Hachijo Daiko Intensive (£100)

Hachijojima is an island located 178 miles south of Tokyo.  During the Edo Period, convicts who committed the worst crimes (political activism) were sent to Hachijo island.  Often times these convicts were members of the educated Samurai class.  They brought with them sophisticated art and culture to the island.  Since their swords were taken away, legend has it that the samurai picked up bachi and played taiko as a substitute for martial arts and recreation.

Today, 7,000 people live on this small island, and the spirit of the drum lives on in almost everybody.  The style is truly improvisational, with just two people hitting on each side of the drum. Yuta Kato has lived on Hachijo for 15 months and immersed himself in the taiko and culture there.  In this intensive he will share his experiences, along with "tendencies" that make Hachijo taiko unique and meaningful.