Yosakoi is often described as a traditional Japanese dance, but in a nation where there are nearly a dozen companies that have been performing for more than a thousand years it’s actually surprisingly modern. Born in the southern prefecture of Kochi in the mid-1950s, yosakoi (which means whirlpool or circle) quickly spread around the country and is now performed at festivals and events across Japan. Blending traditional choreography with modern and folk music, the dance is usually performed by large multi-generational teams of colorfully costumed men and women who accompany their swirling choreography with wooden clackers called naruko. With some 40 members between the ages of seven and 64, Uzumaru is a yosakoi team from San Jose’s Japantown launched by Ikumi Sekiguchi in 2017 shortly after she moved to the South Bay from Japan.
Uzumaru
Thursday, July 11, 2024 | 12:30-1:30p
Great Lawn, Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission St. between 3rd & 4th Sts., SF
FREE
Yerba Buena Gardens Festival 2024
May 4 – November 2, 2024
Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission btwn Third and Fourth, SoMa, SF
FREEDirections & Parking | Admission-Free Seating | Performance Times | See the Full Calendar
2024 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival Programming Highlights
All events are free and take place outdoors in Yerba Buena Gardens, off Mission Street between 3rd and 4th Streets, and the Yerba Buena Children’s Garden located at Howard & Fourth Street.
JULY 2024
- Get Free Festival – July 6
- Yerba Buena Gardens ChoreoFest – July 13 & July 20
- Color Your Mind Festival – July 27
AUGUST 2024
- San Francisco Mime Troupe – August 4
- Pistahan – August 10-11
- Brazil in the Gardens – August 15
SEPTEMBER 2024
- 5th Annual African Arts Festival – September 7
- YBG Dance Day – September 28
OCTOBER 2024
- San Francisco Indigenous Peoples Day – October 14
Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.
