Ise Taiko Gathering 2026: About the Instructors

Taishi Yamabe

Taishi Yamabe, born in 1988 in Kurashiki City, Japan, was steeped in rhythm from childhood—his father’s thunderous taiko and his mother’s piano melodies shaping his artistic DNA. As a prodigy, he began drumming at age three and took the stage by six, foreshadowing a career that would redefine taiko’s boundaries. At just 16, he made history as the youngest winner of the Tokyo International Odaiko Contest, hailed as a “once-in-a-generation talent” for his electrifying technique and inventive rhythms.

A visionary straddling tradition and modernity, Taishi collaborates with icons like enka legends Hiroshi Itsuki and Fuyumi Sakamoto, J-pop phenom KYARY PAMYU PAMYU, and rock band SPYAIR. His global reach soared with WA!, a fusion of taiko and avant-garde theater for Fuerza Bruta, which captivated 5 million audiences across 30 countries through 400 performances. Beyond the stage, he produced groundbreaking works like Pantarei (2023) and Mebaeizuru (Iyasaka Projecf), while his 2019 album TAISHI and original pop compositions weave taiko into contemporary soundscapes.

Learn more about Taishi Yamabe: https://www.yamabe-taishi.com/en/

Yasuhiro Yoshimura

Born in Aichi Prefecture and now based in Osaka, Yasuhiro Yoshimura began playing taiko at the age of five and shinobue flute at nine. Over a career spanning more than three decades, he has established himself as one of Japan’s leading performers on both instruments.

Yasuhiro trained and performed with several of Japan’s most influential taiko ensembles, including Shidara, JDO Ichiro, and DRUM TAO, before founding kogakusyu SHO in 2000. As leader of the group, he helped pioneer a distinctive musical style that blended traditional Japanese instruments with contemporary sounds, earning widespread acclaim in Japan and abroad.

In addition to his concert work, Yasuhiro has contributed to numerous theatrical productions, including performances and taiko instruction for the renowned Takarazuka Revue. His compositions and recordings have also been featured in popular Japanese television programs, and he continues to collaborate with artists across a wide range of musical genres.

Today, Yasuhiro remains active as a performer, composer, and educator, sharing his deep musicality and expressive approach to both taiko and shinobue with audiences and students throughout Japan and around the world.

Moe Kemmoku

Born in Tokyo, Moe Kemmoku was introduced to taiko at the age of four and began her formal training at age seven with the taiko ensemble Koyu (鼓遊).

She later studied at the Kodo Cultural Foundation Apprenticeship Centre on Sado Island, where she spent a year developing a strong foundation in traditional taiko performance. Since beginning her professional career in 2021, she has trained under renowned taiko artist Taishi Yamabe and has appeared in a wide range of productions and festivals across Japan.

Her performance credits include Taishi Yamabe’s Pantarei, the Iyasaka Project productions Taiko Classics, Mebaizuru, and Kanata Yori, as well as Taiko Celebration 2021 presented by the World Taiko Conference, the National Theatre of Japan’s The Flow of Japanese Music V, and GMO SONIC 2024.

As a member of a new generation of taiko artists, Moe is dedicated to exploring fresh possibilities for expression and expanding the role of women in the taiko performing arts.

Kaoly Asano

Kaoly Asano, founder of the groundbreaking ensemble GOCOO and its taiko school TAWOO Taiko Dojo, discovered her calling the moment she first encountered taiko—a visceral feeling of returning “home.” A visionary artist, she has redefined the art form through her “tribal taiko” style, a dynamic fusion of tradition and innovation that pulses with communal energy. Rooted in connection—to rhythm, to others, and to ancestral heritage—her “groove taiko” philosophy transforms performances into collective celebrations, resonating with audiences from Tokyo’s intimate venues to global stages like Europe’s massive SZIGET Festival.

Kaoly’s creative reach extends beyond live performance: her electrifying rhythms feature in Hollywood blockbusters like The Matrix Reloaded, and she was one of the featured artists in the landmark HERbeat concert and award winning documentary “Finding Her Beat” that highlighted her position as one of Japan’s foremost female taiko performers. A sought-after educator, she has led workshops worldwide, including the 2019 kaDON Retreat, inspiring students to embrace taiko as a tool for liberation and self-expression. For Kaoly, the drum is more than an instrument—it’s a heartbeat that unites us all, inviting everyone to move freely, fiercely, and unapologetically.

