City Pop Waves: How Japan’s Retro Sound Continues to Captivate London

Nestled within the verdant expanse of South London’s Crystal Palace Park, the Palace Bowl Presents festival launched its twelve-day summer residency with an eclectic celebration of global sounds. While the roster spanned rock, gospel, soul, Afrobeats, and electronica, the undisputed centerpiece was City Pop Waves—the United Kingdom’s milestone debut celebration dedicated entirely to Japanese city pop.

The landmark showcase featured three luminaries of the genre: keyboard virtuoso Himiko Kikuchi, vocal powerhouse Junko Yagami, and guitar maestro Masayoshi Takanaka. Bathed in afternoon sunlight and donning signature tinted spectacles, Kikuchi inaugurated the festivities at the Hammond organ with an exhilarating rendition of “Ducky Ducky.” The rich, expansive arrangements instantly saturated the open-air bowl with big-band warmth. “We’re sharing selections from FLYING BEAGLE today,” Kikuchi proclaimed, turning to reveal the album’s iconic canine artwork emblazoned across her shirt.

Rather than relying on grandiose conceptual narratives, FLYING BEAGLE thrives on masterclass interplay: glistening keyboards, buoyant brass, and understated guitar lines interlocking into an irresistible groove. Experiencing this 1977 opus reverberate through a contemporary British crowd—with twenty-somethings enthusiastically chanting “Himiko! Himiko!”—underlined the timeless capacity of music to dissolve temporal and geographic boundaries.

Responding to fervent pleas for an encore, Kikuchi concluded her brief set with “Look Your Back!” Driven by cascading Fender Rhodes chords and a relentless, cinematic brass section reminiscent of a high-stakes chase sequence, the performance departed on an exhilarating, audacious high.

Next to grace the stage was Junko Yagami, greeted by an immediate surge of adoration. Her resonant vocal delivery effortlessly dismantled linguistic barriers. During the enduring classic “Tasogare no Bay City,” fans of diverse backgrounds belted every syllable in unison—including a Dutch attendee who confessed to spending months mastering the Japanese lyrics after discovering the track online.

Yagami pivoted toward profound contemporary themes with “TERRA – here we will stay,” an eleven-minute symphonic journey composed during global pandemic lockdowns. Chronicling Earth’s lifecycle while tackling environmental fragility and conflict, Yagami made an impassioned plea: “We stand united against war,” she proclaimed in fluent English to thunderous acclaim. Reflecting on the recent birth of her grandchild, she dedicated the sprawling anthem to coming generations, underscored by evocative planetary imagery projected behind her.

Though compact, Yagami’s four-song repertoire illuminated city pop not merely as a nostalgic time capsule, but as a living, breathing expressive medium acutely attuned to modern realities.

Anticipation reached a fever pitch as rhythmic chants of “TA-KA-NA-KA!” heralded the arrival of headliner Masayoshi Takanaka. Beaming with infectious charisma, Takanaka launched straight into the breezy, syncopated rhythms of “BRASILIAN SKIES,” sending the audience into collective euphoria.

Takanaka’s mastery balances immaculate technical wizardry with indelible melodic warmth. Elevated by a tight rhythm section, he allowed his instrument to narrate the evening, delivering expansive, expressive solos that transformed studio classics into vibrant communal celebrations.

When the main set concluded, attendees clapped in rhythmic cadence, demanding the appearance of his legendary custom surfboard guitar. Takanaka obliged during “JUMPING TAKE OFF,” striding across the stage with the vivid red instrument slung over his shoulder to euphoric applause. He further surprised the audience by declaring, “See you at Wembley next year!” before concluding with the sweeping epic “YOU CAN NEVER COME TO THIS PLACE.”

Spanning two hours of effortless interplay, dazzling showmanship, and shared euphoria, City Pop Waves firmly established that the global resurgence of Japanese city pop is no ephemeral trend, but an enduring musical renaissance with limitless horizons.

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