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About Us
Yamatai is the first and only group at
Cornell that is devoted to playing and spreading the art of taiko, a form of traditional Japanese
drumming. Initially under the musical direction of Eva Kestner '09, Yamatai performs for several events on campus.
Formerly called Cornell Taiko, Yamatai was founded by a Cornell undergraduate, Haruki Yukawa,
in September 2006. Starting with just one drum, our group has come a long way, obtaining a total
of seven drums by the beginning of our second semester and making a heart-pumping debut at the fourth
annual JUSA Culture Show.
In November 2007, we finally premiered our own concert in Goldwin Smith entitled
Yamatai: The Debut. Other performances since then have included ECAASU 2008: The Remix, JUSA's fifth annual culture show Tokyo Nights,
and a guest performance at The Hangovers' spring concert in Sage Chapel. We concluded the 2007-2008 school year with our second concert
in Statler Hall on March 30, 2008 entitled Hibiki: The Resonance.
On March 6, 2009 we were privileged to have BONTEN perform in Bailey Hall to an almost soldout audience of over
1,200 people. The last song of the night featured the 7 seniors of Yamatai who were there from the beginning, performing
right beside the professional members of BONTEN. That night was also the professional debut of Eva Kestner as a member of
BONTEN, who she will be joining after she graduates.
Origin of our Name
Our group name comes from the name, Yamataikoku, an ancient civilization in third century Japan. Ruled under a female shaman, Queen Himiko, Yamataikoku controlled over thirty civilizations in Japan. Yamataikoku is mentioned in several Chinese dynastic history books, but its precise location remains ambiguous...
About Taiko
With taiko comes an air of ceremonialism, the presence of a long-standing tradition reminiscent of the liveliness of Edo matsuris, the primitive atmosphere of Jomon tribal communication, and the ferocity and order of Sengoku period militaries. Taiko's rich history dates back approximately ten thousand years ago to the Jomon period. It was primarily used as a means of communication. Later, during the Sengoku period, taiko was employed in the Japanese military force to mentally and physically prepare soldiers for war by synchronizing their heartbeats with the beat of the drums. The unifying effect of the drumbeats have carried over to the present day in Japanese festivals called "matsuri", in which Taiko is an essential element of these celebrations.
Our Inspiration
Bonten: The Japanese Drum Team
Led by Masataka Kobayashi, Bonten is a professional drumming troupe consisting of both male and female
drummers who have been trained at Masataka Kobayashi’s taiko institution, the Mirai Taiko Dojo. Bonten was formed in 1999
and debuted in 2000. With a high level of technical ability, energy, and great power of expression, the sounds that they create
have mesmerized people from all over the world. While respecting the tradition of taiko drumming, they also incorporate the beats
of taiko drums with the Japanese flute, koto, and piano. The chief message they wish to convey to their audiences is the beauty of life.
Kobayashi Masataka-sensei (Master Masataka Kobayashi)
Formerly an employee at a travel agency, Masataka Kobayashi opened a taiko drumming class to the public in 1994. He is the founder of Mirai Taiko Dojo, a taiko drumming institution that teaches taiko to people of all nationalities, ages, and interests. Today, he holds classes in Tokyo, Yokohama, and various other cities in the Kanto Plains, Japan.
Around 1999, Kobayashi-sensei steered his interests into creating a professional drumming team. In August of 2000, Bonten held their debut performance. Bonten’s repertoire consists of original pieces that Kobayashi-sensei composes. Their musical and artistic excellence have reached the hearts of audiences in Japan and numerous foreign countries.
In the fall of 2006, he visited Cornell to help us establish our taiko team. He brought taiko drums all the way from Japan; he also helped us make drumming sticks, stands, and he even taught a master class to our members. We dedicated our debut performance to him on April 1st, 2007 at the JUSA Culture Show. Today, he continues to assist us in both musical and organizational aspects of Yamatai, and provides us with invaluable knowledge. Yamatai thanks him for his ceaseless support.