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MIDI Meet Up Event At The Kakehashi Foundation

The MIDI Association

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After Music China closed on Saturday night, we packed up, grabbed some dinner and then on Sunday flew to Tokyo.

Six smiling men sit around a restaurant table with drinks and dishes, posing for a group selfie. Some are making peace signs, and the atmosphere is casual and friendly.

On Monday, The MIDI Association was part of an event hosted at the Kakehashi Foundation.

Rows of empty chairs face a stage with blue lighting and green and white spot patterns projected on the walls, creating a vibrant, atmospheric setting in a modern auditorium.

The ultimate tech event where you can learn about the latest in MIDI will be held in Tokyo!!

Date and Time Monday, October 27, 2025

Venue: Artware hub KAKEHASHI MEMORIAL

Participation fee – General admission: 4,000 yen (tax included), MIDI certification license holders: 2,000 yen (tax included)

Opening 16:45 End: 19:40

Organizer:

Kakehashi Arts and Culture Promotion Foundation, AMEI, The MIDI Association

Here is the English translation of the event taken from the Kakehashi Foundation website.

This groundbreaking event will allow you to experience the latest in MIDI 2.0, including the presentation of innovative MIDI devices that have won MIDI Innovation Awards, the exhibition and hands-on experience of award-winning products and MIDI 2.0-compatible products, and opportunities to interact with the engineers and creators involved in product development and hear about the latest trends.

Anyone with an interest in MIDI is welcome to participate, from those who want to learn about the latest technology to those who wish to exchange information as engineers.

Top MIDI engineers from around the world and Japan will be in attendance, so why not take this opportunity to network with them?

Kakehashi Foundation

The first part of the event was an open session where people could experience the latest MIDI 2.0 products from Korg, Roland and Yamaha and also check out all the winners of the 2025 MIDI Innovation Awards.

A woman wearing headphones plays an electronic drum pad with drumsticks while a man in a suit, also wearing headphones, smiles and points at the drum pad. They are in a room with chairs, laptops, and other people.

Haim Kairy from Arcana Instruments shows off the accessible music display at the Kakehashi Foundation event which featured the Arcana Strum, Drum Beam, Cosmos dots all connected to Connect Through MIDI.

A group of people stand around a table with electronic music equipment, including keyboards and synthesizers, in a well-lit room. Some are observing while others interact with the devices.

MIDI Engineers from Yamaha, Roland and Korg were there to explain the latest products that support MIDI 2.0 technology.

A group of people stands and interacts with electronic musical instruments and equipment on tables covered with orange cloths in a room with chairs and stage lighting. Some people are wearing headphones and appear focused.

Native Instruments provided their two MIDI Innovation Award winners – Kontact and Kontrol S61 MK3. Anthony Nasce from  5of12  was showing off their Mobile App called Playtonik, which won the Non-Commercial, Software MIDI Innovation award this year and Mike Venter from Azoteq and Mike Kent from Amenote were demoing their MIDI 2.0 ready sensing technology.

A musician with headphones stands on stage facing sound equipment, while several people, some standing and some seated, observe and interact around a table with electronic gear and keyboards in a studio or auditorium setting.

Anthony Dickens and his Circle Guitar joined us in Tokyo for the Kakehashi Foundation event and then for the Tokyo Gakki Fair. That article is coming soon, but it’s time to get on a plane and head back to the US and go straight to a hotel in Santa Monica for the Music Tectonics event from our friends at Rock, Paper, Scissors.

