About YPWO
Yokohama Pops Wind Orchestra (YPWO) is an amateur wind orchestra based in Yokohama, Japan, founded in 2024. We are a Specified Non-Profit Organization (NPO) — in fact, the only NPO-incorporated wind orchestra in Japan that specializes in pops music.
Unlike a typical hobby ensemble, YPWO is run with the transparency of a nonprofit: we publish our annual activity and financial reports, and our work is supported largely by donations from individuals and organizations who believe in what we do.
We also run YPWO Lab, where we publish original research and data on Japanese wind band culture — a subject that is surprisingly hard to find documented anywhere in English.
Our Mission
Bringing the true joy of music to everyone.
Our Vision
A society where everyone can enjoy music, grow, and stay connected throughout their lives.
What We Stand For
- Audience-first. We design our programs based on audience surveys and feedback, not just on what we want to play. This is also why we are working to make our information available in multiple languages.
- Open to everyone. Our concerts are free of charge, and we hold programs that even young children can attend and enjoy.
- Quality matters. With a music director and professional coaches, we hold ourselves to a high standard rare for an amateur ensemble.
- Transparent and nonprofit. As an NPO, we operate openly and publish our reports.
Concerts
YPWO holds two free regular concerts each year — one in spring (around May) and one in autumn (around November) — at Yokohama City Sakae Public Hall. Admission is free and all seats are open, so anyone can come and enjoy the music.
Every concert features a guest professional musician, and our programs span jazz, pops, Latin, film music, and more — not just traditional wind band repertoire. We have been performing since our first concert in 2024.
You can watch performances on our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@yokohama_pops
Join Us
YPWO is based in Yokohama and rehearses in Japanese, but international members are welcome. If you live in the Yokohama area and would like to make music with us, we would love to hear from you — please get in touch through our Contact page.
Explore YPWO Lab
If you are curious about how wind band culture works in Japan — how many community bands exist, what they cost to run, what they play, and why this culture is so unusually large — visit YPWO Lab.