Taiko groups from all around San Diego (and beyond!) came together in Balboa Park today for an epic taiko community performance and jam session! It was incredible!
Taiko is high-energy drumming, Japanese style, where drummers together shake the world all around with booming uninhibited joy!
The event was called Taiko 4.0. It celebrated the 40th birthday of Diana, founder of Naruwan Taiko.
Over the years I’ve been fortunate to experience a number of Naruwan Taiko performances, but today was something extraordinary. Dozens of members were joined by taiko drummers from groups (I hope I’m not missing anyone) San Diego Taiko, Buddhist Temple of San Diego Taiko, Asayake Taiko (UC San Diego students), Makoto Taiko from Pasadena, and even Rocky Mountain Taiko from Utah!
I counted about 50 taiko drums, many of them quite large. Now imagine the thunder!
The House of China of Balboa Park’s International Cottages helped to make this epic event possible. As the joyful, rhythmic drumming began, people from around the park heard and converged. By the time I departed mid-afternoon, a good crowd had gathered.
I hope my still photographs of this amazing event transmit the absolute joy. Taiko, like nothing else, can make one feel fully alive.
Before the start, getting ready…
Here’s Diana!
A group photo!
An introduction…
Drummers take their places…
Here we go!
Between pieces of music, the drums would be carefully lifted and reconfigured…
Here we go again!
A dancing percussive procession surprise!
…
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Feel free to share!
Cool San Diego Sights! 