The spirit of Taiko at Ohana

The rhythmn of the taiko are still beating inside our bodies as we look back on an energizing day with Moko sensei, Einat and many of our mums, dads, helpers, teachers and friends today. We hit our “bachi” together to keep one rhythmn; we beat the skin of the taiko for another one; we hit the rim of the taiko for a new sound and we danced around the taiko, all making beautiful music together.

Some of us walked with our teachers and mums from school and some of us met them at the Azabu Kumin Centre. It was a warm sunny day and we enjoyed seeing the neighbourhood with a different eye. We walked in areas that we do not usually go to and if we have been there, we are usually in a car or taxi. Our teachers believe that when we take time and walk and look around at everything, we see things differently. There is a famous expression that says “You stop and smell the roses”. We didn’t see roses but we did see other flowers, building, cars, taxis, schools, shops, bushes, trees, people and more.

When we arrived at the hall, we went downstairs into the basement where the theatre is. Moko sensei was waiting for us with all of the drums. We all dressed ourselves with our own “hachimaki” or head band and we received two sticks called “bachi”. We learnt “don don” and “cha cha” which is when you hit two times on the skin of the taiko and two times on the rim of the taiko. Some of us who were not so keen on hitting the taiko played with percussion instruments e. g. tambourine, maracas, kane, and chappa which are cymbals. At the end of the taiko workshop we had a real treat because Reina, Lanah’s mum, Ana, Tomas’s mum, Einat, Moko and Shelley played a taiko piece that come from Aomori. Lanah and Tomas’s mums were amazing. They knew the rhythmn so well and they have only been playing taiko for a short time. Some of the other mums had such a great time, they would also like to take lessons with Moko sensei.

We walked all the way back to school and by the time we got back, we were very ready to sit down and have our snack. We ate everything in our snack boxes and then we headed out once again to go to the park. Our teachers never realised that we were quite tired from the walk back so they made a detour to the Nature Reserve where we observed the fish swimming, Hisami made a boat out of leaves and we watched it move along the water and we also observed the flowers and other interesting nature around us.

We looked at the beautiful pink petals and tried to smell them but there was no smell. We touched them and could feel their softness too. We then returned to school and ate our lunch and rested after an exhausting but full day of fun at Ohana. We want to say a huge thank you to Moko sensei for the amazing workshop and for sharing the spirit of taiko with us. We love these workshops and look forward to more of them in the new school year.

Have a wonderful evening and see you tomorrow, for the fourth last Friday of the school year.

PS. We think Karl’s baby may be coming soon. Good luck Anja for the birth and we are all looking forward to seeing you up and about with your baby soon.

Love always Shelley, Darren, Christine, Maryna, Goh, Nanako, Sharee, Liezel,

Ayaka and Hisami