A tradition passed through the generations of the Japanese Canadians of Southern Alberta. Minyo dancing has been a part of the Japanese cultural community and temples of North America for almost one hundred years. Minyo dancing is a traditional Japanese artform that focuses on the folk song aspects of Japanese culture. An art that invokes a nostalgic feel, Minyo dancing is often performed at Japanese festivals and cultural events. “Minyo” being the translation for “Folk song”, is specifically a music genre. Along with being its own genre of Japanese music, each song itself has its own special significance. “Tanko Bushi” is a common and well known Minyo Dancing piece. Formally known as the “Coal Miners Dance”, each song originates from traditional Japanese pastime, theme and or prefecture.
