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Kodama Taiko is a group of percussionists from the greater Los Angeles area who are dedicated to performing both traditional and contemporary pieces through the sounds of taiko. The group is primarily composed of working professionals who enjoy spending their free time learning and creating entertaining performance pieces.
The group is best known for their unique Mochitsuki (rice cake pounding) performance which combines the age-old tradition of hand-pounding mochi (sweet rice) with the sounds of taiko. This energetic custom is typically performed during the Japanese New Year’s Oshogatsu, but has lately been expanded to include any celebratory occasion. Makoto Fujii of the Japan-based group Medetaya instructed Kodama in combining the art of taiko and Mochitsuki.
Kodama takes their name from the Japanese word for “echo,” and literally translated means “echoing sounds.” Kodama’s roots stem from the collegiate group Jishin Daiko which was started in January 1994. The new name echoes back to October 1997, when Jishin Daiko founding members Dean Mimura and Karren Tsutsui reformed the group as Kodama.
Kodama is based out of the Pasadena Japanese Cultural Institute, and their practices are held Thursday nights from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
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Mochi and Mochi-Tsuki
Mochi is a tasty treat made to commemorate special occasions, most notably the New Year. Once essential to the Japanese New Year celebration (Oshogatsu), the practice of pounding mochi together—or mochitsuki—is now rare even in Japan, as busy people eat store-bought mochi rather than make their own.
Still, mochi pounding can be the focus of a celebration (New Year’s or otherwise) by either a family or an entire neighborhood or community. Because of this, there are many mochitsuki festivals held around the world, and they usually include more than just mochitsuki. You’ll typically see a variety of Japanese cultural demonstrations and be able to participate in New Year’s games and activities.
Kodama Taiko has proudly performed our unique Mochitsuki ceremony for the past several years at the Japanese American National Museum’s Oshogatsu Festival held on the first Sunday of each New Year.
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Kodama Taiko Roster
Karren Tsutsui, founder/director
Janet Anwyl, performance coordinator
Blaine Barkey, graphic designer
Alex Biasin
Mandy Chan
Rochellie Chua, photographer/social media administrator
Walter Clarke
Hien Hoang
Terri Kishimoto
Vivian Lee
Mariko Sanchez