Narumi Matsuda – Kodo Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble https://www.kodo.or.jp Exploring the limitless possibilities of the traditional Japanese drum, the taiko, Kodo is forging new directions for a vibrant living art-form. Fri, 21 Jul 2017 03:45:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.8 https://www.kodo.or.jp/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/cropped-24a12099884b9d4a66ba885267151e16-1-32x32.png Narumi Matsuda – Kodo Taiko Performing Arts Ensemble https://www.kodo.or.jp 32 32 “The Zelkova Tree in the Kodo Village Courtyard Garden” by Narumi Matsuda https://www.kodo.or.jp/en/kodo_blog_en/4338 Fri, 21 Jul 2017 03:45:03 +0000 http://www.kodo.or.jp/?p=4338

When I look at this tree, I wonder how it got so big all of a sudden. Ten years ago when I first started working for Kodo, it was still quite fragile-looking. Now it creates such solid shade. 

I heard that this Japanese zelkova (keyaki) tree was planted in March 2001. So this year marks the tree’s 17th summer.

]]> “A Refreshing Gift Between School Performances” by Narumi Matsuda https://www.kodo.or.jp/en/kodo_blog_en/3891 Mon, 03 Jul 2017 04:25:26 +0000 http://www.kodo.or.jp/?p=3891 June 22, 2017


Our School Workshop-Performance tour is currently visiting elementary schools in Niigata City. After performing at one school this morning, the Kodo members arrived at the next school for the afternoon performance. Just when they were about to begin loading in and setting up for the next performance, the teacher in charge said, “First, here’s an arrival drink!” and gave everyone a bottle of chilled tea. On a hot day, we truly appreciated their great hospitality.

Everyone was touched to read the handwritten message and felt recharged by the nice cold drink. The card reads:
“Dear Kodo,
Thank you for coming today.
Here is some cold tea for you to enjoy.”
It was a great boost before the afternoon performance.

■The current School Workshop-Performance tour cast is:
Yuichiro Funabashi, Yosuke Oda, Shogo Komatsuzaki, Mizuki Yoneyama, Issei Kohira, Yuki Hirata, Chihiro Watanabe

]]> “School Workshop Performance Rehearsals” by Narumi Matsuda https://www.kodo.or.jp/en/kodo_blog_en/3414 Sat, 20 May 2017 04:13:06 +0000 http://www.kodo.or.jp/?p=3414 May 19, 2017
Photo: Narumi Mastuda

It’s starting to look very summery here on Sado Island!

Photo: Narumi Mastuda
This week at Kodo Village we are holding run-through rehearsals for the upcoming School Workshop Performance tour, which is about to begin. The other day, we asked Kodo’s apprentices to fill in as the school pupils for our rehearsal. This programme is designed for performances in school gymnasiums. As well as our taiko performance, it also features introductions to the various instruments we play and a hands-on taiko experience corner.

Photo: Narumi Mastuda

This tour will spend a month and a half giving performances at schools in Fukushima, Yamagata, Tokyo, Osaka, and Niigata. As the performers rehearse and fine tune the programme, they all wonder how the kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, and high school students will react to their performance.
If we are coming to your school soon, we look forward to seeing you there!

School Workshop Performances
https://www.kodo.or.jp/en/performance_schoool_en

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