Editing Taiko (section)

===North America===
[[File:SohDaiko08.jpg|thumb|left|New York-based group [[Soh Daiko]] was one of the earlier ''kumi-daiko'' groups to form in the eastern United States.|alt=Performers from the group Soh Daiko perform outdoors on various drums in front of an audience.]]
Taiko emerged in the United States in the late 1960s. The first group, [[San Francisco Taiko Dojo]], was formed in 1968 by [[Seiichi Tanaka]], a postwar immigrant who studied taiko in Japan and brought the styles and teachings to the US.<ref name="NEA-Tanaka">{{cite web|title=Seiichi Tanaka|url=http://arts.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/seiichi-tanaka|work=2001 NEA [[National Heritage Fellowship]]s|publisher=[[National Endowment for the Arts]]|access-date=7 November 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020200846/http://arts.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/seiichi-tanaka|archive-date=20 October 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Konagaya|2005|pp=136–138}} A year later, a few members of [[Senshin Buddhist Temple]] in Los Angeles led by its minister Masao Kodani initiated another group called [[Kinnara Taiko]].{{sfn|Konagaya|2005|pp=136, 144}} [[San Jose Taiko]] later formed in 1973 in [[Japantown, San Jose]], under [[Roy Hirabayashi|Roy]] and [[PJ Hirabayashi]].<ref name=SanJose>{{cite web|title=Roy and PJ Hirabayashi|url=http://arts.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/roy-and-pj-hirabayashi|work=2011 NEA National Heritage Fellowships|publisher=[[National Endowment for the Arts]]|access-date=20 October 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020200833/http://arts.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/roy-and-pj-hirabayashi|archive-date=20 October 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Izumi|2006|p=159}} Taiko started to branch out to the eastern US in the late 1970s.{{sfn|Konagaya|2005|p=145}} This included formation of [[Denver Taiko]] in 1976,{{sfn|Konagaya|2005|p=145}} and  [[Soh Daiko]] in [[New York City]] in 1979.<ref name=Douglas>{{cite news|last1=Douglas|first1=Martin|title=New Yorkers & Co.; Banging the Drum Not So Slowly|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE3D61230F931A15753C1A963958260&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar|access-date=11 November 2014|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=22 October 1995|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111215130/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE3D61230F931A15753C1A963958260&module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar|archive-date=11 November 2014}}</ref><ref name=Tam>{{cite web|last1=Gottfried|first1=Erika|title=Guide to the Soh Daiko Archive Records and Videotapes|url=http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/tamwag/tam_634/|publisher=The Taminant Library & Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives|access-date=11 November 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112011642/http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/tamwag/tam_634/|archive-date=12 November 2014}}</ref> Many of these early groups lacked the resources to equip each member with a drum and resorted to makeshift percussion materials such as rubber tires or creating taiko out of wine barrels.{{sfn|Konagaya|2005|p=145}}

Japanese-Canadian taiko began in 1979 with Katari Taiko, and was inspired by the San Jose Taiko group.<ref name="VTS">{{cite web|title=History|date=5 October 2010 |url=http://www.vancouvertaiko.ca/history/|publisher=Vancouver Taiko Society|access-date=21 August 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020140024/http://www.vancouvertaiko.ca/history/|archive-date=20 October 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Nomura|2005|p=333}} Its early membership was predominantly female.{{sfn|Li|2011|p=55}} Katari Taiko and future groups were thought to represent an opportunity for younger, third-generation [[Japanese Canadians]] to explore their roots, redevelop a sense of ethnic community, and expand taiko into other musical traditions.{{sfn|Izumi|2001|pp=37–39}}
[[File:Taiko Tides Stony Brook.jpg|thumb|right|Taiko Tides, a student group at [[Stony Brook University]], New York]]
There are no official counts or estimates of the number of active taiko groups in the United States or Canada, as there is no governing body for taiko groups in either country. Unofficial estimates have been made. In 1989, there were as many as 30 groups in the US and Canada, seven of which were in [[California]].<ref name=Tagashira>{{cite news|last=Tagashira|first=Gail|title=Local Groups Share Taiko Drum Heritage|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-03-ca-2126-story.html|access-date=12 April 2014|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=3 February 1989|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20140413111337/http://articles.latimes.com/1989-02-03/entertainment/ca-2126_1_taiko-group|archive-date=13 April 2014}}</ref> One estimate suggested that around 120 groups were active in the US and Canada as of 2001, many of which could be traced to the San Francisco Taiko Dojo;<ref name=Liu>{{cite web|last=Liu|first=Terry|title=Go For Broke|year=2001|url=http://arts.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/seiichi-tanaka|work=2001 NEA National Heritage Scholarships|publisher=National Endowment for the Arts|access-date=24 August 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020200846/http://arts.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/seiichi-tanaka|archive-date=20 October 2013}}</ref> later estimates in 2005 and 2006 suggested there were about 200 groups in the United States alone.{{sfn|Varian|2005|p=17}}{{sfn|Izumi|2006|p=159}}

