{"id":74037,"date":"2020-12-03T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-03T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=74037"},"modified":"2024-11-25T22:18:48","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T13:18:48","slug":"niigata-sado-island-history-culture-gold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/niigata-sado-island-history-culture-gold\/","title":{"rendered":"Niigata\u2019s Sado: An Island of Rich History, Culture, and Gold"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cIt takes two entire years to pass a taiko apprenticeship. That means no drinking, no smoking, no social media. Do you think you could do it?<\/strong>\u201d asks experienced taiko instructor Tomohiro Yonetani, with his tongue firmly planted in cheek. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhoa, yeah, probably not,\u201d I laughed, unable to give an eloquent answer to a question asked with so much humor. It was a question also filled with a clear underlying message about the seriousness and passion to which Sado\u2019s taiko drummers dedicate their lives to perfecting and showcasing the art form that has come to define the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow many people manage to make it through the entire two years?\u201d I asked, hoping to hear about all the failures to feel better about my lack of personal discipline. Typically during each intake, Yonetani explained, \u201cabout 12 people enter as disciples, but few make it through the rigorous training process. Sometimes eight or so, sometimes just two.\u201d This exchange took place at Sado Island\u2019s Taiko Centre (Tatakoukan). It was the first stop off of my three-day visit to Niigata and the first of my two days to be spent on Sado, an island filled with history, culture, and gold<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taiko and Kodo: The Beating Heart of Sado<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For those uninitiated, taiko is a style of traditional Japanese drum<\/strong>. It\u2019s ubiquitous at matsuri and is gaining attention from audiences across the globe. The Sado Island Taiko Center (also known as Tatakokan) is the headquarters of taiko collective Kodo,<\/em> potentially the world\u2019s most famous taiko drumming ensemble<\/strong>, who travels the globe wowing audiences with their physical drumming performances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Drums
Sado Island Taiko Center offers taiko lessons from members of Kodo<\/em>, the world’s most famous taiko ensemble.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The collective formed in 1981. Since their beginnings, Kodo<\/em> has given over 6,500 performances in 52 countries on five continents. Annually the group also hosts the large-scale \u2018Earth Celebration\u2019 event, an internationally attended showcase of taiko drumming excellence and the group\u2019s desire to transcend cultural and language boundaries through the power of music. <\/p>\n\n\n\n