World Whistlers Convention
| 口笛世界大会 The World Whistlers Convention | |
|---|---|
 The 47th World Whistling Championship (2026) | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Music competition |
| Frequency | biennial |
| Venue | Kawasaki City Gender Equality Center, Scrum 21, and others |
| Locations | Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan |
| Country |  Japan |
| Inaugurated | July 15-17, 2016 (as WWC)[1] |
| Organised by | Japan Whistling Confederation (JWC)[1] |
| Website | whistling.jp |
The World Whistlers Convention (WWC) is an international music competition in which whistling performances. It is an international competition and a continuation of the International Whistlers Convention (IWC), which was held mainly in Louisburg, North Carolina, and has been held biennially in Japan since 2016 by the Japan Whistling Confederation (JWC).[2][3]
History
The International Whistlers Convention (IWC), which was held mainly in the United States, was a precursor to the World Whistling Championships.[4] Before becoming the IWC, the convention originated as a singing contest at a local festival held in Louisburg College. A man named Darrell Williams wanted to whistle instead of sing, and won in 1974 and 1975.[5] it became a whistling contest from 1976 onwards due to founder Allen de Hart, a then psychology and english professor at Louisburg College who ironically didn't know how to whistle.[6][7][4][8] The IWC is the world's oldest whistling event, and Japanese people have often placed highly after becoming international in the late 90s.
It was held in Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture in 2008 and in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture in 2014.[2][9] At the 2007 IWC held in North Carolina, USA, Kimiko Wakiyama won in the adult women's division, Takumi Gima won in the teen division, and Chihaya Kosugiyama won in the child division.[10][11]
The IWC ended with its 41st edition, held in Kawasaki in 2014. Following the IWC, the Masters of Musical Whistling International Festival and Competition (MMW) was established in the United States in 2015, and the World Whistling Championship (WWC) was established in Japan in 2016 by the JWC, headed by whistler Ryosuke Takeuchi.[4] The WWC is held every other year, in even years, and the MMW every other year.[4][2] Both competitions are held as events that include not only contests but also concerts, workshops, and symposiums.[4]
The first WWC was held in July 2016 at the Kawasaki City Gender Equality Center Scrum 21 in Takatsu Ward, Kawasaki City.
In the predecessor IWC, separate men's and women's divisions were established in 1996 to encourage female participation due to the low number of female participants at the start of the competition. In the WWC, separate men's and women's divisions were discontinued from the 2018 competition onwards, and a female performer won the competition.[12]
The 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] In the same year, whistler Yuki Takeda and others held an online whistling contest, the Global Whistling Championship (GWC), in response to the cancellation of the WWC. 131 whistling videos were submitted to the inaugural tournament, and winners were selected by a panel of judges plus public vote. Approximately 4,400 people from around the world participated in the public vote.[14] The GWC was held again in 2022.[14] The fourth tournament was held in 2026.[14][15]
The World Championships (WWC) resumed in 2022 as the 45th edition, after a four-year hiatus, and was held at the Kawasaki International Exchange Center.[16][17] The 2024 tournament featured 121 participants from six countries, ranging in age from 9 to 80[3] The 2026 tournament will feature 118 pairs and approximately 180 participants from six countries and regions.[18]
Competition section
Contestants who pass the preliminary screening compete in the preliminary and final rounds on the day of the competition.[19][18] From 2016 to 2024, there were three categories: "Soundtrack Accompaniment," where contestants whistle along to karaoke tracks; "Playing and Whistling," where contestants whistle while playing an instrument; and "Allied Arts," which incorporates elements such as dance and skits.[3]
For the 2026 competition, the traditional backing track category was eliminated, and a new a cappella category was added, resulting in three categories: a cappella, whistling with an instrument, and allied arts.[20][18]A cappella is a solo performance of whistling without accompaniment, while whistling with an instrument is a form in which one person plays both whistling and an instrument simultaneously. Allied arts is a category that combines whistling with accompaniment, group performances, and staging, and is divided into solo and ensemble categories.[20] Only the a cappella category has age divisions, divided into child, teen, senior, and adult.[20]
In the a cappella adult category and the saxophone-accompanied category, participants perform one classical and one popular song, and the scores from both songs are combined to determine the ranking.[20]
In international whistling competitions, there are winners in each year and category, so there are multiple performers who are considered "world champions." Japan also has several performers who have won international competitions, including Kimiko Wakayama, Romu Aoyagi, Yūdai Takenaka, Akiko Shibata, and Yuki Takeda. [10]
Judging
The judges evaluate technical aspects such as pitch accuracy, tone quality, and breathing, as well as expressive aspects such as volume, vibrato, rhythm, and arrangement.[3][21]
In whistling contests, Vittorio Monti's "Csárdás" is sometimes performed as a technically demanding staple. When the International Whistling Championships (IWC) was held in Japan in 2008, five contestants who performed the piece won first or second place in their respective categories.[22]
Events
| Annual | Year | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42nd | 2016 | July 15–17 | Kawasaki | This was the first WWC event. Approximately 50 teams from 6 countries participated. |
| 43rd | 2018 | May 3–5 | Kawasaki | Approximately 60 people from 9 countries participated.[19] |
| 44th | 2020 | April 11–12 | Kawasaki | Cancelled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] |
| 45th | 2022 | October 7–9 | Kawasaki | Held for the first time in four years. 103 participants from 9 countries. Satellite events were held concurrently.[17][16] |
| 46th | 2024 | May 30 – June 2 | Kawasaki | 121 participants from 6 countries.[3][21] |
| 47th | 2026 | June 18–21 | Kawasaki | 118 groups and approximately 180 individuals from 6 countries and regions participated. An a cappella category was newly established, replacing the tracked accompaniment category.[18][23][20] |
Winners
The winners of each category and division as listed in the official results of each tournament.
