Heart of the 4 Principles
In our first year of San Jose Taiko (SJT), we were a batch of curious and passionate individuals coming together to jam on our home-made wine-barrel taiko…
It Started With Compassion
I met PJ Hirabayashi for the first time as a participant of San Jose Taiko’s (SJT) Summer Intensive sponsored by the North American Taiko Conference in 2001. Then as now, PJ exuded her trademark effervescence…
Furusato
On vast acres of farmland a few hours to the east of San Francisco in Cortez, California can be found a special gathering place for TaikoPeace…
Ei Ja Nai Ka: The Spirit of Belonging
Come to Bethlehem, build taiko drums and work with Palestinian teen-aged girls to perform at a festival…
Dancing on Impulse
“Isn’t it good?” That is the translation of PJ Hirabayashi’s celebration of immigrant work life, Ei Ja Nai Ka and that pretty much sums up any time you get a group of taiko players together…
Strawberry Picking
I was commissioned by the Asian American Women Artists Association to create a piece of art reflecting harvest season…
Taiko Drumming with PJ Hirabayashi
I knew I was going to meet PJ much before I ever met her. I just did not know when and how it was going to happen…
GaZuut Sculpture
“GAZUUT” was just one of the many wonderful and inspirational things that PJ offered in the all-day workshop she gave to Odaiko Sonora…
Follow the Fishing
Gyoko Taiko’s Emma Middleton and Lisa Oliver were so inspired by PJ Hirabayashi’s song ‘Ei Ja Nai Ka?’ that they were moved to create a song that captured…
My First Mandala
As we were guided by PJ’s energy and voice, I was suddenly inspired by the picture and beauty of Mt Fuji…
Hidden Inspirations
Nestled inside my twenty drums are TaikoPeace-inspired messages of peace hand written by David Rodwell, who was also instrumental in building the drums…
I Am A Taiko Artist
A series of ruminations that swirled in my head as I was processing a TaikoPeace workshop experience…
New Initiatives with KASA
Kodo Arts Sphere America (KASA) and PJ Hirabayashi have a long-standing collaborative relationship…
Isn’t It Good?
A poem by Hannah-Jasmine Brunskill.
One Big Circle
It was the summer of 2009. I had just finished my second year of college, and—more importantly to me at the time—my first year ever playing taiko…
Finding Home In Haiku
Out of his TaikoPeace workshop experiences, Dave Rodwell was moved to explore haiku more deeply as a form of personal expression. His haiku takes us on a rambling journey for the imagination and the senses.
Tsuru for Solidarity
On June 7, 2020, a coalition of Japanese American organizations met at a park in South San Francisco on the boundaries of the former Tanforan detention center…
A Resounding Obon Tradition
I welcome this opportunity to share San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin’s connection to “Ei Ja Nai Ka” and, most especially, my personal reflection and appreciation to PJ and her dance creation.
In one of the book’s passages, author Angela K. Ahlgren shares her views on the social consciousness of Ei Ja Nai Ka, a song that celebrates our immigrant ancestors by PJ Hirabayashi...