Takohachi

08/18/2026

Join Us for an Unforgettable Recital!
We are thrilled to invite you to an evening of beautiful music. This year, we are honored to welcome our special guest, Nozomi Imade, who will be captivating the audience with her incredible talents on both piano and voice.
Following the intermission, prepare for a musical journey as we dedicate the entire second half of our program to presenting a fresh and exciting repertoire of new-style songs.

Get ready for an unforgettable live experience at the 4th Annual Takohachi & Kotori Kai Shamisen Recital!

This year’s program features a dynamic blend of traditional and contemporary Japanese performing arts—from powerful taiko rhythms and expressive Tsugaru shamisen to dance, minyo singing, and even pop covers and original works.

Tickets are donation-based, starting at just $1. Get yours at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/takohachi-kotori-kai-shamisen-4th-annual-recital-tickets-1996318217528

TAKOHACHI - Kotori Kai Shamisen 4th Annual Recital
Date: Sunday, September 6, 2026
Time: 4:30 PM - 6:45 PM
Place: Rose City Park Presbyterian Church
1907 Northeast 45th Avenue, Portland, OR 97213

07/23/2026

We will be performing in Coos Bay this Sunday!!!

Bring a snack and a blanket to Mingus Park at 2:00pm on July 26 for a special Sunday performance by Portland’s Japanese drum and dance ensemble, Takohachi! Learn more about Japanese culture through music and dance at a family friendly event featuring taiko drums, Tsugaru Shamisen, Shinobue Bamboo Flute and more.

Made possible with funding from the Pacific Power Foundation.

07/08/2026

Two shows this morning at Three Creeks Community Library! Kiyo flew back from Japan just yesterday and still showed up ready to perform — what a trooper! Such a fun morning!!

We had it all — kamishibai storytelling, shamisen, shinobue, taiko, and even Bon Odori dancing! A wonderfully full program enjoyed by everyone from babies to our senior community members~

朝から2回公演でした〜。昨日帰って来たばっかりのキヨちゃんも元気に登場！いつもに増してハイテンションで楽しく演奏できました〜🩷この2人で、紙芝居あり、三味線あり、篠笛と太鼓も、盆踊りに玉すだれも！モリモリ沢山なプログラム。赤ちゃんからご年配の方々まで沢山の方に楽しんでいただけました〜

#三味線 #紙芝居

06/27/2026

Behind every story told is hours of prep — building the kamishibai boards, crafting the props, rehearsing the music, finding the magic in each scene.

Today, Takohachi Duo brought Kamishibai with Music to life for the first time at Vancouver Community Library. 🦊✨
This program features 8 songs with our original story and 16 beautiful art panels by .network

This summer, we’re taking our second Kamishibai with music program on tour through Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries — traditional Japanese storytelling, live shamisen, shinobue, and taiko, all woven together into something new!

The story begins.

ひとつの物語が生まれるまでには、たくさんの準備がありました——紙芝居のストーリーを作り、アートをKeikoさんと作り、小道具を揃え衣装を作り、音楽を練り上げ、場面ひとつひとつに魔法を見つけていく。

今日、Takohachi Duoは「Kamishibai with Music」をバンクーバー・コミュニティ図書館で初披露しました。🦊✨
このプログラムはオリジナルストーリーに8曲の生演奏、そして .network による美しい16枚のアート作品で構成されています。
この夏、この第二作目の紙芝居と音楽プログラムをFort Vancouver Regional Librariesをツアーします——伝統的な日本の紙芝居をヒントに、生の三味線・篠笛・太鼓が一体となった、これまでにない体験をお届けします❣️

#紙芝居 #かみしばい #三味線 #篠笛

06/27/2026

Maido Mind tries Soran Bushi! 🎹🎸
Nozomi on piano meets Tsugaru shamisen in our first attempt at the beloved Hokkaido folk song, Soran Bushi. Still rough around the edges, but the energy is real!

望ちゃんとの練習は本当に楽しい〜今日も盛りだくさんで新しい曲にも挑戦しました。あーっという間に3時間経ってた😳伊藤タキオさん風のソーラン節に挑戦してみました。磨いていきまーす

#三味線

06/07/2026

If you’ve ever wondered why Takohachi has such a powerful shinobue (bamboo flute) section here in the US, it all traces back to one incredible master artist: Yasukazu KANO!

He has been my (Yumi's) personal shinobue teacher since 2020, and two of our fellow Takohachi members are lucky enough to study under him as well. His showmanship is absolutely unmatched. Every single performance is a masterclass in balance—completely intentional, yet beautifully improvisational, driven by a fun, magnetic emcee energy that keeps the whole room captivated. The learning never stops!

Now, you can experience that magic directly from your home!

KANO sensei is teaming up with legendary Taiko drummer Ryutaro Kaneko and brilliant pianist Masaki Hayashi for a spectacular 2-day live-streamed event: Yasukazu Kano CD "WORLD PEACE" Japan Tour 2026.

I already bought my tickets for both nights because when these three musical forces collide, no two shows are ever the same!

The Dates are June 24th and 25th (Japan time), but it's a bonus for us!!! Full archive access is available until July 15! Watch from anywhere in the world on your phone, tablet, or PC. Don't miss this rare, world-class fusion of traditional Japanese and Western sounds. Scan the QR code in the flyer or reach out to get your streaming ticket today! Let’s support live music across borders!

*Pro-Tip for Buying Tickets: The ticketing website has a built-in translation option (I think it will show right at the bottom of the page) to help you navigate the process. You will need to register an account first, which takes a little bit of patience, but trust me—it is 100% worth it for this show!

Shinobue, taiko, and piano: a fusion of Japanese and Western sounds streaming live from Tokyo.

04/29/2026

Earth Day Celebration in a Truck! SoundsTruck NW is a mobile stage! They brought music, cooking show, storytelling, coffee tasting at PSU Farmers Market to celebrate Earth Day! Maido Mind was very happy to be a part of the celebration! Thank you!

02/28/2026

Super enthusiastic kids reacting to our music! Listen to this crowd go wild for the Shamisen, shinobue, piano, and voice🎶 We had an absolute blast bringing this Japan-themed show to the school stage. The energy was unmatched! ⚡🎌