Video

Video by Daisuke Sato

Japanese, US bands perform at 2023 JSDF Marching Festival

U.S. Army Garrison - Japan

Nov. 21, 2023 | 2:48

Narration:
A large crowd at the famed Nihon Budokan Hall in Tokyo was treated to music from the U.S. Army Japan Band and other performers at the 2023 Japan Self-Defense Forces Marching Festival.

This year marked the first time the concert was held since the COVID pandemic.

Interview: SSG Nicholas Miller, USARJ Band (Talks about how Japanese audience was)

Narration:
A few weeks before the performance, members of the USARJ Band gathered at the Yano Fitness Center on Camp Zama to practice, including individual and group roles and the movements during each piece of their program.

Interview: SPC Jacob Walker, USARJ Band (Talks about the reason USARJ Band decided to perform three music)

Narration:
This year marked the USARJ Band’s final performance at the festival before the unit is stood down next year. The band invited 20 members from other U.S. Army bands outside of Japan in order to make a full marching band for their performance.

Interview: SFC Ezekiel Jump, USARJ Band (Talks about how honor to be part of this year’s Marching Festival)

Narration:
The JSDF Marching Festival began in 1963 as a way for Japanese citizens to have a better understanding of the Japan Self-Defense Forces’ activities. Thousands of Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Force members have participated in the event over the years, performing a wide variety of music alongside military musicians from across the globe, including the United States and Malaysia.

Interview: CW3 Matthew David, Commander, USARJ Band

Interview: 1SG Leslee Borges, USARJ Band

Narration:
One of the highlights of the festival is the taiko drum performance put on by hundreds of JSDF members.

For U.S. Army Garrison Japan, this is XXXXXX.