Rekindling the Spirit of Herbivore Men Through Taiko Drumming?

Actually, starting this year, I have been participating in an internet program called "The Oldest Country in the World, Japan!!" and we've launched a small project called "Tojo Men's School." Despite the grand title, it all began with the addition of Mr. Hirotaka Tanzawa, the head of the Capital Area Aomori Nebuta Hayashi-kai, as a new member of the program. Tanzawa's special skill is playing the Japanese taiko drums. Thus, the main objective of this project is to reinvigorate the spirit of herbivore men through the art of taiko drumming.

Traditionally, the Japanese had a concept of "Kegare" and "Hare." Kegare, written as "気枯れ," is similar to the modern term "stress." On the other hand, Hare, as seen in expressions like "celebration attire," "celebratory appearance," or "celebratory stage," is associated with special occasions and events. In essence, we accumulate stress (Kegare) in our daily lives. Therefore, it's crucial to introduce moments of celebration (Hare) to serve as accents, resetting the accumulated stress. Japan has numerous annual events, and this inclination towards eventfulness is said to be influenced by this cultural sensibility.

Recently, however, many young people aren't going to karaoke, driving, or even going on dates. They are not engaging in activities that allow them to release the stress built up in their daily lives. Surveys even suggest that home has become the top spot for dates. With stress piling up, the taiko drum makes its appearance. Percussion instruments, including taiko drums, directly resonate with the primal instincts inherent in human beings, from African music to the profound spirituality in Japanese traditions. Through the release of this energy, we aim to blow away the herbivore spirit. We are currently recruiting members, so if you're interested, please get in touch. It's open to women as well. Interestingly, it seems that foreigners are more interested in joining than Japanese individuals.