The All Nighters from Kobe University at KazCamp 2026 – photo from KazCamp
Once again, Kaz Inaba has shared an overview of his big annual bluegrass Day in Japan, which he calls KazCamp, along with some photos and videos.
The 13th Annual Kazuhiro Inaba Bluegrass Camp was held successfully at Ikeda Citizen Cultural Hall, Osaka, on May 16, 2026.
We had 27 bands and a couple of jam sessions during the nine and a half hours of the event on May 16. All That Grass from Nagoya performed as a guest band, 29 Strings came all the way from Imabari, Ehime (Shikoku Island). Three bands from Kobe University brought some young musical energy to the event.
We enjoyed the music all day and renewed our friendships during the festival.
Tim Burns of Bluegrass in Japan from Yokohama attended the festival for the first time, and I’d like to share his impressions:
“It was a thrill for me to finally make it to KazCamp this year. Kaz is such a great host, and the staff was wonderful.
Bluegrass has such a warm, welcoming international community, and Kaz along with his brother Masatoshi, and his daughter, Alisa, exemplify the spirit of inclusion and gracious hospitality that is common to bluegrass everywhere, and particularly in Japan.
The venue was a beautiful and well-appointed indoor theater with a large stage, great seating, and professional quality lighting and sound, and a nice backstage area with dressing rooms and rehearsal space. The facility and sound support was the best I have experienced as a participant in a bluegrass event.
I enjoyed watching bands perform from 11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. During some of the open jams led by Kaz, I had the pleasure of playing banjo and singing with others on the stage, including some of the bluegrass musicians from Kobe University.
Alisa Inaba, the MC for the day’s event, interviewed me briefly between sets. As a member of the IBMA International Committee, I appreciated the chance to talk about our international stage at the upcoming IBMA World of Bluegrass in Chattanooga, and to talk about building bluegrass connections between the Japanese bluegrass community and IBMA.
KazCamp 2026 was a fun day, hearing performances by excellent musicians, a chance to connect with some people I knew, and to make many new friends.
I look forward to returning to KazCamp in 2027.”
