[Traditional Performing Arts] 45th Anniversary of the Sagami Ryuo Taiko Preservation Society: Connecting Japanese Taiko and Dragon Dance

Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, is a city resonating with the sounds of wadaiko, a percussion instrument passed down in Japan since ancient times. There are organizations based in the city as well as high school wadaiko clubs. The Sagami Ryuo Taiko Preservation Society is a historic team that continues to captivate audiences with its original taiko drumming and dragon dance performances. This time, we interviewed Takumi Kubota, who became the third chairman in June 2024, Katsuyuki Onishi, the previous chairman and advisor, and Ryoma Watanuki, a member of the youth division.

After the commemorative concert

On June 29, 2024, the Sagami Ryuo Taiko Preservation Society (hereinafter referred to as Ryuo Taiko) held a "45th Anniversary Concert" at the Sagamihara Civic Hall, Main Hall.

--Congratulations on your 45th anniversary. Could you tell us how you came to hold this charity concert to support the recovery efforts following the Noto Peninsula earthquake?

Kubota: We, Ryuo Taiko, hold a milestone concert every five years. This time, together with everyone who supports us, we hope to send a message of encouragement to the disaster-hit Noto Peninsula. The performance was free to enter, and we accepted donations of 1,000 yen per person on the day. We are grateful for the encouragement and support we have received from so many people.

-That's amazing. What kind of members does Ryuo Taiko currently have?

Kubota has about 40 members, with a male-to-female ratio of about 4:6. The group is divided into four sections: the "Boys' Section" for elementary school students and younger, the "Youth Section" for junior high school students and older, the "Koraku Section" for parents, and the "Koyu Section" for veterans. With the exception of the Koyu Section, each section practices once a week for about two hours.

In addition to the anniversary concert, Kubota Ryuo Taiko plans to perform at tournaments and competitions several times a year. They are also invited to perform at local events and festivals such as summer festivals. The performers and performance structure are decided based on the venue and performance time, and recently the young members of the youth division, which has about 20 members, have been taking the lead in this effort.

The entire 45th anniversary concert was handled by Ryoma Watanuki, who is also the leader of the youth group. He was determined to surpass the previous concert, which was a great success, so I think there were many challenges, but he put together a very creative stage.

Making the "adult drums" resonate

-What do you think is the appeal of Ryuo Taiko?

Watanuki has been playing Japanese drums since he was 3 or 4 years old, and went on to Komyo Gakuen Sagamihara High School, which has a Japanese drumming club in his hometown of Sagamihara. He was active in club activities and gained experience playing in tournaments, but he is still a high school student drummer. Not only are the songs selected different, but the way he plays is also different, so the "sound" is different.

Onishi : To put it in perspective, high school students' wadaiko is like light pop music, while Ryuo Taiko is like tasteful enka. Ryoma is in the same class as my eldest son, and he has a lot of experience, so I think that's why he feels that way.

-I see. From your perspective, what did you think of the 45th anniversary concert produced by Watanuki?

Onishi : I think it was a good thing. Last time, as chairman, I was involved in the 40th anniversary celebrations, but this time I was just watching over the group. It was reassuring to see these people, who I've known since I was a child, leading the way. Not only Ryoma, but also chairman Takumi Kubota, both have experience with Ryuo Taiko. The founder is his great-uncle.

Watanuki: I've been with the group for about 20 years now, so I've been increasingly on the watchful side. The majority of the youth group members are university students around the age of 20, and there is a turnover due to lifestyle changes such as getting a job or moving. From now on, I would like to use social media and other means to spread awareness of Ryuo Taiko.

A strong future together with the dragon

-In addition to their Japanese drum performances, Ryuo Taiko is also well-known for their dragon dance performances.

The group 's founder, Onishi, was fascinated by the scale of the popular "Orochi" (Great Serpent) piece from Shimane Prefecture's "Iwami Kagura," and decided to combine it with their own original drumming. The three-headed dragon that is currently there was also imported from the area, and is still used with great care.

Kubota : I control one dragon by myself, but there are only three or four people in the team who have mastered this technique. It is essential to the dynamic performance that is characteristic of Ryuo Taiko, so I would like to continue to pass on this technique to the next generation.

On October 20th, 2024, we will be performing at the Taiko Festival (hosted by the Sagamihara City Taiko Federation, Sagamihara Civic Hall, Large Hall, performance begins at 1pm). We are currently thinking about how to create a highlight for the dragon, so please look forward to it.

Onishi : In recent years, the number of people enjoying Japanese drumming has increased and the sport has become more active, but with the number of professional groups also increasing, it feels like there are fewer opportunities for teams like Ryuo Taiko to showcase their skills. We will continue to work with a focus on young members, posting information on social media, so we hope you will continue to support us.

Text by Mai Shimura (editor/writer)

Sagami Ryuo Taiko Preservation Society
Official Instagram: here