Kokura Gion Taiko Festival, Kokura, Kitakyushu, 小倉祇園祭 小倉 北九州市 Kari Gröhn, karigrohncom
The Kokura Gion Taiko (Japanese drum) festival has been designated as National Intangible Cultural Property. The festival is held in July every year in the old castle town of Kokura, Kitakyushu. In 2019 Kokura celebrates the festival’s 400th anniversary.
Kokura has its own unique taiko style in which the taiko drums are played by hitting both sides of the drum, that is not often seen in other parts of Japan. The taiko playing itself involves pairs of cymbals called jangara keeping the time, players on one side of the drums playing the rhythm and players on the other side playing the beat.
At the taiko drum performance competition, adult teams, children’s teams and general teams wear a matching yukata and compete for drumming. Please pay particular attention to each team’s brilliant drumstick-work, gentle and supple body work, unity with the festival music and so on. In fact, it is very difficult to tap a drum with a slow rhythm, not just hit hard.
AloJapan.com