• TOP
  • >
  • ABOUT US
| | | |
| | | |

YAMATO is a Japanese Taiko drumming group based in Asuka-mura Nara Prefecture which is well known by Japanese people as the hometown of Japan. They call themselves “YAMATO, the Taiko drumming group that travels all over the world”. They have given more than 4,500 shows across 54 countries around the world since their formation in 1993.
 
YAMATO’s Taiko work cannot be fully described by the word “performance”.
They have performed in theaters, schools, all types of events, and even held workshops and Taiko lessons. They are spending a half year on a Japan tour and a half year for the world tour. Their motto is “We go everywhere when somebody needs YAMATO! And bringing energy to the people living in the world!”. They bring joy to the world.
 
On stage, they are standing with more than 40 Taiko drums and all of them are having different characters. For example, their largest drum called “Odaiko”, produced from a huge tree over 400 years old, is approximately two meters in diameter and weighs 500 kg. All other Taiko drums are different sizes and have different sounds.
The members of the group have trained their bodies to the limit to beat these massive Taiko drums.
 
The acoustic pressure far surpasses what one could imagine.
 
They do not simply make their Taiko drums explode with sound; they produce delicate music that provides the listener with a palette of meticulously crafted sound. This is why YAMATO’s original performances are known as “Physical music”, and continue to receive high acclaim all over the world. YAMATO is sometimes intense, sometimes sad, sometimes comforting, and in the next moment comical on stage.
 
The audience is more than a group of bystanders at their performances.
 
The audience is engulfed in the sound of the Taiko, and sweat, cry, and laugh; they become one with the performers. All types of people gather around the sound of the Taiko, interweaving their lives, and feeling the power of each other’s inner passion and heart.
They come together to create an instant in which they truly feel alive.
 
“Taiko drumming, to the unexplored field.”
 
YAMATO is still traveling around the world.
 


 

1993:  YAMATO was founded

 

WORLD TOUR 「倭魂」 SPIRIT OF YAMATO 944 shows

1993: Shows in Japan
1994: China Tour (4 shows), Shows in Japan
1995: Shows in Japan
1996: Shows in South Korea, Indonesia and Japan
1997: Brazil Tour (13 shows), Shows in Japan
1998: Brazil Tour (12 shows), UK Tour (23 shows), Shows in Sweden, Israel and Japan
1999: Europe and Israel Tour (6 countries, 80 shows), Brazil Tour (15 shows), Shows in Japan
2000: UK Tour (27 shows), Indonesia Tour (2 shows), Shows in Japan
2001: Singapore Tour (4 shows), Europe Tour (4 countries, 75 shows), USA Tour (19 shows), Shows in Japan
2002: South Asia Tour (3 countries, 10 shows), Europe Tour (3 countries, 18 shows), Shows in Japan

WORLD TOUR 「魂」 ”Tamashy” 364 shows

2003: Europe Tour (10 countries, 172 shows), USA & Canada Tour (37 shows), Shows in Japan                                             
2004: Europe Tour (13 countries, 102 shows), Mexico Tour (11 shows), Hong Kong & Macau Tour (5 shows), Shows in Japan

WORLD TOUR 「神鳴」 ”Kami-Nari” –Thunder 369 shows

2005: Europe Tour (10 countries, 139 shows), Show in South Korea, USA & Canada Tour (35 shows), Shows in Japan
2006: Philippines Tour (4 shows), Europe Tour (12 countries, 152 shows), Mexico Tour (14 shows), Shows in Japan

WORLD TOUR 「心音」 ”SHIN-ON” –The Heartbeat 384 shows

2007: Europe Tour (19 countries, 151 shows), Show in South Korea, Mexico-USA & Canada Tour (58 shows), Japan Tour and shows
2008: Europe Tour (12 countries, 121 shows), Dubai event, Japan Tour and shows

WORLD TOUR 「祭」 ”Matsuri” –Fiesta! 288 shows

2009: Europe Tour (8 countries, 94 shows), USA & Canada Tour (41 shows), Shows in Japan
2010: Mexico Tour (33 shows), Australia Tour (3 shows), Europe Tour (14 countries, 62 shows), Southeast Asia Tour (2 countries, 5 shows), Japan tour and shows

WORLD TOUR 「我武者羅」 ”Gamushara” –The Beat of Courage 303 shows

2011: Europe Tour (7 countries, 103 shows), USA & Canada Tour (37 shows), Shows in Japan
2012: Europe Tour (11 countries, 61 shows), Israel Tour (3 shows), Japan Tour (10 shows) and shows

WORLD TOUR 「路上」 ”Rojyoh” –The beat on the Road 429 shows

2013: Taiwan Tour (8 shows), Malaysia Tour (4 shows), Europe Tour (10 countries, 94 shows), 20th Anniversary Japan Tour (21 Prefectures, 31 shows) and shows, Mexico and USA Tour (31 shows)
2014: Europe Tour (9 countries, 74 shows), Corporate show in Kazakhstan, Brazil Tour (4 shows), 20th Anniversary Japan tour (47 Prefectures, 53 shows) and shows

WORLD TOUR 「爆音綺譚」” Bakuon” –The Legend of the Heartbeat 332 shows

2015: Show in Kazakhstan, Europe Tour (6 countries, 87 shows), Special performance in Russia, China Tour (5 shows), Shows in Japan
2016: USA & Canada Tour (40 shows), Japan Tour (11 shows) and shows, China Tour(2 shows), Eastern Europe Tour (6 countries, 20shows), Israel tour (3 shows)

