Inspiration
Yamatai is heavily influenced by Masataka Kobayashi and his professional taiko group, Bonten.
Formerly an employee at a travel agency, Masataka Kobayashi opened a taiko drumming class to the public in 1994. He is the founder of Mirai Taiko Dojo, a taiko drumming institution that teaches taiko to people of all nationalities, ages, and interests. Today, he holds classes in Tokyo, Yokohama, and various other cities in the Kantō Plains, Japan.
Around 1999, Kobayashi-sensei steered his interests into creating a professional drumming team. In August 2000, Bonten held their debut performance. Bonten’s repertoire consists of original pieces that Kobayashi-sensei composes. Their musical and artistic excellence have reached the hearts of audiences in Japan and numerous foreign countries.
In the fall of 2006, he visited Cornell to help the founding members establish a taiko team. He brought taiko drums from Japan; he also helped the group make drumming sticks (bachi), stands, and taught a master class to the members of Yamatai. The group dedicated their debut performance to him on April 1, 2007 at the JUSA Culture Show. Today, he continues to assist Yamatai in both musical and organizational aspects, and provides the group with invaluable knowledge.
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