![]() As cherry blossoms burst forth on trees around the Washington DC area, Nen Daiko and Dounen Daiko are reminded that normally we would be performing taiko at many events. That's not the case this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with all events cancelled and everyone doing social distancing. But that doesn't mean we aren't playing taiko because taiko is such a big part of our lives! Members of Nen Daiko and Dounen Daiko have been practicing at home on our gomi-daiko (trash can drums), drum pads and pillows. We have been meeting regularly to stay connected as performers and friends. How is Nen Daiko Practicing?![]() Within the first week of social distancing, members of Nen Daiko put together song-specific work-outs. In addition to everyone's personal physical conditioning routines, we set a shared physical challenge goal that we aimed to do at least 2-3 times per week. These have included:
We choose three activities per week to keep the goal more achievable. How is Dounen Daiko Practicing?Dounen Daiko is our teen group, and we have been doing our practices virtually for one hour every Sunday. Our goals for this practice are to work out together, as well as connect and have fun. While Zoom and similar technologies are incredible tools, they are not great for playing taiko together due to the lag time in all our internet connections. When we trying to play together, it creates a cacophony! Our style of taiko playing is called kumidaiko, or playing together, so we keep bumping up against this technology as we practice. We have adjusted our playing to have everyone on mute and just play in each other's company (but not practicing timing). We also play one at a time - for example, each person plays one line of a song, and then the next person plays line 2 etc. Part of our warm-up is "oroshi" meaning we play to a metronome that gradually speeds up. The first week, we put the metronome beside one person who unmuted, but even then the metronome would slow down and speed up based on that person's internet connection. This week we learned a new idea, which was to pick a speed and have everyone set up their own metronome. We keep the metronome at one number, and then double our speed a few times. For example, if the metronome was set to 100 beats per minute, we might play:
Another activity that we did was to come up with four-beat solos for each letter of the alphabet. Then each Dounen Daiko member would play the solo that spells out their names. Here are the four-beat solos that we drafted: A - Don Don Don Don B - Doko Don Doko Don C - Don Su Don Su D - Don Doko Don Don E - Don (Diagonal) Don (Diagonal) F - Doretsuku Doretsuku G - Yo-OH - Don Don H - Bam Su Bam Su I - Doko Doko Doko Don J - Don Su Doko Don K - Su Don Doko Don L - PointDon Doko Don Don M - Bam, RightUp, LeftUp, Bam N - Don Don Bam Bam O - Doko Doko Don Don P - Su Don Su Don Q - Sore Sore Don Don R - Su Doko Doko Don S - Doretsuku (slow) T - Don Doko Doko Don U - Sun Don Doko Don V - Kaka Kaka Don Don W - Don Don Kaka Kaka X - Smile Y - Don Don Twirl Z - Be happy Getting Creative with Re-creating Taiko Instruments![]() One challenge of playing at home is that we don't have our drums or other instruments in our homes. Ryan, a Dounen Daiko member, was inspired to build his own gomi-daiko and stand from a tire and scrap wood recycled from a box spring. Here are Ryan's detailed instructions for how to build your own gomi-daiko with a tire and scrap wood. ![]() For Nen Daiko's song Chemistry, we need one drum up high and one down low. Nen Daiko member Carla rigged up her ladder and her gomi-daiko to practice this song at home. ![]() For Nen Daiko's song Man'in Onrei, we need to practice playing chappa, or hand-held cymbals, while doing the choreography. We found that holding metal lids in our hands to make a "click" sound at least gave us some sensory feedback while practicing. How Do We Stay Motivated?The author Gretchen Rubin has a framework called the Four Tendencies which explains what motivates people. The tendencies are: 1) Upholders - respond well to expectations that are set both externally and internally 2) Obligers - respond well to rules externally created but can struggle to follow through on goals they set for themselves 3) Questioners - respond well to rules they set for themselves but can struggle to follow externally created goals 4) Rebels - struggle to follow rules set for themselves or by others unless it is tied to their core identity The most common type is Obligers and given that Nen Daiko and Dounen Daiko choose to practice in a performing group with its built-in accountability, chances are many of us are Obligers. When we lose the schedule and company of the group, it is difficult for Obligers to stay motivated. The way we can help Obligers is to use virtual meetings to create accountability, or create other systems such as everyone emailing in a video of themselves practicing. How are you staying motivated to practice taiko or whatever skill you care about? Let us know at info@nendaiko.org. The Importance of Emotional and Social SupportWhile it is important to maintain and improve our skills and fitness, we also need to give ourselves a lot of grace. People are working or getting laid off, studying, teaching kids and maintaining households in very new circumstances. We are worrying about our families and friends. A tremendous value of being in a taiko group are the social connections and support. Ekoji Buddhist Temple has been offering virtual Sunday services which is a wonderful way to become more acquainted with Shin Buddhism and to find peace at this time. Our teens noted that they appreciate how we continue our small traditions such as meditating when we start and end practice. This makes life feel more "normal." Dounen Daiko has been learning American Sign Language each week at practice. This week, our member Trevor's mom made a sign for "quarantine" which was the sign for "alone" under the roof of a house. But really, we are not alone - we are together in our love of taiko, thinking about each other as we practice.
