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Kokoro Issue Page 1 Year of the Monkey, Gardena 5000 Tote That Bar and Lift That Light On Sunday, June 6, members of Kokoro Taiko Kai On the evening of June 24, members of Kokoro Taiko met in Gardena at 7:00 am to drum for the 20th Annual Kai joined other Harbor Japanese Cultural Centerʼs Gardena 5000. organizational representatives help set up the Centerʼs After singing of the National Anthem, the race Annual Carnival grounds. organizations welcomed the over 2600 runners. With The KTK participants put together booths and the obon the sound of a horn the first of three races began with taiko stand, hung lantern lights, cut trees, and pitched in the All-Comers 5K runners and walkers leaving the everywhere needed. The KTK volunteers were Victor, starting as the KTK members began drumming. The Joann, Rory, Marjorie, Ken, and Richard. race was won by Zach Kunyiha of Kenya with a time of 14:58. And the womenʼs top runner was Mary Colburn of Lennox with a time of 17:00. The second race consisted of 13 world-class runners. The course was setup in pattern that the runner past by KTK drummers several times. John Itati of Kenya lead the tightly packed runners and won with a time 13:33.11. He received $3,000 for his first place finish. The final event was for children who ran one-half-K. Many runners thanked the KTK drummers for giving them a boost when they heard the drumming. Participating for KTK in the Gardena 5000 were Blake, Victor, Ken, Som, Marjorie, Heidi, Cary, Sue. and Richard. Gold Fish and Taiko On Saturday, June 26, Kokoro Taiko Kai members manned the Gold Fish Booth and later performed for the Annual Harbor Japanese Cultural Centerʼs Carnival. Udon, teriyaki chicken and beef, corn on the cob, chilidogs, snow cones, and lots of other tasty foods as well as games for children and adults were available for all to enjoy. The steady flow of gold fish hopeful winners was greatly increased thanks to barker Sue (a.k.a. BS) who called out to everyone, “Happy Hour!” From five ping-pong ball opportunities to win a gold fish everyone had seven chances during “Happy Hour.” page 2 Following the kendo demonstration and ondo (Japa- nese dancing), KTK members gathered and placed two odaikos in front of the stage. Six chudaikos and three odaikos were on stage along with the gong and shimes The first number played was Kaiten led by Judi and the second number, Omatsuri, was led by Joann. As KTK members reset the stage with three odaikos and the shimes, Victor danced with the Shishi Gashira, stylized lion head. Then for the first time ten KTK per- formers took their places at the five odaikos and others took their place with the shimes, cymbal, and shakers to play Miyake. Joann and Darren played the solos. Also performing were Victor, Rumi, Zoe, Marjorie, Heidi, Ken, Sue, Cary, Chris, Som, Rosemary, Greg, and Richard. The following day, Sunday, June 27, several KTK members returned to the Carnival after the Yamaguchi Kenjikai Picnicʼs performance to run the Gold Fish Booth. During the carnival days KTK members (Ken, Victor, and Greg) played the taiko for the ondo dancers. Zoe and her mom, Nancy, Joann, Sue, Darren and his mom, Astuko, participated in the dancing. During the two day Carnival many thanks to those KTK players and their families for helping in the booth including Rory and Debbie, Chris, Cary, Greg, and Chako, Ken and Kiyoko, Judi and her husband, Ken, Heidi, Joann, Sue, Victor, Greg, Heidi, and Richard. Special recognition to Liz and Marabella, our newest KTK members, for helping in the booth and also join- ing Victor, Ken and Kiyoko, Judi and Ken, Sue, Joann, and Richard to assist other volunteers dismantling the booths, lights fixtures, and lanterns. page 3 salads, sushi, sandwiches, meatballs, and many other delicious foods. Later KTK members joined others catching bags of candy and mochi and tasing the vari- ous flavors of snow cone. As active members of Yamaguchi Kenjikai, Victor and Richard were in charge of the annual volleyball tour- nament, quiz program for children, grandparents and parents, and games for children and adults. Taiko Playing and Lots of Good Eats The overcast morning of June 27, Sunday, blossomed into a warm and comfortable day as Kokoro Taiko Kai members met at Los Angeles Elysian Park’s Old Lodge to perform for Yamaguchi Kenjikai’s 99th Year Picnic. To formally welcome all for coming to the picnic, Vic- tor and Ken played the Odaiko and Greg played the flute. After short speeches by the various dignitaries, including Victor, Yamaguchi Kenjikai’s Seisonen Kai (Young Men’s Club) President, and the recognition of special guests, the KTK performers