Supporting the 'Sayama Irumagawa Tanabata Festival,' one of the Kanto's Three Great Tanabata Festivals, with music. A charity piano concert will be held on Saturday, July 4, 2026!

The 'Sayama Irumagawa Tanabata Festival,' one of the Kanto's three great Tanabata festivals, and its core 'Noryo Fireworks Display' are cherished as the city's largest tourist event, attracting many spectators from both within and outside the city. However, due to recent social conditions, rising security costs and equipment materials, and the need for further strengthening safety measures, the increase in operational expenses has become a very serious issue. To continue meeting the expectations of citizens and, above all, to maintain and inherit an operation system that prioritizes 'safety and security,' securing new financial resources in addition to traditional ones is indispensable. This charity piano concert will be held with the aim of connecting this traditional festival to the next generation and further enlivening it. *The proceeds from this concert will be donated to the Sayama Irumagawa Tanabata Festival Executive Committee as funds for safe operation. Event Name: Sayama Irumagawa Tanabata Festival Charity Piano Concert Date: Saturday, July 4, 2026. Doors open at 17:00, performance starts at 18:00. Venue: Setagaya Ward Karasuyama Community Hall (6-2-19 Minami-Karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, 157-0062). Access: 1 minute walk from Keio Line 'Chitose-Karasuyama Station'. Admission: All seats reserved 5,500 yen (tax included). Purchase method: Via eplus (https://eplus.jp/sf/detail/4500990001-P0030001). Official website: https://tanabata-charity.sayama-kanko.jp/. Organizer: Sayama City Tourism Association (Sayama Irumagawa Tanabata Festival Executive Committee). Sponsors: Sayama City / Sayama Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Performer: Ryota Kikuchi. Pianist, composer/arranger, YouTube creator. Started piano at age 4, graduated from National College of Music Affiliated Junior and Senior High School, and completed Nihon University College of Art and Graduate School. While in university, he provided artist support and music, and has worked on numerous TV programs, film scores, anime music, and game music. In 2019, he gained attention for producing music for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Web CM. His YouTube channel has over 850,000 subscribers and over 300 million total views. In 2023, his collaboration video with May J., 'Disney played, and suddenly a real Disney singer appeared, causing a huge panic in the venue,' exceeded 20 million views and ranked first in the entertainment category on YouTube. He enjoys high popularity both domestically and internationally. He is also actively engaged in concert activities, with all performances of his solo concert at Suntory Hall in 2021 and his UK tour in 2023 selling out. Furthermore, he has appeared in many large music festivals such as 'FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL,' Europe's largest anime festival 'AnimagiC' held in Germany, and 'Kyoto Ongaku Hakurankai' organized by Quruli, captivating a wide range of music fans. He has won numerous international music competitions and has performed as a soloist with orchestras in many concerts. In November 2024, he will hold a concert in Japan, performing all four of Gershwin's concerto works in one evening for the first time. In 2025, he will perform 'Ginastera: Piano Concerto No. 1' at the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra's regular concert. In February of this year, his total social media followers, including X, exceeded 1 million. Based on the solid technique cultivated in classical music, his style of freely performing all genres with excellent improvisation and arrangement skills is highly regarded as a unique pianist. He continues to be active in various fields, including media appearances on NHK 'Classic TV' and 'SONGS,' and a serialized column 'Ryota Kikuchi's Stroll through Music' in Monthly Chopin. Contact for this matter: Sayama Irumagawa Tanabata Festival Executive Committee. Phone number: 04-2954-3333.