Nen Daiko and Dounen Daiko looks forward to when we can reconnect in person with our audiences and other taiko performers! Much #TaikoLove to you all!
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Ekoji’s teen taiko performance group, Dounen Daiko, is now in its third year. Coached by Nen Daiko members, this exuberant group of youth ages 12-17 are growing in confidence and jelling as a team. On February 9, the group performed at the KID Museum in Bethesda, Maryland at their Ume Matsuri. They debuted the group’s first original song, Anthem, written by Brant Horio and Emily Ihara. It’s a song about finding your voice and contributing to the world. Each performer has a solo where they play in a way that shares a bit of their personality. After the performance, Dounen Daiko invited audience members to play taiko. This audience was mostly families with small children, which is always an adorable sight as they peek over the taiko. Photos by Mike Gallan Nen Daiko is heading into our busy performance season during cherry blossoms. Dounen Daiko will join us for some performances:
For details, and to hear about new events as they get added, visit Nen Daiko’s website or follow us on Facebook or Instagram. Dounen Daiko is Nen Daiko's teen taiko group. The group brought energy and cheer to the Greenspring Retirement Community with a performance and drumming session. The performance started with Dounen Daiko singing as they walked into the room. They were singing the "kuchishoga" or spoken rhythms of the song Renshuu. Then they played the song on the taiko, playing it slower, then faster, then faster. This was the first performance for three of our members. Next, Greenspring residents were invited to give taiko a try. Dounen Daiko members put the drums on rolling carts and brought the drums to the residents so they could play from their seats and wheelchairs, while some residents leaped at the chance to come up front and play. We played a happy base rhythm while everyone drummed and danced. The performance ended with the song Matsuri, a festive song. Thank you to the Greenspring residents for your attentiveness and open-mindedness to our performance. Taiko can be loud, but that didn't dissuade you at all! You seemed to enjoy the feeling of taiko as much as us! We could not ask for a more enthusiastic audience with many people tapping out the rhythms with us and getting into the groove. Thank you to the volunteer coordination team at Greenspring for welcoming Dounen Daiko for our second performance at the community. We look forward to making music with the Greenspring residents again!
If you are teen ages 12-18 interested in playing taiko with Dounen Daiko, be sure to follow Nen Daiko on Instagram or Facebook. The next time you could join will be September 2020 at our teen workshop. In the meantime, you can try taiko at our monthly open houses. ![]() During October 2019, Nen Daiko hosted a photo and video challenge on social media called #TaikoLove. We encouraged taiko groups around the world to share photos and videos as part of the #TaikoLove photo and video challenge. This is the second year that Nen Daiko led this global community-building initiative. Each day in October, Nen Daiko set a taiko-related theme. Taiko performers around the world shared photos or videos based on that theme and tagged posts with the hashtag #TaikoLove. Then everyone looked at each other’s posts to learn from each other. Seventy-eight groups or individuals posted at least one #TaikoLove-tagged post. That’s a 35 percent increase from 2018. Groups were in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United States and Wales. For the first time, groups participated from Israel and Italy. Of those 78 groups or individuals, 26 posted EVERY DAY in October. This is a huge accomplishment for those groups and double those who posted every day last year. There were 1,240 tagged posts in total. That’s 40 percent more