FREE

Tune in for a 15th anniversary celebration of the film, Big Drum: Taiko in the United States, and conversation with curator Sojin Kim and featured performers Kenny Endo (Kenny Endo Taiko Ensemble), Kay Fukumoto (Maui Taiko), Teddy Yoshikami (Soh Daiko), PJ Hirabayashi (Artistic Director Emeritus, San Jose Taiko), and more!

Featuring America’s pioneering taiko figures, this film documents the development of American taiko and includes interviews and footage of drum-making and performances that reflect the ongoing transformation and diversification of this exciting performing art.

Be sure to watch the film first, then join us for the Q&A which will be streamed live on JANM’s YouTube channel on Friday, July 24, from 6 p.m.–7 p.m. (PDT).

Submit questions in advance using this form. Participants will be able to chat and ask additional questions live (you will need to be logged in to YouTube to participate in the chat).

JANM Digital Film Festival—Join us as we dive into films produced by the Japanese American National Museum’s Frank H. Watase Media Arts Center! Organize a (virtual) screening party with your friends or family or just get cozy and enjoy the JANM Digital Film Festival from the safety of your own home. We will also have Q&A sessions with the filmmakers and others involved in the projects.

Funding has been provided by California Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act economic stabilization plan of 2020.