Beyond the Strike: Learning from Taiyo Onoda
There is a particular excitement that spreads through the Ōnami Taiko Center whenever word of a member of Kodo visiting is announced. This spring, that energy returned as we welcomed back Taiyo Onoda for a series of workshops at our La Jolla Country Day School practice space.
For many of us, Kodo occupies a special place in our taiko journey. We often see Taiyo on Kodo’s One Earth Music videos, studying the songs Kodo has gifted to the taiko world. Seeing Taiyo in Kodo’s Warabe tour at the Balboa Theatre in the winter of 2025 left a lasting impression. The transition of him from a professional stage to our intimate practice space at LJCDS brought the experience full circle, making the distance between world-class artistry and our own community feel much smaller.
Taiyo’s background uniquely positions him to connect with North American players. Having grown up in San Francisco before moving to Japan to join Kodo, he seamlessly bridges both taiko worlds.
Naturally, everyone arrived to his workshops eager to learn.
Any intimidation we felt about learning from a Kodo member melted away the moment Taiyo greeted us with his trademark warmth and radiant, friendly enthusiasm. The workshops began with movement. Some of us had the privilege to learn a portion of Onikenbai (鬼剣舞), a traditional folk dance that Taiyo has been studying and teaching. What appeared straightforward quickly revealed itself to be a rigorous workout. Yet, the lesson went beyond physical endurance. Taiyo continually returned to the idea of grounding ourselves by finding balance and establishing a stable foundation before trying to create power.
This concept transitioned seamlessly into the taiko fundamentals he taught. What stood out was Taiyo’s acute attention to detail; he observed posture, grip, stance, and breathing long before the bachi ever struck the drum. Rather than focusing solely on whether a rhythm was correct, he challenged us to rethink our entire approach with deeper questions: What kind of sound are you trying to create? Where does that sound begin in your body and where do you want the sound to go? What is your relationship to the instrument?
Under his guidance, we began noticing details we normally overlook. The tension in our shoulders, the quality of a single strike, and the intention behind each movement. The drums hadn’t changed, but our perspective had.
At the end of the workshops, we received a powerful reminder of what these concepts look like when fully realized. Taiyo concluded with an odaiko solo. Experiencing his giant drum display in such close quarters was entirely different from watching a stage show. Every lesson became visible: the grounding, the balance, the intention. The performance was dynamic and deeply expressive, sending waves of vibration through the floor and into our bodies.
Taiyo's visit served as a reminder that mastery is not about reaching a finish line. It is about continuing to refine the fundamentals and continuing to grow. We left with sore legs, plenty of notes, and a renewed excitement to practice.
Taiyo, thank you for sharing your time, generosity, and spirit with our community. We are already looking forward to the next workshop!
