Zenshin Daiko’s Artistic Director, Valerie Jones, was fortunate to be able to participate in the KASA/MIX Japan 03 tour in September. This was Val’s second trip to Japan to learn more about taiko. The tour included over 20 other taiko enthusiasts from all over North America and Hawaii. The tour participants got to visit the Miyamoto Drum Museum and train with Tosha Kiyonari Sensei. Then after traveling to Sado, they stayed at the Kodo Apprentice Center and took workshops from Kodo instructors. Highlights of the trip included witnessing an offering of Gagaku music played by Suenobu Togi Sensei and his students at the Kamegaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Ichigaya, the fabulous farewell dinner at the Apprentice Center and getting to watch a Kodo dress rehearsal. The two week tour ended too quickly and most of the participants headed home. However, Val stayed in Japan and traveled on her own to Akita to take folk dance lessons from Shohei Kikuchi of the Man You Shu Dance School. Val had a great time in Japan and can’t wait to go back.

On November 1, ZD traveled to Hana to perform for the Hana community at Helene Hall. ZD put on 45 minute show for an enthusiastic audience. The next day ZD put on a workshop to introduce taiko to over two dozen interested Hana residents. Joanne Fanning of Hana Arts invited ZD to Hana to help those who are trying to start a taiko group.

Jo-Jo Salami of Handle With Care from Brookline, Massachusetts, visited Zenshin Daiko on November 12 and put on an injury prevention workshop. He taught stretching exercises and explained the importance of drinking lots of water. His demonstrations instantly proved his theories.