We are honored to welcome guest artists from Japan and Hawai

Wako Daiko

Wako Daiko is dedicated to preserving the refined art of Japanese taiko drumming, where performers move in perfect unison and put their hearts into every beat, embodying the spirit of “one body, one mind.”

The group has performed throughout Japan and internationally across Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East, and has been invited to the San Francisco International Taiko Festival fifteen times.

In recent years, Wako Daiko has continued to promote traditional Japanese performing arts through a wide range of cultural activities, including dedicatory performances at Ise Grand Shrine, appearances for international visitors at Haneda Airport Garden and cruise ship events, and numerous media appearances.

In 2024, Wako Daiko celebrated its 50th anniversary with the commemorative performance INASE. That same year, with cultural support from the Consulate-General of Japan in Miami, the group presented Hibiki in Miami, Florida, and performed at Japan Day during a Major League Baseball event.

Committed to preserving the authentic sound and spirit of the Japanese taiko, Wako Daiko continues to pursue its philosophy of “drumming with the heart,” sharing the power, beauty, and tradition of taiko with audiences around the world.

Born in Wako City, Saitama Prefecture, in 1959, Yasuhide Tanaka began studying taiko at the age of ten under the first-generation Sukeroku tradition. In 1974, he founded Wako Daiko, now known as the Wako Taiko Association. Throughout his career, he has remained committed to pursuing the authentic sound and spirit of Japanese taiko, preserving the traditions of wadaiko while sharing its artistry with audiences around the world.

In addition to performing extensively throughout Japan and internationally, Tanaka Sensei has dedicated himself to the instruction of taiko both in Japan and overseas. Through his work with universities and cultural organizations, he continues to promote the preservation and transmission of traditional Japanese culture to future generations.

Tanaka Sensei currently serves as Chairman of the Wako Taiko Association, Chairman of the Tokyo Taiko Federation, Councilor of the Nippon Taiko Foundation, and Chairman of the Musashino Taiko Federation. He also serves as an instructor, lecturer, and visiting professor for several educational institutions in Japan and abroad.

Through a lifetime devoted to taiko, he continues to uphold and share the true spirit of the Japanese drum.

Representing Hawai‘i and the United States, Ryukyu Koten Afuso Ryu Ongaku Kenkyu Choichi Kai USA,  is dedicated to the promotion and perpetuation of the Afuso School style of Ryukyu (Okinawan) Classical Music. Rooted in generations of cultural tradition, the group works to preserve and share the refined artistry of uta-sanshin through both performance and education.

Central to its mission is the continuation of the teaching methods and musical legacy of National Living Treasure Grand Master Choichi Terukina, whose influence helped shape and elevate Okinawan classical music for audiences around the world. Through disciplined study, mentorship, and community engagement, Afuso Ryu Hawaii strives to honor the spirit, elegance, and cultural values embedded within this treasured art form.

By nurturing the next generation of musicians and fostering appreciation for Okinawan heritage, Afuso Ryu Hawaii serves as a bridge connecting Hawai‘i, Okinawa, and the greater United States through the timeless sounds of uta and sanshin.

Michael (Mikey) Gonhata is an accomplished taiko performer and instructor known for his graceful yet powerful playing style and expressive, fluid arm motions. A former performing member of Nihon Taiko Dojo and student of Kiyonari Tosha Sensei, with over 35 years of taiko experience, he has taught and performed internationally in Japan, Europe, and Canada, as well as throughout Hawaii and the United States. Through his teaching, performance, and ongoing artistic work, he is dedicated to sharing and continuing the traditions of Japanese taiko and musical arts while emphasizing an approach to playing that brings out the natural voice and resonance of the drum. He is the director of Manoa Taiko, an instructor with Taiko Center of the Pacific, and a member of Mikans, a modern Japanese folk trio, bringing together tradition, movement, and contemporary musical expression.

  Master Grant “Masanduu”  Murata, founder, president and artistic director of Ryukyu Koten Ongaku Afuso Ryu Gensei Kai, Hawaii Chapter, and president of Ryukyu Koten Afuso Ryu Ongaku Kenkyuu Choichi Kai USA.

Murata Sensei began his musical journey at the age of 12, studying Ryukyuan (Okinawan) folk music, or minyo, under Master Henry Masatada Higa of the Higa Masatada Koten Minyo Club. In 1981, he earned his teaching certificate from Higa Sensei and soon began teaching and mentoring his own students. Two years later, he established the Sansei Minyo Kenkyu Kai, further contributing to the preservation and growth of Okinawan music in Hawai‘i.

Deepening his dedication to uta-sanshin, Murata Sensei began studying Okinawan classical music, or koten, in 1984 under Japan’s National Living Treasure Grand Master Choichi Terukina. Through years of disciplined training and commitment to the art, he established the Ryukyu Koten Afuso Ryu Gensei Kai Hawaii Shibu in 1994. In 2007, he achieved the distinguished rank of Shihan, the highest level of teaching certification and recognition as a master instructor.

Today, Murata Sensei continues to inspire future generations through his leadership, teaching and unwavering dedication to preserving the rich traditions of Okinawan classical music and culture.

Master Chikako Murata, is a respected instructor and dedicated practitioner of Ryukyu (Okinawan) Classical Music. As a senior member of Ryukyu Koten Ongaku Afuso Ryu Gensei Kai, Hawaii Chapter, she has devoted many years to the preservation and perpetuation of Okinawan traditional performing arts through both teaching and performance.

Under the guidance of distinguished instructors, including Japan’s National Living Treasure Grand Master Choichi Terukina, Murata Sensei cultivated her artistry in uta-sanshin and classical Okinawan performance traditions. Through disciplined study, cultural stewardship and mentorship, she has helped nurture future generations of students while strengthening the connection between Hawai‘i and Okinawa.

Murata Sensei is also one of the founders of Mikaji nu Kai, a women’s group dedicated to celebrating and promoting the artistry, leadership and cultural contributions of women in Okinawan classical performing arts. Through this work, she continues to create opportunities for women performers to share and preserve these treasured traditions.

Recognized with the title of Shihan, or master instructor, Murata Sensei exemplifies the grace, precision and spirit of Afuso Ryu classical music. Her dedication continues to inspire audiences and students alike, ensuring that the beauty and legacy of Okinawan classical arts will endure for generations to come.

 At the age of 10, Sean Sadaoka Sensei was introduced and encouraged to learn uta-sanshin by his cousin Master June Nakama Sensei who along with Master Grant Murata Sensei were in the process of forming the Afuso Ryu Ongaku Gensei Kai Hawaii Shibu. Sadaoka Sensei took an immediate liking to the sanshin and played casually for the next several years primarily playing Okinawan Minyo (folk) music. The turning point came in 2007 when the late Tomoyuki Terukina Sensei, traveled from Okinawa to Hawaii to teach Afuso Ryu members. Terukina Sensei and Sadaoka Sensei formed an immediate bond and it was at this point that he became a serious student of Okinawan Koten (classical) music. In 2017, Sadaoka Sensei devoted himself to testing for Saikosho (third level certification exam) proficiency and, following in the footsteps of his Senpai Master Kenton Odo Sensei, received the highest score of all aspiring Saikosho candidates. As a result, Sadaoka Sensei was invited back to Okinawa for Geinousai where he was featured in a solo performance along with top scorers from other venues to include dance, koto, fue and kucho.  Sadaoka Sensei was awarded his Shihan for uta-sanshin in 2020.