an iconic moment
Sakura Taiko Fest at sylvan theater
Sponsored by chase and Produced by Miyako Taiko
The Sakura Taiko Fest has grown from a small concert first held in a dance studio to a full day of free, family-friendly taiko performances in downtown DC. Each year, we welcome a number of North American taiko groups and feature a variety of different taiko styles as a celebration of Japanese-American cultural and artistic traditions.
Miyako Taiko was founded in 2014 as a community group affiliated with the Mark H Rooney Taiko School. The group works together to strengthen its members’ practice of taiko, develop relationships within the taiko community, and broaden public knowledge of the art and traditions of taiko. They love to share their taiko and their energy at events in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Sakura Taiko Fest Schedule*
Rec Class…………………………12 Noon
Naname Class ………………. 12:10 PM
Performance Class………… 12:25 PM
Nen Daiko…………………….. 12:40 PM
DANCE: Ei Ja Nai Ka ………..1:05 PM
Miyako Taiko…………………….1:20 PM
Inochi Taiko………………………1:50 PM
Pittsburgh Taiko ……………….2:20 PM
DANCE: Tanko Bushi………..2:45 PM
Maikaze Daiko……………………… 3 PM
“TSUMUGU” …………………….3:30 PM
MHTX……………………………….3:45 PM
DANCE: Soran-A-Gogo ……4:05 PM
OMNY………………………………4:20 PM
Maui Taiko………………………..4:50 PM
DANCE: Fukushima Ondo..5:15 PM
“SHIN-EN”……………………….5:30 PM
*Subject to change
Performing Groups
Inochi Taiko from Seattle, WA
Established in 2003, Inochi Taiko is a Seattle-based taiko drumming ensemble founded by Tyrone Nakawatase, Garrett Nakawatase, and Max Honkawa. “Inochi” translates to “Life” which encapsulates the members’ dedication to the group and art form. Their journey represents a commitment to sharing Taiko and showcasing the dynamic essence of Japanese-American culture.
Inochi Taiko performances are not solely about the music; they are a visual spectacle as well. The performers’ choreography, rhythms, energy, expression, and dynamic arrangements contribute to a visually stunning and empowering experience. The synchronization between the drummers embodies a profound sense of unity and harmony, reflecting the essence of teamwork and dedication.
Maikaze Daiko from Oakland, CA
Maikaze Daiko is a San Francisco-based performance ensemble and Taiko school. Our name, “Dancing Wind”, reflects our focus on innovative arrangements, precision taiko playing and creative use of movement and space. Our mission is to preserve and promote the rich cultural and artistic heritage of Japanese Taiko drumming while giving a voice to American Taiko in the 21st century through performing neo-traditional pieces that are rooted in Japanese culture and with original modern works that are musltidisciplinary and narrative-driven, recontextualizing the traditional aspects of the art form.
The group has been honored to perform at such events such as the 2018 International Taiko Festival, the San Francisco Chinese New Year’s Parade and the San Francisco World Percussion Arts Festival. The ensemble is comprised of highly trained community members and is one of the few groups outside of Japan who have been bestowed the permission to perform in the regional style of Wajima Kiriko Daiko and also been given the permission to perform Amanojaku’s signature piece, “Bujin”. Maikaze Daiko offers a range of classes open to the public at our current home in Oakland. The organization has extensive experience conducting corporate team building workshops and has worked with various Fortune 500 Companies such as Facebook and Google.
Since its founding, Maikaze Daiko has performed throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and has produced numerous concerts including the bi-annual San Francisco World Percussion Arts Festival and the weekly production, “Maikaze Daiko & Friends” (2014-15), at the Hotel Nikko in SF which hosted visiting luminary artists such as Shakuhachi Master Artist, Riley Lee, and Master Taiko Artist, Kenny Endo.
Maui Taiko from Maui, HI
Maui Taiko, established in 1996, is a non-profit charitable organization created to perpetuate traditional Japanese folk songs and to promote taiko (Japanese drumming) music. Maui Taiko is carrying on a hundred year tradition of performing the Japanese folk song, Fukushima Ondo at many O-Bon festivals and cultural events on Maui. The group continues to work toward elevating their artistry in taiko with over 60 performances a year ranging from community events, corporate engagements, and private functions.
