IN THEIR OWN WORDS: ENSO DAIKO INTERNS

HIROSHI YOSHINO

Hi, my name is Hiroshi Yoshino, an Enso-Daiko intern.  I truly enjoy playing Taiko! 

I was born and grew up in Hamamatsu, Japan.  I enjoyed viewing Mt. Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan, from my high school building.  I lived in South Korea for a month as an exchange student when I was 11 years old.  I moved to Dublin, Ireland for my early 20’s to pursue an advanced degree and stayed there for 3 years.  After the graduation, I went back to Japan and started working for a medical device company.  In 2012, my company relocated me to the States.  Since then, I lived in New Jersey and Arizona before settling down to Minnesota at the end of 2014.

I started taking Taiko classes at the beginning of 2016.  I had no Taiko practice before that, and Taiko sounded powerful yet somehow soothing to me. 

I still remember the first day at the Enso Daiko rehearsal.  It was like the first day at school.  I was quite nervous seeing those Enso-Daiko performers in front of me and start practicing Taiko with them.  Everyone at Enso-Daiko was actually really friendly and I felt very welcomed.  My first year as an intern was certainly intensive but full of fun.  I definitely felt as if I was running a steeplechase race; one with a lot of obstacles.  In the past year, we had Taiko Tuesday every month.  Learning new sounds to be ready for the next month’s stage was my routine and I literally did not have time to look back as the next stage was right in front of me.

Recently, I had a chance to go through my first year as an intern and realized that I had learned 21 new songs in one year.  I still cannot believe it but am proud of this achievement.  I could not have done it without the motivation received from audience, support provided by the donors, and support from the Enso-Daiko members who taught me both on-stage and off-stage.  Each member has welcomed me and I have learned from them many things throughout the year.  I am grateful to all of them. 

TaikoArts Midwest clearly helped me to be exposed to different styles of Taiko and be connected with many Taiko performers from throughout the US, Canada, and Japan.  This surely has widened my view of Taiko.  I was so lucky to have an opportunity to experience the Taiko Tuesday series, and I appreciate the vision of Jen and the board to create a new organization with a new era of Enso-Daiko.

I am still a Taiko toddler.  There are so very many things to learn, and I would like to keep this attitude forever.  The sound of Taiko surely reminds me of my childhood; holding my big-brother’s hand and visiting food stalls and asking my parents to buy toys at local festivals while overhearing Taiko together with other musical instruments.