MendoTaiko is all about the community and having fun with taiko drumming.  We met at the Exadon class in fall 2023 and have been drumming monthly since then.  The Exadon is the Japanese taiko program to promote health as well as community building through drumming together.  Our group has evolved from it.  Actually, we are the FIRST Exadon group in the US.  Our wonderful facilitator, Masumi O’Brien, gave us the joy of taiko, and we are totally hooked!  Thank you, Masumi! 

Getting taiko is the biggest challenge for many taiko groups in the US.  We are very fortunate for that since MSCA generously let us borrow taiko (18 sets) gifted by their sister city, Omachi-Miasa.  We treasure the taiko every time we play, and we cherish the friendship with a small mountain village of Miasa, Nagano.  Without you, MendoTaiko cannot exist.  

We are all locals and very happy to be a part of the Mendocino Obon Festival!  THANK YOU!

Nihon Buyo is a classical Japanese dance that evolved from the traditional forms of Japanese Kabuki theatre to modern day performances, communicating a story through dance. It is through these pre-set movements and pantomime that dancers perform poems, legends or stories. Characteristics of traditional Japanese dance include toes demurely pointed in and feet sliding along the floor in small steps.

Hakata Kai was formed in 2013 after Keiko Allen received her “Shihan” certification from Nippon Minyou Buyou Rennmei in Tokyo Japan.  

They have performed at the Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco and various events in the East Bay Area. 

Aikido is a Japanese martial Art that stresses self defense by harmonizing with an attack and controlling the attacker by joint locks or their own momentum.  Aikido was founded by Morihei Ueshiba in the mid 1930's.  He is known as O'Sensei, or great teacher.  He had mastered several martial arts in his youth and had a very strong spiritual side as well.  O'Sensei had a realization that his martial art was not about fighting and winning, but that it was about love and harmony.  Thus, Aikido was born.

The three characters (or kanji) representing aikido are translated as follows:

• Ai - Means harmony

• Ki - Means energy or spirit, either your own, or the world's collective energy

• Do - Means the way or the approach to training that includes learning the physical movements as well as developing your whole self.

Thus, Aikido can be defined as the way of learning to harmonize with the environment we live in.  In the self defense context it means not fighting with an opponent or resisting an attack.  This is what sets Aikido apart from other martial arts and self defense systems.  The concept of accepting an attack and dealing with it without fighting is unique.  It also is counter to our very basic "fight or flight" response.  Thus, a large part of deeper Aikido training is to learn to be calm and relaxed and to be aware and alert to what is happening around you.  The other aspect of training is to learn the basic physical techniques and movements to respond to any kind of attack.

This combined approach develops your entire being, not just your physical side.  Aikido is effective for self defense, but more importantly we learn how to deal with the stresses and pressures of daily life.  Being relaxed and calm minimizes the tension, conflicts and anger that occur every day of our lives.

Aikido does not have contests and does not require just physical strength.  Thus, it is suitable for men, women and children of all ages.  Aikido practice provides healthy exercise by natural and relaxed body movements; creates self awareness of our own bodies as well as mental calmness and alertness to our surroundings; increases self confidence; and is an effective way to defend oneself.

https://mendocinoaikido.com/index.html