Kelsey Kua - Kelsey Kua is a Washington native who began playing taiko in 2016 with the University of Washington Taiko Kai. She became Director of the group in 2018 and Performance Director in 2019. Aside from playing taiko, she enjoys connecting with collegiate alumni and encouraging them to continue taiko after college. During the pandemic, she helped plan TCA’s Congra-CHU-lations, a livestream event that celebrated graduating taiko players. She currently plays with Inochi Taiko in Seattle.

Inochi Taiko - Established in 2003, Inochi Taiko is a Seattle-based taiko drumming ensemble founded by Tyrone Nakawatase, Garrett Nakawatase, and Max Honkawa. “Inochi” translates to “life” which encapsulates the members’ dedication to the group and art form. Their journey represents a commitment to sharing Taiko and showcasing the dynamic essence of Japanese-American culture.

Kaze Daiko - KAZE DAIKO is a performing taiko group for youth and young adults. The group is organized and run by youth performers and their parents with an emphasis on supporting the local community with public and private performances throughout the year. All performance requests are given equal consideration. Kaze offers ongoing drop-in classes and workshops for youth ages 7-17. Interested youth may enter into apprenticeships to become performing members.

Northwest Taiko - Northwest Taiko was founded in 1984 as one of the first taiko groups in Seattle. Over the years members have come and gone, but we continue to practice and perform. We've performed at big events like Seattle Folklife Festival and Cherry Blossom Festival, but also at smaller venues like Nikkei Manor Obon and the Japanese Baptist Church sukiyaki dinner. We especially love sharing taiko with others and supporting Japanese American community organizations.

Dekoboko Taiko - Dekoboko Taiko (凸凹太鼓) is a taiko group in the Pacific Northwest started by alumni from Taiko Kai at the University of Washington. Since 2017, the group has grown in membership and original songs. With a desire to create and experiment with new and old sounds, Dekoboko Taiko’s repertoire ranges from traditional to modern classics to songs self-composed by its members. Since 2022, Dekoboko Taiko rehearses at the Cornish College of the Arts in downtown Seattle.

Issho Open Taiko - A major goal of Issho Open Taiko is to make learning about and playing taiko more accessible in the community and to promote taiko in our South Puget Sound area. IOT is a community based, beginning level, non-performance oriented taiko education program in which participants also learn about the history of taiko and cultural context of Taiko development in North American.

Tacoma Fuji Taiko - Started in 2009 at the Tacoma Buddhist Temple. Consisting of volunteers who love to play and share the joy of Taiko in the south sound. Participate at temple events, community and school cultural exchanges, and Japanese community functions.

Stan Shikuma - Member of Seattle Kokon Taiko and teacher of Kaze Daiko in Seattle. Playing taiko since 1981. Community activist in Tsuru for Solidarity, JACL, Tule Lake Committee, APALA among others.

Barbara Yasui - I am a Sansei from Seattle who started playing taiko in my 50s, after being a "taiko mom" for many years. I finally decided that I wanted to do more than take my son to practice, haul drums in my car, sew costumes, and help organize taiko conferences. Now I have the privilege of playing taiko with my son and daughter in the same group--it's so much fun!

Maggie and Lamond Le - Lamond and Maggie learned taiko as the first generation of Taiko Kai at the University of Washington in Seattle in 2013. After graduating, Maggie worked in Ehime, Japan, where she joined a local taiko group, Yawatahama Miyabi-gumi. Upon Maggie’s return to Seattle in 2017, Lamond and Maggie founded Dekoboko Taiko along with fellow Taiko Kai alums. They have become quite familiar with starting fresh taiko groups and have been heavily involved in equipment creation, procurement, and composition of some of the group’s original pieces. Outside of taiko, Lamond works for the federal government and Maggie works in publishing. Their other loves include gardening, games, chickens, and cats.

Wendy Hamai - A major goal of Open Taiko is to make learning about and playing taiko more accessible in the community and to promote taiko in our South Puget Sound area. IOT is a community based, beginning level, non-performance oriented taiko education program in which participants also learn about the history of taiko and cultural context of Taiko development in North American. I was a founding member of Tacoma Fuji Taiko, of the Tacoma Buddhist Temple in 2009 and started IOT in 2010 after some community expressed interest in learning about and playing taiko but unable to commit to weekly practice and public performances. Along with monthly sessions, I have worked with and supported various entities in the community including a in-class presentation and field trip for a university World Music class, teaching a high school Japanese language class a short song to perform at a multicultural school program, session for a Girl Scout troop, taiko as a team building exercise for a human services organization, and adding the loud voice of the taiko in support of rallies that support social justice issues.