It’s a chill evening and Delhi’s iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is lit in more ways than one. A girl, in black and silver, gracefully takes her spot on the stage behind a massive drum. Her diminutive stature belies her strength. As she begins to play a passionate beat on the drums, the sound echoes through the stillness of the night air and reverberates in one’s heart.
This was the powerful introduction to the Japanese drum ensemble — DRUM TAO — currently on a 14-city tour of India as brand ambassadors of Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) group. Since its inception in 1993, the group grew in fame by playing traditional Japanese drums — Wa-Daiko or Taiko — and staging high-energy performances to their beat. The troupe consists of band members, Seika Sakuma, Shima Sasaki, Yutaka Kawasaki, Haruto Mizuno, Yoshinori Suito, Hiroaki Kishino, Koki Sato, and others.
Though Taiko drums are the main attraction of their set, the performers are equally adept at playing smaller percussion instruments such as hand-held snare drums and the large Odaiko drums, which can weigh up to three tonnes with a diameter of 10ft. Additional rhythm and tonality come from Japanese flutes, marimbas, the harpsichord and the three-stringed shamisen.
Besides Taiko drums, they are also adept at playing hand-held snare drums and large Odaiko drums.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The music, however, is only a part of the act. What keeps the audience riveted throughout the 60-minute set is the accompanying high-energy dance and movement routine, blending dynamic choreography with Japanese martial arts. Well-designed sets, striking costumes and undiminished energy add to the experience.
Over the last few decades, DRUM TAO has affirmed its place as the most prominent taiko drumming group in the world. A few years ago, they played to packed off-Broadway shows in New York, cementing their place as global cultural ambassadors of Japan. “We have a desire to be the next Cirque du Soleil ,” explains bandmember Lan Yi-Hsun.
DRUM TAO’s birthplace is the Oita prefecture in Japan, where its band members live together and follow a gruelling training regimen that includes musical learning, along with a variety of dances and martial arts. They also perform at the open-air theatre called TAO no Oka, which features an open stage at an altitude of 1,036 m, overlooking the stunning environs of the Aso Kuju National Park.
The troupe consists of men and women, though it took some convincing on the part of Nishi Arisa, considered the face of DRUM TAO, and currently serving as the group’s executive director, to bring more women on board. Her graceful dance and powerful drumming may seem at odds, but it makes for a unique show. The men too oscillate between high-paced, energetic instrumentalism and razor-sharp dance moves.
Well-designed sets and striking costumes mark their performances.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The ongoing tour isn’t DRUM TAO’s first in India, but is certainly their most sweeping one yet. It began with a power-packed performance at the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival, and was followed by shows in Chennai, Bengaluru and Delhi, where they regaled a packed audience of more than 2,500 people at the JLN Stadium. Then came shows at Jaipur, Kolkata, Kohima and Guwahati. Up next are Varanasi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Port Blair before they close at Bengaluru’s Phoenix Mall of Asia on December 21.
“Cultural performances of this nature celebrate the long-standing artistic ties between India and Japan. We feel there are many similarities between our traditional drums and the traditional percussion instruments of India. The real way to connect is through the beat. Our music doesn’t have lyrics. We are just about sound, rhythm, beat and melody, so it doesn’t matter if you don’t understand Japanese. You can just feel DRUM TAO,” smiles Yi-Hsun.
“Cultural performances of this nature celebrate the long-standing artistic ties between India and Japan. We feel there are many similarities between our traditional drums and the traditional percussion instruments of India. But the real way to connect is through the beat. Our music doesn’t have lyrics. We are just about sound, rhythm, beat and melody, so it doesn’t matter if you don’t understand Japanese. You can just feel the DRUM TAO music and enjoy,” says Yi-Hsun.
Published – December 12, 2025 06:00 pm IST
