KODŌ live at the Sado Earth Celebration
KODŌ live at the Sado Earth Celebration
Overview
John Daub takes viewers to the heart of Niigata Prefecture for a special live stream from the Kodo Earth Celebration on Sado Island. This video captures the electric atmosphere of an encore performance by the world-renowned taiko drumming group, Kodo. Despite a earlier typhoon delay, the show goes on under a beautiful moonlit sky overlooking the Sea of Japan.
John provides context on the rigor required to join Kodo, explaining the two-year apprenticeship system that is open to both Japanese and foreign applicants. The footage showcases the raw energy of the performance, the audience's enthusiastic response, and the communal spirit of the festival. After the drums fall silent, John reflects on the experience with fellow enthusiast Dan from Drum Talk TV, discussing the peace and energy generated by the music.
This clip serves as a vibrant teaser for the main channel coverage of the Earth Celebration, highlighting Sado Island as a cultural hub for traditional Japanese percussion. It offers a rare glimpse into a live performance environment where tradition meets international appreciation.
Highlights
- 00:00 John introduces the live Kodo performance from Sado Island.
- 06:05 The crowd demands an encore as Kodo leaves the stage.
- 06:39 Kodo returns to the stage for more taiko drumming.
- 07:51 John explains the typhoon delay and the beautiful evening setting.
- 08:37 Recommendation to visit Sado for the Earth Celebration.
- 09:32 Mention of the extensive street food available outside the venue.
- 09:53 Explanation of Kodo's apprenticeship and membership requirements.
- 11:19 Post-performance reflection with Dan from Drum Talk TV.
- 12:37 John shares his thought during the performance: "Peace for the world."
- 12:47 Reflection on how Kodo and Sado Island bring peace.
Timeline / Chapters
- 00:00 Live Encore Performance Begins
- 06:05 Performance Ends & Encore Call
- 06:39 Kodo Returns for Encore
- 07:51 Context: Typhoon Delay & Venue View
- 08:37 Travel Recommendation for Sado
- 09:32 Street Food & Festival Atmosphere
- 09:53 Kodo Apprenticeship Details
- 11:19 Post-Show Discussion with Dan
- 12:47 Final Thoughts on Peace & Energy
Japan Travel Tips
- Getting to Sado: Accessible by jetfoil or car ferry from Niigata City. John mentions using rental cars to explore the island.
- Earth Celebration: Held annually in August. Tickets sell out quickly; book accommodation early.
- Weather: Summer festivals can be hot, but evening performances near the sea are breezy. Be prepared for typhoon delays during storm season.
- Etiquette: Japanese crowds traditionally stay seated during performances until the end. Applause is enthusiastic but orderly.
- Food: The venue features numerous street food stalls. Great opportunity to try festival snacks (yatai food).
- Photography: Live streaming or recording may be restricted during main performances; check rules for encore segments.
Japanese Language & Culture Notes
- Kodo (鼓童): The name means "heartbeat" (ko) and "children" (do), or alternatively "drum children." They are the most famous taiko group in the world.
- Ōdaiko (大太鼓): The massive drum featured in the performance. Requires significant physical strength and technique to play.
- Taiko (太鼓): General term for Japanese drums. The performance style seen here is kumi-daiko (ensemble drumming).
- Apprenticeship: John notes the rigorous two-year training period required to become a junior member, open to foreigners who relocate to Sado.
- Audience Behavior: The crowd calling for an encore (ankōru) shows deep appreciation. John notes the crowd would "riot" if they didn't return, highlighting the passion of fans.
Food & Drink Guide
- Street Food: John mentions a "ton of street food" outside the venue. While not sampled in this clip, typical festival food includes yakisoba, takoyaki, grilled skewers, and cold drinks.
- Recommendation: John suggests visiting the stalls on a future visit with his wife Hana for a main channel episode.
People
- John Daub: Host and narrator. Provides context on the performance, location, and Kodo's history.
- Dan (Drum Talk TV): Guest and fellow drum enthusiast. Joins John after the performance to share reflections on the energy and peace of the music.
- Kodo Members: The performers. Not individually named, but recognized as world-class taiko drummers including foreign members.
Key Takeaways
- Kodo's Home: Sado Island is the cultural home and soul of the Kodo group.
- Inclusivity: Kodo accepts foreign members, provided they commit to living on Sado and undergoing rigorous training.
- Energy of Taiko: The performance generates a palpable physical energy that leaves viewers inspired and moved.
- Peaceful Reflection: Despite the high energy, the music also induces a sense of peace and global connection.
Notable Quotes
- 06:05 "Kodo has left the building. They've left the drum."
- 06:39 "These people will riot if they don't come back. They've got to come back."
- 08:37 "If you ever do come to Japan here at this time, it's worth making the trip to Sado because Kodo puts on an amazing performance."
- 09:53 "Joining this group is not limited, which is pretty impressive. It's not limited to just Japanese."
- 12:37 "I was thinking about peace for the world. That's what I was thinking about."
- 12:47 "There are moments in life where things just slow down and peace comes within us. And Kodo brought that."
