Bakurocho Band, Billyrrom, and showmore to Perform at Czech International Music Showcase "Czech Music Crossroads"
Key facts
- Bakurocho Band, Billyrrom, and showmore to Perform at Czech International Music Showcase "Czech Music Crossroads"
- The Japan Foundation (JF) is collaborating with the music showcase platform CUEW to send three notable Japanese artists – Bakurocho Band, Billyrrom, and showmore – to the "Czech Music Crossroads" international music showcase and conference festival in Ostrava, Czech Republic. This initiative aims to promote Japanese music globally and foster cultural exchange with the Czech Republic and Central/Eastern Europe.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: June 12, 2026
Direct answer
The Japan Foundation (JF) is collaborating with the music showcase platform CUEW to send three notable Japanese artists – Bakurocho Band, Billyrrom, and showmore – to the "Czech Music Crossroads" international music showcase and conference festival in Ostrava, Czech Republic. This initiative aims to promote Japanese music globally and foster cultural exchange with the Czech Republic and Central/Eastern Europe.
- Citation
- Bakurocho Band, Billyrrom, and showmore to Perform at Czech International Music Showcase "Czech Music Crossroads" (June 12, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- June 12, 2026
The Japan Foundation (JF) is collaborating with the music showcase platform CUEW to send three notable Japanese artists – Bakurocho Band, Billyrrom, and showmore – to the "Czech Music Crossroads" international music showcase and conference festival in Ostrava, Czech Republic. This initiative aims to promote Japanese music globally and foster cultural exchange with the Czech Republic and Central/Eastern Europe.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: June 12, 2026 at 23:14
- 🔍 Collected: June 12, 2026 at 14:21
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 12, 2026 at 16:51 (2h 30m after Collected)
The Japan Foundation (JF), in cooperation with the music showcase platform CUEW (pronounced "cue"), will dispatch three artists gaining attention in the Japanese music scene – Bakurocho Band, Billyrrom, and showmore – to the international music showcase and conference festival "Czech Music Crossroads" held in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Bakurocho Band, Billyrrom, showmore
JF is an independent administrative institution that promotes "Cultural Arts Exchange," "Japanese Language Education," and "Japan Studies and International Dialogue" with the mission to "Cultivate friendships and foster bonds with the world."
In the field of performing arts, JF implements the music showcase platform "CUEW" with the concept of "Creating new opportunities between Japan and the world." It globally promotes the talents of artists from Japan, Asia, and around the world, while simultaneously creating a space for exchange where domestic and international music professionals gather for learning and encounters.
CUEW has been held in August 2025 and April 2026, realizing overseas performances for nine artists to date. (See the end of this release for details).
The next CUEW is scheduled to be held on April 9, 2027.
"Czech Music Crossroads" is an international event with a large number of music professionals (festival organizers, promoters, labels, media, etc.) participating, primarily from Central and Eastern Europe. This dispatch was made possible through research in Japan by staff from "Czech Music Crossroads" who were invited to Japan for CUEW held in August 2025.
Through these performances, we aim to widely promote the appeal of Japanese music and build a network that can lead to future overseas performances and international co-productions.
Furthermore, during the festival, a presentation on the Japanese music scene will be conducted by the co-organizer CUEW (SHIN Inc.), comprehensively introducing the diverse appeal of Japanese music.
We aim to deepen mutual understanding between Japan, the Czech Republic, and the Central/Eastern European region through music, and further develop cultural exchange.
* CUEW is both a music showcase and conference platform, as well as the name of the executive committee that operates it.
Performances (Note: Only Japanese artists are listed)
Date and Time
Saturday, June 27, 2026
Venue
Special venue in Ostrava city
Performers
Bakurocho Band, Billyrrom, showmore
Details
https://www.crossroadsmusic.cz/en
Organizer
Czech Music Crossroads
Co-organizers
The Japan Foundation (JF), CUEW (SHIN Inc.)
CUEW Presentation at the Conference
Date and Time
Friday, June 26, 2026
Venue
Ostrava city
Performers
Yuta Nomura / Koki Takahashi (CUEW)
Details
https://www.crossroadsmusic.cz/en
Organizer
Czech Music Crossroads
Co-organizers
The Japan Foundation (JF), CUEW (SHIN Inc.)
