site.btaJapanese Drum Group Wadaiko Sai to Perform in Sofia, Stara Zagora

The Japanese drum group Wadaiko Sai will introduce the public in Sofia and Stara Zagora to the art of taiko drumming on November 5 and 7, respectively. The events are featured in the programme of the 35th Days of Japanese Culture in Bulgaria, the organizers said.

"We are looking forward to our first encounter with the Bulgarian audience," the group’s founder, Hidetoshi Sai, said, urging people to join them and experience the rhythm of Japanese taiko drums.

Starting as an interest club at the University of Tokyo, the drum group entered the professional scene in 2013. Since then, it has had over 2,000 concerts in more than 30 countries around the world.

The group has performed at various occasions, including a Rugby World Cup Final, a Serie A match and anniversary events organized by Japan’s Foreign Ministry. This year, Wadaiko Sai's concert tour includes stops in France, Turkiye, and Zambia, among others.

Their visit to Bulgaria celebrates three major anniversaries in Japan-Bulgaria relations: 115 years since the first official contacts, 85 years since diplomatic relations were established, and 65 years since they were restored.

Taiko, also called wadaiko (literally, "Japanese drums"), is Japan’s traditional percussion instrument. Originally used to convey prayers, by the Heian period (794–1185), when Japanese culture was flourishing, taiko had found its place in Japanese court music, or gagaku. With its strong reverberating sound, it was also used in wartime to signal messages and boost morale. In the 14th-16th centuries, taiko was incorporated in Noh theatre, and featured in the classical performing arts of Kabuki and Nagauta in the 17th-19th centuries. Taiko drums also found broader uses in Japanese life, including signaling in sumo tournaments.