with a deep artistic sensitivity and a strong connection to authentic forms of expression. With this festival, we aim to celebrate diversity, create shared experiences, and connect global audiences through a universal language: music.”
Festival Program
The first edition will kick off on May 22 with a talk hosted by the Instituto Cervantes in Tokyo, focusing on key moments in the relationship between jazz and flamenco, exploring figures such as Paco de Lucia, Chano Dominguez, and Jorge Pardo. This session will be led by filmmaker Carlos Aguilar and researcher Anita Haas.Subsequently, on May 27, the inaugural reception at the Spanish Embassy in Japan will mark the beginning of a week filled with multidisciplinary cultural events, where music will be paired with gastronomy. Over the following days, seven internationally acclaimed artists, with numerous Grammy nominations and awards, will offer exclusive concerts in unique venues.
On May 28, Alex Conde, Reinier 'Negrón' Elizarde, Israel Suarez "El Piraña", Sandra Carrasco , Josemi Carmona, Antonio Serrano, and Nino de los Reyes will perform at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Tokyo. The next day, May 29, they will hold another performance, accompanied by a gastronomic experience from Spanish chef Israel Ramos at The Westin Yokohama. As a central and iconic event, on May 30, a gala will take place at the historic Kencho-Ji Temple in Kamakura, where music, gastronomy, and spirituality will come together. Finally, the closing concert of this first edition will be held at the renowned BODY&SOUL in Tokyo, a club affiliated with Oh! Jazz.
Additionally, thanks to Oh! Jazz’s technology and international distribution network, the gala will be broadcast live to an audience of over 35 million households. This global reach positions the Flamenco Jazz Festival Japan as a must-attend event on the international cultural calendar and reinforces Oh! Jazz's commitment to bringing jazz music to new audiences, celebrating its power to connect beyond geographical or cultural boundaries.
