First Taiko Performance!

On Saturday evening I had my first taiko performance. There was a new year party (新年会）for the Missus' of Ushitsu association. So basically there were like 50 to 65 women that have all grown up in Ushitsu (one of the villages in my town), went to school together, got married and remained here so they have literally been friends their whole lives and are now in their 50s or older. It was really interesting to see them all together. They were all so playful and joking around and really letting loose for the night, clearly comfortable in each other's company.

So my taiko group of seven gave a performance as part of the entertainment for the evening. Our piece was led by the senior ladies of the group but myself and two other young girls had solos since it was our debut performance. I did my solo without flaw so that was great! But on the very last segment I admit I was a bit confused. However all three of the older ladies in the group made mistakes during their own parts. The most hilarious one was the lady who sang at the end, she was reading the words to the song off of a fan and she did not have her glasses so she was trying and messing up and then she was like "I'm sorry, I can't see!" So somebody ran up from the audience with her glasses, it was so funny. The whole performance was a bit comical and quite relaxed.

Back stage, getting ready. I am wearing Japanese style work clothes- they are currently popularly worn as festival fashion by young people.

Finishing my solo

Drumming with my teacher

Finish!

After that we joined the party! Everyone was served a delicious bento for dinner. While we ate and chatted there was karaoke and the ladies would even get up and dance to it. The ladies at my table demanded that I karaoke, so I went up there and sang the only Japanese song in my arsenal so far. Being an English teacher and doing karaoke in Japan sure do a lot for your stage confidence! Also, several of the ladies wore their own kimono and did traditional dances to a lot of the old enka people were singing, an enka is a traditional Japanese folk song.

Dancing!

They had a door prize drawing and I won a serving tray! Actually it is kinda cute and I think I will even be able to make use of it so I am glad that I won that. At the end of the night everyone stood up and we sang and danced the 能登町音頭, which means song of Noto cho. It is a folk song about our town, and is often sung at special events when the town gathers together. I have been wanting to learn that song for some time so I was very excited about it!