Nen Daiko from Fairfax, VA
Nen Daiko is the taiko ensemble of Ekoji Buddhist Temple in Fairfax Station, Virginia, and has been performing in the Washington DC metropolitan area since 1994.
With the guidance of then-Rev. Kenryu Tsuji and our sister groups Soh Daiko (New York City, NY) and Hoh Daiko (Seabrook, NJ), Nen Daiko sought to represent our temple by emphasizing the basic philosophies of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism and its connection to taiko and kumi-daiko (ensemble playing of taiko).
While affiliated with Ekoji Buddhist Temple, our members are diverse and of different faiths, brought together by a common respect for the art of taiko, the teachings of Buddhist taiko, and a joy and exuberance for expressing ourselves through the beat of the drum.
Since its inception, Nen Daiko has performed at many venues in the metropolitan area, such as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Theatre, the National Mall, the Jefferson Memorial and Tidal Basin, and the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism in World War II. We have also appeared at many universities throughout the area, including George Mason University, George Washington University, American University, and Towson University.
OMNY Taiko from New York City, NY
OMNY, which stands for “One Miracle in New York,” was founded by Shumei, a Japanese spiritual organization, in 2006 as an initiative to engage Shumei youth. Starting a taiko group in New York City initially seemed unrealistic for many reasons, including the high cost of drums and the lack of an affordable practice space. However, a small miracle occurred—a couple generously allowed us to practice in their garage. There, we hit tires, fashioned into makeshift “drums,” to practice the songs taught to us by our teacher, Taiko Master Koji Nakamura Sensei, during his visits to the East Coast. Through perseverance and the generosity of the community, more miracles occurred—we were eventually able to purchase several drums and rent practice space in a school auditorium in Lower Manhattan, OMNY Taiko was born!
In 2009, under the direction of leaders Linda and Tony Tan, OMNY Taiko expanded from a Shumei youth initiative into an independent community taiko group. We began to offer introductory classes and recruited many new performing members from diverse backgrounds. We added new pieces to our repertoire and experimented with more complex arrangements and even composition. OMNY also began highly productive collaborations with Takajum Indian Dance Academy, classical music ensemble The Silk Worms, and shakuhachi player Marco Burmester. Linda and Tony stepped down from leadership in 2016, and the group is now led by Artistic Director Crystal Lau, with support from JJ DelSerra, Clare Wilson, and Jill Hopfield.
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Pittsburgh Taiko from Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh Taiko is dedicated to bringing Japanese group taiko drumming (kumidaiko) to the city of Pittsburgh. Open to anyone interested in learning about the art form, we seek to educate members of the community about taiko and about Japanese culture through performances and outreach activities.
Pittsburgh Taiko performs both regional Japanese drumming styles arranged for the group and original compositions. In this way, we not only look to pass on knowledge of what has come before, but also work to create new possibilities for taiko performance.
Nen Daiko
Nen Daiko is the taiko ensemble of Ekoji Buddhist Temple in Fairfax Station, VA. Since 1994, Nen Daiko has been entertaining audiences throughout the Washington, DC, metropolitan area with a repertoire that includes traditional festival songs and more contemporary compositions. Our members are from diverse backgrounds and faiths, joined by our common respect for the art of taiko, the teachings of Buddhist taiko, and our joy and exuberance for the artistic expression of taiko. The group owes much gratitude to Ekoji’s founding minister Rev. Kenryu Tsuji who provided the name “Nen,” our sister groups Soh Daiko (NY) and Hoh Daiko (NJ) for their generous mentorship, and all the causes and conditions that have allowed us to practice and share the art of taiko for the past 29 years. In October 2017, members of Nen Daiko created Dounen Daiko for youth ages 12-17. Nen Daiko members run the youth group and love to see how Dounen members embrace and integrate the joy of taiko into their lives.
Pittsburgh Taiko
Pittsburgh Taiko is a community group dedicated to sharing the art and spirit of taiko with our city and with friends throughout the world.
We perform pieces in various regional Japanese styles, as well as original compositions. As part of the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania, we also do outreach to local schools and other groups, teaching a bit of taiko history and how taiko are used in Japan.
We welcome everyone in our beginner classes, and many of our performers started learning taiko with us. We hope we can share our love of taiko with you!
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