Minyo Crusaders will release their new album From Japan With Love on June 26. The Japanese group introduced the project with “Hanagasa Ondo” featuring Frente Cumbiero, the first single and video from a record that reworks traditional min’yō songs through salsa, cumbia, Afrobeat, and other rhythmic styles from around the world.
The album centers on Minyo Crusaders’ long-running approach to traditional Japanese folk music, pairing familiar songs with arrangements shaped by the band’s wider musical influences. Bandleader Katsumi Tanaka said min’yō remains both familiar and distant for many Japanese listeners, even though its essence is deeply rooted in everyday culture. Producer and musical director Koichiro Osawa said the group wanted to rethink songs passed down through daily life across Japan by blending them with grooves drawn from global styles, with the aim of carrying the music across languages and borders.
From Japan With Love also marks the first time Minyo Crusaders have featured guest artists across a full-length studio album. Chitose Hajime and Saya Asakura appear on the record alongside longtime collaborators Frente Cumbiero. The eight-track set includes new versions of “Hokkai Bon Uta,” “Kokiriko Bushi,” “Hanagasa Ondo,” “Shimotsui Bushi,” “Shigesa Bushi,” “Kiyama Ondo,” “Waido Bushi,” and “Iyo Manzai.” Lead vocalist Freddie Tsukamoto described min’yō in simple terms, saying the music is “fun” and “cool” and expressing hope that listeners of different generations will sing, dance, and enjoy it in their own way.
The announcement follows several years of international festival appearances for Minyo Crusaders. The band’s recent run has included sets at Primavera Sound Bogotá, Roskilde, WOMAD UK, and Sziget. After From Japan With Love arrives on June 26, the group is set to continue that momentum with more dates across North America and Europe. The new album will be available in several formats, including black vinyl, CD, and digital download.
Listen to From Japan With Love here.
