Kodo One Earth Tour 2019 "The Road"

Kodō (鼓童) is a professional taiko drumming troupe. Based on Sado Island, Japan, they have had a role in popularizing taiko drumming, both in Japan and abroad. They regularly tour Japan, Europe, and the United States. In Japanese the word "Kodō" conveys two meanings: "heartbeat" the primal source of all rhythm and, read in a different way, the word can mean "children of the drum".

Although taiko are the primary instrument in their performances, other traditional Japanese musical instruments such as fue and shamisen make an appearance on stage as do traditional dance and vocal performance. Kodō's repertoire includes pieces based on the traditional rhythms of regional Japan, pieces composed for Kodō by contemporary songwriters, and pieces written by Kodō members themselves. Since their debut at the Berlin Festival in 1981, Kodō has had almost 4,000 performances, spending about a third of the year overseas, a third touring in Japan and a third resting and preparing new material on Sado Island.

Kodō is arguably the most well-known and respected taiko group worldwide and has been considered an ambassador group for taiko performance outside Japan. One component of their reputation stems from their training regimen, which at one time, included long distance running twice daily. A report on Kodō's training in 1989 stated that their approach had been toned down, but was still "disciplined" according to the program director, where performers would only run ten kilometers each morning.

In performance, players are often seen wearing a sole loincloth called a fundoshi as a component of attire. Internal publications from the group state that they are used to help focus a player's strength while performing. Others have noted that the use of fundoshi clearly represents a masculine component to the Kodō's performance. After their performance at the 1984 Olympics, Mark Swed of the Los Angeles Herald wrote, "Glistening back muscles of a sweaty loin-clothed drummer are strikingly lit as he strikes the great o-daiko (large taiko) with massive sticks in performance as much athletic as it is musical."

Kodō received the MIDEM Music Video (Long Form) Award at the 3rd International Visual Music Festival in Cannes in 1994, as well as the Japanese Foreign Ministry Award noting their cultural contributions through the Earth Celebration event on Sado Island. They were also the recipient of the Matsuo Performing Arts Award for Japanese Music in 2012.

Schedule & Ticket

Place information

• Imabari City Public Hall
  今治市公会堂

  Address

  日本、〒794-0026 愛媛県今治市別宮町１丁目４−１  Map

• Morinomiya Piloti Hall
  森ノ宮ピロティホール

  Address

  日本、〒540-0003 大阪府大阪市中央区森ノ宮中央１丁目１７−５  Map

• Hanno city hall
  飯能市市民会館

  Address

  日本、〒357-0063 埼玉県飯能市飯能２２６−２  Map

• Yokosuka Arts Theater
  横須賀芸術劇場

  Address

  日本、〒238-0041 神奈川県横須賀市本町３−２７  Map

• Aichi Prefectural Art Theater
  愛知県芸術劇場

  Address

  日本、〒461-8525 愛知県名古屋市東桜１丁目１３−２  Map

• Kuragi Culture Hall (Matsusaka Civic Culture Hall)
  クラギ文化ホール（松阪市民文化会館）

  Address

  日本、〒515-0818 三重県松阪市川井町６９０  Map

• Arcus SASEBO
  アルカスＳＡＳＥＢＯ

  Address

  日本、〒857-0863 長崎県佐世保市三浦町２−３  Map

• Ueno Gakuen Hall (Hiroshima Prefectural Culture and Arts Hall)
  上野学園ホール(広島県立文化芸術ホール)

  Address

  日本、〒730-0001 広島県広島市中区白島北町１９−１  Map

• Baoshan Hall
  宝山ホール

  Address

  日本、〒892-0816 鹿児島県鹿児島市山下町５−３  Map

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