Ghanaian band Santrofi has been receiving plaudits for marketing Ghana through its tours across the globe.

After touring Europe and other parts of the world a few years ago, the highlife band is in Japan for a 13-city tour.

During their third concert in Tokyo on July 8, 2024, Ghana’s ambassador to Japan, Genevieve Edna Apaloo, presented a bouquet to the band in appreciation of its sterling performance.

Nicknamed ‘Ghana’s ambassadors of culture’ by the Japanese, the Santrofi band was given a warm welcome to Japan by the country’s officials.

Since the inception of the tour, the band has been marketing Ghana’s arts and culture by performing highlife and other indigenous Ghanaian music types, while clad in Ghanaian apparels. 

The tour which started on the 25th June, 2024 will end on 16th July, 2024.

It was put together by Minon, a company founded by one of the biggest Buddhist leaders in Japan called Dr. Daisaku Ikeda.

In an interview with Joy Entertainment, Santrofi said they were booked in 2022.

According to them, the tour is equipped with 26-member technical team including stage managers, backline engineers, lighting, front of house, among others.

They said they had to prepare for 5months before the gig.

“This included us sending them all our songs months ahead of time. All songs lyrics were sent to them so they could translate it into Japanese for their audience to follow the music.

We also explain most of the songs for them in o get an understanding of highlife,it’s orgin and the future,” they told Joy Entertainment. 

They added that they have done several interviews on Japan's national radio and television networks highlighting names like Sarkodie, Kuami Eugene and other Ghanaian artistes who they have not heard of before.

Santrofi is a dynamic collective of talented musicians from Ghana led by bassist and vocalist, Emmanuel Ofori, known for his work with Ebo Taylor and Pat Thomas’ Kwashibu Area Band.

Other members of the band are Bernard Gyamfi (trombone), Dominic Quarchie (guitar, vocals), Prince Larbi (drums, vocals), Robert Koomson (lead vocals, talking drum, guitar), Emmanuel Boakye Agyeman (keyboard, vocals), Nobert Wonkyi Arthur (trumpet, shekere), Victor Nii Amoo (percussion, cowbell).

They have embarked on a lot of international tours and performed at festivals including Roskilde, WOMAD, Sines and Amsterdam Roots. Others are Paléo Festival Nyon in Switzerland, Festival Rio Loco in France, and Hiesige & Dosige Festival in Austria, the Jova Beach Festival in Italy, among others.