J-FESTA 2026 (Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival) Part 1

The 5^th Annual Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival, now branded as J-FESTA, was held on Friday, July 10, 2026, with seven steel guitarists and steel guitar ensembles from Japan performing. The festival was incorporated into the weeklong Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week. Co-emcees were Masami Sato and Alan Akaka. The event was livestreamed and featured Michiyo Fujita, moani ito, YUKIO KATAGIRI, Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi and his Steel Guitar Ensemble, Masami "MATT" Kobayashi and Friends, Paul Okubo, and Masami Sato & Makana.(Stylizations are at the request of the respective performers.)

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• Monte McComber says a few words.
• Co-emcee Masami Sato.
• Co-emcee Alan Akaka.
• Alan Akaka.
• Featured steel guitarist Masami ''MATT'' Kobayashi.
• Bassist Hovey Lambert.
• Hula dancer Caroline Affonso.
• Guitarist Ernie Morikubo.
• Guitarist Nathan Nahinu.
• ʻUkulele player Leonard Jenkins.
• Hovey Lambert.
• Royal Grove audience enjoying the concert.
• Dancers from Japan joined in.
• Caroline Affonso shows audience members how to hula.
• Backup musician Devin Nakahara.
• Featured steel guitarist Paul Okubo.
• Backup musician Kaipo Lindsey.
• Backup musician David Woodward.
• Paul Okubo.
• Dylan Nakahara, Paul Okubo, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• Lion Ensemble steel guitarist Sakae Machida.
• Lion Ensemble steel guitarist Haruko Ozeki.
• Kiyoshi ʻʻLionʻʻ Kobayashi.
• Lion Ensemble steel guitarist Masako Wakamatsu.
• Kiyoshi ʻʻLionʻʻ Kobayashi.
• Haruko Ozeki.
• Sakae Machida.
• Kiyoshi ʻʻLionʻʻ Kobayashi and Paul Okubo.
• Kiyoshi ʻʻLionʻʻ Kobayashi and Paul Okubo.
• Kiyoshi ʻʻLionʻʻ Kobayashi and his Steel Guitar Ensemble: Sakae Machida, Haruku Ozeki, x, and Masako Wakamatsu.

Back to Gallery: 2026 Waikiki Steel Guitar Week

Photography by Don Rostow ©2026 by Don Rostow and HIMELE.