The arcane world of Japan’s taiko drummers
You get a bigger bang for your buck from Kodo, Japan’s traditional drumming ensemble
THERE is a felicitous double meaning to Kodo, the name of the celebrated Japanese drumming ensemble. Its written characters mean “drum child”. But an infinitesimally different stressing of the second syllable will give you the character which means “heartbeat”. The company regards this accidental ambiguity as a symbolic blessing, and drumming does indeed go way back. It is one of humanity’s most elemental forms of musical communication, at once both mystical and—because it can span great distances—highly practical.
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “The kudos of Kodo”
From the January 6th 2018 edition
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