World Tour of Japan’s Kodo Group: To become drum masters, one has to live without phone-internet for 2 years, cook his own food, reached Paris with sacks of rice

Recently a bus stopped outside the famous ‘Sales Pleyel Hall’ in Paris, the capital of France. The 14 people who got off the bus were not ordinary tourists, they were artists of Japan’s world famous ‘Kodo’ group. This group is the world’s most famous ‘Taiko’ i.e. traditional Japanese drum playing music group, which is on world tour these days. The special thing is that despite being a big star, he carries all his luggage, even heavy drums, himself. Special sacks of rice also came with them from Japan, because they cook their own food and eat only Japanese rice. Along with drums, flute, dance and music are also taught in the training. It is not easy to be a part of Kodo. After selection, new trainees are sent to the training center on ‘Sado Island’ off the west coast of Japan. This is the same island which was once considered a place of exile. Here, no technology like phone, internet or TV is allowed for 2 years. The day starts with a long run at 5:30 am. Practice, food and then practice continues till night. Artists in training do not just learn to play drums. They cultivate and grow rice themselves. They also make drumsticks themselves by carving cedar wood. They also learn other arts like flute, dance and metal instruments. More than half leave in the first year itself. The training is so rigorous that by the end of the first year, more than half of the students give up midway and return home. Selection is not decided even at the end of the second year. Sometimes only 1-2 are selected as junior members, and sometimes none. Even after becoming a junior member, one can become a permanent member only after proving oneself for a year.



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