Taiko Drummers Give Exciting Performance at Tokyo’s Nezu Shrine as Azalea Festival Continues through End of April; Next Taiko Performance on April 26

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:50 JST, April 22, 2025

A group of taiko drummers gave a powerful performance on Saturday at Nezu Shrine, where the famous azaleas are at their peak, in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo.

About 20 members of the group comprising local residents demonstrated various kinds of taiko drumming, such as a “yodan-uchi” variation and drumming for mikoshi portable shrines at festivals. When the dynamic drum sounds rang out through the grounds of the shrine, visitors who had come to see the azaleas applauded. The group, Ryujin Taiko Hozonkai, was founded in 1977 and has performed at the shrine for more than 40 years.

“I’m glad so many people listened to our performance. I hope they’ll enjoy both our taiko and the azaleas,” said one of the members of the group, a 46-year-old resident of the ward who works as a company employee.

The shrine is holding the azalea festival through April 30. The taiko group will perform again on April 26.