Canada is one of the most multicultural countries in the world — which makes it a natural home for a dance built on bringing people together. As the saying goes, once a naruko is in your hand, borders, language, and culture fall away. Yosakoi flexes to fit any community: it absorbs new styles and ideas, and welcomes everyone from young children to grandparents.
KOKUYOSA is the first Yosakoi festival in North America. By gathering dancers in Lethbridge, it aims to deepen cross-cultural friendship, energize the local community, and add a new chapter to the history of the Japanese-Canadian community.
Yosakoi today — At the 71st Kochi festival in 2024, roughly 190 teams and 20,000 dancers performed for close to a million spectators. Teams have now formed in 29 countries.