![[2026] RAG 45th Anniversary Festival](https://media.ragnet.co.jp/img/1200__jpg__https://www.studiorag.com/files/2026/03/96628c89330e138e89d62f92a76e47ab-1.webp)
[2026] RAG 45th Anniversary Festival
Spring is finally here.
In April 1981, RAG opened as a jazz café in Kitayama, Kyoto, and this year marks our 45th anniversary.
It has also been 38 years since we relocated and reopened in Kiyamachi in ’88.
These 45 years have been built together with countless music fans and musicians, our local community, and the many companies and shops across Japan who support us—everyone whose connections and cheers we’ve been fortunate to receive.
We will continue to share with the world the allure of music—“a treasure of humanity” that transcends words and resonates through the body—and the wonder of the circles of connection that music creates among people.
Please enjoy the “living music” on stage from musicians who constantly hone their craft in pursuit of the very best.
[2026] RAG 45th Anniversary Festival (1–10)
Wed 4/1 – RAG 45th Anniversary Festival – SANTA ISHIWAKI QUARTET CD “Celestial Sailing” Release Tour Kansai Day 1NEW!Ishiwaki Santa (Ts) Satou Yusaku (P) Hisamatsu Ryo (B) Nagao Takuto (Ds)
Centered around the young saxophonist Santa Ishiwaki, the Santa Ishiwaki Quartet features powerhouse players Yusaku Sato, Ryo Hisamatsu, and Takuto Nagao.
They’re a compelling band with a distinctive sound that blends contemporary jazz and fusion.
Their top-prize win at a contest is no fluke.
At their shows, you can savor Ishiwaki’s commanding tone alongside the seasoned members’ multidimensional, richly colored ensemble work.
You’ll find yourself captivated by the tug-of-war between meticulous arrangements and the kind of searing, in-the-moment improvisation you can only experience live.
Their tight-knit interplay lets each member step into the spotlight, so be sure to immerse yourself in the grand musical story they create.
Fri, 4/3 #STDRUMS WEST JAPAN TOUR 2026 SPRING ~RAG 45th Anniversary Festival One-Man Show~ MULTI SOUND INSTALLATION IN KYOTONEW!# STDRUMS: Yūji Rerure Kawaguchi (Ds)
#STDRUMS is the solo project of Yuji LerLe Kawaguchi, an artist who has traversed a wide range of stages—from hardcore scenes to major venues, and even street busking across countries around the world.
The allure lies in a one-of-a-kind playing style that fuses the powerful physicality of rock with the repetition inherent in club music.
This one-man show will take place in a special acoustic environment equipped with a full sound system.
Though performed solo, the ensemble woven from electronic textures, reverberations in the space, and live drums feels like a heated call-and-response with the acoustics themselves.
You may find your body involuntarily swayed by the dynamic beats, distilled from his extensive collaborations with a diverse array of artists.
4/5 (Sun) ~ RAG 45th Anniversary Festival ~ Kyusen Man’en Spring Splendor Tour 2026NEW!Adachi Kumi (G) Kawaguchi Senri (Ds) Sudo Mitsuru (B)
Kuchimanen is a unit featuring guitarist Kumi Adachi, drummer Senri Kawaguchi, and bassist Mitsuru Sutoh—leading figures in Japan’s fusion scene.
They deliver top-tier instrumental music where a powerful guitar, drums boasting overwhelming technical prowess, and a melodic, razor-sharp bass meld into one.
Their tightly knit ensemble, honed over years of performing together, is a must-see.
Each member’s original tunes and cover songs are vividly reborn within the taut, invigorating tension unique to a simple trio format.
The chemistry is electrifying as everyone instantly responds to a single player’s phrase, and the music evolves on the spot.
Experience a dazzling, propulsive, and passionate stage crafted by these battle-tested players.
Fri 4/10 – RAG 45th Anniversary Festival – Kiyoshi HasegawaNEW!Hasegawa Kiyoshi (Vo,G)
Kiyoshi Hasegawa is a singer-songwriter who captivates listeners by expressing a wide range of music—chanson, folk, bossa nova, jazz, and more—through his unique artistic vision.
For over half a century, he has continually honed his formidable vocal prowess and technique as a singer-guitarist.
Another major appeal is his rich musicality that transcends genres, cultivated through collaborations with world-renowned artists.
This performance is a completely solo concert with no support musicians.
His deep voice and meticulously nuanced guitar touch weave a sublime ensemble that, though performed by one person, creates the vivid sensation of multiple instruments conversing.
Beloved classics will surely resonate with the emotional shading that only Hasegawa can bring at this moment in his career.
Experience live the intense, immersive time in which voice and guitar alone command the space.
Wed 4/15 – RAG 45th Anniversary Festival – Tee House Brothers BandNEW!Kotake Nao (Vo, G) Fujita Maya (P, Rhodes Piano, Cho) Yamada Haruzou (B, Kalimba) Kataoka Koji (Ds)
Tee House Brothers Band features vocalist and guitarist Nao Kotake, a standout in the Kansai soul scene; pianist Maya Fujita, who carries on the Richard Tee style; Haruzo Yamada on bass and kalimba; and Koji Kataoka on drums.
They deliver a refined sound rooted in blues and R&B.
The groove they create—born from years of camaraderie—moves your body before you know it.
In their live shows, Kotake’s warm vocals are gently supported by Fujita’s piano and Fender Rhodes, expanding a sophisticated urban R&B world.
Yamada’s thick bass tone and Kataoka’s drums wrap the whole band in a way that truly electrifies.
There’s no doubt you’ll be irresistibly drawn into their superb ensemble, forged from deep mutual trust.