posts than #TaikoLove 2018. The most popular themes were Anniversary, Dancing, Okedo and Blur. Nen Daiko liked or commented on every single post to encourage participation. We also posted highlights every day in a Facebook Group for the taiko community. Nen Daiko would like to give a special thanks to Mike Gallan, one of our current apprentices and a long-time Ekoji volunteer. Mike is an excellent photographer and half our posts this year featured his work. Thanks Mike! This year is Nen Daiko's 25th Anniversary. It is also the 40th Anniversary of our mentor and sister taiko group, Soh Daiko. In June, Soh Daiko hosted an anniversary concert in New York City. Many Nen Daiko members were able to cheer from the audience. We gave them an engraved wooden bat that can be used to play their largest drums. We sewed them a quilted patchwork bag to store the bat. Soh Daiko's 40th anniversary concert centered around two main themes: kizuna and okagesama de. Kizuna means "bonds" in Japanese. Soh Daiko invited their alumni to return to the group for the concert, to celebrate the bonds that unite their past and present members. 47 members traveled from near and far to be at the concert and collectively represented all four decades of Soh Daiko's existence. Nen Daiko and Seabrook Buddhist Temple's taiko group, Hoh Daiko, also traveled to the concert in recognition of our bonds with Soh Daiko. Celebrating the bonds of their previous members, sister taiko groups, and friendships within the taiko community and with their audience, also brought home Soh Daiko's other broader theme of okagesama de, which translates to "we are who we are because of you." Here is Nen Daiko in the audience at Soh Daiko's 40th Anniversary concert:
Last year, Nen Daiko started a taiko group for teens aged 12-17 called Dounen Daiko, named by Rev. Hayashi, Ekoji’s resident minister, and meaning "child or offspring of Nen Daiko." The group has grown to seven participants. On February 9, they performed at the Greenspring Retirement Community. Nothing motivates like an upcoming performance! This was the first time we performed at Greenspring and we hoped the residents would enjoy the show. It was great to see the room fill completely. Dounen Daiko started by singing the kuchishoga or the spoken rhythms of the song. Starting with voices rather than drums allowed the audience to get used to the volume. When Dounen Daiko started playing, some residents covered their ears but soon they got used to the sound and feeling of the booming taiko. After the show, Dounen Daiko invited residents to play taiko. Some residents walked to the drums while others made their way with wheelchairs and walkers. In some cases, we carried the taiko to their seats. At least half the audience gave it a try. Their beaming faces was the best thank you ever. The Dounen Daiko performers were very encouraging with the residents and seemed to have a natural ability to engage across the generations. We saw such an incredible level of enthusiasm from the Dounen Daiko members – both on and off stage. We saw members growing in confidence and skill in just a few months. We are so proud of them and appreciate how well they represent Ekoji with their passion, kindness, and spirit!
Thank you to Greenspring Retirement Community (Uvonne and Maria!) and to the parents of the Dounen members who fed all of us before the performance. Thank you especially to Mike Gallan for taking these beautiful photos. Hopefully they will play taiko with us some day!
Why is this photo challenge called #TaikoLove? It is because taiko can build love in a community, and that is so important.
