Taiko Drums Alive and Well in Sonoma County

Taiko is taking over and I couldn’t be more excited! According to Japanese myth, Amaterasu (who is the sun goddess) hid herself in a cave after becoming infuriated by her little brother. The deities tried to bring light back to a pitch-dark world by entertaining Amaterasu and coaxing her out of the cave. One deity, Ame no Uzme decided to perform an erotic dance and stomp her feet on a wooden tub. The entertainment caused a loud cheer and provoked Amaterasu to come out of her cave. The world saw light again and the taiko drum was born. Most historians would disagree and claim that it was brought to the island of Japan by the Chinese and Koreans but that’s not as fun as believing in the folklore of it! Regardless of where and how, it started over 2000 years ago and has since snaked itself into various musical industries all over the world to create an extremely powerful blend of cultures. Over the recent years, Taiko has been used in large-scale musical performances such as Alicia Keys’ performance on the X-Factor, Justin Bieber and Usher’s performance at the 2011 Grammy Awards, the 2012 Billboard Music Awards and on “The Voic

If you have yet to see a Taiko drum performance - traditional or modernized- your chance is coming up. The Enmanji Buddhist Temple is celebrating 79 years in Sonoma County with Obon Odori, happening in Sebastopol July 20th. A typical performance can last up to 25 minutes and follows a beginning, middle, end/rapid, sudden, urgent, and emergency structure. That means the performance picks up in intensity as it gets closer to the grand finale and VIOLA! your senses are awakened. This family-friendly event attracts thousands every year, offering them a chance to experience Japanese culture, food, and entertainment, including three authentic Taiko performances throughout the day.