白夜よさこい
Byakuya Yosakoi
Yosakoi in Europe
There are many Yosakoi teams outside of Japan. Most of them are in Asian countries, like Vietnam, Taiwan etc. However there are several teams in Europe as well. Here is a list of some of these teams, including existing partnerships.
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Yosakoi
European Teams
Koidoukai was created 2010, in France, by a group of French and Japanese students at University Michel de Montaigne in Bordeaux. The club was later formalized and received its current name Koidoukai.
You can find their website here!
Raiden was founded 2011, in the Netherlands, by Natascha Dames, at that time a student at Leiden University.
Raiden (雷電 ) is a wordplay on the Japanese words thunder and lightning, as well on the city Leiden.)
This team is no longer active!
Sakuramai Poland was created 2012, in Poland, by Emiko Tanaka and Eriko Yamaki. "Sakuramai Poland” is a sister team of the “Sakuramai” dance team operating in Toronto, Canada.
Sakuramai (桜舞) is a combination of the two kanji for cherry blossoms and dancing/dance.
In 2023, European teams were invited to join in on their Japanese summer festival in Wroclaw. It was a full day of yosakoi which ended with Kochi's own Kono chi e (video)
The teams that joined in were including Sakuramai Poland, Yuurin (Estonia), Byakuya (Sweden), Yosakoi Hanamaru (Czech Republic) and Ameagari Yosakoi (Hungary). This is Byakuya's second time performing in Poland with Sakuramai.
This is their facebook!
Zyka was founded 2012, in Sweden, by 王将 (Oushou) and was the first yosakoi team in Sweden. Zyka has helped found the Yosakoi European Network (YEN) together with Raiden Yosakoi and hosted Europe’s first Yosakoi Festival.
Zyka (瑞花 ) is a combination of two Japanese kanji with the meanings congratiulations and flower. The first kanji can also be used when writing Sweden.
You can find their website here!
This team is no longer active!
Todoroki was started 2013, in Stuttgart, Germany It is a Japanese Yosakoi Soran dance group that performs Kochi's Seichyo Naruko Yosakoi, Hokkaido's Nanchyu Sōran Bushi and also original dances.
The kanji "轟" (todoro) can be translated into "to roar/well-known". Another reason for the name is that Stuttgart is famous for being a "car city".
You can find their website here!
Yosakoi Paris Hinodemai was started 2014, in Paris, France, to promote the dance yosakoi. Hinodemai has members of all ages. The team has since it start performed in various events in France, Japan Expo in Paris and Marseille, as well as abroad.
日の出舞 is a combination of several kanji, day/sun, start/come out and lastly dance.
*Note, the team provides one important statistic about their team on their homepage, which is a broken naruko counter.
Odoritsuru was started 2015, in Nantes, France. The team has particpated in several event in France, such as Japan Expo.
Odoritsuru (踊り鶴 ) can be translate to dancing crane.
You can find their facebook here! (In French)
Dutch Yosakoi Team Sakura was started 2016, in the Netherlands.
You can find their facebook here!
This team is no longer active!
Temuzu (Yosakoi London) was founded 2016, in the United Kingdom, by Dipika Soni and Magda Kasprzycka.
The team was established by a group of individuals who have lived in Japan and danced with local Yosakoi teams. After returning home they wished to continue dancing yosakoi, and also introduce it to more people. The group has steadily grown in size and has performed at various Japan-related cultural events around the country and in Europe
Temuzu (天夢手) is a combination for the kanji for heavens/sky/imperial, dream/vision and hand/technique.
You can find their website here!
Hungary Yosakoi Team Sumire was founded 2018, in Budapest, Hungary.
You can find their website here!
Yosakoi Praha Hanamaru was founded 2018, in Prague, Czech Republic.
This is their facebook!
European Partnerships
YEN - Yosakoi European Network
YEN is a network for all yosakoi dancers in Europe, both teams and individuals without a team can be part of the group. By enabling everyone to communicate with each other YEN hopes to "strengthen and spread yosakoi in Europe". Currently the group is closed with around 230 members, but people can enter YEN by contacting someone in YEN, either a team or an individual.
On that note, Byakuya Yosakoi is also in YEN.
よさこいヨーロッパ連合チーム 勠力協心
(Yosakoi Europe United Team Rikuryoku Kyoshin)
Rikuryoku Kyoshin was created 2016 in Europe for the Kouchi Yosakoi Festival 2017. Rikuryoku Kyoshin is Europe's first international team. Currently there are 33 members, with most of them being from Europe.
You can find the website here!
This team is no longer active!
Fédération de Yosakoi de France-FYF
The French Yosakoi Federation (FYF)
The French Yosakoi Federation (FYF) was created in 2018. It gathers the French Yosakoi teams and works towards the practice and promotion of Yosakoi in France. It's current members are Koidokai, Hinodemai, Odoritsuru, Komainu, Nasutakahisho, Fukuroutachi and Tobikaeru
In 2023 the group danced together in 70° Yosakoi Matsturi held in Kochi.
We have done our best to compile information about the Yosakoi community in Europe. But please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, concerns or if the information is inaccurate.