Samurai Sword Soul
Photos by Photo by Cobb Photographic Society
Samurai Sword Soul (SSS) is a dynamic samurai theater company founded by Yoshi Amao in 2003. Since its inception, SSS has captivated audiences with a distinctive blend of comedy, emotionally resonant storytelling, and electrifying sword fights. Rooted in the Waki Ryu Tate sword technique and inspired by the spirit of Seido Karate, Kendo, and Iaido, their performances honor ancient tradition while embracing a modern theatrical flair. Through this powerful fusion, they have forged a unique artistic identity known worldwide as the “Samurai Sword Soul Style.”
The company's profile reached new heights in 2024 when founder Yoshi Amao appeared in Shōgun—the historic Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award–winning TV series that brought Japanese culture and language to global screens like never before.
Following their landmark 20th Anniversary Show in New York City, Samurai Sword Soul is thrilled to return to Columbus, Ohio for Japan FestOH!
This special performance stars Masaya Okubo and Yoshi Amao, featuring stirring live music by Hirotoshi Umeda.
Prepare for a captivating journey of laughter, emotion, action, and tradition—all woven into one unforgettable performance!
Interactive Workshop: Samurai Bootcamp
Don't just watch the action—join it! The performance will be immediately followed by the Samurai Bootcamp, an interactive workshop where audience members can step onto the stage and experience authentic samurai training firsthand.
Members
Photos by Photo by Simon Leung
Hirotoshi Umeda
Born in KUMAMOTO, JAPAN is a percussionist and drummer. He started playing the drums when he was 18 years old and has performed at several Japanese tours, appeared in some festivals. - From 2006-2010 he performed as a drummer in the Fukuoka band called ALOHA(Japan). - In 2014 he moved to New York. Now he joined with Samurai Sword Soul at Sakura Matsuri. And he supports artists of various genres according to their style of music.
Yoshi Amao is a versatile actor, comedian, and samurai artist. He plays the role of Sera in FX’s critically acclaimed series Shōgun, which received 19 Emmy Awards, including Best Drama. Originally from Osaka, Japan, Yoshi moved to New York in 1990. He trained in Waki-ryu Tate (traditional Japanese sword fighting) under Tahei Waki, and in 2003, he founded the samurai theater company Samurai Sword Soul, performing across the United States. His stage credits include Off-Broadway productions such as Chushingura: 47 Ronin at A.R.T./New York Theatres and Deadly She-Wolf Assassin at Armageddon! at La MaMa Theater (NYC), where he served as lead actor and co-choreographer. The latter received high praise from The New York Times. Yoshi has also worked as a fight director for productions including Pacific Overtures at Signature Theatre (DC) and Tarantino Live in London. His screen credits include appearances on Mr. Robot (USA Network), The Blacklist (NBC), Billions (Showtime), Samurai Sportsman (OLN), and the award-winning short film My Daughter Yoshiko. In addition to his acting work, Yoshi has hosted a variety of international TV programs, including Made in Japao (Record TV, Brazil), Japanizi: Going Going Gong (Disney XD), and Big in Japan in several European countries. He is also a beloved emcee at major Cherry Blossom Festivals in Washington, D.C., Brooklyn, and Philadelphia.
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Masaya Okubo was born and raised in Aichi, Japan. SAG-AFTRA. His on-camera credits include many independent films, TV; "Shola's Voice" "Impractical Jokers", Theater/Performance; "Coltrane in Japan", and as a featured performer in Samurai Sword Soul. He was recently in the SquareSpace Superbowl ad 2024 directed by Martin Scorsese. As a voice artist, he has a regular role in a Japanese dubbed American cartoon “Caillou” as Daddy. Commercials: Google, YouTube, Gucci, Audi, Swiss Airline, Amazon and more. Video Games: Wayfinder (Digital Extreme Ltd. / Playstation 5 and PC), Firefight (Sean O'Conner / Android, iOS and STEAM), Master of Knights- Tactics RPG (Neowiz Games / Android, iOS). A Netflix movie “Kate” commercial that he gave a narration won the Best Internet Commercial Award in 2022 LA American Advertising Awards.