Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on September 2011

Once employed to strike fear into the hearts of enemies on the battlefield, and still used to conjure the gods at temples and shrines, Japan’s mighty taiko drums are these days more likely to be heard in theaters around the globe. Based in the birthplace of Japanese culture in Nara Prefecture, taiko troupe Yamato have played over 2,000 shows worldwide since 1993. Founded by Masaki Ogawa for a one-off shrine performance, they are a precision team honed by incessant practice and early morning 10k runs. Their latest show is entitled “Gamushara,” or “The Beat of Courage.”

Tokyo International Forum, Sep 24 (listing).