Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/354/

Interviews

Akiyama,Nosuke

Shishimai (Lion dance) and Taiko player with San Francisco Taiko Dojo.

Rediscovery of Japanese culture through taiko (Japanese)

(Japanese) I guess you could say that I rediscovered Japanese culture as I began playing taiko. When I lived in Japan, I was not too conscious about Japanese culture per se because everything around you is Japanese. But once you leave that environment, you begin to crave Japanese things and also become aware of different ways of seeing things. And I began to appreciate the value system in the Japanese culture.


aesthetics culture drum metaphysics psychology taiko theory of knowledge values

Date: January 26, 2005

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Ann Kaneko, Sojin Kim

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum.

Interviewee Bio

Nosuke Akiyama, a shin-issei, was born and raised in Yokohama, Japan. He came to the United States the same year that this country revised its immigration policy—abolishing the national origins quota system-- with the Immigration Act of 1965.

He has performed with San Francisco Taiko Dojo since its first public appearance at the 1968 Aki Matsuri. Initially participating on taiko, he is especially well known for his performance of shi-shi mai (lion dance). He currently works as a sales manager for Japan Food Corporation (JFC) International, but he continues to perform with S.F. Taiko Dojo and to teach shi-shi mai. (January 26, 2005)

Kenny Endo
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Endo,Kenny

Differences between Kinnara and San Francisco Taiko Dojo

(b.1952) Master drummer, artistic director of the Taiko Center of the Pacific

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Seiichi Tanaka
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Tanaka,Seiichi

Understanding Sansei taiko (Japanese)

(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.

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Seiichi Tanaka
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Tanaka,Seiichi

Soukou Bayashi: Dedicated to the Issei (Japanese)

(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.

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Seiichi Tanaka
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Tanaka,Seiichi

Handmade taiko (Japanese)

(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.

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Etsuo Hongo
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Hongo,Etsuo

First taiko performance in the United States (Japanese)

(1949 - 2019) Taiko player. Founded five taiko groups in Southern California

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Etsuo Hongo
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Hongo,Etsuo

Taiko's sounds as Japanese cultural tradition (Japanese)

(1949 - 2019) Taiko player. Founded five taiko groups in Southern California

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Etsuo Hongo
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Hongo,Etsuo

Originality of each taiko group (Japanese)

(1949 - 2019) Taiko player. Founded five taiko groups in Southern California

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Etsuo Hongo
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Hongo,Etsuo

Benefits of living in the United States (Japanese)

(1949 - 2019) Taiko player. Founded five taiko groups in Southern California

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Etsuo Hongo
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Hongo,Etsuo

Promoting group identity through taiko contests (Japanese)

(1949 - 2019) Taiko player. Founded five taiko groups in Southern California

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Mas Kodani
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Kodani,Mas

Changing the taiko rhythm from Japanese to Afro-Cuban

Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.

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Roger Shimomura
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Shimomura,Roger

Japanese American community life

(b. 1939) Japanese American painter, printmaker & professor

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Frank Yamasaki
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Yamasaki,Frank

Starting over after the war: denial of all things Japanese

(b. 1923) Nisei from Washington. Resisted draft during WWII.

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Mas Kodani
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Kodani,Mas

Friction between Sensei and Kinnara in defining taiko

Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.

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Kenny Endo
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Endo,Kenny

Collaborating with non-taiko groups

(b.1952) Master drummer, artistic director of the Taiko Center of the Pacific

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Seiichi Tanaka
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Tanaka,Seiichi

Lack of taiko at Cherry Blossom Festival

(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.

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