On May 12, the 13th annual Japan Day @ Central Park will be held in New York. That night, there will be two special concerts held in coordination with the event. Titled “Japan Night“, these concerts will pair HYDE and Wagakki Band, followed by MISIA and Puffy AmiYumi.

These concerts are part of the “Japan 2019” program. Following on the heels of last year’s French program, Japonismes 2018, Japan 2019 looks to expand the understanding of and interest in Japanese culture in the US. Both Japan 2019 and Japonismes 2018 are spurred by the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Japan Night is organized by The Japan Foundation, and produced by Disk Garage, Gorgeous Entertainment, and Cool Japan Music, and sponsored by Kinoshita Group.

The Japan Foundation is Japan’s sole institution dedicated to carrying out international cultural exchange programs around the world. Hiroyasu Ando, President of The Japan Foundation, said, “In Japan 2019, we are introducing a wide variety of Japanese culture. In particular, Japan Night presents live music performances of top-level artists that are highly respected and vastly popular in Japan. We hope to offer a taste of contemporary Japan to New Yorkers who are accustomed to such quality arts in their daily lives.”

Japan 2019 will take place across the US, starting this month and ending in December. A list of events can be found here.

The HYDE and Wagakki Band concert is at 5 PM on May 12 at PlayStation Theater. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door.

The MISIA and Puffy AmiYumi concert follows at 8 PM at Sony Hall. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door.

VIP is available for both concerts. Tickets go on sale on March 22. Tickets can be purchased here and here.

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