| Year | Category | 1st place | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Audio Accompaniment Category: Adult Male Division | Atsushi Tadokoro | [24] |
| Audio Accompaniment Category: Adult Female Division | Swetha Surash | ||
| Playing/Singing Category | Nikhil K. Rane | ||
| Audio Accompaniment Category: Junior Division | Shin Ito | ||
| Audio Accompaniment Category: Senior Division | Jagat Tarkas | ||
| Allied Arts Category | Swetha Suresh | ||
| 2018 | Audio Accompaniment Category - Adult Division | YOKO | [25] |
| Playing/Singing Category | Nikhil K. Rane | ||
| Audio Accompaniment Category: Junior Division | Shin Ito | ||
| Audio Accompaniment Category: Senior Division | Yoko Abe | ||
| Allied Arts Category | Swetha Suresh | ||
| 2022 | Audio Accompaniment Category - Adult Division | Yuji Kogure | [26] |
| Playing/Singing Category | Takumi Gima | ||
| Audio Accompaniment Category: Child Division | Teppei Kawamoto | ||
| Audio Accompaniment Category: Teen Division | Shin | ||
| Audio Accompaniment Category: Senior Division | Yoko Abe | ||
| Allied Arts Category | Takumi Gima | ||
| 2024 | Playing/Singing Category | Yuki Takeda | [27] |
| Audio Accompaniment Category - Adult Division | Matsumura Yuho | ||
| Audio Accompaniment Category: Child Division | AOI | ||
| Audio Accompaniment Category: Teen Division | Toshiaki Chiba | ||
| Audio Accompaniment Category: Senior Division | LIU YANG ZHAO | ||
| Allied Arts Category: Ensemble Division | Waseda University Whistling Club, also known as Rip | ||
| Allied Arts Category - Solo Division | Kana Aoi | ||
| 2026 | Playing/Singing Category | Yuki Takeda | [28] |
| A cappella category, adult division | Yuki Takeda | ||
| A cappella category, Child division | Inaho Yoka | ||
| A cappella category, Teen division | Teppei Kawamoto | ||
| A cappella category, Senior division | Kensuke Sakauchi | ||
| Allied Arts Category: Ensemble Division | Larette Ami | ||
| Allied Arts Category - Solo Division | Masashi Ebihara |
Related tournaments and events
In Japan, Masaaki Moku held the Osaka International Whistling Music Competition in Osaka from 2005 to 2018. The competition was held under various names, including the All Japan Whistling Music Competition. Moku was the first Japanese whistler to participate in the IWC in 2000, winning third place overall in the men's division, and this led to a trend of participants from Osaka competitions competing in the IWC.[4]
In Japan, there are whistling events that do not involve judging, such as the "Waku Waku Whistling Concert" in Osaka and "Pakarama!" in Tokyo. "Pakarama!" was founded in the United States by Robert Stemmons and has been held in Japan since 2010 by Ryosuke Takeuchi, a whistler who is also the organizer of WWC.[29]
Media coverage
The 2024 competition was covered by NHK and other commercial television programs.[30] On June 21, 2024, WWC organizer and judge, whistler Ryosuke Takeuchi, and Masashi Ebihara, third place in the adult category of the music accompaniment division of the competition, appeared on NHK Yokohama 's radio program "Hama☆Kira!".[31]
The 47th World Whistling Championships were also featured on TBS Radio's " Shinichiro Azumi's Sunday Heaven " in the "Outing Research" segment on June 21, 2026.[32] Several international whistlers, including Wakayama, Takeda, and Shibata, have appeared on the program.[33][34][35]In addition, TBS Radio caster Rei Yanagisawa participated in the online whistling competition "GWC2020" as part of the program's project.[36][37]
References
- 1 2 "【動画】多彩な口笛、魅力発信 川崎で初の世界大会". 神奈川新聞. 2016-07-18. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
- 1 2 3 "夏の川崎で口笛世界大会 プロ奏者の演奏や吹き方テク伝授". 神奈川新聞. 2016-01-24. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "口笛王者を目指せ！口笛世界大会". NHK横浜放送局. 2024-08-17. Archived from the original on 2024-08-18. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 武田、最相 (2025), Kindle版位置171-176.
