Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/993/

Taiko as a family activity

Well, I think my having involved from a family perspective definitely gives me the roots to—for me philosophically—to want to have taiko be part of the family. With my husband having been part of the group, what happened was that we started to attract people who wanted to do it as a family activity. And it might’ve been a two-fold thing. It could’ve been that they saw us doing it as a family activity, so they would join up as a family activity. But, there were some members in our group that they wanted their child to do something cultural, but they got involved somehow because of their attraction to it after a while. And there was several of our members that had been introduced that way. So, their child started, they became involved. Some of the children now have left the group, but they’re still involved. And I think our group is unique in that we do have a lot of family members doing taiko together. It’s not just one family member.


drum families 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)

Henry Suto
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Suto,Henry

Speaking about his wife

(1928 - 2008) Drafted into both the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.S. Army.

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Cedrick Shimo
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Shimo,Cedrick

Growing up with both Japanese and American influences

(1919-2020) Member of the 1800th Engineering Battalion. Promoted Japan-U.S. trade while working for Honda's export division.

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Paulo Issamu Hirano
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Hirano,Paulo Issamu

My daughter’s identity (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

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Henry Suto
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Suto,Henry

What I wanted to pass down to my children (Japanese)

(1928 - 2008) Drafted into both the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.S. Army.

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Reiko T. Sakata
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Sakata,Reiko T.

Backstory of Parents

(b. 1939) a businesswoman whose family volunterily moved to Salt Lake City in Utah during the war.

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Harunori Oda
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Oda,Harunori

Next phase

(1927-2016) Shin-Issei businessman

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Susumu “Sus” Ito
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Ito,Susumu “Sus”

Coming home to his mother after the war

(1919 - 2015) Nisei who served in World War II with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team

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Fred Y. Hoshiyama
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Hoshiyama,Fred Y.

Marriage and Family

(1914–2015) Nisei YMCA and Japanese American community leader

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Howard Kakita
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Kakita,Howard

His family Traveled to Japan in 1940

(b. 1938) Japanese American. Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor

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Johnny Mori
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Mori,Johnny

Performing the koto and taiko drum together, in Japan

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

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Fred Y. Hoshiyama
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Hoshiyama,Fred Y.

Early Childhood

(1914–2015) Nisei YMCA and Japanese American community leader

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Reiko T. Sakata
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Sakata,Reiko T.

Adoption Story

(b. 1939) a businesswoman whose family volunterily moved to Salt Lake City in Utah during the war.

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Barbara Kawakami
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Kawakami,Barbara

Doing chores

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

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George Ariyoshi
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Ariyoshi,George

Spending time with children

(b.1926) Democratic politician and three-term Governor of Hawai'i

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Jean Hayashi Ariyoshi
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Ariyoshi,Jean Hayashi

Getting married

Former First Lady of Hawai'i

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