Interviews
Defining a Taiko player
Mr. Asano from Asano Taiko told us, when he invited us to Japan, he said to us that he thought San Jose Taiko was really interesting for him because we were able to kind of embody some of the spirit of Taiko that he felt even groups in Japan did not have. It was hard for him to kind of explain that to us and maybe hard for us to understand him Japanese and what he was trying to say. But it was an interesting comment that he made that basically he felt that because Taiko was becoming so popular even in Japan, that the philosophy and the spirit of playing has just been lost. It’s become just an instrument. So even for a Taiko maker, “What is a Taiko player?” is the big question.
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
Feeling empowered by taiko
Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko
Sense of lineage between Sansei and Issei through Taiko
Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko
Taiko, an element that represents strength (Spanish)
(b. 1974) Director of Ryukyu Matsuri Daiko in Peru
Image of Americans
Sansei from Hawaii living in Japan. Teacher and businesswoman.
Japanese influence growing up
(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.
Diverse membership in San Jose Taiko
Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko
Looking at your country from the outside
(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.
Wife's family in Japan
(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.
Bringing Japanese American taiko to Japan
Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko
Lack of notion of citizenship in Japan
(b.1935) American born Japanese. Retired businessman.
Lack of language skills
(b.1964) California-born business woman in Japan. A successor of her late grandmother, who started a beauty business in Japan.
Preserving traditional Japanese culture
(b.1964) California-born business woman in Japan. A successor of her late grandmother, who started a beauty business in Japan.
Having patience in Japan, being both
(b.1964) California-born business woman in Japan. A successor of her late grandmother, who started a beauty business in Japan.
Being on the outside
(b.1948) Nikkei from Southern California living in Japan.