TaikoPeace

PJ Hirabayashi is the Artistic Director Emeritus and charter member of San Jose Taiko (SJT) - www.taiko.org.

TaikoPeace is a movement started by PJ Hirabayashi in 2008 to spread the kinetic energy, spiritual vibration, and pure joy of Japanese taiko drumming for positive social change and a peaceful world. Considered a pioneer of North American taiko , she is recognized in the international taiko community for her distinctive performance and teaching style that combine movement, dance, drumming, fluidit

y, joy, and energy. She helped develop and codify SJT’s unique style and holistic philosophy, which is emulated and modeled by other taiko practitioners and taiko organizations around the globe. PJ, along with her husband Roy Hirabayashi, received the 2011 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow award for their life-long contributions towards creating a new Asian American art form. http://www.nea.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/fellow.php?id=2011_07&type=bio

11/06/2023

The TaikoPeace Energy Altar energized our 50th anniversary show over the weekend with messages of compassion, commitment, and community. The collective energy was palpable and multiplied with every message hung on the alter. Guests who attended the show were all invited to write a few words expressing their thoughts on hand-painted pieces of paper. In keeping with the show’s theme: The Race for Free Spirit: A 50-Year Uprising, we wanted to generate a surge of energy to manifest an “uprising” of love for the arts, taiko, and our communities.

The white lotus centerpiece grounded the space with rotating shades of light. Heartfelt thanks to social artist -mai.nguyen who brought the altar to life with beautiful details.

Special thanks to the TaikoPeace BE-Hive group, especially those who were not with us in person, who contributed artifacts, touchstones, and messages for the altar.

Love. Light. Peace.

10/12/2023

Roy and I were surprised and honored to learn the film about our story, , was awarded as an official selection by the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest .

For those of you in the Bay Area/California, it’s screening live on October 22, 2023 at 1:30pm, AMC Theaters, Sunnyvale as well as online Oct 20-29, 2023. We have been invited to be on the Q&A panel at 3pm, hosted by Mike Inouye.

Because of You, I Am is a short documentary film (2023) about PJ & Roy Hirabayashi , two quietly radical Japanese American taiko drummers who defied traditional cultural expectations in their quest for identity and purpose. Together, they spent over five decades using the drum as a platform to catalyze social change, build community from the ground up, and champion a new category of Asian American music despite facing the unrelenting challenges of anti-Asian hate, racial injustice, and cultural appropriation. Directed by .

08/17/2023

Join us! Roy and I are celebrating our 50th year of taiko in a commemorative live show happening on Saturday, November 4th, 2023 at 3pm, School of Arts and Culture, San Jose, CA. More info on pjroytaiko.org along with a link to buy tickets. We will take you on our humble path in stories, song, and taiko.

PJ & ROY HIRABAYASHI - The Race for Free Spirit: A 50-Year Uprising
When: Saturday, Nov 4, 2023 at 3pm
Where: Theatre at the School of Arts and Culture, Mexican Heritage Plaza, San Jose, CA
Tickets: Available now on Eventbrite, $50/per seat, link in bio
More info: pjroytaiko.org

We hope to see you there!

08/11/2023

Keeping a steady beat of hope, love, and support for our Maui family. You are in our hearts. 💕

08/06/2023

So honored to be a part of my dear friend Nobuko Miyamoto’s 120,000 Stories performance which helped celebrate theJapanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California’s 50th Anniversary.

06/22/2023

Happy Summer Solstice, everyone!

May you have a luminous and radiant summer season.

04/23/2023

Taiko comes from nature. We wouldn't have taiko if it wasn't for Mother Earth. Playing taiko in all its different ways of holding the drum and of playing the drum gives us the opportunity to be in connection to Mother Earth. How fortunate are we? Pretty awe-mazing! Thank you, Mother Earth!

TaikoPeace Earth Day t-shirts are available for sale on the TaikoPeace website. Link in bio.
https://taikopeace.love/sharing

Happy Mother Earth Day, everyone!

02/15/2023

I’m thrilled to announce the premiere of “IKKAI Means Once: A Transplanted Pilgrimage”, choreographed by Yayoi Kambara, which weaves in “Ei Ja Nai Ka” into its themes of incarceration, struggles for healing, and hopes for the future. Please join PJ Hirabayashi in this unique, immersive experience.

Visit https://www.kambaraplus.org for details and tickets.

San Francisco performance
Wed Feb 15 at 12noon
Fri Feb 17 at 8pm

San Jose performance
San Jose Buddhist Temple Betsuin
San Jose Japantown
Sat Feb 25 at 4pm and 7pm

, , ,

12/19/2022

Creatives for Compassionate Communities hosted a local event at the Urban Sanctuary in San Jose, CA this morning, “Reflecting on a Year in Community: Capturing moments of light”. We all made artistic gratitude journals using watercolor, crayons, stencils, and markers. Sharing some of my pages in hopes they may inspire you to express your gratitude creatively - to release the old and welcome the new year ahead.

Lots to be grateful for!

12/15/2022

Looking forward to the CCC event this Sunday in collaboration with Grateful Living (https://grateful.org/).

Our art workshop is inspired by artist Margaret Alvarez’ practice of Gratitude Journaling! Come for art, for music, meditation and community! RSVP is required!

11/24/2022

So grateful to be a part of our growing taiko community.

Hope your Thanksgiving is celebrated in peace, in kindness, and with warm connections to family and friends. 💕

07/12/2022

Back to San Jose obon was truly heartwarming and felt so great to reconnect with everyone in community spirit.

Hundreds dancing to Ei Ja Nai Ka was pure joy. “Isn’t it Goooooood!!!”

May the spirit of obon be with you always!

So grateful to , ,

Address

San Jose, CA

Website

http://taikopeace.love/

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