By Hiromasa Emoto
President, I.H.M. Co., Ltd.
Representative, Office Masaru Emoto LLC
Representative, World Water Festival General Incorporated Association

** The 5th World Water Festival Comes to Edo! **

The 5th World Water Festival will be held on Wednesday, September 23 (Autumnal Equinox in Japan) at the KFC Hall in Ryogoku, Sumida Ward, Tokyo.

While we held the festival in Hamamatsu in our first year, in Aso for our second and third years, and in Setagaya, Tokyo last year, this year’s location of “Ryogoku” carries a deeply personal meaning for me.

My father, Masaru Emoto’s mother—my grandmother—was born and raised in Ryogoku. She survived the Great Kanto Earthquake that struck on September 1, 1923.
At the time of the earthquake, there was a vast open space known as the former Army Clothing Depot (Hi Fukusho-ato), which was designated as an evacuation site. Countless people fled there for safety, including my grandmother’s father, younger sister, and younger brother, who went ahead. My grandmother and other family members followed behind them later.
However, by the time my grandmother arrived, the grounds were already overflowing with people, and she was told that no one else could enter. Forced to turn back, they headed toward the Ueno area instead.

Shortly after, a massive firestorm generated by strong winds and surrounding fires swept through the Army Clothing Depot grounds. Tens of thousands of evacuees tragically lost their lives—including my grandmother’s father, sister, and brother.
If my grandmother had managed to enter the grounds that day, neither my father nor I would exist today.

After deciding on the KFC Hall as our venue, I visited the site with two members of the World Water Festival team, Mr. Yasuhiko Aso and Ms. Michiko Hayashi. Before reaching the venue, we stopped at the Tokyo Memorial Hall located right next door—a site dedicated to honoring the victims of the Great Kanto Earthquake and the Tokyo Air Raids.
That exact location is where my ancestors lost their lives over a century ago. Standing there, we offered prayers of repose for the souls of my grandmother’s family and all those who perished.

The historical photographs on display inside were heartbreaking. There was also a designated area for placing otoba (wooden memorial tablets) called Yume Kuyo / Hana Kuyo (Memorials for Dreams and Flowers), accompanied by the following message:
“Those who lost their lives in the sudden tragedies of earthquake and war surely carried dreams in their hearts that they might have realized had they lived.
We believe that by fulfilling our own dreams today, we honor and comfort the souls of those who could not fulfill theirs.”
With a shared determination to realize our own dreams while working to ensure no one in the world ever suffers such tragedy again, the three of us wrote our prayers on the wooden tablets.

Heartened and refreshed, we proceeded to the KFC Hall to inspect the venue for this year’s festival.
For me, this year’s World Water Festival is a deeply meaningful event where my connection to my ancestors intersects with prayers for the future. Ryogoku is a land with a history of people overcoming profound grief and rising again. In this sacred place, we will host a festival that unites the world through water and nurtures hope and dreams for generations to come.
Ryogoku is also famous for its rich Edo-period culture and history, and we look forward to sharing aspects rooted in this vibrant heritage.

We hope to create a moment where the unfulfilled dreams of the past meet our dreams today, connecting them into the future. I feel a strong premonition that this will be a truly special day—one where the deep memories held by the land of Ryogoku resonate with the dreams we envision together.

** Event Highlights & Featured Guests **
Morning Session:  Gaia-Tech Fest

In the morning, we will host the Gaia-Tech Fest, a special exposition introducing cutting-edge technologies and products designed to support the future of our planet and the health of our minds and bodies. Featuring innovations across environmental technology, wellness, energy, and Hado (vibrational theory), it will offer a rare hands-on opportunity to experience the technologies shaping the coming era. Additionally, sponsor-led expert seminars will offer valuable insights and vision for the future.

Afternoon Session: The 5th World Water Festival Opening
The main stage of the World Water Festival begins in the afternoon. Opening the event with sacred sound (Otobiraki) will be Riko Wakewake, a pink conch shell (Pink Horagai) player. She previously performed at the World Water Festival in Aso, where the resonant tones of her conch shell echoed through nature and deeply moved the audience. Her performance as part of an all-female conch shell group felt like a direct prayer bridging earth, sky, and water. Once again, her pure, powerful tones will beautifully announce the start of our gathering.

Guest Speaker:  Film Producer Tetsu Shiratori
We are also honored to welcome back film director Tetsu Shiratori, a familiar face to our Hado members. Tetsu Shiratori possesses a deep understanding of Edo culture and environmental issues, consistently sharing messages focused on the future of our planet. He is the ideal guest for “World Water Festival in Edo.” Welcoming him to this stage brings immense joy and adds incredible depth and vision to the event.

