REVIEW · Festivals
KANO MIYU changes the mood from afternoon to evening — Hanno Music Festival 2026
Tradition and contemporary music at Hanno
Held on October 11 at Hanno Civic Hall in Saitama Prefecture, the 2026 Saitama Hanno Music Festival brought Japanese traditional culture together with contemporary popular music. The organisers presented a programme of music, performance and Japanese cultural beauty, bringing together singer-songwriters, traditional instrumentalists, dancers and performance groups.
The event comprised separately ticketed shows at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., with a shared line-up. Performers included KANO MIYU, Hideki Sakuma, AiAi, traditional-instrument quartet Saitamatic, SOMELINEZ, Yume (夕芽), 和nagomi, Rikomao, Toshihiko Arizono and yosakoi group Hanamaiki (華舞旗).
Its distinctive feature was the combination of genres within a single programme. Traditional instruments, contemporary songs and locally rooted artists gave listeners more than a single-genre concert. Separate afternoon and evening shows also allowed the same performers to present different sets.
Part one — Original songs and anime music
MIYU performed five songs in the afternoon, focusing on her own material and Japanese anime music. She opened with “DO IT NOW,” presenting music released under her own name before moving into the covers that followed.
“Mahou Shoujo,” “Romantic Ageru yo” and “ANGEL NIGHT” carried the set forward. “Romantic Ageru yo” is widely known as the ending theme from Dragon Ball, while “ANGEL NIGHT” opened City Hunter 2. Such songs are familiar not only to viewers who saw those series at the time but also to generations who discovered the music through later media.
MIYU has regularly included Japanese pop and anime music in her shows. Familiar songs help establish an immediate connection, while allowing her to present them in her own voice. In a shared concert with short individual slots, the opening number and signature selections can shape the impression of the whole performance.
The afternoon closed with “Renbo,” released in September 2026 as a Japanese-language remake of Korean singer Lee Ki-chan's “Gamgi.” Neko Oikawa wrote the Japanese lyrics, with Lee credited for composition and arrangement. Moving from original material and anime music to a new Japanese song rooted in Korean music reflected MIYU's ongoing work in both countries.
Watch the afternoon performances
Three anime songs in sequence: watch the set move from “Mahou Shoujo” to “ANGEL NIGHT.”
Songs Mahou Shoujo · Romantic Ageru yo · ANGEL NIGHT
Filming / channel: Diego Watch on YouTube ↗
Part two — A different selection of Japanese pop favourites
The 6 p.m. show changed the repertoire. “DO IT NOW” remained the opener and “Renbo” the closer, while the three middle selections were replaced with Japanese pop and rock. Those attending both shows received different performances; those attending only one still heard songs representing her current work.
The second number was Chisato Moritaka's “Watashi ga Obasan ni Natte mo.” Released in 1992, it playfully expresses a wish to remain loved while growing older. During the song, MIYU stepped down into the audience and took listeners' hands. Moving between seats and meeting people at eye level brought stage and audience closer, reinforcing the song's lively, approachable mood. That direct contact became a distinctive moment of the evening set.
Minako Honda's “Oneway Generation” and TOM★CAT's “Furare Kibun de Rock’n’Roll” followed. They show different sides of 1980s Japanese pop: the former foregrounds powerful vocals and a dynamic melody, while the latter joins rock energy to an accessible tune.
These choices connect with the broad repertoire MIYU has shown at recent performances. She revisits popular songs from the 1980s and 1990s while introducing original material and new releases. Placing her own music among familiar songs presents her as a working contemporary artist, rather than simply an interpreter of past hits.
“Renbo” again closed the show. Its position at the end of both performances matters: the older favourites changed, but her new Japanese interpretation of a Korean ballad remained the final number. Music connecting Korea and Japan holds an important place in her current repertoire.
Watch the evening performances
A medley of songs by Chisato Moritaka, Minako Honda and TOM★CAT, showing the change from the afternoon selection.
Songs Watashi ga Obasan ni Natte mo · Oneway Generation · Furare Kibun de Rock’n’Roll
Filming / channel: Diego Watch on YouTube ↗
What two sets revealed about MIYU's range
MIYU built the afternoon around anime music and brought Japanese pop of the 1980s and 1990s to the fore in the evening. The change in selection across two appearances on the same day is central to understanding these performances.
“DO IT NOW” and “Renbo” appeared in both. They placed music she currently releases under her own name alongside covers of older favourites. As an officially released Japanese remake of a Korean song, “Renbo” is a particularly concrete example of her work across the two countries.
MIYU has expanded her work through television and live appearances in Korea and Japan. Introducing Japanese songs to Korean listeners and Korean songs to Japanese listeners brings each country's music to different audiences. Hanno showed the same approach: familiar anime and pop songs appeared alongside a new Japanese-language release based on Korean music.
The differences between the sets also showed that her singing is not confined to one period or genre. Anime themes, 1980s rock, 1990s pop, contemporary originals and ballads were linked within a single programme. That range can be useful in a shared concert bringing together different generations and musical tastes.
A day shared by traditional culture and popular music
Beyond MIYU's performances, the festival's varied line-up presented a broad view of Japanese music culture. Saitamatic brought traditional music into a contemporary concert programme, while singer-songwriters including Sakuma and AiAi added popular music. Yosakoi and other performance groups extended the event into movement and visual expression.
Regional music festivals can create cultural value differently from large commercial festivals. Rather than gathering only popular artists from one genre, local musicians and traditional performers can share a stage and offer encounters with a wider range of music.
The afternoon-and-evening format supported that approach. A shared cast appeared in separate shows, allowing people to choose a convenient session or attend both for different performances. For artists such as MIYU who changed their selections, it was also a chance to reveal their musical breadth.
For MIYU, Hanno was another opportunity to meet varied audiences in Japan amid a career spanning two countries. Across two shows, she presented anime music, pop favourites, originals and a Japanese remake rooted in Korean music. Within a programme joining tradition and contemporary culture, her own performances connected songs across eras and languages.
Related event footage
Related event footage from Diego’s channel.
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