Check out GOCOO: https://jp.gocoo.tv/?page_id=5793

Kazu Wakayama

Kazu Wakayama is one of the leading practitioners of Owari Kagura Taiko, a regional festival drumming tradition that has been passed down in central Japan for nearly 300 years. Raised in Oharu Town, Aichi Prefecture, he grew up surrounded by the sounds of local festival music and began playing Kagura Taiko at the age of six. He later studied classical Japanese dance, developing a deep appreciation for the movement, aesthetics, and spirit that continue to shape his approach to performance today.

A student of both regional folk traditions and modern taiko performance, Kazu trained with Tokyo’s pioneering ensemble Oedo Sukeroku Taiko before founding Oharu Taiko Owari Ichiza, an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the traditional performing arts of the Owari region.

Known for his dynamic stick techniques, expressive movement, and deep knowledge of festival culture, Kazu has spent decades bringing the sounds and traditions of Owari to audiences throughout Japan. Whether performing on major stages such as the National Theatre of Japan and NHK Hall, consulting on film productions and commercials, or teaching the next generation of players, his work is rooted in a commitment to keeping regional traditions alive and vibrant.

Through this workshop, participants will have the rare opportunity to learn directly from a master performer who embodies both the artistry and living heritage of one of Japan’s most distinctive taiko traditions.

Learn more: https://owari-ichiza.com/

Masataka Kobayashi

Masataka Kobayashi, visionary founder and leader of Bonten Taiko, has shaped the group into a trailblazing force in the taiko world since its 2000 debut at Takanosu-machi’s Dai-Kyo Matsuri in Akita Prefecture. Bonten captivates audiences with its vibrant fusion of taiko, traditional instruments (shinobue, shakuhachi, shamisen, koto), and modern piano, crafting a unique and colorful sound. Under Masataka’s direction, Bonten’s performances have enchanted audiences worldwide cultivating a growing fan base in the US, Europe and Southeast Asia.

A global ambassador for Japanese drumming, Masataka has led Bonten on tours across Japan, the U.S., Europe, and Southeast Asia, earning acclaim for their genre-defying collaborations with J-Pop artists, classical ensembles, and kabuki performers. With six albums and over 50 original compositions, Bonten’s repertoire reflects Masataka’s creativity and passion for taiko. For over two decades, he has redefined taiko’s possibilities, proving the drum’s power to unite past and present, East and West.

Check out Bonten: https://www.bonten-taiko.com/

PJ Hirabayashi

PJ Hirabayashi is a pioneer of the North American taiko movement since
1973. She uses taiko to explore and unfold artistic possibilities through
music, movement, spoken word, theater, and collaboration. She is Artistic
Director Emeritus of San José Taiko, the third taiko group to form in the
U.S. In 2008, she founded “TaikoPeace”, a creative initiative to spread the
kinetic energy, spiritual vibration, and the pure joy of taiko to inspire positive
social change and a peaceful world.

Learn more about TaikoPeace: https://taikopeace.love/

Shoji Kameda

Shoji Kameda, a Grammy-nominated musician, composer, and producer, has dedicated his life to taiko, beginning his journey at age 8. A global collaborator, he honed his craft through fellowships like the Asian Pacific Performance Exchange and Indonesian Arts Exchange, working with master artists across Asia and performing everywhere from French Guiana to Mongolia. His genre-defying creativity spans film scores (Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story, Slamdance Audience Award winner), TV (NBC’s “Heroes”), and stages worldwide, including a historic 2013 performance with On Ensemble at Japan’s National Theater—the first North American taiko group invited to its prestigious Nihon no Taiko series.

In 2014, Shoji along with Yoshihiko Miyamoto Aya Yoshida Sugiura and Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten founded kaDON, driven by a shared vision to unite and empower the global taiko community. Through kaDON, he produces accessible online courses, original repertoire, and provides access to high-quality instruments, while amplifying grassroots projects and events. A tireless advocate for collaboration and community, Shoji’s compositions are performed by groups worldwide, and his workshops foster connections from Southern California to Scotland. Whether composing for jazz fusion legends Hiroshima, puppetry films like Yamasong, or for his own musical projects his work bridges tradition and innovation, proving that taiko knows no borders.

Learn more about Shoji Kameda: https://kadon.com/instructor/shoji-kameda/