Related Topics
- Sado Island Travel Guide
- History of Taiko Drumming
- Japanese Summer Festivals
- Only in Japan Go Live Streams
- Drum Talk TV Collaborations
Search Tags
#only-in-japan-go #sado #kodo #taiko #niigata #earth-celebration #live-performance #john-daub #drum-talk-tv #japan-travel #traditional-music #summer-festival
Full Transcript
00:00 John Daub: We are at the Kodo Earth Celebration live from Sado. Check it out. Core presentation, which we're allowed to broadcast to you live. This is rocking it. Look at this. There's a dance area on the left side.
06:05 John Daub: Ending ovation from three people, one person over there. Japanese crowds traditionally will stay seated. Nice. There's the bow. Excellent job, Kodo. Yes, Gil, that was an awesome, awesome big drum, the ōdaiko drum. And there they go. Kodo has left the building. They've left the drum. There they are.
06:39 John Daub: All right. The crowd is not satisfied. They're asking for more. And I think they might get it. If you are watching out there, you also should be calling for more because this means more drums, more taiko, more fun. These people will riot if they don't come back. They've got to come back. Yes. Yes. And they've come back. Kodo is back again. And they're going to do more than just bow this time. They're going to bang that drum.
07:23 John Daub: Be nice if they did another encore. Do it again. No, no. It's still pretty good. I will take it anyways. What an awesome, amazing performance. If we keep on going, will they come back? I don't know. I want to come back. Some people refuse to go. They refuse to give up. They won't give up. They gave up. All right. This is the end of the live. Thank you.
07:51 John Daub: So this was just an encore performance that we were allowed to live stream. Both me and Dan from Drum Talk TV were like, we're going to go. Come on. But we could only bring the encore. The performance itself was about two hours long. Because of the typhoon that we had, the performance was delayed by 30 minutes while the typhoon winds left. And now the typhoon is completely gone. We just have a little bit of wind. It's a beautiful evening. Check it out. There's the Sea of Japan. The moon shining on the Sea of Japan right there. It's a beautiful location that we have here.
08:37 John Daub: And if you ever do come to Japan here at this time, it's worth making the trip to Sado because Kodo puts on an amazing performance. And this is their home. This area is where they're from. Sado.
08:49 John Daub: Thank you for coming to tonight's concert. We hope you enjoyed the performance. Please exit from the rear of the venue. Because this is their cultural home. This is the soul of their group. Again, we would like to offer you a walk around and keeping us in the view. Please take your trash with you when you exit the venue for the use of the trash stations provided by Superhuman Trees. Oh my. Yeah, that was amazing though. So everybody's leaving. If you later realize that you have left something behind, please check at the Earth Celebration Information Center located inside.
09:32 John Daub: This is what it's like. Outside here, this venue, there's a ton of street food. So one day, I might come with Hana because we're here for two more days. And we're just going to go and eat some street food, maybe for a main channel episode or possibly even for a livestream because nothing beats street food. It's just delicious. It's delicious and fun. And there's lots of it here.
09:53 John Daub: But just to say one last time, as I walk amongst the crowd, the people who've come all the way here to enjoy this, this is just one of the most amazing festivals because I love taiko drums. And when you have a world-class group like this, they have to be an apprentice for two years. And then after that apprenticeship, you become a junior member. And then if you keep it up, possibly one day you too can, and anybody, can be a junior member. You can be on the stage. Joining this group is not limited, which is pretty impressive. It's not limited to just Japanese. They have foreign members, which means that you too could join the group. But you have to live on this island and do this for two years. It's really, really hard. So I hope you enjoyed that. That's a little encore presentation we could bring. It would be really cool if we can bring you some more of this tomorrow. I got two more days of filming of this, and I'm putting together the story for the main channel about this festival and this island. It's just really, really cool. So we'll have some more live streams tomorrow. I'm not sure what we're going to do tomorrow. The weather should be really perfect. But guess what? We got two rental cars for tomorrow and the day after. So I'm going to put my license to good use. Thanks to all the Patreon supporters who made this trip possible. And yeah, see you on the other side.
11:19 Dan: Rodeo, are you dancing?
11:24 John Daub: These feet were pumping. Oh, the flutes are cool. Oh yeah. It's pretty hard, it's hard core. That's really. Yeah, that's. I couldn't do that. They're really cranking it out over there in the dance area. Fantastic. That was really awesome. That was so good. It's so inspiring. I was moved. It was smooth. I want to go do something now. I want to go either break something or hug a tree. Fix something. I don't want to break something. It's just because I have this energy that's built up from taiko. It was so wonderful.
12:19 Dan: You have the energy too. You got the energy. The energy. You feel the energy. It was sort of quiet music. Did you close your eyes?
12:28 John Daub: No, I couldn't close my eyes. I was filming. I want to know what I'm filming.
12:33 Dan: You closed your eyes? It was very relaxing and fantastic. What were you thinking about?
12:37 John Daub: I was thinking about peace for the world. That's what I was thinking about. Peace for the world.
12:41 Dan: Yeah. It felt very peaceful. It was lovely. Peaceful. I liked it.
12:47 John Daub: There are moments in life where things just slow down and peace comes within us. And Kodo brought that. Sado Island brought that to us today.
12:55 Dan: Yes. It was great. So we're all looking forward to you to visit. Thank you for joining us.
13:02 John Daub: Yeah. All right, guys. Thank you so much. That was a lot of fun. We'll bring you more Sado tomorrow. The next five seconds is of people leaving because they're still here. Bye-bye, everybody.