■ Artist Profiles
【Bakurocho Band】
Active with the help of various musicians, including drummers, saxophonists, pianists, and vocalists, centered around Tetsuhiro Take and Yosuke Oda.
With the concept of "Folk music starting from scratch," they trace their roots to all artistic expressions from past and present, East and West, and practice everything from instrument development to visual expression themselves, expanding their activities to planning for TV, stage, and animation.
【Billyrrom】
Billyrrom is a six-member band from Machida City, Tokyo.
They create a unique sound primarily rooted in DISCO, SOUL, and FUNK.
The band name was chosen to honor Bill Evans' "spirit of unwavering conviction" and the "fluidity of nomadic Romani people to disseminate their music from various places." Their true value is proven live.
Their one-man live shows sell out annually, and they have performed at major domestic festivals including FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL and SUMMER SONIC. Furthermore, they have participated in overseas festivals/events in Taipei, Taichung, South Korea, Xiamen, Shanghai, Indonesia, and Thailand, expanding their global reach.
In 2026, they will hold their first Asia one-man tour, visiting Osaka, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Taipei. Additionally, in the same year, they announced a global partnership agreement with Universal Music, accelerating their worldwide expansion.
They have also received high acclaim both domestically and internationally, including being selected as one of "Fender NEXT" from over 1000 global artists, receiving the "Annual New Voice Recommendation" at China's NetEase Cloud Music New Artist Awards, and being recognized by Spotify's "RADAR: Early Noise 2025" and "TOKYO ALTER MUSIC AWARD 25" Best Alter Artists.
Their Music Videos have surpassed one million views for 9 works, and their Spotify viral charts have reached the TOP10 in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam, with further major playlist inclusions in 9 Asian countries/regions.
Billyrrom continues to expand and carve out a new era. Their evolution is still in progress.
【showmore】
A unit consisting of vocalist Manami Nezu and keyboardist/producer Takashi Inoue. After their band days, they restarted in their current format in September 2017, and their song "circus" released shortly after became a major hit. They have released four albums to date, with a total of over 90 million streams combined on streaming services and YouTube.
They have established a unique position in the scene with their emotional lyrical world, alternative sound that transcends the boundaries of pop, and consistent independent activities.
■ Overseas Performances Realized/Planned by CUEW (as of this announcement)
2025
October
Egypt
"She Arts Festival"
Sakura Fujiwara
2026 January
Côte d'Ivoire
"Anime Ivoire 2026"
EYRIE
February 2026
Solo performances in Hong Kong and Taiwan
soraya
May 2026
Indonesia
"Java Jazz Festival"
NIKO NIKO TAN TAN
June 2026
Australia
"RISING"
NIKO NIKO TAN TAN,
HUGEN
June 2026
Czech Republic
"Czech Music Crossroads"
Bakurocho Band,
Billyrrom, showmore
June 2026
Japan Foundation, Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris
Kan Sano
July 2026
Czech Republic
"Colours of Ostrava"
NIKO
Bakurocho Band, Billyrrom, showmore
JF is an independent administrative institution that promotes "Cultural Arts Exchange," "Japanese Language Education," and "Japan Studies and International Dialogue" with the mission to "Cultivate friendships and foster bonds with the world."
In the field of performing arts, JF implements the music showcase platform "CUEW" with the concept of "Creating new opportunities between Japan and the world." It globally promotes the talents of artists from Japan, Asia, and around the world, while simultaneously creating a space for exchange where domestic and international music professionals gather for learning and encounters.
CUEW has been held in August 2025 and April 2026, realizing overseas performances for nine artists to date. (See the end of this release for details).
The next CUEW is scheduled to be held on April 9, 2027.
"Czech Music Crossroads" is an international event with a large number of music professionals (festival organizers, promoters, labels, media, etc.) participating, primarily from Central and Eastern Europe. This dispatch was made possible through research in Japan by staff from "Czech Music Crossroads" who were invited to Japan for CUEW held in August 2025.
Through these performances, we aim to widely promote the appeal of Japanese music and build a network that can lead to future overseas performances and international co-productions.
Furthermore, during the festival, a presentation on the Japanese music scene will be conducted by the co-organizer CUEW (SHIN Inc.), comprehensively introducing the diverse appeal of Japanese music.
We aim to deepen mutual understanding between Japan, the Czech Republic, and the Central/Eastern European region through music, and further develop cultural exchange.
