Sado Island Taiko Centre (Tatakokan) is the perfect destination for school excursions, offering engaging hands-on taiko experiences for all ages. Our School Excursion Taiko Experiences take place in the comfort of our spacious hall, so you don’t need to worry about the weather on the day. Each program runs for 90 minutes, including an introduction to taiko—tailored to your group—and a demo performance by the instructor. The students will be encouraged to beat the taiko with all their might. There’s no need to hold back here! As they create resonant sound together, they’ll also foster camaraderie with their classmates through this fun shared experience.

Suitable for:
Elementary school, junior high school, and senior high school students (Ages 6–17)

Fees
*Please note that School Excursion Taiko Experience fees will increase on April 1, 2023.
Until March 2023:
School group of up to 34 people ¥2,200 per person
School group of 35 people or more ¥1,900 per person
From April 2023:
School group of up to 34 people ¥2,200 per person
School group of 35 people or more ¥2,000 per person

Capacity:
The maximum capacity for one session is 80 people. (There is no minimum number)
*For groups with 24 or more people, please note that students will take part in turns.

We are currently accepting bookings for School Excursion Taiko Experiences for the 2023 school year (April 2023-March 2024).

Please Note: We do not accept bookings over the phone. Please fill out the dedicated online application form. Please inquire for further details.

Kodo launched Kodo Taiko School in 2021, the ensemble’s 40th anniversary year, as a way to contribute to and connect with the global taiko community. The School is an online learning forum where Kodo shares the spirit, physique and technique that the group has cultivated over the years with taiko enthusiasts from around the world. The instructors are all Kodo performers, bringing extensive knowledge about taiko playing and performances to each lesson. The courses take a holistic approach, looking at mindset, taiko skills, physical conditioning, and movement.
In 2022, the School added the Exadon Facilitator Training Course to its curriculum. Exadon is an innovative fitness program centered around enjoying taiko, performing arts, and physical activity. With each graduating class of Exadon Facilitators, Kodo Cultural Foundation looks forward to seeing Exadon offered in more communities around the world.

・Learn more about Kodo Taiko School
・Learn more about the Exadon Facilitator Training Course

Sado Island Taiko Centre (Tatakokan) offers memorable, effective Team Building sessions centred around taiko. Team building cultivates a sense of belonging to an organization and promotes collaboration. Its many benefits include facilitating communication, enhancing wellbeing and mental balance, and helping colleagues share ideas and exchange information more freely.

Taiko is a wonderful instrument that helps teams connect through nonverbal communication and the feel-good visceral sound. By beating the taiko together and listening to the sound your group conjures as one, you will nurture feelings of mutual acceptance, compassion, support, and respect. During the session, you will also create a taiko piece together based on your company’s mission and what’s important to the members of your team. Turning your words and ideas into good vibrations that you play together on the taiko is an amazing way to connect as a team. It’s a great way to foster empathy and unity throughout your organization, too.
Taiko playing brings a person’s true self to the forefront and it’s a great equalizer. We’re sure you’ll discover new things in common with your colleagues as you learn together through taiko.

Sado Island Taiko Centre (Tatakokan) is located in a part of Japan with a history unlike anywhere else. Sado Island was a major tradeship port in the Edo Period, a former penal colony, and a famous gold mining region. Outside Japan, it’s more commonly known as home to world-renowned taiko drummers, Kodo. The traditional performing arts and culture here on the island are truly distinct. Originally brought here from various parts of Japan by aristocrats, samurai, and merchants, these art forms were arranged and adapted by people from all walks of life, from servants and farmers to traveling and exiled nobles. Today, the arts remain deeply rooted in the communities here, supporting and enriching the lives of everyone who calls the island home.

With its far-reaching global platform, Kodo continues to inspire people to visit Sado Island and start playing taiko. Tatakokan was built on the hill next to Kodo’s base, Kodo Village, as a public facility where anyone can experience the wonder of taiko firsthand when they visit the island. Since its inception, Kodo’s sensibilities have been constantly nurtured by the way of life on Sado Island. Through its extensive travels and performance tours, Kodo has learned from performing arts masters throughout Japan and collaborated with artists from around the globe, inviting many of them to Sado Island for further exchange and collaborations at its annual festival, Earth Celebration. We hope your visit to Tatakokan and Sado Island will help stimulate your senses, too, and connect you to this wonderful part of Japan and the people you meet during your stay.

Since 2007, Tatakokan has proudly helped Kodo on its mission to bring people from around Japan and all over the globe to Sado Island to live, learn, and create, connecting people through taiko. As Kodo’s activities expand, so do the offerings here at Tatakokan. From our flagship Taiko Experiences to Exadon sessions, community classes and events, concerts, and festivals, we love providing forums for exchange here where everyone can enjoy local, domestic, and international cultural exchange together.