Cherry Blossom Festival Fort Wayne

2026 Performing Artists

Toki

Toki is an acclaimed musician and a proud member of the head family of the renowned Ikuta Koto School in Japan. She began studying Koto under her uncle, Shinzo Miyagi, the Ikuta Schoolmaster, earning her diploma in 2007.

Toki's musical journey started at the age of three with piano and solfeggio lessons. She later pursued advanced studies in piano at Senzoku Music University in Tokyo, Japan, graduating with honors.

Currently based in Chicago, Toki has performed at prestigious venues and events, including the Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago, the Consulate-General’s official residence, ceremonies at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and cultural celebrations at Anderson Japanese Gardens, Chicago Botanic Garden, and The Morton Arboretum.

She will be performing with Pianist Hana Fujisaki and dancer Yuno Kimura.

Hana Fujisaki began her musical journey at Yamaha Music School in Japan. She moved to the U.S. to study jazz and contemporary music, ultimately earning her M.M. from Northwestern University.

Her musical versatility is showcased by the variety of musical projects such as Entre Amigos, with whom she will be releasing her 3rd album next year. Fujisaki is also a passionate music educator who currently teaches at City College of Chicago.

Yuno Kimura was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, where she began ballet at age two and trained with The Tokyo Ballet before moving to Chicago at ten. She continued her training at A&A Ballet, earning 1st place at YAGP for a contemporary piece. She received her BFA in Dance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

After graduating she now performs with Team Go, a Chicago-based hip-hop team, and creates her own choreographic work. She expresses her artistry through social media, modeling, and dance films.

Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai

We are a cultural organization that has been serving the Okinawan community for over 50 years. The Sanshin is a traditional 3-stringed instrument made from snake skin and wood. Shisa, are traditional wards, believed to protect from evil spirits. At the festival we would like to show Okinawan drumming dance, Classic dance, and a traditional lion dance called Shishi-Mai. We hope you enjoy the show!

Fort Wayne Taiko was established in 1997 as a program of the Fort Wayne Dance Collective. Spearheaded by Allison Ballard, it was the first performing taiko group in Indiana and is still one of the few in the Midwest. Taiko is a Japanese word meaning ‘drum’. However, its meaning has expanded to include the art form of playing Japanese drums in an ensemble. Taiko is a Japanese art form that blends rhythmic drumming with dynamic choreography. Fort Wayne Taiko is now led by Sara Sherman.

Tea Ceremony, the ritualized preparation and presentation of matcha, a powdered green tea, will be demonstrated in Ura Senke Style.

Classical Guitarist Dr. Daniel Quinn has been an active performer for over forty years. He has performed as a soloist at numerous festivals, concerts, and recitals around the United States, Canada, and Japan. He was a member of The Indiana Guitar Trio with Guido Sanchez-Portuguez and Nemanja Ostojic. Daniel has performed extensively with vocalist Mark Stachofsky as the Strings and Cords duo, and with harpist Heaven Fan. He has also performed in Japan at Suntory Hall, and at the Tokyo College of Music. He has also performed duos with Grammy winning musicians such as pianist Angelin Chang, and violinist Emi Tanabe. Dan completed his B.M., M.M., and D.M. in classical guitar performance at the Indiana University school of music in Bloomington Indiana under Ernesto Bitetti. He currently teaches at Andrews University, St. Mary’s and Holy Cross colleges in Notre Dame Indiana, and Indiana University in South Bend IN. Dan is a native of Fort Wayne, raised in the Saint Johns and Bishop Luers community on the south side. He has been married for 29 years and has three adult children.

Kendama is a popular Japanese skill toy. Mike Tsugawa, a 3rd Dan in the Japanese Kendama Association, will demonstrate tricks and techniques. Mike has taught Japanese at Michigan City High School since 2002, and was recognized as Teacher of the year by the Indiana Foreign Language Teacher Association in 2016.

SPIRIT BOMB is an explosive Anime tribute band known for their unforgettable live concert experiences. If you are a fan of Anime, Cosplay and Japanese Culture; then you don't want to miss this! Get ready to dance and sing along to your favorite hits, fueled by stunning visuals.

Since 2022, SPIRIT BOMB has appeared at anime conventions across the US as well as hosting their “ANIME MUSIC EXPERIENCE” concerts in major city markets. In 2023, SPIRIT BOMB opened for the breakthrough Japanese Female Rock band HANABIE on their first US tour and debuted their first original single, “Asai Yume,” available for streaming worldwide.

Join SPIRIT BOMB on this epic journey as they celebrate the magic of Anime through the power of music.

Check us out at spiritbombmusic.com.

Fort Wayne Suzuki Strings offers instruction in violin, viola, and cello to students age 3 and older. Suzuki string students learn through the "Mother Tongue Method" first developed by Shinichi Suzuki. This concept is based on the way children learn to speak, which is first by hearing the music, then learning to read and write it. We have violin, viola, and cello students, ranging in age from 7 to 15 playing today.

Fort Wayne Children's Choir - Lyric Choir

The FWCC teaches music literacy to children from diverse backgrounds through song and performance. Comprised of over 200 students, the FWCC is proud to represent 88 different schools in addition to 29 homeschool groups from 10 northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio counties. The Lyric Choir, directed by Phyllis Boester, focuses on developing healthy vocal technique and musical skills, with an emphasis on solfege. Musical independence is further developed through two-part singing, along with a focus on fostering music literacy.

Japan Karate-Do Genbukai of Indiana. It offers traditional Japanese karate and kobudo classes for children and adults. The Genbu-Kai is an international organization that encompasses 32 countries and thousands of members. Our program teaches karate-do. Karate is a form of self-defense that uses all parts of the body, while Do is character development; both aspects are viewed as equally important.

https://www.indianagenbukai.com/

Yasue Arceno - I earned my teaching credentials from the Japanese Calligraphy Association—reaching the rank of 8th Dan in *Kanji* and 5th Dan in *Kana*—through their correspondence education program. I have now been teaching calligraphy for 20 years. Last year, coinciding with my move from Fort Wayne to Tennessee, I established the "天空American Japanese Calligraphy Society (SORA)" and launched online classes via Zoom. I have participated in various activities at high schools, universities, nursing homes, and local community festivals. Additionally, I hold annual exhibitions in Ohio featuring both my own work and that of my students at "天空Sora." Through these endeavors, I am dedicated to spreading the art of calligraphy to a wide audience across multiple states.