AMEI Presentation at the MIDI Meet Up

Text on a blue gradient background reads: “MIDI MEETUP 2025, MIDI 2.0 動向, 2025-10-27, AMEI.”.
Blue background with Japanese text and the name Takayuki Tomisawa in parentheses, followed by more Japanese text and MIDI 2.0 in English. AMEI logo appears in the bottom right corner.
White text on a blue geometric background reads MIDI 2.0 概要, which means MIDI 2.0 Overview in Japanese.
Slide titled MIDI 2.0 with the AMEI logo. Bullet points: Easier to Use, More Expressive, Includes MIDI 1.0, Built for Today, Ready for Tomorrow. Light blue and white background.
A slide with the title Easier to Use shows a laptop and a keyboard synthesizer connected by arrows, with Japanese text about two-way communication. The AMEI logo is in the top left corner.
A slide with the title Easier to Use. Below, Japanese text reads 自動設定, meaning automatic settings. Illustrations show a blue laptop and a keyboard connected by arrows, with Japanese captions indicating ease of use.
A slide comparing MIDI 1.0 and MIDI 2.0, showing high-resolution values and per-note controllers with a keyboard graphic. Japanese text and the AMEI logo are present.
A diagram shows MIDI 1.0 and MIDI 2.0 devices and apps connected through MIDI-CI. Text explains MIDI 1.0 will not be replaced but extended to work continuously with MIDI 2.0 environments. The AMEI logo is at the top left.
A light blue and white slide with the AMEI logo, the title Built for Today, Ready for Tomorrow, and Japanese text explaining MIDI 2.0’s flexibility and adaptability for future applications.
White Japanese text 規格動向 is centered on a blue background with abstract circular and rectangular shapes.
Slide titled OS 対応状況 with a green AMEI logo and leaf design. Lists AppleOS, Linux, Android, and Windows support for MIDI/Ump devices, with details about kernel versions, USB MIDI, and app compatibility. Text in Japanese.
A presentation slide titled Windows MIDI 2.0 in English and Japanese, listing features such as USB MIDI 2.0 driver, MIDI 2.0 service & tools, and detailing support and compatibility improvements.
A slide titled MIDI-CI Piano Profile features Japanese text about MIDI-CI Profile characteristics and a list of main piano parameters, with the AMEI logo in the top left corner.
A presentation slide titled MIDI-CI Drum Profile with bullet points outlining features in Japanese, including MIDI-CI profiling for drums, data sharing, easy DAW editing, and drumset information listing. AMEI logo at the top left.
A slide titled Standard MIDI 2.0 File with Japanese text about file structure. Includes two diagrams of MIDI file layouts, a DAW screenshot, and piano roll and profile icons. AMEI logo is in the top left corner.
A presentation slide titled DAW Working Group with the AMEI logo. Text covers library development, open source plans, and MIDI-CI DAW control features. A group photo of people is on the lower right. Japanese and English are used.
Slide with Japanese and English text. Title: 公開中のMIDI-CI Profile. List includes: Note On Selection of Orchestral Articulation, MIDI Polyphonic Expression, Drawbar Organs, Rotary Speaker, and more. AMEI logo in top left.
Blue gradient background with overlapping translucent shapes. Centered white Japanese text reads “みんな大好き JUCE 対応状況” which translates to Everyone loves JUCE support status.
A presentation slide titled JUCEのMIDI 2.0対応 lists updates in JUCE7, JUCE8, and JUCE9 regarding MIDI 2.0 support, includes a link, and shows a screenshot of a software interface at the bottom.
Slide with the title MIDI 2.0 情報の入手先 and a list of three resources, each with a link, plus Japanese text about development tools and libraries. The background is light blue with a wavy pattern.
A blue gradient background with the words Thank You in large black text, and Japanese text below translating to Lets create the future world of MIDI together.
A slide titled MIDI 2.0 対応 Products lists various music software and hardware brands and products, including Apple Logic Pro, YAMAHA MONTAGE M series, Roland A-88MKII, KORG Keystage, and others.

It’s amazing how well aligned AMEI and The MIDI Association are and it is testament to the hard work of both organizations and how hard they work to cooperate together to make MIDI 2.0 happen.

After the event the Kakehashi Foundation hosted us for a lovely Italian dinner at a restaurant near the foundation.

A group of eleven people sit around a restaurant table, smiling and posing for a photo. Plates, drinks, and menus are on the wooden table. The setting is casual with warm lighting and a modern interior.
A group of eight men are sitting around a restaurant table with empty plates and drinks, smiling and posing for a photo. The setting is casual, with an open kitchen and restaurant staff visible in the background.