Ondekoza

In 1975, Ondekoza made their American debut. In one noteworthy performance, the members performed a full set after completing the Boston Marathon. The group toured America, Europe and Japan to critical acclaim.[2]

In 1981, largely in response to the difference of opinion between Tagayasu and Ondekoza members, Tagayasu and members broke off. Tagayasu left Sado island and kept the name Ondekoza and most of the drums. All of Ondekoza members (except Tagayasu) formed the group Kodō in Sado island.[3]

Tagayasu gathered new members and formed Ondekoza again in Shizuoka prefecture, Japan. In 1986 the new members of Ondekoza performed at the 1986 World's Fair in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The group spent 3 years (1990–1993) running and performing around the United States, beginning and ending their journey with performances at Carnegie Hall in New York. At the end of the journey the members had run approximately 9,200 miles (roughly 14,900 kilometers).

Similarly, in 1998, the group began a marathon tour of China, performing in various cities throughout the country while running a distance of 12,500 km.

2005 marked the completion of their "Taiwan Marathon Tour", in which they ran the outer border of Taiwan, again while performing at various venues along the way.

Through 2006-2008, the group toured and performed mainly throughout Japan, Asia and Europe.

The group continues to tour internationally, including performances in Africa and the Middle East in 2010.

Ondekoza's founder, Den Tagayasu died in an automobile accident in April, 2001. Since then, the group has been headed by shakuhachi (bamboo end-blown flute) artist, Seizan Matsuda.

"Music & Rhythms" is the title of a musical outreach project launched by Ondekoza in 2005. The project is aimed at children and their communities, and involves workshops in which participants build musical instruments out of bamboo and other items occurring in nature.

The project is typically carried out in a number of steps, from instrument building, to musical experimentation, and eventually to a collaborative performance involving Ondekoza and other musicians of varying world genres. The project aims to promote the development of expressive ability amongst children through the use of construction, creativity, music and dance.

Music & Rhythms was originally launched in Korea in 2005, and has since involved children and communities in various locations around the globe including Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Japan.

Members of Ondekoza reside together in what was an abandoned/closed elementary school, in the rural setting of Higashi Chichibu-mura, in Saitama, Japan. Based on Den Tagayasu's principle of "running and drumming as one",[4] running is a central part of the lifestyle of Ondekoza members. As a means of physical and mental training, members run about 10 km every day, at 6 in the morning before breakfast. Since the founding years of the group, Ondekoza members have competed in various marathons in Japan and the United States.[5]

Their communal lifestyle leaves for little free time and often involves periods of concentration by writing sutra (Buddhist scriptures.) The goal in the sutra writing is to fully focus and write as beautifully as possible, preferably using your non-dominant hand. “I want to see a performance that comes from amazing effort, a performance so serious and real that the performer plays as if their life depends on it.” - Hiro Yoshi, Director of Ondekoza and member for over 20 years.

As of end of 2019, only 3 members live in their facilities while 5-6 members are spread throughout Japan, some of whom only join the group for performances.[6]

Applicants who wish to join the group must complete a trial year, paying a monthly stipulation to cover their board and living costs. Those that complete the year successfully are paid a salary in accordance with their ability, with all funds coming from Ondekoza's performances.[7]

• Kodō (taiko group) - a professional taiko drumming group formed from former members of Ondekoza
• Gocoo - a seven female and 3 male taiko drumming band from Tokyo

• Official website of Ondekoza
• Official Ondekoza Twitter (in Japanese)
• Official Ondekoza Facebook page
• Official Ondekoza Youtube channel
• Ondekoza Spotify artist page
• Ondekoza Google Play Music page
• Ondekoza on Amazon Music
• Fujisan Inc - company that produce and manage Ondekoza
• 'Taiko' pioneer Eitetsu Hayashi to mark 45 years of drumming to his own beat | Japan Times Culture
• Ondekoza: 24 Hours with One of Japan's Most Famous and Hardcore Taiko Drumming Groups | Tokyo Survival Channel
• Artist Interview; Innovating drum music, the spirit of Eitetsu Hayashi | Performing Arts Network Japan
• Playing to the beat of the gods | Japan Times Culture
• Interview with Kelvin Underwood of Ondekoza, December 17, 1997 on Taiko.com