On Tuesday evening, Toyosu Pit Hall in Tokyo, Japan, was filled with Nepalis—students and individuals there for work—and the occasional Japanese music enthusiasts. The occasion? A concert by the Nepali folk-rock band Nepathya.

Amidst the deep sound of madal (a kind of folk Nepali drum), the band’s lead singer, Amrit Gurung started singing the lyrics of ‘Koshiko Pani’ to kick off the concert. This was followed by the uber-popular tracks ‘Bhedako Oon Jasto’ and ‘Chhekyo Chhekyo’. By the time the band was done with the third song, the whole crowd was hyped, singing along to the lyrics and dancing about.

In their two-hour long set, Nepathya played 16 songs, including ‘Aanganai Bhari’, ‘Yo Jindagani’, ‘Resham’ and ‘Rato Ra Chandra Surya’. “In our three-decade-long journey, we have experienced a lot of things. We have many memories here in Tokyo, too—ones of separation, friendship and music,” said Gurung during the show.

Among the attendees was the Japanese restauranter Nauro who said he enjoyed the show even though he doesn’t understand a word of Nepali. “I don’t need to understand the language; the vibes conveyed everything,” he explained, adding that although he hasn’t visited Nepal, he attended the concert based on a friend’s recommendation who said he liked Nepathya’s music.

Besides Nepalis and Japanese, the concert was also attended by South Koreans, says Subhash Lamichhane from the organising team.

This isn’t the first time the band visited the island nation in East Asia. Nepathya held its first Japanese concert in 1998. The band’s last concert, at the iconic Tokyo Dome, took place five years ago.

The 14-member Nepathya team arrived in Japan two days before the concert and was greeted with fanfare by the local organisers at Narita International Airport. Their next concert will be at the Fukuoka Civic Hall, Fukuoka, Japan, on August 12.