Manar Elbaz

ABU DHABI: On Tuesday, Japanese taiko group Kodo lit up Abu Dhabi’s New York University with a magnificent performance, bringing an authentic piece of Japanese culture to the UAE capital.

Formed in 1981, Kodo has performed more than 7,000 times in over 50 countries and won major awards such as the 2023 Commissioner for Cultural Affairs, carving their name in the traditional Japanese music industry.

The group’s debut UAE performance was part of the ongoing Abu Dhabi Festival 2025, as this year’s festival highlights 50 years of friendship between Japan and the UAE. They have previously performed in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. 

Yuki Hirata, member and director of the group, told Arab New Japan that the taiko always played a massive part of his life, as his parents also played the instrument.

“My parents had been playing taiko as amateurs even before I was born, and by the time I was born, I was already surrounded by taiko drums,” he said. “I started playing taiko drums without realizing it.”

Kodo’s show is not the typical drumming concert one can expect; it is a choreography that blends sounds and chants in a majestic and detailed performance, transcending human language and crafting an immersive experience that moves the audience.

During the concert, the members constantly manipulate the sounds of taiko, adding an innovative layer to the concert. Additionally, the group occasionally adds other traditional instruments throughout their performance, such as the koto. Because this is the first time the group performs in Abu Dhabi, the members performed pieces that reflect the core sound of Kodo to introduce the audience to the traditional Japanese instrument.   

“I think that many people have an image of the sound of a taiko as being roughly two types of sound: the sound of a Japanese drum and the sound of someone hitting the rim of the drum,” Hirata said. “But even from this one drum, there are more different types of sound than you might think, so I’m particularly conscious of the musical aspects of the taiko, and I’m trying to bring out the range of the instrument’s sound and the interesting aspects of it.”

As the director, Hirata is constantly composing original pieces for the group. He shared that he finds inspiration from musical pieces that he listens to daily as well as J-pop groups like Yoasobi. The musician also draws inspiration from the various collaborations that Kodo has worked on, such as the Japanese virtual artist Hatsune Miku, whom Hirata collaborated with three times.

“The more I (collaborated with Miku), the more I thought about communicating with a non-human being. As the project proceeded, because Miku is not a human being, the sense of a human being was more elaborated, which is a new feeling. The human side was more highlighted because of Miku’s presence. It created a sort of synergy (between the human beings and the non-human being),” he reflected.

Through their collaboration with a modern, virtual idol like Miku, Kodo are constantly paving the way for evolving the sounds of traditional Japanese instruments.  

“Kodo has developed their unique sound but at the same time, we are open to a new challenge. We are always evolving and welcoming new technologies and ideas to innovate our style of music,” said Hirata.

Hirata shared his excitement to perform in the UAE capital as he found the city to exceed his expectations. “I feel like Abu Dhabi is similar to Kodo because we are based on a traditional instrument but always evolving with new ideas. Abu Dhabi is very traditional but at the same time, looking at the city, it is actually innovating and evolving thanks to the various nationalities here. I get inspired from visiting new places so visiting (the Middle East) can help us take this energy to Japan.”

The group performed a second show in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. They are currently preparing for a tour in Europe. Kodo also hosts an annual music festival in their hometown, Sado Island , titled ‘Earth Celebration,’ which takes place in the summer.

The Abu Dhabi Festival kicked off in February with a performance by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. On the 14th, it will host Japanese percussionist Kuniko Kato. Tickets are on sale on the Abu Dhabi Festival website.