JSDF Marching Festival 2018

Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) Marching Festival 2018 took place at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo for three days from November 21st to 23rd. The festival is the JSDF’s largest music event held annually around November as part of the JSDF Day commemoration. This year, U.S. Army Japan Band, and U.S. Marine Corps III Marine Expeditionary Force Band participated in the Festival as guest bands. Additionally, the Bagad de Lann-Bihoué French Navy Band and Singapore Armed Forces Central Band took part in this festival for the first time and second time respectively.

The theme of the Festival of this year is “Challenge.”

The Festival consisted of five chapters including “Challenge of Ground”, “Challenge of Maritime” and “Challenge of Air”. Splendid harmony was delivered by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Central Band, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces (JMSDF) Tokyo Band, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Central Band, the JGSDF Northeastern Army Band and Western Army Band. Along with the band performances, drill performance by the JGSDF 302nd Military Police Company, fancy drill by the National Defense Academy Guard of Honor, and taiko drum performance by the JSDF JIEI-DAIKO (Japanese Drum) Teams fascinated audiences with its unity and powerfulness.

In the finale, “SEIMEI” and “Jupitar” were performed by all the bands, and JSDF vocalists sang “Minna ga minna eiyu” together. All the participating bands played “Eikan wa kimini kagayaku” as they exit the hall and brought the marching festival to a closure.

Audiences left the venue, and they seemed to be totally fascinated and utterly impatient for the next year’s marching festival.