About this Artist

TAIKOPROJECT was founded in 2000 to create a new and modern musical expression of American taiko. For the past 21 years, the ensemble has toured its varied concert programs to premiere performing arts centers across the country, while becoming a mainstay of the Los Angeles arts community. 

TAIKOPROJECT has performed and recorded with some of America’s most well-known musicians, such as Thirty Seconds to Mars, John Legend, Peter Gabriel, Diplo, Sean Paul, Alicia Keys, Hans Zimmer, and Stevie Wonder.

The group performed on the Academy Awards (2009), the Grammy Awards (2011), NBC’s The Voice (2011), The X-Factor (2012), Conan (2013), Jimmy Kimmel Live (2013), and The Late Late Show (2016). They have been featured on Ovation TV’s The Art Of (2014), Food Network’s Iron Chef Gauntlet commercials (2015), and received the prestigious Visionary Award from East West Players (2012). 

TAIKOPROJECT has been profiled on LA’s two primary NPR stations, KCRW (2014) and KPCC (2019).

TAIKOPROJECT also maintains a strong commitment to arts education by performing at hundreds of schools throughout Southern California as a roster artist for the Music Center On Tour and the Segerstrom Center‘s ArtsTeach program. In addition, through the TAIKOPROJECT Academy, instructors teach on-going classes for over 100 youth and adults on an annual basis. 

Follow the team on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @taikoproject

For more information on taiko classes, visit: taikoprojectacademy.com

Kitsune Taiko was founded in 2002 at the Los Angeles Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple and is named after the mischievous kitsune fox of Japanese folklore. They were recently featured in Nickelodeon’s “That’s Me” media campaign and on MTV’s Movie & Music Awards (2018). The team shares TAIKOPROJECT’s commitment to taiko and the next generation of performers, as well as Kitsune Taiko’s legacy of youthful synergy.

TAIKOPROJECT Board of Directors

Bryan Yamami, PRESIDENT
Lisa Shimamoto, TREASURER
Debbi Fukawa, SECRETARY
Robert Hori
Nancy Okubo
Jeanne Sakamoto
Scott Sakamoto
Candice Shikai