DJ KOO + Tokyo Bon (Namewee / Ukon Takafuji)

DJ KOO is the leader of the famous dance and vocal group TRF. With total CD sales reaching over 21 million, he has long been known and loved throughout Japan for delivering the hottest tracks to liven up house parties and events. His mission: "Bring energy ! Get the crowd moving ! Get people smiling ! "

Active on differents fronts, he got to know the nihon buyô company creator and leader Ukon Takafuji through Bon Odori, a midsummer festival which name come from a folk danse destined to comfort the spirits of the dead. Together, they launched and are currently hard at work on Electric Samurai Revolution, a project that aims to advance Japanese traditional arts and popularize them internationally, with the themes of spreading the Japanese culture of festivals and Bon Odori dance worldwide, and bringing new depth and a futuristic touch to nihon buyô.

Ukon Takafuji is a professional traditional Japanese dancer, choreographer, and stage producer. He is the heir of the Takafuji clan, which has over 100 years history of traditional dancers. He has performed and produced various shows internationally as a dancer and producer, and also choreographed dance for idol groups, commercials, and music videos such as Tokyo Bon’s.

He has performed on historical stages, such as Kôdai-ji Temple’s (on the occasion of its 400th anniversary), or Zentsû-ji Temple’s (to celebrate the 1200th anniversary of Kûkai, the creator of the school of Buddhism).

As a challenger, he also produces shows on modern stages like Oiran Night Show in Harajuku, Kawaii Monster Cafe at Summer Sonic Osaka 2017, and famous singer Namewee’s world tour.

Through his work on preserving traditions and challenging new styles, he has become a vital figure of inspiration for traditional Japanese dancers.

Namewee is a Malaysian musician and filmmaker. He is a charismatic artist who has reached millions of views on his music videos. He is widely known among China, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. In 2012, he won the Most Promising Talent Award during the 7th Osaka Asian Film Festival. He was also nominated for the Best Male Singer Award at Taiwan’s prestigious Golden Melody Awards in 2016 and 2017. He has produced songs for popular Asian artists such as Asian famous singer Joyce CHU, Taiwanese popular actress Amber AN, and Malay popular artist Michiyo HO. He is also the leader of Tokyo Bon.

This summer, these three artists come together for an exclusive collaboration. Namewee’s voice and Ukon Takafuji's choregraphies are fusing to create a traditional performance in which DJ KOO adds a modern touch. You can discover the results of this artistic meeting in showcase on the Ichigo stage!