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Obon and the community

I never missed an Obon, especially at Paia Mantokuji because that was the family church. So my parents would always bring me home during the summer for Obon. So, I always continued to play even through college. Then, when I came home for good and having started dating my future husband at the time, when I came home I realized that as I was attending these Obons, the community was aging at the Obons, actually, because there weren’t younger children and families that were attending Obon. And the dancers were of the aging population. And I felt sad about that, because I felt that if there’s a way to help encourage the younger children to get involved, then we knew for a fact, the tradition would continue. So, after I married and my husband was so involved in taiko, we sort of went on a mission to try to get the younger generation to come out to Obon.


Buddhism drum families Obon religions taiko

Date: July 9, 2004

Location: Hawaii, US

Interviewer: Art Hansen, Sojin Kim

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

Interviewee Bio

Kay Fukumoto, of Maui Taiko, continues a multi-generational family tradition of playing taiko at local, annual Obon festivals that began with her grandfather and great-grandfather and now includes her husband and son. Though the Maui Taiko group was formed officially in 1996, it has been operating informally on Maui, Hawaii for over 100 years.

In 1970, at the age of ten, Kay was the first girl to be allowed to play the taiko at an Obon festival on the island of Maui. She now leads Maui Taiko, which plays at 16 different temples during the Obon festival season. In 2001, she coordinated a trip for the group to perform taiko in Fukushima and Hiroshima, Japan. (July 9, 2004)

Mas Kodani
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Mas Kodani

Taiko is a reflection of where you live

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

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Mas Kodani
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Mas Kodani

Playing traditional gagaku while creating an identity

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

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PJ Hirabayashi
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PJ Hirabayashi

Taiko as self-expression

Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko

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PJ Hirabayashi
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PJ Hirabayashi

A “principally-based” taiko group in England creating a global taiko community

Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko

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Roy Hirabayashi
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Roy Hirabayashi

Learning Japanese at school and at home with family

(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.

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Roy Hirabayashi
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Roy Hirabayashi

Defining a Taiko player

(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.

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Aiko Yoshinaga Herzig
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Aiko Yoshinaga Herzig

Family separated in the camps

(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist

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Bert A. Kobayashi
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Bert A. Kobayashi

Family first

(b.1944) Founder of Kobayashi Group, LLC

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Bert A. Kobayashi
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Bert A. Kobayashi

Being accepted as biracial family

(b.1944) Founder of Kobayashi Group, LLC

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George Yamada
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George Yamada

Memories of railroad workers who stayed at family's prewar hotel in Spokane, Washington

(b. 1923) Chick sexer

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Paula Hoyos Hattori
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Paula Hoyos Hattori

Her interests in Japanese culture (Spanish)

Sansei Argentinean

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Margaret Oda
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Margaret Oda

Growing up with Japanese language and values

(1925 - 2018) Nisei educator from Hawai‘i

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Johnny Mori
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Johnny Mori

Japanese American taiko is not Japanese taiko

(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.

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Johnny Mori
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Johnny Mori

Parents didn't accept me playing taiko in the beginning

(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.

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George Abe
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George Abe

Ocean of Sound: Taiko in the Womb

(b. 1944) taiko and flute performer

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