Taiko can bring positive energy to those who feel stressed out and disconnected. It can be a place where people feel appreciated and celebrated each week. The #TaikoLove photo challenge was a window into all those weekly practices and performances across the world. There are people everywhere sharing the love of taiko with people of all ages. Think about how much taiko helps people to build confidence, experience joy and feel connection. For one month, we imagined that we were all playing together. What a sound and feeling! â Thank you to everyone who joined the #TaikoLove photo challenge. We shared our vision for what taiko is and can be for the next generation. It feels sad it's over, but let's keep the conversation going. Enjoy the posts from the last three days of the photo challenge, and much #TaikoLove to all of you! How Much #TaikoLove Did We Generate? #TaikoLove is not measurable, but here are some fun stats about the #TaikoLove photo challenge. Thirteen groups posted a #TaikoLove post every day in October:
These groups posted more than 20 times:
There were 51 groups or individuals who participated - here's the full list of #TaikoLove participants! These groups were located in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Japan, Scotland, Spain, the United States and Wales. There were a total of 743 posts on the themes during October. The most popular theme was October 16 with the theme of Uniforms - that had 30 posts. The least popular themes were October 22 (Signature Move) and October 29 (Spirit) with 19 posts each. Here are the photos from the last 3 days of the campaign! October 29 - Spirit
Naruwan Taiko
San Jose Taiko
Cairns Taiko
Ikkon Wadaiko
Unit Souzou
Miyako Taiko
Great Lakes Taiko Center - Raion Taiko
Carley Okamura with Kita no Taiko
âToday's Nen Daiko #TaikoLove photo theme is 'spirit'. This has always been one of my favourite photos of myself because it's so candid. It's not posed, but it really captures the feeling many of us get from taiko
âPuna Taiko
Denver Taiko
Shinzui Daiko
Atlanta Taiko Project
Spokane Taiko
Ho Etsu Taiko
Triangle Taiko
Kazenodaichi Taiko
Sophia at Taiko Tides
Tama Daiko
Kyo Daiko
Kiseiko-Mineidanchi
October 30 - Gratitude
San Francisco Taiko Dojo
Great Lakes Taiko Center - Raion Taiko
San Jose Taiko
Puna Taiko
Cairns Taiko
Kodo
Sophia from Taiko Tides
Atlanta Taiko Project
Spokane Taiko
Kita no Taiko
The Nen Daiko theme for #TaikoLove today is 'gratitude'. I think this photo captures a lot of that essence. I am grateful for those who worked hard and broke barriers to grow taiko in North America and make it inclusive. I am grateful for my own community that allows me to stretch the definitions of what taiko is and can be used for, and for my group members who support and challenge me, inspire and grow with me. Photo by Sandra Olarte
âYamatai
Kazenodaichi Taiko
Unit Souzou
Ikkon Wadaiko
Ryushin Rosario Taiko
Denver Taiko
Shinzui Daiko
Kyo Daiko
Naruwan Taiko
Ho Etsu Taiko
Issho Daiko
Tama Daiko
Kiseiko-Mineidanchi
October 31 - Next Generation
Kodo
Taiko Together
Soh Daiko
Cairns Taiko
Great Lakes Taiko Center - Raion Taiko
Unit Souzou
Kyo Daiko
Yeeman Mui
Puna Taiko
Ho Etsu Taiko
Shinzui Daiko
Ikkon Wadaiko
San Jose Taiko
Denver Taiko
Sophia from Taiko Tides
Spokane Taiko
Naruwan Taiko
Yama no Oto
Triangle Taiko
Atlanta Taiko Project
Lastly we are grateful to Nen Daiko for putting this together and bringing the taiko community together through social media!! Our last picture is our most recent Beginners class after their graduation recital. Our group continues to grow as these beginners morph into performing members.
Kiseiko-Mineidanchi
Tama Daiko
Kazenodaichi Taiko
Ryushin Rosario Taiko
#TaikoLove Photo Challenge - October 24-28 - Bachi, Friendships, Odaiko, Intensity, Teaching10/29/2018
The #TaikoLove photo challenge was initiated by Nen Daiko to engage taiko groups and individuals around the world. As of October 28, 52 groups and individuals have shared photos as part of the #TaikoLove photo challenge adding up to almost 700 posts. Check out the contributions from October 24-28.
October 24 - Bachi
Shinzui Daiko
Heather Mitchell-Buck
âFushicho Daiko Dojo
âPhoenix Taiko Kai showing off their fun, fiery bachi. Anyone know what song this goes with?
