Taiko : Japanese Drum...

So...once again, why was I missing for so long? Was is a girl?....wished it was so....but no. I'm not that lucky. The picture below could probably explain why.


See how my fist was suspiciously wrapped in white bandages? And if you observe closely, you can see that they are also suspiciously dirty.....as if I've been in fights.....

Yes, you guessed it right...I've been practicing Japanese drum all along!! (Otherwise, why the title, right??)

It all started on the second day at University...I was walking towards the convenience store to get a drink when I heard Japanese Drums in play. When I turned to look, I saw a group of people beating various sizes of drums (which I later found out we're playing only 3 types). Everyone, hands moving along a single beat.

Such power...such elegance...such...spirit!

And that's when I decided that I want to join this circle. I want to be part of the group that displays such strength...a group that possess such unmoving spirit. So, I enlisted myself and have been practicing ever since..



The movie you see is the event where I debuted....at the early stages, the guy that stops halfway and says something in Japanese, that's me....heh heh.

I practiced weekly and more often than not, I suffer blisters and had to tape my hands so that I can continue practicing even though I have bleeding hands....as you'd probably guess by now, the practice sessions are tough. I confess that there are times where I felt like quitting as seniors aren't too polite when it comes to "commenting" on us newbies' performance.

And to think that no girls will ever like me now when they hold my "rough" hands....*sobs

But that day....that day when I finally get to perform in front of people......it was the most fulfilling day I've ever had. Although it was a performance at a small town with equally small crowd, about 30~40 people, I felt so much joy when I see people applauding to my performance.

All those blood and sweat...and skin too...they were worth it.....

And the best yet, I got to perform at one of the biggest events in Japan, the Nagaoka Summer Festival. I played on 2 of the 3 days festival. With thousands attending the first day, tens of thousands on the 2nd.....IT WAS EXHILARATING!!! I...I...I don't know how exactly to describe what I felt but I have NEVER felt such sense of accomplishment and joy getting to perform in front of so many people. I mean....there was so many people!!!
You see, summer time is special for the Japanese as that's when they have their yearly festival, so it means a lot to them...while others(foreigners) are just observers, me being able to be part of something special...I just don't know what to say.....

Too bad there aren't any picture or video as my housemate, Lai Chee Wei, stood on the wrong side of the crowd on the first day and he was too far away on the second day.

Sigh...such good friends I have.

But I guess that makes my experience much more special now that everything is chiseled in my memory. This might be the most memorable thing that I'll bring back with me once I get back....probably the best memory in my whole life....well, other than owning my own patent.