Interviews
Bringing Japanese American taiko to Japan
In 1987, we went to Nagasaki where we stayed with Ondekoza for a few weeks and played with them in joint performance. And it was there in Japan playing juxtaposed to Ondekoza that it’s like, “Wow, we are really different,” and “Wow, we do have a different voice.” And to hear the response from the Japanese audience and hearing English come out of our mouths—“Oh, you don’t speak Japanese,” and “Oh, what kind of drums are those?” We insisted on taking our wine barrel-made Taiko to Japan as a part of like, “See? This is what we do. This is what Japanese Taiko has inspired here in the United States.” It was very important for us to show that to the Japanese public. So to receive their very favorable response from the Japanese audience to say, “Yes, that’s Taiko but really different. Your music is different. But yes, it’s Taiko.”
Date: January 26, 2005
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Art Hansen, Sojin Kim
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Performing the koto and taiko drum together, in Japan
(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.
Insights from family on Japanese American internment
(b. 1977) Musician, Producer, Artist
Differences between Kinnara and San Francisco Taiko Dojo
(b.1952) Master drummer, artistic director of the Taiko Center of the Pacific
Understanding Sansei taiko (Japanese)
(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.
Soukou Bayashi: Dedicated to the Issei (Japanese)
(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.
Handmade taiko (Japanese)
(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.
Rediscovery of Japanese culture through taiko (Japanese)
Shishimai (Lion dance) and Taiko player with San Francisco Taiko Dojo.
First taiko performance in the United States (Japanese)
(1949 - 2019) Taiko player. Founded five taiko groups in Southern California
Taiko's sounds as Japanese cultural tradition (Japanese)
(1949 - 2019) Taiko player. Founded five taiko groups in Southern California
Originality of each taiko group (Japanese)
(1949 - 2019) Taiko player. Founded five taiko groups in Southern California
Benefits of living in the United States (Japanese)
(1949 - 2019) Taiko player. Founded five taiko groups in Southern California
Promoting group identity through taiko contests (Japanese)
(1949 - 2019) Taiko player. Founded five taiko groups in Southern California
Changing the taiko rhythm from Japanese to Afro-Cuban
Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.
Friction between Sensei and Kinnara in defining taiko
Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.