Kita no Taiko
Follow up on Bachi theme...we can't talk about them without bachi mishaps! Daniel might not appreciate it, but I can't get over this clip, I find it hilarious! â
Ikkon Wadaiko
Spokane Taiko
Atlanta Taiko Project
Ryushin Rosario Taiko
Triangle Taiko
Kazenodaichi Taiko
San Jose Taiko
Great Lakes Taiko Center - Raion Taiko
Cairns Taiko
Unit Souzou
Ho Etsu Taiko
Puna Taiko
Denver Taiko
Sophia from Taiko Tides
Tama Daiko
Kyo Daiko
Naruwan Taiko
Yama no Oto
LA Miyake Kai
Kiseiko-Mineidanchi
October 25 - Friendships
Kodo
Yama no Oto
Naruwan Taiko
Genbu Daiko
Kyo Daiko
Ho Etsu Taiko
Sophia from Taiko Tides
Triangle Taiko
Kazenodaichi Taiko
Issho Daiko
Denver Taiko
Ikkon Wadaiko
Kita no Taiko
Cairns Taiko
San Jose Taiko
LA Miyake Kai
Great Lakes Taiko Center - Raion Taiko
Puna Taiko
Shinzui Daiko
Carrie from All Things Taiko
Ryushin Rosario Taiko
Atlanta Taiko Project
Spokane Taiko
Tama Daiko
Kiseiko-Mineidanchi
October 26 - Odaiko
Kyo Daiko
San Francisco Taiko Dojo
Unit Souzou
Young Park
Yama no Oto
TaikoArts Midwest
Denver Taiko
Yeeman Mui
San Jose Taiko
Naruwan Taiko
Issho Daiko
Great Lakes Taiko Center - Raion Taiko
Ikkon Wadaiko
Cairns Taiko
Kazenodaichi Taiko
Kita no Taiko
Puna Taiko
Ho Etsu Taiko
Sophia from Taiko Tides
Spokane Taiko
Ryushin Rosario Taiko
Tama Daiko
Atlanta Taiko Project
Triangle Taiko
Shinzui Daiko
Kiseiko Mineidanchi
October 27 - Intensity
San Jose Taiko
Naruwan Taiko
Unit Souzou
Denver Taiko
Great Lakes Taiko Center - Raion Taiko
Yama no Oto
Ho Etsu Taiko
Cairns Taiko
Puna Taiko
Issho Daiko
Tama Daiko
Kazenodaichi Taiko
Kiseiko-Mineidanchi
Aber Taiko
Ryushin Rosario Taiko
Ikkon Wadaiko
Atlanta Taiko Project
Kita no Taiko
Kyo Daiko
Spokane Taiko
Sophia from Taiko Tides
Shinzui Daiko
Triangle Taiko
October 28 - Teaching
Bruce Mui Ghent
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Day 28 of the #taikolove Photo Challenge, Theme - Teaching. Tanaka-Sensei, after 50 years, still teaching. It is often said, performers move audiences but teachers change lives. Sensei has done both...and for 50yrs. But because of his teaching, countless lives have been changed by his passion, dedication, effort...his pioneering mission from which he has never wavered from... and I for one am so ever grateful for I am one of those countless lives that have been changed...
Taiko Together
San Jose Taiko
Puna Taiko
Genbu Daiko
Mark H. Taiko
Shinzui Daiko
Cairns Taiko
Spokane Taiko
Triangle Taiko
Naruwan Taiko
Sophia from Taiko Tides
Denver Taiko
Kiseiko-Mineidanchi
Tama Daiko
Great Lakes Taiko Center - Raion Taiko
Yeeman Mui
Ho Etsu Taiko
Ikkon Wadaiko
Atlanta Taiko Project
Young Park, RAW Raging Asian Women
Kyo Daiko
Unit Souzou
Kazenodaichi Taiko
Issho Daiko
Carrie from All Things Taiko
âNen Daiko #taikolove challenge #28! Teaching... apparently I make these faces often because nearly every photo I have of me teaching is similar. October 19 - Maintenance
Puna Taiko
Heather Mitchell-Buck
San Jose Taiko
Ryushin Rosario Taiko
Kazenodaichi Taiko
Great Lakes Taiko Center - Raion Taiko
Shinzui Daiko
Carrie from All Things Taiko
Spokane Taiko
Denver Taiko
Unit Souzou
Kita no Taiko
Cairns Taiko
Kyo Daiko
Sophia from Taiko Tides
ShinDaiko
Naruwan Taiko
Ho Etsu Taiko
Kiseiko-Mineidanchi
Triangle Taiko
Tama Daiko
Ikkon Wadaiko
October 20 - Composition
Cairns Taiko
Unit Souzou
âHo Etsu Taiko
Shinzui Daiko
Kyo Daiko
Denver Taiko
ShinDaiko
Atlanta Taiko Project
Yeeman Mui
Sophia from Taiko Tides
Puna Taiko
Great Lakes Taiko Center - Raion Taiko
San Jose Taiko
Triangle Taiko
Spokane Taiko
Kazenodaichi Taiko
Carrie from All Things Taiko
Kiseiko-Mineidanchi
Naruwan Taiko
Tama Daiko
Ryushin Rosario Taiko
Ikkon Wadaiko
October 21 - Backstage
Denver Taiko
ShinDaiko
Ho Etsu Taiko
Puna Taiko
Great Lakes Taiko Center - Raion Taiko
Tama Daiko
Kita no Taiko
Mark H. Taiko
Cairns Taiko
Shinzui Daiko
Miyako Taiko
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