April 13, 2020

I am deeply grateful for everyone’s support in recent times.
I am sure you’re feeling anxious about the spread of COVID-19 and the range of issues caused by this pandemic. The events that have unfolded since January have had a great impact on our organization, too.
First, ten of our Europe tour performances were canceled, then we had to make the very difficult decision to cancel the upcoming NOVA performances, which we had spent three years preparing to share with the world.

We are still facing further severe changes to our upcoming plans.
To continue our activities well into the future, it’s now time for the Kodo Group to come together, closer than ever, to overcome this crisis situation by any means necessary.

That is why, on behalf of Kodo, I am asking you all for your support and assistance.

Call for Emergency Support

We constantly learn from our daily lives on Sado Island, our creative activities and rehearsals, and by studying performing arts and culture from all over Japan. We travel to share the sound of taiko with people throughout Japan and around the world.

For Kodo, our everyday “normal” has suddenly vanished. We are doing our best to live and train within the various restrictions in place.
What can people like us, whose main line of work is in performing arts, what can we do in times like these?

Our concerts, the main forum for our activities, have been canceled. So what can we do now?
Many Kodo members have been sharing and discussing ideas, and starting work on new initiatives.

From the days of our antecedent group, Sado no Kuni Ondekoza, Kodo’s history spans almost half a century. It’s a history filled with deep, wide-ranging connections. Today, I am surrounded by many Kodo members: my seniors, my juniors, and their family members. Each April, we are joined by a new cohort of apprentices, comprised of individuals who have decided to step outside their comfort zone to chase their dream of performing with Kodo.

Under the “One Earth” banner, a theme that embodies Kodo’s desire to transcend language and cultural boundaries, we travel the world with taiko, reminding our audiences of the common bonds we all share as human beings.

We don’t want our “One Earth Tour” mission to end. When this situation settles and it’s safe to do so, we want to bring the sound and soul-stirring resonance of taiko to you all again in person. We want to be ready and able to uplift you with the good vibrations of live taiko and music. We will do our very best to keep our mission alive.

If you are able to lend us a hand at this challenging time, I sincerely ask for your support.

Yuichiro Funabashi
Leader
Kodo Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble

Canceled/Postponed Performances and Events
(Updated on Apr. 13, 2020)

Performances Outside Japan

• March 2020 | “Kodo One Earth Tour 2020: Legacy” Europe Tour (10 performances in Italy, Poland, and Germany) 

Performances, Events, and Workshops in Japan

• March 2020 Tatakokan On Location
• May 2020 Kodo Sado Island Performances in Shukunegi (2020) (8 performances on Sado Island)
• May–Sep. 2020 | Kodo x Robert Lepage “NOVA” (9 cities)
• Kodo Interactive Performances, event appearances
• School Workshop Performances
• Exadon Experiences and Live-in Workshops

On Sado Island

• Mar.–July 2020 Taiko Experiences at Sado Island Taiko Centre (Tatakokan) for groups, individuals, Golden Week events, and school excursions.
• Mar.–July 2020 Live-in Workshops at Fukaura Schoolhouse for groups from abroad (France, USA)
• Apr.–June 2020 Kodo Performances and Workshops for International Cruise Ship Tour Groups
• Apr.–Sep. 2020 Exadon Experiences and Live-in Workshops