* CUEW is both a music showcase and conference platform, as well as the name of the executive committee that operates it.
Performances (Note: Only Japanese artists are listed)
Date and Time
Saturday, June 27, 2026
Venue
Special venue in Ostrava city
Performers
Bakurocho Band, Billyrrom, showmore
Details
https://www.crossroadsmusic.cz/en
Organizer
Czech Music Crossroads
Co-organizers
The Japan Foundation (JF), CUEW (SHIN Inc.)
CUEW Presentation at the Conference
Date and Time
Friday, June 26, 2026
Venue
Ostrava city
Performers
Yuta Nomura / Koki Takahashi (CUEW)
Details
https://www.crossroadsmusic.cz/en
Organizer
Czech Music Crossroads
Co-organizers
The Japan Foundation (JF), CUEW (SHIN Inc.)
■ Artist Profiles
【Bakurocho Band】
Active with the help of various musicians, including drummers, saxophonists, pianists, and vocalists, centered around Tetsuhiro Take and Yosuke Oda.
With the concept of "Folk music starting from scratch," they trace their roots to all artistic expressions from past and present, East and West, and practice everything from instrument development to visual expression themselves, expanding their activities to planning for TV, stage, and animation.
【Billyrrom】
Billyrrom is a six-member band from Machida City, Tokyo.
They create a unique sound primarily rooted in DISCO, SOUL, and FUNK.
The band name was chosen to honor Bill Evans' "spirit of unwavering conviction" and the "fluidity of nomadic Romani people to disseminate their music from various places." Their true value is proven live.
Their one-man live shows sell out annually, and they have performed at major domestic festivals including FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL and SUMMER SONIC. Furthermore, they have participated in overseas festivals/events in Taipei, Taichung, South Korea, Xiamen, Shanghai, Indonesia, and Thailand, expanding their global reach.
In 2026, they will hold their first Asia one-man tour, visiting Osaka, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Taipei. Additionally, in the same year, they announced a global partnership agreement with Universal Music, accelerating their worldwide expansion.
They have also received high acclaim both domestically and internationally, including being selected as one of "Fender NEXT" from over 1000 global artists, receiving the "Annual New Voice Recommendation" at China's NetEase Cloud Music New Artist Awards, and being recognized by Spotify's "RADAR: Early Noise 2025" and "TOKYO ALTER MUSIC AWARD 25" Best Alter Artists.
Their Music Videos have surpassed one million views for 9 works, and their Spotify viral charts have reached the TOP10 in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam, with further major playlist inclusions in 9 Asian countries/regions.
Billyrrom continues to expand and carve out a new era. Their evolution is still in progress.
【showmore】
A unit consisting of vocalist Manami Nezu and keyboardist/producer Takashi Inoue. After their band days, they restarted in their current format in September 2017, and their song "circus" released shortly after became a major hit. They have released four albums to date, with a total of over 90 million streams combined on streaming services and YouTube.
They have established a unique position in the scene with their emotional lyrical world, alternative sound that transcends the boundaries of pop, and consistent independent activities.
■ Overseas Performances Realized/Planned by CUEW (as of this announcement)
2025
October
Egypt
"She Arts Festival"
Sakura Fujiwara
2026 January
Côte d'Ivoire
"Anime Ivoire 2026"
EYRIE
February 2026
Solo performances in Hong Kong and Taiwan
soraya
May 2026
Indonesia
"Java Jazz Festival"
NIKO NIKO TAN TAN
June 2026
Australia
"RISING"
NIKO NIKO TAN TAN,
HUGEN
June 2026
Czech Republic
"Czech Music Crossroads"
Bakurocho Band,
Billyrrom, showmore
June 2026
Japan Foundation, Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris
Kan Sano
July 2026
Czech Republic
"Colours of Ostrava"
NIKO
FAQ
What is the significance of Japanese artists participating in a Czech music event?
It aims to promote the appeal of Japanese music internationally, deepen cultural exchange with the Czech Republic and Central/Eastern Europe, and create opportunities for new international co-productions and overseas performances.
What kind of event is "Czech Music Crossroads"?
It is an international music showcase and conference festival that gathers music professionals, primarily from Central and Eastern Europe.
Who are the Japanese artists being dispatched?
The three groups are Bakurocho Band, Billyrrom, and showmore, all of whom are notable artists in Japan.