The town of Kurume transforms into a theater – “The 10th Kurume Tamagaru Street Performance 2025” to be held! Kurume City Promotion Executive Committee Press Release: October 16, 2025 The town of Kurume transforms into a theater—the 10th Kurume Tamagaru Street Performance 2025 is being held! A total of 18 performers will appear, including “Charan Po Rantan”
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【Instagram】https://www.instagram.com/kurumecityplaza_official/ [Inquiries] Kurume City Plaza TEL: 0942-36-3000 FAX：0942-36-3087 The “Kurume Tamagaru Street Performance” is being held in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and this year marks its 10th anniversary. A diverse cast of street performers from Japan and abroad will gather to perform a variety of performances over two days, spanning the entire town from Nishitetsu Kurume Station to Kurume City Plaza. This year, six of the 18 performers, including Charan Po Rantan, will be making their first appearance. On the day of the festival, there will be a walking rally event and a juggling experience, as well as other events held at the venue, Hotomeki-dori Shopping Arcade. Children who first saw street performances as young children have grown up and are now bringing their own children to visit, and the number of long-time repeat visitors and devoted fans is increasing. There are also volunteers who participate every time. So how did this event, which has now become a beloved part of Kurume’s autumn tradition, begin? For street performances, “the town is your stage” The impetus for this project was the opening of Kurume City Plaza in 2016, which the city developed as a hub for promoting culture and the arts and creating a lively downtown area. As the plaza was under construction and there was no venue available, street performance was chosen as a pre-opening event, as it was an “event that could be held anywhere.” “When opening Kurume City Plaza, cooperation with the surrounding shopping district was essential,” says Suzuki of the Kurume City Plaza Business Development Department. “The purpose of the pre-event is not just to City Plaza, but to attract people to the city center. In that sense, street performances, which turn the entire city into a stage, seem to have been chosen as the perfect content.” Thus, in 2013 and 2014, a street performance event featuring several performers was held. Various other pre-events were also held, but the street performances were well-received by visitors, so in 2015, the event was renamed “Kurume Tamagaru Street Performance” and continues to this day. The scale of the event has expanded every year, and before the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 30 performers were performing. A “close-up festival” only possible in Kurume When the event was launched, Takao Hashimoto, who organizes street performance festivals across the country, was brought in as producer. His son, Ryuhei Hashimoto, is now in charge of running the event. “Street performances don’t have a set format. What they all have in common is the style of performing face-to-face with people outdoors. There’s a certain emotion that comes from performing at the same eye level and in the same space, rather than looking down on them from above.” Hashimoto also actively hires performers who usually work in theaters. At last year’s “Kurume Tamagaru Street Performance,” an opera singer sang passionately outdoors. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/124258/9/124258-9-3a8d17ddc1c100c0e31e7b088d095e25-1108×1478.jpg Ryuhei Hashimoto is the representative of All Street LLC, which produces street performance festivals across the country. “While theaters are cultural hubs, many people feel that they are somewhat intimidating. Street performances are the perfect way to bridge that gap.” Also, even if the performers are the same, the atmosphere of the festival will differ depending on the town’s layout, the people who live there, and the atmosphere of the host city. “The audience in Kurume is very friendly and approachable. It’s impressive to see them actively interacting with the performers and enjoying themselves. I also feel like a large percentage of the audience is children. I often see children walking around the venue with pamphlets in hand.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/124258/9/124258-9-2c4b91bde243dfb297cbbea6106bf4da-3900×2600.jpg Okk (walking act), a kappa yokai beloved by children, is not particularly scary in Kurume and is apparently a popular performer among children. Another feature is that the venues are lined up from the station toward Kurume City Plaza. “Generally, the venues are often centered around train stations. In Kurume, we’ve designed the program so that visitors can travel around each venue from the station to the main venue, Kurume City Plaza.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/124258/9/124258-9-dd2647d23a7fe1a192bb9e83999d52f4-3900×2600.jpg “HARO” (a long-legged walking act) is a spirit that dances lightly in the shopping district parade. Approach it and it will envelop you in its long, wind-filled robes. “Walking through the town” itself becomes an experience, completely transforming the usual scenery. The best part of the Kurume Tamagaru Street Performance is experiencing the feeling of the town becoming a theater. What’s worth seeing this year? Keep an eye out for first-time performers! This year, 18 performers are scheduled to appear, including 6 first-timers. First up for attention is Charan Po Rantan, an artist who made waves with Shiina Ringo at last year’s Red and White Song Battle. This is a rare opportunity to see these girls, who usually perform on larger stages, sing and play up close! Also, keep an eye out for the Spanish performers, “Pasodoble Circus,” who will perform a danceable and passionate mini-circus show. Don’t miss the Chinese Acrobatic Troupe, who captivate the audience with a spectacular performance every year to mark the finale of the first day. “First, take a stroll and drop in. If you stop by for even 10 minutes, I’m sure you’ll find a moment that moves your heart,” says Hashimoto. Mr. Kondo of the Kurume City Plaza Business Production Department said, “This year, we have a lot of comedy performers, so I think anyone can enjoy themselves. Photographs and videos are also allowed, so please feel free to post them on social media, while being considerate of other customers.”
