jamming with the water god thunder

The taiko group 水神雷太鼓 Suishin-Kaminari-Daiko, based out of 青森県十和田市　Towada City, Aomori prefecture, Japan, had come to Alberta in May to jam with the Lethbridge group Kaze no Rhythm. Todoroki was lucky enough to get a workshop with the 3 visitors. They taught us some new pieces and techniques, and we played some of our repertoire for them.

After the workshop, we all talked over snacks and drinks. I talked with Ohta-san in Japanese, and he mentioned the group was from Aomori. Aomori is located in the Tohoku area of Japan, north of Tokyo on the very northern tip on Honshu (the biggest island). It is famous for its apples, Nebuta, Neputa, and cherry-blossom festivals. Unless it is festival season or cherry blossom viewing (hanami), very few foreign tourists visit Tohoku. I got a chance to drive through the area, all the way as far as Sendai (halfway from the top of Aomori to Tokyo) with my older brother. I consider it one of the best places to visit if you want to see traditional Japan, past the neon signs, pachinko parlours and コギャル ko-gyarus (ko-gyaru = big-city, highly fashionable skinny girl usually with fake tan, bleached and coloured curly hair, Gucci or Prada purse, and skimpy clothing). When I mentioned I had driven through his home city of Towada, Ohta-san was very surprised. I then mentioned I was returning to Japan in a months' time to Hokkaido, and he invited me to visit and jam with the rest of the group, which I hope to do, since it's a ferry/train ride away from Hokkaido.