- ↑ Boney, Leslie. "The Trill of the Chase". The Assembly North Carolina. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
- ↑ Inge, Leoneda (8 April 2011). "In N.C. Town, Whistling's No Idle Pastime". NPR. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
- ↑ "39th annual International Whistling Convention opens". Press Herald. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2026.
- ↑ Erica R. Hendry (2010-05-26). "Whistle While You Work". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2026-06-30.
- ↑ 武田、最相 (2025), Kindle版位置40-43、171-176.
- 1 2 武田、最相 (2025), Kindle版位置189-195.
- ↑ 深戸進路 (2024-08-27). "「これが口笛……だと!?」 "口笛の世界大会"優勝者による演奏が約25万回再生の反響 「人間ってすごい」". ねとらぼ. ITmedia. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
- ↑ 武田、最相 (2025), Kindle版位置30-31.
- 1 2 "大会概要". 口笛世界大会 (WWC) 公式サイト. ジャパン・ウィスリング・コンフェデレーション. 2020-03-17. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
- 1 2 3 武田、最相 (2025), Kindle版位置179-186.
- ↑ "Global Whistling Championship IV：GWC IV". くちぶえ音楽院. 2026-03-23. Retrieved 2026-06-30.
- 1 2 "口笛世界大会が4年ぶりに日本で開催 スペシャル・コンサートやシンポジウム開催も". CDJournal ニュース. 音楽出版社. 2022-09-16. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
- 1 2 "大会概要". 口笛世界大会 (WWC) 公式サイト. ジャパン・ウィスリング・コンフェデレーション. 2022-09-24. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
- 1 2 3 4 "6カ国・地域180人集結 川崎で口笛世界大会". 神奈川新聞. 2026-06-11. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
- 1 2 "鍛えた口笛響かせ 世界大会に9カ国60人 高津". 神奈川新聞. 2018-05-08. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "全体ガイドライン". 口笛世界大会 (WWC) 公式サイト. ジャパン・ウィスリング・コンフェデレーション. 2026-04-06. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
- 1 2 "口笛世界大会 中原中・川本さんが3位に 2大会連続で快挙". タウンニュース 中原区版. 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
- ↑ 武田、最相 (2025), Kindle版位置166.
- ↑ "第47回口笛世界大会（WWC2026）". アットヨコハマ. Retrieved 2026-06-19.
- ↑ "大会結果". 口笛世界大会 (WWC) 公式サイト. ジャパン・ウィスリング・コンフェデレーション. Retrieved 2026-06-30.
- ↑ "大会結果". 口笛世界大会 (WWC) 公式サイト. ジャパン・ウィスリング・コンフェデレーション. Retrieved 2026-06-30.
- ↑ "WWC2022大会結果". 口笛世界大会 (WWC) 公式サイト. ジャパン・ウィスリング・コンフェデレーション. Retrieved 2026-06-30.
- ↑ "WWC2024大会結果". 口笛世界大会 (WWC) 公式サイト. ジャパン・ウィスリング・コンフェデレーション. Retrieved 2026-06-30.
- ↑ "WWC2026大会結果". 口笛世界大会 (WWC) 公式サイト. ジャパン・ウィスリング・コンフェデレーション. Retrieved 2026-06-30.
- ↑ 武田、最相 (2025), Kindle版位置228-229.
- ↑ "WWC2024". 口笛世界大会 (WWC) 公式サイト. ジャパン・ウィスリング・コンフェデレーション. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
- ↑ "口笛世界大会入賞者と音色を楽しむ！". はま☆キラ!. NHK. 2024-06-21. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
- ↑ "安住紳一郎の日曜天国 2026年6月21日放送分". YouTube. 安住紳一郎の日曜天国【公式】. 2026-06-21. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
- ↑ "2007年8月26日のゲストは分山貴美子さん". 安住紳一郎の日曜天国. TBSラジオ. 2007-08-26. Retrieved 2026-06-21.
- ↑ "2011年8月28日のゲストは武田裕煕さん". 安住紳一郎の日曜天国. TBSラジオ. 2011-08-28. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
- ↑ "2018.12.09「口笛奏者・柴田晶子さん～口笛は続くよ、どこまでも～」". Apple Podcast. TBS Podcast. 2018-12-09. Retrieved 2026-06-21.
- ↑ "柳沢怜". TBSラジオ ときめくときを。. TBSラジオ. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
- ↑ "7月26日(日)口笛の世界大会が初のオンライン開催！「GWC 2020」（にち10おでかけリサーチ）". TBSラジオ ときめくときを。. TBSラジオ. 2020-07-26. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
Book
- Yuki Takeda and Hazuki Saiso, "The Story of Whistling," Mishima Publishing, February 25, 2025. ISBN 978-4-911226-15-5