WORLD TOUR 「回帰点」 ”Kaiki-ten” –Turning point 11 shows

2016: Germany tour (11 shows)

WORLD TOUR 「挑戦者」 ”Chousensha” –The Challengers 394 shows

2017: Europe Tour (6 countries, 94 shows), Pafos; European Capital of Culture in 2017, Australia Tour (16 shows), Shows in Japan
2018: USA Tour (47 shows), Europe Tour (5 countries, 61 shows), Japan - Sweden 150th Year! (2 Shows), Japan tour (6 shows) and shows
2019: Swiss Tour (19 shows)

WORLD TOUR 「情熱」 ”Jhonetsu” –Passion 290 shows

2019: Europe Tour (4 countries, 76 shows), Japan tour (17 shows) and shows, Australia tour (31 shows)
2020: USA and Canada tour (37 shows), online live performances and shows in Japan     
    *Due to concerns over the outbreak of COVID-19 and in consideration, cancelled/postponed the below shows.
    (USA tour 20 shows, Japan tour 24 shows and Europe tour 30 shows)

WORLD TOUR 「天命」 ”Tenmei” –Destiny 345 shows

2021: Japan Tour (9 shows), online live performances and shows in Japan     
    *Due to concerns over the outbreak of COVID-19 and in consideration, cancelled/postponed the below shows.
     (Japan Tour 4 shows, Europe Tour 72 shows)
2022: EXPO 2020 DUBAI, Europe Tour (4 countries, 53 shows), Japan Tour (10 shows) and shows
2023: Europe Tour (3 countries, 61 shows)

WORLD TOUR 「火の鳥」 ”Hinotori” –The Wings of the Phoenix

2023: USA and Canada Tour (39 shows), South Korea Tour (3 shows), Japan tour (5 shows) and shows
2024:  Scheduled: Europe Tour (10 countries, about 100 shows), Japan Tour (7 shows) and shows in Japan


   
Countries and Regions that YAMATO performed from 1993 to 2023

01.

Austria
オーストリア

02.

Australia
オーストラリア

03.

Bangladesh
バングラデシュ

04.

Belarus
ベラルーシ

05

Belgium
ベルギー

06

Brazil
ブラジル

07

Bulgaria
ブルガリア

08

Canada
カナダ

09.

Canary Islands
カナリア諸島

10.

China 
中国

11.

Croatia
クロアチア

12.

Cyprus
キプロス

13.

Czech Republic
チェコ

14.

Denmark 
デンマーク

15.

Estonia 
エストニア

16.

France 
フランス

17.

Germany 
ドイツ

18.

Greece 
ギリシャ

19.

Hong Kong 
香港

20.

Hungary 
ハンガリー

21.

India 
インド

22.

Indonesia 
インドネシア

23.

Israel 
イスラエル

24.

Italy 
イタリア

25.

Kazakhstan
カザフスタン

26.

Latvia 
ラトビア

27.

Lithuania 
リトアニア

28.

Luxemburg 
ルクセンブルグ

29.

Macau 
マカオ

30.

Malaysia
マレーシア

31.

Mexico 
メキシコ

32.

Netherlands 
オランダ

33.

Norway 
ノルウェー

34.

Philippines 
フィリピン

35.

Poland 
ポーランド

36.

Portugal 
ポルトガル

37.

Qatar 
カタール

38.

Romania 
ルーマニア

39.

Russia 
ロシア

40.

Serbia
セルビア

41.

Singapore 
シンガポール

42.

Slovakia 
スロバキア

43.

Slovenia 
スロベニア

44.

South Korea 
韓国

45.

Spain 
スペイン

46.

Sri Lanka 
スリランカ

47.

Sweden 
スウェーデン

48.

Switzerland 
スイス

49.

Taiwan
台湾

50.

Turkey 
トルコ

51.

Ukraine
ウクライナ

52.

UAE
アラブ首長国連邦

53.

United Kingdom
イギリス

54.

USA 
アメリカ合衆国


       

What is Taiko?

Taiko is a musical instrument deeply familiar to every Japanese. Since the dawn of history, Taiko’s rich reverberations have filled people with inspiration and encouragement in a wide range of settings. Its unmistakable sound is still heard throughout Japan today. To many Japanese people, the sonorous beat of Taiko is soothing, for it is the sound of Japan itself, resounding at Shinto rituals and festivals in every part of the nation. A number of artists have incorporated Taiko’s sound into musical compositions and performing arts. Thanks to the efforts of a number of accomplished Taiko individual performers and troupes, captivated by the distinctive boom of this enormous drum, Taiko is winning new fans around the world. This musical instrument eminently represents the identity of the Japanese nation.
We the members of Yamato believe in the unique value of Taiko. We are committed to preserving its traditions and exploring new possibilities for this majestic instrument.
Our goal is to create ever more opportunities for the boom of Taiko to resound worldwide.
 
Masa Ogawa


 
     

Naoki Ekihiro

Akiko Ogawa

Jun Kato

Jo Nakamura

Marika Nito

Kenta Ono

Mika Miyazaki

Tatsuya Iwaki

Nene Miura

Daisuke Jonai

Genta Ogawa

Wakaba Sudani

Yumesa Tanaka