Bonbu Stories

Bonbu Stories is an Asian American arts collaborative dedicated to using music as a medium for storytelling and building connections. Miharu Okamura, Sydney Shiroyama, Miko Shudo, Kendall Tani, Emily Yoshihara and Vicky Zhang formed Bonbu Stories under the mentorship of PJ Hirabayashi (TaikoPeace), and Dan and Chris Kubo. Being deeply rooted in their Asian American identities and cultures, they strive to share the beautifully raw, honest, broken, emotional stories that are often untold. Bonbu is a Buddhist term meaning “ordinary/imperfect/unenlightened being”. This term carries with it a sense of compassion and acceptance for human life and our flaws, mistakes, and, ultimately, potential for growth. Bonbu Stories centers its work and creative process around this definition, believing in the power and value of vulnerability, authenticity, and interconnectedness.