It all began with the beat of the drum. A loud, heavy beat. A sound that cuts through space. A vibration that invades the body, like a heartbeat. The past, the present, and the future. And then comes the first breath. The Taiko comes to life.
Legend says that one day, the sun goddess Amaterasu became so angry with her brother Susano-o, the god of storms, that she withdrew into a cave and refused to come out. The world plunged into darkness and despair.
To encourage Amaterasu to come out of the cave, the deese Ame no Uzume began a dance and played the taiko. The loud, vibrating sound attracted Amaterasu’s attention. Intrigued, the sun goddess glanced out of the cave to see what was happening and was fascinated by Ame no Uzume’s energetic performance. The world lit up, and hope returned.
Coming back to reality. Hideyuki picks up the bamboo sticks and starts playing. It’s not the rhythm that’s important, but the energy given into each stroke. The core philosophy of taiko is the idea of “one mind, one heart.” And just like the Taiko, we felt the beating heart of Osaka.