In September 2026, OUJO tours the Tokyo and Kansai regions of Japan for two weeks, following the release of our new album, Checkmate. We will be collaborating with twelve university jazz ensembles for joint concerts, workshops and social events across the two regions.
The tour gives our members the chance to perform alongside some of Japan's strongest student ensembles and opens up venues, partnerships and audiences that would otherwise be hard to reach. We hope that this project will be a chance to build long-term ties between the Oxford and Japanese university jazz scenes and that future members of the bands can continue to build on these relationships.
Eric Miyashiro
A Honolulu-born, Berklee-trained lead trumpeter celebrated for his extraordinary upper register, Miyashiro cut his teeth with the big bands of Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson and the Count Basie Orchestra before relocating to Japan in 1989. Now Tokyo's first-call lead player, he leads the EM Band and the Blue Note Tokyo All-Star Jazz Orchestra and teaches at several of Japan's leading conservatories.
Become a sponsor.
Your generous donations allow us to subsidise costs for our members and continue to improve access to these opportunities.
Balliol College
St Hilda's College
New College
St Hilda's College
St Hilda's College, Oxford OX4 1DY