Yosakoi Paris Hinodemai
Hinodemai presents yosakoi, an energetic, rhythmic group dance. Born in 1954 in Kochi on the island of Shikoku, it is based on traditional dance and music. Yosakoi has developed into a sport dance with its own distinctive style, practiced throughout Japan and the rest of the world.
Yosakoi Paris Hinodemai is a troupe founded in September 2014 in Paris to promote Japanese yosakoi sports dance. The group became an association under the French law of 1901 in April 2016 and currently consists of around 30 Franco-Japanese members of all ages.
Hinodemai is part of the network of European yosakoi teams, YEN, formed in 2014, and is also one of the Yosakoi Ambassador teams appointed in August 2016 in Kochi. Yosakoi Paris Hinodemai is also one of the founding members of FYF - Fédération de Yosakoi de France, created in 2018.
This year Hinodemai invites the new Le Mans team, Tobikaeru, to join the show.
They made their first official appearance in September 2023. The project was initiated by two yosakoi fondues recently set up in Le Mans, supported by the Japan Zone association. The yosakoi has become an integral part of the association promoting Japanese culture in Le Mans.
The name Tobikaeru, meaning jumping/flying frogs, represents the explosive energy of yosakoi. What's more, the word "kaeru" means both "frog" and "coming home". It's a symbol of hospitality and a good luck charm for travelers.
Join them on stage at Japan Expo to see them dance the yosakoi!