On Friday, Feb. 28, a full house turned out to Stewart Theatre for NC State LIVE’s hosting of Yamato, a taiko group from Asuka, Japan. Taiko is a Japanese traditional drum. The group performed its new world tour program, titled “Jhonetsu,” meaning passion.
The group has 20 members. Performer Jun Kato said the music is about getting the performers and the audience to share their fire and be animated.
“We want to feel the energy and passion, together with all, and then want to exchange the energy,” said Kato. “Everywhere we want to go, we want to give energy and we want to get energy.”
The program consisted of eight musical pieces, with a main focus on the Japanese taiko drum. The group also included flutes, singing and shouting, a three-string Japanese guitar known as the shamisen, and an entire piece dedicated to a small cymbal instrument called chappa. The group’s signature piece, titled “Joy of the Beat,” elicited a standing ovation from the crowd.
The performance was not limited to music. Certain members also employed silent acting, comedy and audience engagement through call and response. The group, according to Kato, also handles all of its own production, including stage management, and makes all of its traditional costumes by hand.
Yamato previously visited NC State in 2015 during its Legend of the Heartbeat world tour. Because of the strong response from the community, NC State LIVE coordinators invited the group back after it announced its 2019-2020 world tour.
“I think [the response has been so good] because they have a name here in the Triangle; they’re really known since we’ve had them here before,” said Stephanie Clark, program coordinator for NC State LIVE. “They’re incredible. I think the draw comes from diving into another culture, and the drums kind of bring you in.”
According to Yamato’s website, the Yamato taiko group, officially called Yamato, The Drummers of Japan, was founded in Asuka in the Nara Prefecture of Japan by Masa Ogawa in 1993. Today, Ogawa is still the group’s leading artistic director, and according to Kato, the group calls Asuka home, returning there every year after touring around the world to live and train together.
On the group’s website, Ogawa writes: “Taiko is winning new fans around the world. This musical instrument eminently represents the identity of the Japanese nation. We the members of Yamato believe in the unique value of Taiko. We are committed to preserving its traditions and exploring new possibilities for this majestic instrument.”
NC State LIVE also partnered with the University Activities Board and NC State Dining’s 1887 Bistro on the third level of Talley Student Union in an attempt to bring students an authentic taste of Japan in the form of a post-show Japanese dinner. Students who attended enjoyed sushi appetizers, sake strip steak and green tea cake or mochi. The LIVE Night Out dinner was one of four events put on by NC State LIVE that were associated with Yamato’s performance. Other events included a pre-show dinner for the community, a matinee performance for local elementary schools and a taiko drumming workshop for elementary school students.
Yamato has visited and performed in over 50 countries since its formation, and the next step of Yamato’s 2020 USA and Canada tour takes them to Des Moines, Iowa. According to Kato, the group hopes to return to NC State during its next tour.
*Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article listed the wrong title for the dinner event following the performance. The title of the event has been updated for accuracy.
