J-FESTA 2026 - Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival Lineup Announced

June 1, 2026 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

The lineup for J-FESTA 2026 has been announced. Seven Hawaiian steel guitar artists from Japan will participate in this year's 5^th Annual Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival, now branded as J-FESTA.

The festival will be held at the Royal Hawaiian Center's Royal Grove stage on Friday, July 10, 2026, as a part of the 8^th annual Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week. The festival will be livestreamed with performances beginning at 3:00 PM and contunuing through 6:30 PM Hawaiian Standard Time.

Co-emcees for the event will be Masami Sato and Alan Akaka.

Returning to this year's festival are Japan steel guitarists Michiyo Fujita, Yukio Katagiri, Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi, Masami "Matt" Kobayashi and Friends, Paul Okubo, and Masami Sato and Makana. New to this year's festival is moani ito.

Lion will celebrate his 93^nd birthday on July 7 as the featured artist at the Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week's Tuesday evening concert. He will be accompanied by the Lion Ladies steel guitar ensemble.

Masami Sato's group Makana includes Kazuko Tanaka on steel guitar, Kazuko Ishii on guitar, Ayumi Kato on guitar and vocals, Yoshiko Konno on ‘ukulele and bass, and Michiko Makiuchi on keyboards, ‘ukulele, and vocals.

Matt Kobayashi will return with musicians and dancers who have performed with him at past festivals, including Leonard Jenkins on ‘ukulele, Hovey Lambert on bass, Poki‘i Vaughan on guitar, Ernie Morikubo on guitar, and hula dancers Caroline Affonso and Kela Cuban.

Backup musicians for some performers include Alan Akaka on ‘ukulele, Kaipo Lindsey on ‘ukulele, David Woodward on guitar, and Helene Woodward on bass.

Additional information about J-FESTA 2026, including artist biographies and performance schedule, is availabe on the J-FESTA website.