Visitors at Japantown festivals enjoy live music and drumming performed by San Jose’s Chidori Band or San Jose Taiko (SJT). Learn about these musical legends via new exhibits at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) on display through December 2013. This year, they celebrate hallmark anniversaries -- Chidori Band’s 60th and SJT’s 40th.

Come and learn about their early beginnings, the performers, attire, and performances through artifacts, photos, and interactive technology.

SJT’s contemporary style of taiko was amongst the first to incorporate instruments and rhythms of other world music with the traditional beats of Japanese taiko. Also known for their choreography and joyful energy, SJT travels beyond the state, performing nationally and internationally at Performing Arts Centers. They put San Jose on the worldwide map.

Kimono-clad dancers glide to the music of the Chidori Band during the annual Obon.

Their exhibit, “Music and Memories” includes the original score of the Chidori Band Ondo, a favorite at Obon time, as well as a scrapbook. Masayo Arii, a founding member, recalls that when returning from camp, there was no recreation . . . “nothing for the Issei, Japanese-speaking people . . . They put in long hours and this was something that brought them enjoyment and a little relaxation.”

The Japantown air is permeated by a keen sense of harmony as evidenced by these two groups. JAMsj is proud to be a partnering organization with these performing arts groups -- an integral aspect of our history and culture.

Questions? Please contact Aggie Idemoto at the Museum: info@jamsj.org, (408) 294-3138, or access the web site, (www.jamsj.org).