Hello everyone! I’m Momo Kato, a violinist with the Tohoku Youth Orchestra.
On Saturday, October 24th, eight of us—volunteers from the orchestra—performed at the "Fukushima Machinaka (Downtown) Music Festival 2026" in Fukushima City!
The venue was the plaza in front of the east exit of Fukushima Station—a true "downtown" music event where performances take place right in the midst of the bustling crowds.
Before I talk about the performance itself, let me share a little something that happened on the way to the venue! (Haha!)

To get from our rehearsal space to the performance site, we took a "Melody Bus" that runs through Fukushima City. The name sounds perfect for a music festival, but it turned out to be more expensive than we expected—and it took quite a roundabout route! Halfway there, I even started to wonder if it might have been faster to just walk! (Haha!)
Despite that little mishap, the time for our performance finally arrived!
For this event, we used a somewhat unique ensemble: strings, joined by a French horn and a piano. We played four pieces: "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence," "BEHIND THE MASK," "A Cruel Angel's Thesis," and "Hoshikage no Yell" by GReeeeN—a group with strong ties to Fukushima.
The weather was unfortunate that day, with occasional light rain. Since it was an outdoor performance, I was a bit worried about whether anyone would actually come to listen.
But once we started playing, all those worries vanished!
A wonderful crowd gathered at the venue—some people sat down to listen intently, while others stopped in their tracks as they passed by to lend an ear.

Seeing people stop in the cold rain to listen to our music was truly heartening—it was a moment that warmed our own hearts as we played.
Unlike in a concert hall, the greatest charm of performing in a public space is the ability to share music with those who happen to be passing by. It is a wonderful experience to see someone who hadn’t planned on listening to music suddenly stop and break into a smile. I truly felt that such beautiful, spontaneous encounters are something unique to this music festival.

Thank you so much to everyone who listened to our performance, and to everyone who supported the realization of this music festival!
As a member of the Tohoku Youth Orchestra, I look forward to continuing my journey, cherishing each unique, once-in-a-lifetime musical encounter.
I hope to see you all again at our next concert!

★Information on our next performance★
"Hapi-Con" (Happy Concert) — A concert designed to bring happiness to everyone!

We will be performing as a string quartet—a group of volunteers from the Tohoku Youth Orchestra—at "Hapi-Con," held on the 1st-floor Galleria of Muza Kawasaki on Saturday, November 14th! 🎻
The Tohoku Youth Orchestra is scheduled to perform from 11:50 to 12:10. ♪
This concert is open to everyone, aiming to foster "emotional accessibility"—a space where we can understand and respect one another—while enjoying music together. ✨
No advance reservation is required, and it is free to attend. If you happen to be in the area, we would be delighted to see you there!

Date & Time: Saturday, November 14, 2026 | Starts at 11:30 / Ends at 13:00 (scheduled)
Tohoku Youth Orchestra performance time: 11:50–12:10
Location: Muza Kawasaki, 1st-floor Galleria (the open space in front of the escalators)
Admission: Free (no registration required)
Access: A 3-minute walk from the Central Gate of JR Kawasaki Station

We look forward to seeing you there! 😊

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