[Traditional performing arts] 45th anniversary of the Sagami Ryuo Taiko Preservation Society: Connecting Japanese drums and dragon dance

Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, is a city where the sounds of Japanese drums, a percussion instrument that has been passed down since ancient times in Japan, reverberate. There are groups based in the city and high school drumming clubs. The Sagami Ryuo Taiko Preservation Society is a historic team that continues to captivate audiences with its original 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. Please tell us how you decided to hold this charity concert to support the recovery from the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

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

- That's wonderful. What kind of members are currently active in Ryuo Taiko?

There are about 40 Kubota members, with a male-female ratio of about 4:6. There are four groups: the "Youth Group" for elementary school students and younger, the "Youth Group" for junior high school students and up, the "Koraku Group" for parents, and the "Koyu Group" for veterans. With the exception of the Koyu Group, each group practices once a week for about two hours.

In addition to the anniversary concert, Kubota Ryuo Taiko plans to hold tournaments and competitions several times a year. They are also invited to local events and events such as summer festivals. The performers and composition are decided based on the venue and performance time, but 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, the leader of the youth group. He was determined to surpass the previous concert, which was the best, so I think there were many difficult aspects to it, 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 drum club in his hometown of Sagamihara. He was active in club activities and gained experience playing in competitions, but he was still a high school student playing the drums. Not only do they choose different songs, but the way they play is 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 great. Last time, as the chairman, I was in charge of the 40th anniversary, but this time I was just watching over it. It was reassuring to have these people I've known since I was a child leading the way. Not only Ryoma, but also the chairman (Kubota) Takumi has experience with Ryuo Taiko. The founder is his great uncle.

Watanuki : I've been here for about 20 years now, so I've been on the watchful side more and more. The majority of the members of the youth group are university students in their 20s, and they change with lifestyle changes such as getting a job or moving. From now on, I'd like to use social media to spread awareness of Ryuo Taiko.

A strong future together with the dragon

- In addition to performing Japanese drums, Ryuo Taiko is also well-known for its dragon dance performances.

The previous owner , Onishi, was fascinated by the scale of the popular "Orochi" piece of the "Iwami Kagura" dance in Shimane Prefecture, and decided to combine it with his own original drums. The three-headed dragon was also imported from the area, and is 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 the technique. It is essential to the dynamic performance that is characteristic of Ryuo Taiko, so I would like to continue to inherit the dragon handling technique.

On October 20, 2024, we will be performing at the "Taiko Festival" (hosted by the Sagamihara City Taiko Federation / Sagamihara Civic Hall, Large Hall / performance begins at 13:00). 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 wadaiko has increased and the sport has become more lively, but there are also many professional groups, and it feels like there are limited opportunities for teams like Ryuo Taiko to showcase their skills. We will continue to work with a focus on the younger generation, posting information on social media, so please continue to support us.

Text by Mai Shimura (editor/writer)

Sagami Ryuo Taiko Preservation Society
Official Instagram: here