Interviews

1. Fun at concentration camp

2. A wrong ethnic assumption

3. The performing arts not for Nisei

4. Changing the taiko rhythm from Japanese to Afro-Cuban

5. Friction between Sensei and Kinnara in defining taiko

6. American influences on Japanese taiko

7. Appreciating Kinnara Taiko's approach to taiko

8. A Japanese American gardening dance

9. Taiko is a reflection of where you live

10. Playing traditional gagaku while creating an identity

Mas Kodani

Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.

Playing traditional gagaku while creating an identity

When Togi taught our gagaku group, we became proficient enough that they asked us to play at the Olympics at a venue. So we’re outside playing gagakuand so this guy from Japan was watching us – and he assumed we were Japanese because we were playing gagaku. So he came up and said something to Ronnie, one of our members. And Ronnie doesn’t speak Japanese. So he says, “What?” and so this guy did [speak English]. He said, “Oh, you’re American?” And Ronnie said, “Yeah.” And he says, “You can’t play gagaku!” And Ronnie said, “I just did.” And he said, “Oh no, no, gagakuis the soul of Japanese music and you have to be from Japan.” And so Ronnie leaned over and said, “Do you know the piece that we just played? What’s the name of it?” And he didn’t know of course. So Ronnie said, “Get out of my face.”

And that was an important moment because for the first time, a Sansei was saying, “No, this is my music and I know what it is and I don’t need you to tell me what it is by accident of birth.” And that was a pivotal moment for our group. And everyone really felt that. This generation is saying “Whatever we are, this is what we are and we’re not going to be intimidated anymore simply because…by birth.” And ours is different. It is different so that when we go to Japan, we do not expect this in Japan. We expect something very different.

arts drum gagaku identity Japan music taiko

Date: December 3, 2004

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Art Hansen, Sojin Kim

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Rev. Masao Kodani is a Sansei minister of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko - the second taiko group established in the United States and the first Japanese American Buddhist group. Born in Glendale, California, Rev. Kodani was a young child when he and his family were incarcerated at Poston Relocation Center in Arizona during WWII. After his family's return toLos Angeles, they lived in a predominantly African American community near the neighborhood of Watts. Although they were Buddhist, his parents sent their children to Evergreen Baptist Church in East L.A. because they thought it would be easier for them to fit in. After graduating from Centennial High School, Reverend Kodani attended the University of California at Santa Barbara where he earned his degree in East Asian Studies. While at UC Santa Barbara, he became close with Reverend Art Takemoto of Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. Through Rev. Takemoto’s influence, Kodani traveled to Japanto study Buddhism at Ryukoku University. After his studies were completed, he returned to the United States and was assigned to the Senshin Buddhist Temple in South Central Los Angeles. In 1969, he established Kinnara Taiko with members of the temple as a Japanese American Buddhist ensemble with the objective of enjoying the Buddha-Dharma (Horaku)through the experience. Their composition, "Ashura" has become one of the most learned adapted pieces in the American taiko repertory. (December 3, 2004)