Nakano Turns Taiwanese: Taiwan Culture Festival 2026 Announces Full Lineup, Talks and Timetable

The Taiwan Culture Festival Organizing Committee (operated by Tomotomo Co., Ltd.) has announced the full lineup, special ambassadors, cultural exchange envoys, program details and timetable for "Taiwan Culture Festival 2026," to be held from Friday, June 26 through Sunday, June 28, 2026.

This year's festival will gather a diverse group of artists and cultural figures connecting Taiwan and Japan in Nakano, including enka singer Yukino Ichikawa, a representative of Taiwan's young hip‑hop scene the rap duo 饒舌霹靂雙人組, Kaohsiung‑born singer Emily Pu (卜星慧), and popular Taiwan‑born YouTuber Alan (阿倫), among others.

In addition to live stages, the venue will host talks and workshops themed around Taiwanese sweets, night market culture, Taiwanese Mandarin, traditional performing arts and religious culture. The three‑day program offers visitors an opportunity to experience Taiwan's appeal through music, food, tourism and culture.

The main stage will take place at Nakano City Hall Nakanoba and is ticketed (day tickets available). The sub stage at Nakano Shikinomori Park will be free to enter.

Pre‑purchase main stage tickets: https://taiwanbunkasaiticket.peatix.com/

Taiwan Culture Festival 2026 Timetable

Taiwan Culture Festival Special Ambassadors

Four figures who connect Taiwanese and Japanese culture have been appointed as special ambassadors.

Ayakouji Sho

Ayakouji Sho

Leader and vocalist of the rock band Kishidan. With a distinctive musical identity and strong media presence, he enjoys broad support and remains a prominent figure in Japan's entertainment scene.

He champions a unique rock style known as "Yank Rock," a mixture of yankee culture and punk rock, and has dominated the live house scene with his avant‑garde style and performances since his major debut in 2001.

From February 2026 he is touring 30 venues nationwide with the "Kishidan Phenomenon 25th Anniversary Tour 'Shihanseiki Shounen'." The runaway momentum of these six half‑potato band members shows no sign of stopping. He has been appointed special ambassador for this event and will support Japan–Taiwan cultural exchange.

Yukino Ichikawa

Yukino Ichikawa

Debuted in 1993 with "Onna no Matsuri." After a 4½‑year hiatus from 2002, she returned in 2006 with "Kaikyou Debune," composed by her mentor Shosuke Ichikawa.

She first appeared on the 67th NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen in 2016 with "Kokoro Kasane te" and returned in 2017. In 2019 she received the "Best Singing Award" at the 61st Japan Record Awards for "Yukikoi Hana." She has achieved 11 consecutive singles debuting at number one on Oricon's enka/kayou charts.

In 2023 she received the 65th Japan Record Awards "Excellent Work Award" for "Hana Wazurai," and in 2025 she won the arrangement prize for "Oboro." She suspended activities in June 2024 for ovarian cancer treatment and made a comeback in 2025. Her expressiveness continues to mature. Her single "Chirinuruwo," released in May 2026, is on sale now.

饒舌霹靂雙人組

饒舌霹靂雙人組

饒舌霹靂雙人組 is a new unit featuring A Kua Mian (阿跨面), winner of The Big Hip‑Hop Era 2, and his college friend Baobao Xiong (寶寶熊). The team name — originally a spur‑of‑the‑moment creation during their student days — became the title of their debut album.

The work centers on a rap duo, Love (阿跨面) and Peace (寶寶熊), depicting their struggle to remain true to their beliefs in a world that represses hip‑hop culture. Incorporating Taiwanese culture and humor, the album offers a highly narrative, entertaining and energetic experience.

The physical edition includes a booklet with original manga. In 2026, these two "hip‑hop youths" aim to bring a fresh breeze to Taiwan's rap scene.

Alan (阿倫)

Alan (阿倫)

A Taiwan‑born YouTuber who has lived in Japan for more than 15 years. His channel "Alan Channel / 阿倫頻道" introduces Japanese travel and culture from his unique viewpoint and has garnered strong support across the overseas Chinese diaspora in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

Alan's strength lies not only in travel reporting but in delivering highly reliable information grounded in lived experience as a resident in Japan. He has collaborated with numerous Japanese local governments and companies to showcase hidden regional attractions to overseas audiences.

Known for his approachable character and thorough explanations, viewers call his channel "a bible for traveling to Japan." He acts as a bridge between Taiwan and Japan. He will appear in the talk session titled "When Japan is Mentioned, People Think of Alan."

Taiwan Culture Festival Cultural Exchange Envoys

Five figures with ties to Taiwan and Japan have been appointed cultural exchange envoys.

Yuuki Nakanishi

Yuuki Nakanishi

Debuted at age 13. After studying abroad in Taiwan at 19, she entered the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing — the alma mater of Zhang Ziyi — to study acting, and also trained in martial arts in Hong Kong.

Her upcoming Japanese film "Ame no Utsuwa" is set to be released next year, and she has received Best Actress awards at international film festivals in Barcelona, London and Nice.

She has officially released Mandarin covers of Teresa Teng's "I Only Care About the Flow of Time" and "Guilt" and Yumi Matsutoya's "Cold Rain." Her total social media following exceeds 1.5 million.

Daiki Takemoto

Daiki Takemoto

At 19 he attended a seal‑carving class and embarked on a career as a specialist in ancient scripts. He first visited Taiwan at 24 and connected with Taipei calligrapher Li Putong. By 33 he served as a member of the Mainichi Calligraphy Association and a judge of the Calligraphy Art Institute, later becoming independent at 40 and holding solo exhibitions domestically and in Germany, Spain and France.

At 44 he began a 30‑year practice of dedicatory calligraphy at Kyoto Seirenen Monzeki, establishing himself as a leading figure. His works demonstrate a concept of building a universe within the small square format, emphasizing use of white space.

Emily Pu (卜星慧)

Emily Pu (卜星慧)

Born in Kaohsiung, Emily Pu is a singer‑songwriter who performs accompanied by her own guitar. She writes, composes and produces her songs, and shares candid glimpses of daily life on social media, presenting her unadorned self.

With a passionate voice that evokes the heart of girls' rock, she has appeared on numerous music programs such as "Let's Listen to Bands Together!" (一起聽團吧！), "China's Good Songs" (中国好歌曲) and "Super Starlight Avenue" (超級星光大道), and has shown a humorous side on variety shows, captivating audiences with her multifaceted charm.

Amai Wana

Amai Wana

Born in 2000, Amai Wana is a next‑generation multi‑pop icon: singer‑songwriter, designer, model and actress. She has established a unique style that reinterprets Showa‑era technopop and 1990s Shibuya‑kei culture for the modern era, earning strong support in indie scenes in Taiwan and the U.S.

She drew global attention by appearing in U.S. artist Ginger Root's 2022 music video and has raised eyebrows with appearances at FUJI ROCK and Coachella 2025. As of 2026 she appears in multiple TV commercials and ad campaigns and began hosting a music program on TV Kanagawa and a regular radio segment from April.

daisuke katayama

daisuke katayama

A singer‑songwriter active around themes of music and travel.

In recent years he has deepened his ties with Taiwan, appearing at the Taichung camping festival "Won't You Go Camping With Us?" among other events.