Chris Holland

Taiko: is it worth sacrificing cultural identity for progress?

TEDxTodai 2013
Sunday June 16, 2013
Chris Holland
Wadaiko player

Chris Holland grew up playing taiko at the Denver Buddhist Temple in Colorado, USA. A decades-long search for his cultural roots led him on a journey from Colorado, to Hawaii, and finally to Tokyo, to study and perform taiko. Chris has performed at numerous concerts and festivals all over the world, including pivotal events in Japan such as the Skytree Grand Opening. He made history early on as the first foreigner ever to teach at a Japan Taiko Foundation examination. Chris is a core member of the professional ensemble Taikoshudan Amanojaku, under the tutelage of master taiko player Watanabe Yoichi, and currently teaches children at the Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten Studio in Asakusa.

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