The Nippon Connection Film Festival will be held again at the end of this month in Frankfurt am Main, and this year will be their 25th anniversary. The film festival will start on the 27th of May and end on the 1st of June. There will be a variety of around 100 different Japanese films in varying lengths, from shorts to feature-length, among which 67 will be premieres of current Japanese films. Next to the films, there will be a variety of musical acts, workshops and performances related to Japan. Among those musical acts, we have selected 10 that you shouldn’t miss out on at the upcoming edition of Nippon Connection!
Opening Night: DJ neelie
The opening night will start off the event’s musical acts with a set by DJ Neelie, who also performed a set during the virtual editions in 2020 and 2021. She will be bringing a mix of 80s Japanese city pop, modern electronic and ambient sounds to help get everybody in the mood for a week full of movies, music, workshops and other ways to enjoy Japanese culture. She will perform on Tuesday 27 May starting from 21:00 in Mousonturm Studio 1. — More information here.
Nippon Live On Stage: ЯeaL
All-female Japanese rock band ЯeaL, founded in 2012 by guitarist and singer Ryoko, will be performing on Wednesday, the 28th of May. Ryoko and her band members Fumiha and Aika have been making a variety of music over the past years, including a roster of theme songs for well-known anime like the song Kagerou for Gintama, Mirai for Pokémon: Sun & Moon and Tsuyogari LOSER for Boruto. They will perform on Wednesday 28 May at 20:00 in the Internationales Theater Frankfurt. — More information here.
Nippon Open Air: Jam Session
Join ambient musician _moh_ for a jam session where string instruments get combined with Japanese rap. Aside from the raps provided by NUE and GOCCHANKO, they will be accompanied by: Naomi Schicht, Lorenzo Leone, and Silas Edwards. All these different instruments and genres coming together will make for an eclectic experience. They will perform on Thursday 29 May at 15:30 and Saturday 31 May at 12:30 at NAXOS Open Air. — More information here.
Nippon Live On Stage: KOKO Trio
KOKO is a project originally started by Taiko Saito, known for her original compositions combining Japanese influences with modern classical music, and Niko Meinhold to showcase their personalities and the difference in Eastern and Western influences. Now joined by Moritz Baumgärtner to form the KOKO trio, creating a group with jazzy improvisations, grooves and a fantastical atmosphere. They will perform on Thursday 29 May at 19:00 in the Internationales Theater Frankfurt. — More information here.
Nippon Open Air: SOSOSO
Enjoy the energetic sounds of the Berlin-based alternative/indie pop-rock duo SOSOSO. The duo consists of Japanese art model Miyu Ukiyo as the main singer and German music producer DRFTR as singer and guitarist. Inspired by the negative edgy side of Berlin and channelling that to create something positive. They will perform Friday till Sunday at 14:00 at NAXOS Open Air. — More information here.
Nippon Live On Stage: Takuma Ishii
Classically trained Japanese pianist Takuma Ishii who you may experience in the traditional way as part of an orchestra (such as the Berlin Symphony Orchestra in June) or a classical performance also tries to bring classical music closer to people. One of the ways he does so is through his YouTube channel TAKU ON TV where you can see him perform piano music in public locations. He will perform on Friday 30 May at 20:00 in the Internationales Theater Frankfurt. — More information here.
Nippon Live On Stage: NILO
Inspired by the sounds of bossa nova as evident from her debut album Bossa NILO, Japanese singer NILO combines Brazilian influences with the unique characteristics of the culture from her home country. Over the years she has been performing at Japan related festivals and events which caused her to gradually incorporate anime songs and Japanese city pop leading to a mix of genres characterized by her expressive voice. She will perform on Friday 30 May at 21:00 at Mousonturm Studio 1. — More information here.
Nippon Open Air: YAS33
Tokyo-based soloist YAS33 performs rock music with just his guitar and voice. Although limited in his instruments he uses his own style of open tuning and different singing styles such as bel canto, death voice, screamo, and falsetto to create a variety in sounds. In 2024 YAS33 also started performing overseas with a small Europe tour and now he’s back to perform at Nippon Connection 2025. He will perform on Saturday 31 May at 15:00 at NAXOS Open Air. — More information here.
Nippon Live On Stage: Sakura no ki Taiko
If you think of musical performances at Japanese festivals the taiko drum would likely come to mind. Sakura no ki Taiko is a German group that originally formed at Nippon Connection 20 years ago to give a workshop and after more than ten years of absence they’re finally back with a workshop and performance. They will perform on Saturday 31 May at 16:00 at Internationales Theater Frankfurt. — More information here.
Nippon Live On Stage: CHARAN-PO-RANTAN
CHARAN-PO-RANTAN is a duo consisting of the two sisters Momo (younger sister/vocals) and Koharu (elder sister/accordion). Their music is based on Balkan music and chanson, however they incorporate all kinds of music through the lens of a circus-like worldview. They promise to not just deliver a unique sound but also an interesting performance with a touch of irony and social critique. The Duo will perform on Saturday 31 May at 20:00 in the Internationales Theater Frankfurt. — More information here.
Tickets and more information
While the DJ Neelie’s opening show and the acts on the Open Air stage are free, other acts require you to buy a ticket beforehand. Ticket prices range from 12 to 18 euro and you can find them by clicking on the tickets button on their information page. Of course with an event spanning multiple days the musical acts are only a small portion of the event so be sure to check out their website to see everything Nippon Connection has to offer!
