ARTISTS
Special Fringe
Kodo
Exploring the limitless possibilities of the traditional Japanese drum, the taiko, Kodo is forging new directions for a vibrant living art-form. Since the group’s debut at the Berlin Festival in 1981, Kodo has given over 7,000 performances on all five continents, spending about a third of the year overseas, a third touring in Japan and a third rehearsing and preparing new material on Sado Island. Kodo strives to both preserve and re-interpret traditional Japanese performing arts. Beyond this, members on tours and research trips all over the globe have brought back to Sado a kaleidoscope of world music and experiences which now exerts a strong influence on the group’s performances and compositions. Collaborations with other artists and composers extend right across the musical spectrum and Kodo’s lack of preconceptions about its music continues to produce startling new fusion and forms.
Miyake-jima Geino Doshi-kai
Miyake-jima Geino Doshi-kai is a family taiko group from Miyake Island, comprised of a father, Akio Tsumura (75), and his three sons: Kazuhiro, Hidenori, and Haruyoshi. Together, they uphold a distinctive style of taiko drumming that provides the pulse of the island’s festivals, played from an extremely low stance. This group is a rarity in the taiko world, passing their sound and techniques down from father to son, and now extending to a third generation—Akio’s grandchildren. Their ongoing quest is to generate beats that are felt as much as heard. Based in Shinjuku, Yokohama, and Saitama, Miyake-jima Geino Doshi-kai teaches and performs throughout Japan and around the world. They are also dedicated to leading regular workshops with students around the Pacific Rim in Singapore, Australia, the United States, and Canada. Their exchange with Kodo in its early days sparked the ensemble’s iconic piece, Miyake. Four decades on, Doshi-kai continues to guide Kodo’s lifelong learning about Miyake Taiko and collaborates with the ensemble through their Matsurine [Festival Sound] concert series.
Ryo Watanabe
Ryo Watanabe began his unique musical career, centered around percussion and experimental musical instruments, while he was studying at Musashino Art University in the late 1970s. His professional journey spans numerous recordings and concert appearances. Alongside performing, Watanabe facilitates percussion workshops throughout Japan and leads Sound Forest and Oto to Yokai (Sounds and Specters) programs, designed to bring art and music together. His major works include albums Wallace Line and Morpho, and books Let’s Play Samba (2006, Ongaku no Tomo Sha Corp.) and Koizumi Yakumo no Kwaidan Zukushi (2021, The Hearn Society).
Yasukazu Kano
Yasukazu Kano is a shinobue (Japanese bamboo flute) performer, instructor, and music producer. He joined Kodo in 1987, touring with the ensemble until 1997 when he left to launch a solo career. Remaining on Sado Island, Kano continued to explore and broaden the possibilities of playing the shinobue, developing his own performance method. He made his major debut in 2005 and has performed over 2,000 times in 30 countries around the world to date. His collaborations include a diverse range of artists, such as Salena Jones, Kosetsu Minami (Japanese singer), Ryuichi Kawamura (Japanese singer-songwriter and record producer), and Keizo Nakanishi (Japanese singer-songwriter and composer). In April 2026, he released his latest album, WORLD PEACE, which joins his extensive catalog of albums and sheet music books. To help revive festival culture and spread shinobue music globally, Kano leads shinobue workshops internationally and maintains an active presence on YouTube, sharing performance videos and SHINOBUE KANO METHOD tutorials. Locally, he serves as an instructor at Kodo Apprentice Centre.
Ogi Okesa Children’s Group
Formed in 1996, Ogi Okesa Children’s Group has been going strong for 30 years, giving the next generation a place to learn and uphold Ogi Okesa, a local traditional folk song and dance. There are currently 24 members—15 elementary school and 9 junior high school students—who are all current or former members of the Ogi Elementary School Folk Music Club. Every Saturday, the children are taught by and practice with local community members and more senior performers of the same singing parts and instruments. Ogi Sazanami-kai, a local folk music group, teaches them folk dances. They perform at local festivals and events, which includes sending off cruise ships from time to time.
