Major Activities – 2025

January

・Performed at Anna Sato New Year Concert (Musashino Swing Hall)

・Live performance at MOONCHILD AMAMI, Amami Oshima

February

・Workshop & mini-live with Fukuoka taiko group OTO.GATARI

・Lecture & performance at the 20th anniversary ceremony of Tsuyama City merger

March–April

・Kami-Nari performance at Tsuyama Cherry Blossom Festival

・Spring festival at Mimasaka-no-Kuni Ninomiya Takano Shrine

・Collaboration with Atsuko Hirohata, principal bassoonist of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra

・Performed at Korea-Japan Young Musicians Meeting Vol.7 (Hanmadan Hall, Korean Cultural Center) with Sho Asano (shamisen) and Takashi Honma (koto)

・Appeared in "Asakusa Carmen" (Kabuki × Opera) from April 13 to May 25

May

・Gendai Sangaku, Kagurazaka Machibutai “Oedo Meguri 2025”

June

・Kami-Nari Live in Tokyo (Daikanyama “Haretara Sora ni Mamemaite”)

・Collaboration with Tetsuya Kajiwara (former THE BLUE HEARTS drummer) in Wakayama

July

・Appeared in Kanji Ishimaru’s “Hajimemashite!” at Matsumoto Civic Arts Center Main Hall

August

・Live at MOONCHILD AMAMI, Amami Oshima

・Performed in Fuyumi Sakamoto concerts (Tamba Sasayama, Komagane)

September

・Performed in Fuyumi Sakamoto concerts (Koriyama, Iwaki, Yamagata)

・Appeared in Koganei Takigi Noh “Kimon” with Kaiji Moriyama, Reijiro Tsumura, etc.

・Kami-Nari performance in Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture

・Performance at Hyogo Nissan Car Palace Miki Grand Opening with Kenta Nakagome (Kodo), Takeshi Maeda (former Kodo), Yosuke Kusa

October

・Island Stories Festival ARTNOV (Brussels, Belgium) with Naoya Oda, Kenta Sakazume (Dairakudakan) and Anna Sato

・Gendai Sangaku performance at Todaiji Temple

November

・Performance at alma mater Tsuyama City Shushitsu Elementary School 150th Anniversary with Ai Harada (piano)

Major Activities – 2024

January

• Hosted “Kyomei” taiko live to support recovery from the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

March

• Performed at Asakusa Opera.

April

• Performed for three consecutive days in Tsuyama at the Sakura Festival, Takano Shrine Spring Festival, and Myoshouji Flower Festival.

May

• Participated in the Noto Peninsula charity event “Tsunagu Noto” alongside OAU and other artists.

June

• Concert with Anna Sato at the former Maeda Residence.

July

• Performed at Hyogo Nissan’s 80th Anniversary event.

• Performed at Gendai Sangaku, Takaoka.

August

• Guest performance at Earth Celebration (Kodo’s annual festival on Sado Island).

September

• Performed at Japan Matsuri in Bellinzona, Switzerland.

October

• Performed on the cruise ship Nippon Maru.

• Performed with Kaminari at Kume Furusato Festival in hometown.

• Performed at Anna Sato Dinner Show in Amami, Kagoshima.

November

• Participated in outreach activities in Toyama, supporting schools and performing the final live with Anna Sato.

• Held the first in-person live event for the Online Taiko Salon.

• Performed at Suginami Public Hall with Anna Sato.

December

• Recording for Paris Fashion Week show.

Major Activities – 2023

January

• Performed in the New Year special production Yugen with Tamasaburo Bando × Kodo.

April

• Opening performance at Lenovo Asia Pacific Kickoff.

• Performed with Kaminari at Yawatahama Minatto 10th Anniversary Festival, Ehime.

May

• Performed at Gendai Sangaku in Takaoka, supporting Turkey and Syria earthquake charity concert.

• Performed at Sheraton Kagoshima opening ceremony with Anna Sato.

• Performed on the cruise ship Nippon Maru with Anna Sato.

• Participated in children’s creative theater Hare to Ke organized by Utervision company.

June

• Guest appearance at “Flow” performance in Toronto, Canada with Nagata Shachu.

August

• Workshop and Taiko Mix Summer Intensive at Asano Taiko US, USA.

September

• Participated in the Silk Road dedication tour in Korea.

• Solo concert “Taiko & Talk” in Kume, Tsuyama, Okayama.

October

• Performed in Koi no Honoo with Flamenco dance company ARTE Y SOLERA, Nihonbashi Public Hall.

