Pearl expands 80th anniversary drum fest to four days in Kawasaki

yukihiro’s confirmed final-day appearance gives Pearl Drums’ 80th Anniversary Fest a clear center of gravity: this is not just a corporate milestone, but a four-day drummer-focused gathering built around major names, gear access, and live performance. Pearl has now expanded the celebration to run October 15-18, 2026, at CLUB CITTA’ in Kawasaki, Japan, with the venue promised as an all-building “Pearl world” packed with showcases, exhibits, and hands-on demo spaces.

The expanded schedule underlines how far Pearl is pushing the event. Day 1 will feature STRAIGHTENER and Kroi, while Day 2 brings Shane Gaalaas with guest Sam Pomanti on keyboard and Kid’z of MY FIRST STORY. Day 3 is set as the Pearl Global Drum Summit, led by Omar Hakim and Shane Gaalaas, with guest appearances from TOSHI NAGAI, Takumi Ogasawara, and Gaku Taufa. The final day belongs to yukihiro of L’Arc-en-Ciel, whose appearance has been confirmed on the band’s official site.

Pearl is framing the festival as a celebration of its music, performance, and history, and the company’s backstory gives the anniversary some real weight. Pearl says it began in 1946, when Katsumi Yanagisawa started a small backyard workshop in Sumida, Tokyo, making music stands before expanding into drums and other instruments. Marking 80 years in 2026 means the brand is using Kawasaki to bridge that workshop origin with the modern worldwide drum scene it now serves.

The company has also made a habit of turning anniversary years into major live showcases. Pearl’s archive says its 60th-anniversary celebration in 2006 began at Club Citta’ in Kawasaki before continuing with a five-day live series at SHIBUYA-AX. The 80th-anniversary plan follows that model, only bigger, with four days of performances, historical displays, product presentations, and tryout areas designed to pull artists, fans, and gearheads into the same space.

Pearl has also tied the event to its anniversary campaign through the theme song “Together, We Shine,” which includes Omar Hakim among the participating musicians. Ticket information is still to come, with more details expected in July 2026, but the shape of the fest is already clear: Pearl is treating its 80th not as a plaque on the wall, but as a full-scale drum summit anchored by yukihiro and a lineup built for players who care who is behind the kit.