Sunday, April 6, 2008

Catch-up post 2, Saturday March 8, Taiko drum workshop

Saturday 3/8/08 there was the Temple University Japan Campus taiko drum workshop held in Tokyo Japan. Taiko drumming is a traditional folk Japanese drumming. The takio drum workshop was a lot of fun. It was an impressive experience to watch them perform, and then learn across a language barrier to do what they were doing and perform as well. It was simply just fun. First we watched them perform, then they taught us.

It wasn’t a very long workshop, so afterward Lauren and I went to Tsukijishima to have some monjayaki, it is like okinomeake. For those who aren’t familiar, it is a egg and flour pancake with cabbage and other goodies inside it. Monjayaki you cook at your table, okinomeake they cook for you. Tokyo is famous for monjayaki, while Osaka is famous for okinomeake.

Dorm life! This is was actually taken a few days before the drum workshop, but I really like the picture. Danielle is her name. 

My pre-drumming breakfast. Pork buns in the shape of pigs and a sweet cake made in the shape of a bear.

Some subway stations look like they're from the future. (The real reason for all the extra doors is to prevent suicide attempts)

One of the nice drum instructors performing for us, she had the little drum.

The lead drumming lady, she's beating a big taiko drum. 


This is a blurry picture, but I think it conveys just exactly how much energy there was.

And, drumroll......

Pose!

Young padawans starting to learn. 

More students.

Me! There was something very satisfying and empowering about making those kinds of noises.

Now we performed in unison.

And group photo!

A cool boat on the river outside tsukijishima station.

I love sunset.

The restaurant where Lauren and I had Monjayaki.

And the empty street, it was very refreshing to be somewhere in Tokyo on a Saturday evening that wasn't packed tight.

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