“Trip to Argentina” by Yoshikazu Fujimoto
At our performance venue Paseo La Plaza, Buenos Aires.
(With Yoko at the theater entrance)
Argentina is the furtherest country from Japan. The time there is the total opposite from day & night in Japan. There are many Japanese-Argentinean people due to its history of immigrants from Japan, and they uphold Japanese culture there with great care. We met people who love Japanese taiko, who make taiko by hand, who formed taiko groups and, of course, who play taiko. They all started playing taiko without any teachers. I was very impressed by their attitude towards taiko.
Rehearsals at the theater
Yoko and I were invited to Argentina and we did our best to tell them all that we could. We stayed there for 10 days and after a series of workshops and rehearsals, we gave a concert. It was a wonderful, memorable performance with Shinzui Daiko, Medetaiko, Graciela Nakasone, and former apprentice Yoohey Kaito who came all the way to join us from Brazil.
On April 6, this tent theater had a full house. We also held a workshop there.
With Shinzui Daiko, Medetaiko and Yoohey Kaito.
I was given this instrument by members of Shoryu Matsuri Daiko. Apparently it’s used to gather a herd of cows.
A picture with Maradona in La Boca.
