“Kodo One Earth Tour 2023: Tsuzumi” North America Tour
Feel the reverberations of heaven and earth in harmony.
Our 2021 North America tour was postponed due to the pandemic, so we have been looking forward to sharing this program with you all for a long time. Thank you for your patience and encouragement. We hope this performance will uplift you and bring you joy.
In Japanese, the word “Kodo” holds a double meaning. It can be translated as “heartbeat,” the primal source of all rhythm. However, our group’s name is written with different characters, which mean “drum” and “child.” This reflects Kodo’s desire to play the drums with the simple heart of a child. To commemorate our 40th anniversary in 2021, we created two new touring productions based on our name: “Tsuzumi” takes its name and theme from the drum character, and “Warabe” from the child element.
Tsuzumi, the first work, opens with a very special piece in our ensemble’s history that is seldom performed on tour—Dyu-Ha. The late Maki Ishii, a modern composer who was introduced to Kodo by conductor Seiji Ozawa, presented this piece to Kodo as a gift to congratulate our ensemble on its debut in 1981. We will perform Dyu-Ha on this tour for the first time in North America since 1989. Today’s programme also features Ishii’s masterpiece Monochrome and other Kodo signature pieces such as O-daiko, Yatai-bayashi, and Zoku, coupled with new compositions. Join us as we trace our group’s origins back to the beginning, to reflect on our history and reaffirm what has shaped Kodo today.
Conjured and honed on Sado,
Kodo’s sound is like no other.

For its theme, we chose the place where it all began half a century ago: our home of Sado Island. When we reflect on the past, we understand the present.
This work has become a cornerstone for Kodo’s next innovative chapter.
The reverberations of taiko awaken the power of heaven and earth. Conjured and honed on Sado, Kodo’s sound is like no other.
I hope you’ll come and feel the soul-stirring depths of its resonance firsthand at the theater.
Yuichiro Funabashi, Director
Director
Cast*
Eiichi Saito, Jun Jidai, Koki Miura, Ryotaro Leo Ikenaga, Reo Kitabayashi, Mizuki Yoneyama, Yuta Kimura, Yuki Hirata, Taiyo Onoda, Kei Sadanari, Moe Niiyama, Jumpei Nonaka, Hana Ogawa (Junior Member)
*Subject to change without notice.
Programme
Features Dyu-Ha, Monochrome, O-daiko, Yatai-bayashi, Zoku, new compositions, and more.
Schedule
- Jan 27 (Fri), 2023 - Jan 28 (Sat), 2023 Meany Center for Performing Arts, Meany Hall, Seattle, Washington, USA [SOLD OUT]
- Jan 31 (Tue), 2023 Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Feb 2 (Thu), 2023 Soka Performing Arts Center Concert Hall, Aliso Viejo, OC, California, USA [SOLD OUT]
- Feb 4 (Sat), 2023 - Feb 5 (Sun), 2023 Zellerbach Auditorium, Berkeley, California, USA [SOLD OUT]
- Feb 8 (Wed), 2023 Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Feb 10 (Fri), 2023 Granada Theatre, Santa Barbara, California, USA
- Feb 11 (Sat), 2023 Balboa Theatre, San Diego, California, USA [SOLD OUT]
- Feb 15 (Wed), 2023 - Feb 16 (Thu), 2023 Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (Virginia G. Piper Theater), Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
- Feb 18 (Sat), 2023 - Feb 19 (Sun), 2023 Newman Center (June Swaner Gates Concert Hall), Denver, Colorado, USA [SOLD OUT]
- Feb 23 (Thu), 2023 The Lensic Performing Arts Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
- Feb 25 (Sat), 2023 Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts (Helzberg Hall), Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- Feb 27 (Mon), 2023 Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- Mar 1 (Wed), 2023 Orpheum Theater, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- Mar 5 (Sun), 2023 Chicago Symphony Hall, Chicago, Illinois, USA [SOLD OUT]
- Mar 7 (Tue), 2023 Kimmel Center for Performing Arts (Miller Theater), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Mar 9 (Thu), 2023 Jorgensen Center, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Mar 12 (Sun), 2023 Boston Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts, USA [SOLD OUT]
- Mar 14 (Tue), 2023 New Jersey Performing Arts Center (Prudential Hall), Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Mar 16 (Thu), 2023 Place des Arts (Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier), Montreal, Quebec, Canada [SOLD OUT]
- Mar 18 (Sat), 2023 George Mason University Center for the Arts Concert Hall, Fairfax, Virginia, USA [SOLD OUT]
- Mar 19 (Sun), 2023 Chrysler Hall, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
- Mar 21 (Tue), 2023 Peace Center (Peace Concert Hall), Greenville, South Carolina, USA
- Mar 23 (Thu), 2023 Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, Boone, North Carolina, USA
- Mar 25 (Sat), 2023 Lucas Theater for the Arts at Savannah Music Festival, Savannah, Georgia, USA