• Performed with Anna Sato and pianist Wong Wing Tsan at Anna Sato concert.

November

• Contributed taiko and chappa to the music of Takeshi Kitano’s film Kubi.

December

• Performed at “Prayers from Zero” concert at To-ji Temple, Kyoto: Water, Culture, Peace (with Yo-Yo Ma).

• Performed at Wajima Kosyu Daiko recital in Ishikawa, for which he also provides instruction.

• Participated in POWER of LIFE TOKYO 2023 organized by dancer ATSUSHI.

Biography

2003　Accepted into Kodo’s Apprentice Centre.

2006　Became Kodo’s principal artist.

2006　Appearance at FUJI ROCK Festival.

2012　Collaboration with the BLUE MAN Group.

2013　Appearance at NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai)’s New Year’s Eve TV program Kohaku (Red and White Singing Festival).   Accompanied alongside Japanese singer Fuyumi Sakamoto, with the song “Otoko No Himatsuri”.

2014　Appearance as a Kodo Ambassador on the “Eternity” tour production documentary.

2014　Appearance at Nippon Television Network Corp TV program  “Kokoro Yusabure Senpai Rock You”.

2014　Appearance at TV TOKYO Corporation’s program “Toshi Wasure Nippon No Uta” and featured for the Odaiko (the largest Taiko drum) opening performance. Alongside Japanese singer Fuyumi Sakamoto, with the song “Abare Daiko”.

2015　Developed a tunable Okedo-taiko named “Kanade” and received the “Japan Good Design Award” by the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation of Japan Design Promotion Association. Performed a demonstration at the Roppongi Midtown.

2016　Performed at the Kodo 35th Anniversary 3 day concert at Suntory Hall. Masayuki was Kodo’s leader for the 1st day of the concert “ Encounter”, and performed with an invited composer and New Japan Philharmonic. Played an active part within the 3rd day of the concert “Hisho” (Flying), and performed his Katsugi Okedo solo performance which included his composed music pieces “Seiten”(Blue Sky), “Hekireki” (thunderclap) and western drum kit.

2017　Appearance in the Japanese music TV program “Music Station”. Accompanied alongside Japanese singer AI, with the song “Kanarazu Saigoni Seigiga Katsu”.

2017　Started to develop world’s first “Electronic Katsugi Okedo Taiko” with the musical instrument manufacturer “Roland”.

2017　Presentation of “ Electron and Primitive” with Roland’s “Electronic Katsugi Okedo Taiko” at the Earth Celebration, outdoors festival in Sado. This was the new sensational creation with the flamenco dancer, Mr. Sanshiro Sueki & the stylist, Mr. Kouichi Fujisaki.

2018　Became a solo artist.

2018　Appearance at the competition entry production “FUSHIKADEN” in Milan, Italy. The production won the first place for Spazio Teatro Nohma International Contest.

2018　NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai)’s TV soap opera “Fuwaku No Scrum (Fuwaku Rugby)” involved music composed by Mr. Taro Iwashiro. In which Masayuki performed the taiko components of this composition.

2018　Appearance in the duo concert with Ms. Tsubasa Hori, the former Kodo artist in Belgium. All 3 concerts were sold out with 300 tickets and became hot topic in Ghent Belgium.

2018　Appearance at the Japan Festival in Cascavel, Brazil as an instructor and performer.

Productions directed by Kabuki actor Mr. Tamasaburo Bando

2006 “Amaterasu” Production with Kabuki actor, Mr. Tamasaburo Bando.
Masayuki had been selected and performed Sado island’s folk entertainment and Ondeko (demon drum) dance scene.It hit huge sensation.

2009 “Dadan” (“drumming men”) by the selected member’s production.
He composed and performed music piece “Color”.

2013 “Mystery”
The theatrical production includes “Kagura” (Sacred music), “Namahage” (Japanese ogre) and folk entertainment. The finale was Masayuki’s composed music “Hekireki” (thunderclap).

2014 “Eternity”
He performed his own composed piece” Seiten” (Blue Sky) as a solo artist with the “Kanade” tunable Okedo-taiko.

2015 “Chaos”
Performance with the Western Drum kit which was taught to him by former The Blue Hearts drummer, Mr. Tetsuya Kajiwara.

2017 “Yugen” (Subtle grace)
Learned special music/ohayashi for Noh theater by Noh actors, Mr. Hirotada Kamei & Mr. Reijiro Tsumura. The performance had conjured the subtle yet profound world of Noh Theater joined by special guest artists Jusuke Hanayagi and the Hanayagi-ryu Dancers.