Wednesday, March 11, 2026

ArtNight Closeup: Pasadena Taiko Ensemble Brings 27 Years of Drumming to Friday Performances

[photo credit: Makoto Taiko]

Makoto Taiko performs four free sets Friday at the Shumei Arts Council on East Colorado Boulevard

Makoto Taiko, a Japanese drumming ensemble that has been based in Pasadena since 1999, performs four sets Friday night, March 13, at the Shumei Arts Council during ArtNight Pasadena, the city’s biannual free cultural open house.

The nonprofit ensemble, which began as a private youth group within the Shumei America Spiritual Organization and opened its doors to the broader public in 2009, plays a three-piece program at 6:15, 7:15, 8:15, and 9:15 p.m. at Shumei Hall, 2430 East Colorado Blvd. It is one of 19 venues participating in the event, which runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. with free admission and free shuttle service. No tickets or reservations are required.

Artistic Director Hunter Loyd designed the ArtNight program as a three-piece set. The set opens with “Sakura Fubuki” — cherry blossom blizzard — a composition Loyd wrote for the ensemble.

“This piece begins by evoking a gentle breeze among Sakura trees and blossoms, escalating into an intense blizzard (fubuki) of Cherry Blossoms (Sakura), culminating in a powerful explosion of sound, and ultimately returning to calm as the storm passes,” Loyd said.

The second piece is a contemporary work by Makoto Taiko performer Isaac Caldas, blending marimba, taiko drums, and other traditional Japanese instruments. The set closes with “Haruka,” a composition from Japan’s Kodo Taiko Ensemble. The title means “faraway.” Loyd described it as an energetic and vibrant piece that showcases the diversity of drums and instruments in the performance.

The ensemble’s Pasadena roots run 27 years deep. Steven Tokunaga founded the group — then called the Shumei America Taiko Group — in 1999 as a youth activity for members of the Shumei America Spiritual Organization. Koji Nakamura, a Grammy Award-winning taiko musician, expanded the group to the broader Pasadena community after arriving from Japan in 2006 and became its director, according to the organization’s history. In 2009, Makoto Taiko began welcoming the broader public. By 2014, the group had incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, according to IRS records.

Today, Makoto Taiko offers classes for children, teens, adults, and seniors at all skill levels, and has approximately 80 members, according to the organization. The group has performed at the Huntington Library, DineOut Pasadena StreetFest, the Pasadena Heritage Parade, Pasadena City College, and other local venues.

The Japanese word makoto is a fundamental character trait that includes sincerity, truthfulness, reliability, and integrity, Loyd said. The ensemble’s stated mission is to connect and empower people of all backgrounds by advancing the practice of taiko with intention and sincerity.

Loyd, who has played taiko with the group since 2000, said the art form addresses something specific about life in a modern city.

“Urban life is often sedentary and ‘in our heads,'” Loyd said. “Taiko demands a stable stance (kamae) and full-body engagement, turning exercise into a physical release that grounds the player in their physical body.”

He said taiko also builds community through shared rhythmic performance.

“In an era of digital isolation, taiko builds immediate community,” Loyd said. “Success depends on the group hitting as one — a physical manifestation of teamwork that fosters deep connection across the classroom, the stage, and the city.”

Beyond the drumming, the Shumei Arts Council venue offers a Japanese tea ceremony, conducted every half hour from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and a gallery display titled “The Heart that Seeks Beauty.” The Shumei Arts Council is a nonprofit that has supported Pasadena-area artists and musicians since 1998, according to the organization.

ArtNight Pasadena is produced by the City of Pasadena’s Cultural Affairs Division. This spring’s event highlights Asian arts and traditions as part of a Year of the Horse theme. Free shuttles connect participating venues throughout the evening. For information, call the ArtNight Pasadena Hotline at (626) 744-7887 or visit ArtNightPasadena.org.

Makoto Taiko received a city-funded MiniGrant to perform at the Shumei Arts Council for the event.

“City living can feel restrictive,” Loyd said. “Taiko provides a safe, inclusive space to be loud. Through the kiai (shout) and rhythmic performance, players transform the ‘noise’ of uncertain times into creative, emotional strength.”