What is a taikai?
Taikai (tournaments) are events where practitioners of a specific artform come together to demonstrate their skills in front of experienced judges. Such taikai events in Japan are hosted for taiko, shamisen, folk singing, and many other art forms. The judges examine the practitioners skills and will rate their performance with a point system. While this seems like it would be a pretty typical “competition” experience, (where it’s just an event based on “winning and losing”) it’s actually quite the opposite. Taikai is an important and healthy experience for two main reasons.
Challenge
Studies have shown that we excel not from practice alone, but from inspired, motivated practice. When we’re practicing at home or in study sessions, it’s easy to simply go through the motions, practicing the familiar routine with our awareness turned off.
Community
Taikai are amazing bonding experiences for all participants, due to the fact that participants aren’t competing against each other, but rather demonstrating their skills directly to the judges.
Taiko Taikai 2024
May 18th & 19th 2024
After the truly overwhelming success of the inaugural Taiko Taikai (2023), we’re excited to announce that we’re bringing it back for 2024, with some exciting updates!!
Two Divisions
As Taiko Taikai 2023 was our very first time, we weren’t certain how long the Taikai section would take (For example, how much time we needed for technical difficulties, etc), and thus established only one division in order to keep things as simple as possible. Now that we have experience from the first event, we can confidently expand the taikai to incorporate two divisions!
Communal Division
This is intended for folks who are either new at taiko, or have only recently pursued the direction of self-development of their taiko skills.
Advanced Division
This division is intended for folks who have been pursuing taiko with the intention to push their skills to as high a level as possible for years. They’ve already incorporated a discipline of self-examination as part of their regular practice for years and strive for that challenge.
Note: The same judges will be examining both divisions with the same level of criteria. The purpose of having two divisions is to give a more balanced opportunity for the range of players involved.
Participants register for ONE DIVISION ONLY
Two-Days
One of the many goals of the taikai is giving practitioners the opportunity to supercharge their motivation for self-development (as discussed in the About section). Additionally, we want to give committed taiko practitioners the opportunity to show their efforts to the community and, should they choose to do so, use the taikai as a platform to launch their career. Just like launching any aspiring career, knowing how to operate as an artist is just as important as the art itself!
Because of that, we’re so pleased to be working with TaikoVentures on providing an afternoon of seminars specifically related to teaching aspiring taiko artists the essential skills necessary to make a living with taiko. (For example, how to find gigs, how to log your expenses, how to set your performance fee, etc)
Saturday (May 18th): Taikai and Evening Concert
Sunday: TaikoVentures seminars and Afterparty
Fabulous Prizes!
Just to make things extra fun, we are adding a bit more to the prizes!
Grand Prize
$500 Cash Prize
Engraved Champion Odaiko Bachi from Kadon
To be featured on the next Taiko Taikai Poster (with winner’s consent)
2nd Place Prize
$250 Cash Prize
Engraved 2nd Place Odaiko Bachi from Asano
3rd Place Prize
$125 Cash Prize
Engraved 3rd Place Odaiko Bachi from Asano
Tickets/Merch
Past Events
Taiko Taikai 2023
Our very first Taikai was a whirlwind of emotions! Dozens of taiko practitioners from around the world submitted audition videos, (well, mostly in the US but one from Japan, so that’s something!) and the judges provided feedback. Their skills vastly improved from the time of their audition video to the time of their performance, which far exceeded what the judges were expecting, and confirmed that healthy competition naturally boosts self-development in a positive way!
Furthermore, the level of crowd support was a pleasant surprise! Being our first event, we were expecting perhaps a handful of people might come to watch the taikai. Instead, almost every seat was filled, and the audience bathed the performers with rousing cheer and support. The intense enthusiasm from the audience was both very unexpected, and confirmed just how important this event was for the taiko community!
Compulsory Piece: Narukami (Yoshikazu Fujimoto)
Judges:
1. Ringtaro Tateishi (Ondekoza & more)
2. Tiffany Tamaribuchi (Sacramento Taiko Dan & more)
3. Isaku Kageyama (Amanojaku & more)
4. Karen Falkenstrom (Odaiko Sonora & more)
5. Joe Small (Eitetsu Fu-Un no Kai & more)
Donate
Without having the aid of grant funding, we desperately need your support to help us make the best Taikai possible. The money received for the Taikai is used to benefit the Taiko Community by providing this new community event for everyone who wants to participate, and pays for judges (and their travel) and any professional support staff we need to make Taiko Taikai the smoothest fun time ever!
A huge thank you to TaikoVentures, who is generously aiding us with crowdfunding logistics!
Donor Perks
Tier 1 - $1-49
Mention in "thank you" Instagram posts
Mention on the website donors section
Tier 2 - $50-99
Tier 1 plus:
Mention in the event program
General Admission ticket
Tier 3 - $100-199
Tier 2 plus:
Combo admission ticket
Tier 4 - $200-499
Tier 3 plus:
T-shirt preorder
Quarter page ad in the program (Great for supporting your favorite competitor!)
Tier 5 - $500+
Tier 4 plus:
Upgrade from quarter page ad to half page ad
Thanks to our happy Donors!
Sue Yuen
Kyle Abbott