took their places. Victor played the gong intro and Judi began the rhythm for Kaiten. The next number was Omtasuri led by Ken. The final piece played was Miyake with Joann and Judi performing the solos. Also, performing were Cary, Chris, Sue, Heidi, Marjorie, Rosemary, Rumi, and Richard. Immediately following the performance, the KTK members were asked by the Rafu Shimpo, Los Angeles Japanese Newspaper, photographer to pose for a group photo with the entire Yamaguchi Kenjikai picnickers. Later the KTK members and their families shared and page 4 Taiko Terms (continued form Issue 2) Bachi - Also buchi. General term for drum sticks. Also Taiko in North America refers to the plectrum or pick used by shamisen and As Japanese immigrated to North America in the early biwa players. There are a staggering variety of bachi part of the 1900ʼs, they brought taiko over with them in many size, shapes and materials. The most com- as well. Taiko in North America previous to 1968 were mon woods used are kashi for nagado-daiko, hou for primarily used as Miya-daiko (temple drums) and in shime-daiko, and hinoki for Odaiko and Yatai-bayashi. various dojo (kendo, judo, karate). Also Japanese im- Almost all taiko are struck with bachi, the only excep- migration brought variations of minyo-daiko (folk tions seem to be the kotsuzumi, ootsuzumi and Yooko. taiko) - specifically Fukushima Ondo (Som-a Bon Uta) Bin-sasara - Also ita-sasara. A ratttle-like instrument groups - to accompany other art forms. Taiko drum- made of many small slats of wood connected by a spine ming for Bon Odori was established in Hawaii as early of string with a handle at each end. By flicking the han- as 1910, and the Kanazawa Kenjinkai brought taiko to dles back and forth,the slats strike each other, creating San Francisco as early as the 1930ʼs. So the tradition of a “zipping” sound. taiko drums was well established in Japanese-American Chu-daiko - General term for a medium sized drum, communities in North America until World War II. The roughly around 2 shaku in diameter. Taiko are mea- war, and the subsequent incarceration of hundreds of sured using the “kana” shaku system where one shaku thousand Japanese and Japanese-Americans as “enemy is equivalent to 30.3cm or roughly one foot. aliens” brought Japanese culture in the US to a abrupt -daiko - Suffix used to indicate a type of drum, a taiko halt. Once the war was over, many Japanese tried very group, or a style of taiko playing in a compound word. hard to assimilate into US culture. Many of the follow- Ex. 1 Chu-daiko (medium sized taiko). Ex. 2 Osuwa- ing generation lost much of the language and culture. It daiko (the Osuwa Taiko group). Ex. 3 Miyake-daiko wasnʼt until 1968 that Seiichi Tanaka brought the excit- (the style of taiko playing in the Miyake region). ing kumi-daiko style to the States. Dojo - A place for studying. Lit: the place of the way. A In 1968, Seiichi Tanaka formed the first North Ameri- taiko dojo would be a place for learning taiko. can taiko group, the San Francisco Taiko Dojo. Tanaka Fuchi - The rim of the drum, where the “ka” note is eventually went on to form the “Tanaka style” which is played. a synthesis of Oedo Sukeroku, Osuwa Daiko and Go- Fue - In the broadest meaning, fue refers to any blown jinjyo-daiko styles. He and his group went on to inspire instrument including nohkan, shakuhachi and sho. many, if not most, of the taiko groups throughout Amer- However, the term is widely used to refer to a trans- ican and Canada. The vast majority of taiko groups verse (horizontal) bamboo flute. These fue come in a in North America owe a huge stylistic debt to Oedo variety of sizes, numbered from #1 (lowest in pitch) Sukeroku as interpreted by the San Francisco Taiko to #13 (highest in pitch). Most fue have six or seven Dojo. Kinnara Taiko of Los Angeles was founded the holes. Most are in a native scale (matsuribue) but some following year, in 1969, creating a uniquely American are made to play western scales (utabue). See also mat- hybrid - Japanese American Buddhist taiko. San Jose suribue, shinobue, takebue, utabue, yokobue. Taiko followed in 1973, focusing on making taiko a Jap- Kata - Form or style. Literally, it means form or shape. anese American art form. San Francisco Taiko Dojo and Kata also refers to the way of doing something. In San Jose Taiko have gone on to turn professional, and taiko, kata is the stances and movements for a song or both groups have returned the favor by touring Japan. style. For example, the kata for Miyake-daiko is very Taiko, although utilizing ancient instruments, has been different from Midare-uchi.
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