The [[Cirque du Soleil]] shows ''[[Mystère (Cirque du Soleil)|Mystère]]'' in Las Vegas<ref name=Przybys>{{cite news|last1=Przybys|first1=John|title=Ex-acrobat tells of soaring with Cirque du Soleil, helping others reach dreams|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/life/ex-acrobat-tells-soaring-cirque-du-soleil-helping-others-reach-dreams|access-date=9 January 2015|work=Las Vegas Review-Journal|publisher=Stephens Media|date=31 March 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110082737/http://www.reviewjournal.com/life/ex-acrobat-tells-soaring-cirque-du-soleil-helping-others-reach-dreams|archive-date=10 January 2015}}</ref> and ''[[Dralion]]'' have featured taiko performance.<ref name=Rainey>{{cite news|last1=Rainey|first1=Sarah|title=Cirque du Soleil: a day learning tricks at the circus|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/10858577/Cirque-du-Soleil-a-day-learning-tricks-at-the-circus.html|access-date=9 January 2015|work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|date=27 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110082318/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/10858577/Cirque-du-Soleil-a-day-learning-tricks-at-the-circus.html|archive-date=10 January 2015}}</ref>{{sfn|Keene|2011|pp=18–19}} Taiko performance has also been featured in commercial productions such as the 2005 [[Mitsubishi Eclipse]] ad campaign,<ref name=TProject>{{cite web|title=Full Company History|url=http://www.taikoproject.com/01/|publisher=TAIKOPROJECT|access-date=18 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109050307/http://www.taikoproject.com/01/|archive-date=9 November 2013}}</ref> and in events such as the 2009 [[Academy Awards]] and 2011 [[Grammy Award]]s.<ref name=Skidmore>{{cite web|title=Taiko Project to Showcase Fresh Interpretation of Drumming|url=http://www.skidmore.edu/news/2012/3373.php|publisher=Skidmore College|access-date=18 August 2013|date=8 March 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109050532/http://www.skidmore.edu/news/2012/3373.php|archive-date=9 November 2013}}</ref>

From 2005 to 2006, the [[Japanese American National Museum]] held an exhibition called ''Big Drum: Taiko in the United States''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Big Drum: Taiko in the United States|url=http://www.janm.org/exhibits/bigdrum/|publisher=[[Japanese American National Museum]]|access-date=7 November 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029031247/http://www.janm.org/exhibits/bigdrum/|archive-date=29 October 2014}}</ref> The exhibition covered several topics related to taiko in the United States, such as the formation of performance groups, their construction using available materials, and social movements. Visitors were able to play smaller drums.{{sfn|Izumi|2006|pp=158–159}}

North America hosts the North American Taiko Conference (NATC) which has been ongoing since its inaugural conference in Los Angeles in 1997.{{sfn|Bender|2012|p=13}}
In 2013, the [[Taiko Community Alliance]] (TCA) formed as virtual nonprofit 501(c)3 organization with a mission to empower the people and advance the art of taiko.<ref>{{cite web|title=Taiko Community Alliance|url=https://www.taikocommunityalliance.org|access-date=8 July 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614205932/https://www.taikocommunityalliance.org/|archive-date=14 June 2023}}</ref> The Taiko Community Alliance has been responsible for helping organize the NATC conferences to help further its mission of educating and raising awareness of taiko through the taiko community.<ref>{{cite web|title=Taiko Community Alliance Programs|url=https://www.taikocommunityalliance.org/our-programs|access-date=8 July 2023|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708143334/https://www.taikocommunityalliance.org/our-programs|archive-date=8 July 2023}}</ref>