Interviews
Meeting Kinnara Taiko
Every time we play drum, I think I attract people because that’s very quite unusual at that time. So people start to want to join. That’s also another reason I have to learn more music, more taiko. So every time I go to Japan. Part time job, and I gain money and go to Japan. Study. More study. And every time, bring the drum.
So until ’69, Koyasan-ho(?)—do you remember? Koyasan-ho in Little Tokyo. Nagano kenjinkai—like a Nagano prefecture people’s crowd—invite us to play taiko. So then I met the Kinnara Taiko group. Those people had a bookstore, Amerasia, American Asian, bookstore. This is the first time I ever met those people.
They are making their own drum. That was a big culture shock. I never thought to make the drum. My knowledge of taiko is always carpenter, special taiko carpenter, make the drum. But this is a revolution. Revolution. Those guys make the taiko revolution. Without their idea of using barrel, wine barrel—cut, (?) the skin. Some not as good as original Japanese taiko. But they can make it in an inexpensive way. I think that made taiko history in the United States. That’s very, very important [that] JA’s start to make—everybody—start to make own taiko.
Date: January 27, 2005
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Art Hansen, Sojin Kim
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum.
Explore More Videos
Introducing Taiko in Vancouver
(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.
The philosophy of playing Taiko
(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.
Defining a Taiko player
(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.
Decision between becoming a minister or musician
(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.
Starting Japanese American taiko their own way
(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.
Japanese American taiko is not Japanese taiko
(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.
Parents didn't accept me playing taiko in the beginning
(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.
Performing the koto and taiko drum together, in Japan
(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.
Taiko considered "Jazz" in the Philippines
(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.
Tango makes him to stay in Argentina (Spanish)
(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist
What is Matsuri Daiko? (Spanish)
(b. 1974) Director of Ryukyu Matsuri Daiko in Peru
Taiko, an element that represents strength (Spanish)
(b. 1974) Director of Ryukyu Matsuri Daiko in Peru
Discover Nikkei Updates
June 25 (US) | June 26 (Japan)
Featured Nima:
Stan Kirk
Guest Host:
Yoko Murakawa
See exciting new changes to Discover Nikkei. Find out what’s new and what’s coming soon!