Global Live Broadcasts
Continuing from last year, we will connect live with international partners during the festival. Wendy Rice, a Hado Instructor in Australia, and Christina Rindsjo, a Hado Instructor in Sweden, are preparing local ceremonies in their respective countries. We will stream online to link with them in real time, sharing their prayers and messages globally. Connecting with people worldwide on the Autumnal Equinox to resonate with a shared prayer is profoundly meaningful—a moment that beautifully embodies our vision of unifying the world through water.

Water Ceremony Led by Nene
The “Prayer for Water” ceremony will once again be led by artist Nene. Her prayer at the 4th World Water Festival touched hearts deeply; the pure, profound vibrational frequency of her prayer enveloped the entire hall, making it feel as though the water itself was responding. In addition to praying for water, we will also offer prayers of repose for the souls of those who lost their lives in Edo. We live today thanks to the accumulated efforts and prayers of countless ancestors. We hold deep gratitude in our hearts as we join together in prayer for them.

Global Messages & Indigenous Wisdom
We will present message videos sent from across the globe. As we reach the 5th World Water Festival, the circle of people resonating with this vision continues to expand. In particular, the message that “protecting the Earth’s water leads to protecting ourselves” resonates deeply with Indigenous peoples worldwide. For generations, they have lived in dialogue with nature, remaining stewards of water. Their wisdom and prayers serve as an irreplaceable guidepost for our modern world, and we look forward to sharing their voices with you.

The Finale: Hiroki Okano & JAPAN CONVERGENCE 2026
Our grand finale will feature world-renowned musician Hiroki Okano. Our deep connection with Mr. Okano was forged through CONVERGENCE—a week-long pilgrimage of prayer and wisdom that began on the Summer Solstice (June 21) at Tenkawa Shrine, continuing through Kashihara and Mount Fuji.

CONVERGENCE brought together Pacific Rim Indigenous leaders to share their sacred traditions alongside Japanese wisdom, sending messages of world peace grounded in global cycles and ancestral prophecies. On February 25, 2025, at the Mayan sacred site of Tikal, the “Tikal Convergence” marked the completion of a ~26,000-year galactic cycle. During this ceremony, Hiroki Okano was invited as a representative “Sun Clan Chief” of Japan and received the “Rainbow Baton” in front of the Pyramid of the Sun—symbolizing a sacred promise among “soul families” to share the beginning of the new 26,000-year cycle from Japan.

On the Summer Solstice of June 21, 2026, a new cycle began from Tenkawa Shrine. Leaders from 15 Indigenous tribes—soul families who have protected Earth and water for generations—gathered in Japan for a pilgrimage through sacred sites from Tenkawa to Kashihara and Mount Fuji.

Japan holds a deep spiritual heritage capable of receiving such prayers and welcoming the world. Accepting the Rainbow Baton on behalf of Japan, Hiroki Okano embraced this profound responsibility and mission.
The World Water Festival supported this initiative with deep respect, and our team participated in the symposium held in Kashihara City the day after the Summer Solstice. Over 1,400 people gathered in Kashihara—considered the birthplace of Japan—filling the hall to capacity on a weekday. Indigenous leaders shared their spiritual cultures through dance, song, and dialogue, exploring how to live in harmony with nature in this new cycle. At the reception, many Indigenous leaders expressed familiarity with Masaru Emoto’s work and water crystal photography, showing deep respect upon learning I was his son. Connecting with those who have prayed for water across generations was an unforgettable honor.

JAPAN CONVERGENCE 2026 represents the dawn of a new era, broadcasting these prayers from Japan out to the world. The World Water Festival is honored to carry this baton forward from the Summer Solstice to the Autumnal Equinox.
Having Hiroki Okano perform at our finale is a true blessing that will guide the entire festival into a space of deep harmony and prayer.

Event Details & Invitation
Despite featuring such extraordinary guests and meaningful programs, admission to the 5th World Water Festival is completely free.

To move one step closer to the dream my father, Masaru Emoto, dedicated his life to—World Peace Through Water—we want as many people as possible to join this circle of prayer.

Please join us on September 23 (Japan Time) online or in person at the KFC Hall in Ryogoku in Tokyo.
Let us come together to experience the moment the world unites through water and send our shared prayers into the future.

With Love and Gratitude,
Hiromasa Emoto