THE Japanese Embassy promised that the Japanese drumming and shamisen performance by the Wadaiko Rindo Group would be heart-shaking.
And the Wadaiko Rindo trio fulfilled this promise at a packed Japan-Pacific ICT centre at the University of the South Pacific on Thursday night.
Wadaiko Rindo is a Japanese drum ensemble based in Melbourne and renowned for their energetic and dynamic performances.
Three members of Wadaiko Rindo staged the show with Toshinori Sakamoto and Ami Akimoto on drums and Noriko Tadano on the tsugaru shamisen — or Japanese banjo. The trio combined the sound of the drums with the three-stringed tsugaru shamisen, creating many unique beats. The audience was able to take part in drumming demonstrations with Mr Sakamoto at the free concert.
Mr Sakamoto, who formed Wadaiko Rindo, said while taiko — Japanese drumming — was mostly used in traditional Japanese ceremonies in the past 40 years, it had become popular in mainstream music. "I have 130 students and we do stage performances of taiko, it has become so popular that today there are more than 2000 taiko clubs in Japan," he said.
Wadaiko Rindo was brought to Fiji by the Japanese Embassy as part of its cultural exchange program and the trio also performed in collaboration with the USP's Oceania Centre for Arts, Culture and Dance.
The group staged three shows during their brief visit to Fiji, with students of Adi Cakobau School also getting a chance to enjoy the sounds of Wadaiko Rindo.