Body Mechanics for O-daiko Expression with Kenta Nakagome
Course Dates: Apr. –June 2024
Application Period: Feb. 1 (Thu)–Mar. 31 (Sun), 2024
*Applications Closed
Join Kodo’s O-daiko soloist Kenta Nakagome and sports trainer Koya Kuramochi
for a new course they co-developed especially for taiko players.
After over a decade of applying Kuramochi’s teaching to his own taiko playing,
Nakagome wants to share his insight and discoveries with fellow taiko players
through a team-teaching approach with his trusted trainer.
This course focuses on training and physical conditioning
to enhance your taiko playing from a biomechanics perspective.
Online Information Session (Jan 2024)(Closed)
About Kodo Taiko School Fees & Applications
Course Format
This course will be taught in a hybrid format with five remote lessons on Zoom and three onsite lessons at a studio in Tokyo.
Course Dates
・Apr. –June 2024
・8 lessons in total (5 x online lessons [2 hours each], 3 x onsite lessons [4 hours each] x 3
・Course Schedule:
| Date | Lesson |
| Apr. 13 (Sat) | 1 |
| Apr. 27 (Sat) | 2 |
| May 4 (Sat) [S] | 3 |
| May 11 (Sat) [S] | 4 |
| May 18 (Sat) | 5 |
| June 8 (Sat) | 6 |
| June 15 (Sat) | 7 |
| June 22 (Sat) [S] | 8 |
[S]: Studio lesson (on site)
・Day/Time:
Remote Lessons: Saturday 15:00–17:00
Onsite Lessons: Saturday 13:00–17:00
*All dates/times are Japan Standard Time
・Onsite Lesson Venue:
Wanomori Studio (Ota Ward, Tokyo)
Instructor Profiles
Kenta Nakagome (Profile)
Kenta Nakagome is a member of Kodo Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble. He entered the Kodo Apprentice Centre in 2004 and became a Kodo member in 2007. On stage, Nakagome predominantly plays taiko, showing his unique prowess through drum solos in pieces such as O-daiko and Yatai-bayashi. He is an orthodox taiko player whose powerful, energetic performances make him a favorite with audiences worldwide. Along with performing, Nakagome also composes and directs performances. He is always eager to take part in cross-genre collaborations, recently working with illustrator Seitaro Kuroda, drummer Tatsuya Nakamura, composer Sunao Isaji, and actress Meiko Kaji. Nakagome also performs with fellow Kodo member Yuta Sumiyoshi as Kentataku Yutataku, a quicksilver improv unit that has given livestream performances and released three albums to date. In recent years, he has also taken on teaching roles, offering instruction to Kodo’s next generation and apprentices along with students attending Kodo Taiko School online from all over Japan and around the world.
*Turn captions on for EN subtitles
Koya Kuramochi
Sports Trainer
Koya Kuramochi hails from Machida in Tokyo. Diving into sports from a young age, he had the experience of recovering from a range of injuries through rehabilitation and training, which led him to decide to become a sports trainer. After becoming qualified, Kuramochi became an assistant trainer for professional sports teams in the USA. Returning to Japan in 2004, he became an in-house trainer for top American Football teams and an instructor for pro martial artists. Alongside this work, Kuramochi carried out postgraduate research and studied abroad in Germany. In 2011, he opened Mentena, a physical conditioning studio offering tailored services, ranging from physical care to one-on-one instruction. With clients ranging from elementary school children to seniors in their eighties, Kuramoto helps people of all ages lead life to the fullest by supporting their physical movement needs. He also shares information about body conditioning to prevent injuries through a wide range of activities such as workshops, specialist lectures, magazine articles, TV interviews, and product development assistance.
*Turn captions on for EN subtitles
Lesson Content
・Physical training
・How to play o-daiko (big drum)
・Learning a set piece
The goals of this 8-lesson course are:
1) learning to use your whole body efficiently to play o-daiko
2) learning to play an original piece composed by Kenta Nakagome
Please Note:
- Lessons will take place on Zoom (video meeting app). Participants will take part remotely and can use a taiko drum, drum practice pad, cushion, or similar item.
- Students will practice two styles of taiko drumming: fuse-uchi (upright taiko playing) and o-daiko shomen-uchi (big-drum taiko playing, facing the drum head on).
- The Remote + Onsite Course and Remote Course will have a combined total of up to 15 students.
- Minimum participant numbers required: 6 participants for Remote + Onsite Course and a total of 12 participants across the Remote + Onsite and Remote Courses.
*If there are less than 6 participants registered for the Remote + Onsite Course, but more than 12 participants for the Remote Course, onsite lessons will not be offered. In this case, the Remote Course will be offered to all registered participants and every lesson will last two hours. - Remote lessons will be conducted in Japanese and English. *If one language suits all participants, classes may be held in that language only.
- Onsite lessons will be conducted in Japanese only.
- An archive recording of each lesson will be shared on YouTube, with access restricted to participants, so you can review the content. (Archives will be available until one month after the course ends.)
