RHIANNA McKENZIE

Every year, Trinidad and Tobago welcomes tens of thousands of foreigners for Carnival, and in February over 66,000 tourists were reported to have visited the islands.

While Carnival and Caribbean culture have had a foothold in Western countries, thanks to the large number of West Indian immigrants throughout the Americas and Europe, they continue to grow in popularity in the far reaches of the world, notably in Japan.

Interest in Carnival and Caribbean culture had been established in Japan long before the age of the influencer – which has seen many people from the US, Africa and Europe visiting and highlighting the culture for their massive online followings – due in large part to the number of Caribbean expats living there for work and through other cultural exchange programmes such as the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) programme.

For some Japanese nationals, Trinidad Carnival has become somewhat of an annual pilgrimage, as the season has provided unique opportunities for them to enjoy themselves and make a living.

Speaking to Newsday about their passion for TT culture, three Japanese acts explain why they return every year to celebrate in Trinidad and what inspired them to pursue careers in Caribbean culture.

[caption id="attachment_1071338" align="alignnone" width="1024"] DJ Daiki Shimozato. -[/caption]

Soca love from DJ Daiky

Kanagawa prefecture's Daiki Shimozato, stage name DJ Daiky, began his career 15 years ago in 2009. Shimozato said he became enthralled with Caribbean culture and music after attending big reggae festivals in Japan, where he experienced a feeling of "togetherness" in the music.

Kanagawa prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, the most populous metropolitan area in the world. The population includes a diverse international community and has been heavily influenced by Western culture in recent years. Reggae music gained its foothold in Japan when Bob Marley and The Wailers toured the country in 1979.

Shimozato said he has been pleasantly surprised by the growing interest in soca music and Carnival culture in Japan.

"I'm a part of the team, so yes, (I love it)," he joked. "It's amazing how it's been growing and how people are reacting to it."

Shimozato performed at this year's Carnival – his third in Trinidad. He said he has worked with local artistes and producers over the years, working in fetes as well as producing music for Japanese soca artistes.

During the short Carnival season, Shimozato performed at several local events, including Bush Party in Fondes Amandes, St Ann's, and Soca Takeover in the Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain. He also performed live mixes for radio station Slam 100.5FM.

He produced 2023's Soca Magic Riddim alongside TT producer Keshav Chandradath Singh. The riddim, named after the soca event of the same name hosted in Shibuya, Tokyo throughout the year, features Japanese soca artists Ann G, Micky Rich and Ayakohime.

"Bunji Garlin is my favourite artiste," he said. "I love how he freestyles and hypes up the crow