Kodo (Japan)

In Japanese, the word “Kodo” holds a double meaning. It can be translated as "heartbeat," but also “breathe life into”. Kodo is also a world-famous Japanese drumming ensemble comprising over 20 members, founded in 1981. Its members hone their drumming skills for several years on Sado Island, located off the coast of the Nigata Prefecture, north of Tokyo. They whip their bodies into shape with pre-dawn runs along the island’s hilly roads, then get down on their hands and knees to ritually clean the building in which they board, a repurposed schoolhouse with no central heating. They grow much of their own food, carve their chopsticks and drumsticks, and are schooled in tea ceremonies. Discipline and rigorous practice are part of the physical training and routine needed to master the art of drumming – the tradition of taiko drumming dates back to the 6th century.

But Kodo drummers are not stuck in the past. With elaborate choreography and theatrical dramaturgy, the ensemble adds an urban aspect and contemporary aesthetic to traditional folk art. For more than four decades, the drummers have been delighting audiences with their extraordinary energy, precision and spiritual depth. Their performances are more than just concerts – they are comprehensive artistic experiences blending traditional Japanese taiko drumming, dance, and voice with contemporary theatrical aesthetics. With their powerful rhythms and hypnotic movements, Kodo drummers transcend cultural boundaries and connect people around the world.

Every time we hear it live, their explosive show and the thundering sound of twenty drums provide a truly unforgettable sensory experience.