Tokyo's Yoyogi Park is known for its various cultural festivals and one of the most popular is its Brazilian one. This weekend, though, people in Yokohama will get their chance to samba.
The three-day Brasil Culture Festival (which uses the Portuguese spelling of Brazil) will take place at Yokohama's Red Brick Warehouse and focus on the South American country's music, food and art.
The lineup of more than 10 acts will include Brazilian musicians such as Silvio Anastacio, but will feature more Japanese artists who are influenced by the Brazilian sound.
Among those acts, one of the most interesting may be Banda Girassol, an all-female samba percussion band with members who play the drums while simultaneously samba dancing. Also featured is Immigrant's Bossa Band, a Brazilian-style Japanese jazz act that has been featured on the website of British magazine Monocle. After you've soaked up the sun and festivity from the drum line, Immigrant's Bossa Band will deliver perfect music to cool down to.
If energetic summer festivals are wearing thin, relaxing by Tokyo Bay to bossa nova may just be the perfect getaway for a weekend. There will also be Brazilian cuisine and drinks on hand, so why not take this one weekend off?
The Brasil Culture Festival takes place at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse in Naka-ku, Yokohama, from Aug. 16-18 (11 a.m. start). It is accessible via the Nihon-Odori Station on the Minato Mirai Line. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.brasilculturefestival.com. (in Japanese)
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.