Kodo at Tokorozawa Muse

A Full-Body Taiko Jolt and Total Power Recharge

Image from TABIPPO

Yesterday, I went to Tokorozawa Muse to see Kodo. Have you heard of them?

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🥁 Kodo: The Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble

• Official Name: Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble Kodo
• Established: 1981 (Debut at the Berlin Festival)
• Art Form: Taiko-centered stage art. They are known for their sophisticated and powerful stage expression, elevating traditional Japanese arts into a contemporary form. While mainly focused on Japanese drums like the O-daiko (Great Drum), they have recently incorporated Western instruments like timpani and flute.
• Activity Base in Sado: Every summer, they host the international arts festival “Earth Celebration” (EC) on their home base, Sado Island. Meaning “A Festival of the Earth,” it brings together artists and cultural figures from around the world for concerts and workshops.
• Cultural Exchange: As a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation, Kodo Culture Foundation, they also engage in public activities to promote local arts, including school exchange performances for junior high students.
• In short: Kodo is a professional taiko performing arts ensemble based in Sado, active internationally, and dedicated to recreating Japanese traditional arts centered on taiko.

My Experience: Feeling the Taiko Pulse

Although I hadn’t known about Kodo before, I bought a ticket because I wanted to be immersed in the sound of the Japanese drum. I managed to get a seat right in the front row, center!

Wow, the taiko drums are incredible.

The O-daiko (Great Drum) sitting majestically at the center of the stage felt as if it possessed a life of its own. The beautiful lines of the performers’ trained bodies were striking. I was particularly captivated by the elegant yet powerful figure of the female player, Ms. Moe Niiyama, as she struck the drums.

The deep bass resonance of the taiko pierced through my chest, and the drum’s pulse, or kodo, felt like it was injected directly into my body, fully recharging my power. As adults, opportunities for new sensory experiences decrease, and surprises become rare, but I realized that engaging with various traditional arts allows us to discover new worlds.

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I want to experience many different sounds next year! I think I’ll be returning to Tokorozawa Muse again soon.

Thank you for reading.