# Japan Nite

Japan Nite is an annual music event in North America which began in 1996, featuring Japanese rock, pop, and alternative music artists. Originally centered around South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, the event expanded in later years to include multi-city tours of the United States, and has often been the first US performance for the participating artists.

## History

Japan Nite was conceived by Hiroshi Asada, former manager of Pizzicato Five, and Audrey Kimura, the founder of the independent Japanese label Benten.
Asada organized a showcase called Psycho Night (a play on the Japanese word saiko, for "awesome") at the 1992 New Music Seminar in New York City featuring only Japanese acts, including Pizzicato Five. Asada was approached by representatives from SXSW who invited him to create a similar showcase in Austin, since there was not a strong presence of Asian music at the festival at the time.
Kimura brought her band Lolita No. 18 to perform at the first Japan Nite in 1996, the first Japanese band to ever play SXSW.
In 2008, the all-girl rock band Scandal toured the U.S. as part of the Japan Nite tour, the band's first tour outside of Japan.
In 2011, Japan Nite's performances at SXSW benefitted the Japanese Red Cross's recovery efforts for the Great East Japan Earthquake. In 2013, Japan Nite's tour extended to Canada for the first time with a performance at Canadian Music Week.
In 2016, X Japan leader Yoshiki made a surprise guest appearance at Japan Nite's SXSW performance in Austin on the same night as the festival's premiere of the documentary film We Are X.
In 2020, the Japan Nite tour was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

## Reception

Japan Nite's reputation among music journalists has been anchored in its eclectic showcase of unusual artists. The Austin Chronicle said "Japan Nite usually means getting your mind blown" and LA Weekly characterized the tour as "bringing an eclectic mix of alternative-minded Japanese bands".

## Participating artists

"It used to be that most of the artists at Japan Nite were major label bands," Asada said. "The music business people thought that one show at SXSW would be enough to make a deal out of, but it isn’t so easy." Lack of participation from major labels became a major factor in the tour's programming, and Japan Nite's lineup shifted away from the mainstream in later years, featuring primarily alternative music acts. "I go for the weird bands,” Asada said. "If we could deal with major labels, we could set that up, but they just focus on the Japanese market now."

### Lineup

| Year | Artist | Cities |
| 1996 | Lolita No.18, Pugs | Austin (SXSW) |
| 1997 | Husking Bee, Cocco, Pugs, The Mad Capsule Markets | Austin (SXSW) |
| 1998 | Tengoku Jack, The Kokkeshies, ONTJ, Balbora, Cocco | Austin (SXSW) |
| 1999 | Ex-Girl, Missile Girl Scoot, Nicotine, Number Girl | Austin (SXSW) |
| 2000 | Mummy The Peepshow, Dr. Strangelove, Number Girl, Spoozys, Lolita No.18, Original Love | Austin (SXSW) |
| 2001 | Love Psychedelico, Bleach03, Heart Bazaar, Playgues, The Jerry Lee Phantom, Dr. Strangelove | Austin (SXSW) |
| 2002 | Bonkin'Clapper, The Soulsberry, Understatements, Foe, Nananine, Fantasy's Core, Petty Booka, The Jerry Lee Phantom, The Salinger, Bleach03 | Austin (SXSW) |
| 2003 | Condor44, Core Of Soul, Invisibleman's Deathbed, Minor League, Papaya Paranoia, Petty Booka | Austin (SXSW) |
| 2004 | Kishidan, Fuzzy Control, Zanzo, The Emeralds, Response, Romz Records Crew, TsuShiMaMiRe, Kokeshi Doll, Noodles, Petty Booka, Bleach03 | Austin (SXSW) |
| 2005 | Titan Go King's, I-Dep, The Emeralds, Noodles, The Pillows, The Hot Shots, Suns Owl, Zanzo, Petty Booka, Bonnie Pink | Austin (SXSW), Chicago, New York, Canton, Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle, Berkeley, San Francisco |
| 2006 | Vasallo Crab 75, The Rodeo Carburettor, PE'Z, Ellegarden, TsuShiMaMiRe, The Emeralds | Austin (SXSW), San Antonio, New York, Cambridge, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles |
| 2007 | HY, The Emeralds, The 50 Kaitenz, Go!Go!7188, Pistol Valve, Oreskaband | Austin (SXSW), New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles |
| 2008 | Detroit7, Avengers in Sci-Fi, Ketchup Mania, Petty Booka, Quartz-head 02, Sodopp, Scandal | Austin (SXSW), New York, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles |
| 2009 | FLiP, Dirty Old Men, Honey Sac, Sparta Locals, Grapevine, Detroit7, Stereopony, SpecialThanks, The Emeralds, SA, Asakusa Jinta, Quaff | Austin (SXSW), New York, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles |
| 2010 | Chatmonchy, Okamoto's, Red Bacteria Vacuum, Dolly, Omodaka, JinnyOops!, Riddim Saunter | Austin (SXSW), New York, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles |
| 2011 | Mo'some Tonebender, Lolita No.18, Hystoic Vein, Zukunashi, White White Sisters, Oh Sunshine | Austin (SXSW), New York, Chicago, Seattle, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles |
| 2012 | Saito Johnny, Nokies!, Kao=S, ZZZ's, Vampillia, The Rubies, Akabane Vulgars on Strong Bypass | Austin (SXSW), Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco |
| 2013 | Kao=S, Charan-Po-Rantan, Jake Stone Garage, Chihiro Yamazaki+Route 14 Band, Pirates Canoe, Four Minutes Til Midnight, Josy | Austin (SXSW), Chicago, Columbus, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Toronto |
| 2014 | Happy, Mothercoat, Mayu Wakisaka, Jungles (R.B.V.), Starmarie, Sentimental City Romance | Austin (SXSW), Athens (GA), Chicago, Columbus, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco |
| 2015 | moumoon, TsuShiMaMiRe, Pirates Canoe, The Fin., Quorum, Samurai Dynamites, Mahoshojoninaritai | Austin (SXSW), Athens (GA), Chicago, Columbus, New York, Denver, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco |
| 2016 | Ed Woo, Pannacotta, The Fin., Tempalay, Rei, Jungles (R.B.V.), Reatmo, Alexandros | Austin (SXSW), New York, Baltimore, Chicago, Long Beach, San Francisco |
| 2017 | Chai, Srv.Vinci, Walkings, Anglogix, HanatoChiruran, RiRi | Austin (SXSW), New York, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles |
| 2018 | Domico, Attractions, Mika Kanda, Rude-α, Prankroom, Anna Takeuchi | Austin (SXSW), New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco |
| 2019 | Furutori, Asterism, Stereogirl, Regallily, The Perfect Me, Ex-Girl | Austin (SXSW) |
| 2020* (cancelled) | Uchikubi-Gokumondokokai, Kyusonekokami, Tri4th, The Tomboys | *all venues cancelled due to COVID-19 |
| 2021* (cancelled) | (no musical acts announced) | (no venues announced) |