Izumo— The city’s central shopping street, Sun Road Nakamachi, came alive on October 12 with music, laughter and applause as local and foreign residents gathered for a cultural exchange event celebrating diversity.
The event was part of Yume Festa in Izumo 2025, a community initiative aimed at revitalising the shopping district and encouraging interaction between residents of different backgrounds. Groups from Brazil, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam joined in, each showcasing performances rooted in their own cultures.
The Brazilian music group Brasil no Kaze — Wind of Brazil — performed RYDEEN, the iconic techno instrumental by Japan’s pioneering electronic band YMO, blending it with soft bossa nova melodies that filled the autumn air.
From Cambodia, Khat Sreyoeat, who has lived in Izumo for five years, led her team Ahg TanuK — meaning “rainbow” in English — in a graceful performance that drew warm applause from the audience.
“I was happy to see so many people watching us,” she said in fluent Japanese.
A Filipino woman, Alvira Okuda, also took part, joining her teammates in song and dance.
“I didn’t expect to perform on stage,” she said with a laugh. “But since Filipinos love music, it was easy to enjoy.”
According to the Izumo City Office, about 5,000 foreign residents — roughly 3% of the city’s population of 170,000 — now live in the area. City officials say they aim to promote multicultural coexistence by hosting multicultural community events such as the Brazilian festival Festa Jennina, where local and foreign residents come together through shared experiences.
An organiser hopes that these efforts will deepen understanding among residents and strengthen the city’s growing sense of community in an increasingly diverse Izumo.
ーWords by Takashi Saito