Lesson Format
You can choose from three course options, based on whether or not you wish to attend onsite lessons and submit tasks to receive feedback: Remote + Onsite, Remote, and Lite.
Remote lessons will be held on Zoom and conducted in Japanese, with consecutive interpreting into English.
Onsite lessons will be conducted in Japanese only (without an interpreter). The archive video of these lessons will be provided for Remote + Onsite and Remote Course participants along with summary notes in Japanese and English, covering the main points taught during the onsite lesson.
Course Options
| Remote + Onsite Course | Remote Course | Lite Course | |
| Attend online lessons | ○ | ○ | ー |
| Attend in-person lessons | ○ | Archive video only | ー |
| View lesson archives | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Submit task(s) | ○ | ○ | ー |
| Join Slack group, ask questions via text | ○ | ○ | ○ |
■Equipment Required:
For taiko practice
・A taiko (medium size, such as okedo-daiko or electronic taiko), drum practice pad, or cushion for taiko practice that is suitable for o-daiko/head-on playing.
・Bachi (taiko drumsticks) suitable for o-daiko playing.
For attending online lessons
・Computer or mobile device with video capabilities (PC, tablet, smartphone, etc.)
・High-speed internet connection
・Zoom app
・Slack app
・YouTube account
*Note: The following items are not required, but we strongly recommend using them if possible.
・Yoga mat or similar
・Wireless or Bluetooth headphones or earbuds (e.g.: AirPods, etc.)
・Clothing suitable for exercise
Participant Requirements:
For ages 15 and over, with at least one year of taiko performance experience.
■Notes
・An archive recording of each lesson will be shared on YouTube, with access restricted to participants, so you can review the content. (Archives will only be available to view during the course.)
・For the o-daiko lessons, you can use a taiko on a stand, or a mattress propped up against a wall, or a yoga ball or cushion fastened to a wall, etc. Please create a set-up where you can practice playing o-daiko head on. (During the lessons, all participants will have their microphones off, so your volume and sound quality will not affect the lesson at all.)
・Participants can submit three task-based performance videos during the course to receive feedback and advice from the instructor. These video tasks are optional. If you submit the tasks, your videos will be shared and discussed in class, and you will also receive personal feedback and advice from the instructor.
Fees
Remote Course + Onsite Course
| Fees | Enrolment Fee | Course Fee | Total |
| General (Domestic) (incl. tax) | ¥11,000 | ¥87,000 | ¥98,000 |
| Kodo no Kai Members (Domestic) (incl. tax) | ¥11,000 | ¥84,000 | ¥95,000 |
| General (Overseas) | ¥10,000 | ¥82,000 | ¥92,000 |
| Kodo no Kai Members (Overseas) | ¥10,000 | ¥80,000 | ¥90,000 |
Remote Course
| Fees | Enrolment Fee | Course Fee | Total |
| General (Domestic) (incl. tax) | ¥11,000 | ¥48,000 | ¥59,000 |
| Kodo no Kai Members (Domestic) (incl. tax) | ¥11,000 | ¥45,000 | ¥56,000 |
| General (Overseas) | ¥10,000 | ¥44,000 | ¥54,000 |
| Kodo no Kai Members (Overseas) | ¥10,000 | ¥41,000 | ¥51,000 |
Lite Course
| Fees | Enrolment Fee | Course Fee | Total |
| General (Domestic) (incl. tax) | ¥11,000 | ¥32,000 | ¥43,000 |
| Kodo no Kai Members (Domestic) (incl. tax) | ¥11,000 | ¥29,500 | ¥40,500 |
| General (Overseas) | ¥10,000 | ¥29,000 | ¥39,000 |
| Kodo no Kai Members (Overseas) | ¥10,000 | ¥26,000 | ¥36,000 |
About Kodo no Kai
Details about Kodo’s Japanese-language supporter service, Kodo no Kai, are available in Japanese only.
http://www.kodo.or.jp/friends/index_ja.html
We welcome inquiries in English via the form on this page.
Fee Payment
・Fees are due by Apr. 14 (Sun), 2024.
・Payments can be made by bank transfer (within Japan only) or PayPal.
Application Method
Apply for the course via this form
Application Period: Feb. 1 (Thu)–Mar. 31 (Sun), 2024
Process from Application to Course Start:
If there are more applications than spaces, we will use a selection process to choose participants for this course. Staff will contact all applicants on Apr. 7 (Sun) to let them know if they are able to attend. Fees are due by Apr. 14 (Sun). We will send course information to all confirmed participants. Before the course commences, there will be communications between staff and participants and an online lesson technical check (date and time TBA).
Inquiries
Please contact Kodo Cultural Foundation via the Kodo Taiko School Inquiry Form.
Online Information Sessions
We will be holding free online information sessions about the course via Zoom.
Please see here for more details.
Date & Times: Jan. 20 (Sat),2024 15:30–17:00 JST* (Each session will last approx. 30 mins.)
Registration: Please sign up via this form.Registration Deadline: Jan. 10 (Wed), 2024 JST*
*JST: Japan Standard Time