My name is Masahiro Tozawa, CEO of Yuranza Inc. Since 2022, we have been offering a corporate team-building workshop using Japanese taiko drums, and in just three years it has been chosen by dozens of companies.
In this article, I would like to introduce the overview, key benefits, and concrete program contents of our taiko team-building workshop.
If you prefer to review our service information offline or would like to share details internally, please download our service brochure below. You will find sample venues and pricing information not fully covered in this article, so feel free to request it.
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What Is the Taiko Drum Team-Building Workshop?
Our taiko workshop is an interactive activity that uses Japanese taiko drums. Through hands-on taiko drumming, we provide a unique team-building experience for corporate groups.
In Japan, taiko has historically played an important role in connecting people and facilitating communication. We have distilled that power of taiko into an original program designed as a team-building workshop.
Service page:
https://yuranza.com/en/taiko-workshop/
Based on the feedback we have received from participants, the key features of our taiko workshop can be summarized in three points:
- It is a physical, movement-based activity
- It is a non-verbal communication experience
- It offers direct contact with Japanese culture through taiko
Let us briefly look at each feature.
Feature 1: A Physical, Movement-Based Activity
As you might imagine, taiko is played by hitting the drum with two sticks. You naturally engage your arms and shoulders, as well as your back muscles and core to support the up-and-down motion.
The result is a full-body workout. On top of that, the act of striking the drum and feeling its vibrations offers stress relief, mental stimulation, and a sense of relaxation, helping participants refresh both mind and body after long hours of desk work.
Feature 2: Non-Verbal Communication
In the workshop, participants enjoy various taiko-based games and work together to synchronize rhythms as a group. None of this requires spoken language; communication happens through the sound and rhythm of the drums.
This makes it a workshop that can be enjoyed on equal footing by teams meeting for the first time, as well as multicultural teams whose members speak different native languages.
Feature 3: Experiencing Taiko as Japanese Culture
In Japan, taiko has long supported communication within communities. Historically, the sound of the drum helped define the boundaries of a village, signal the time of day, or coordinate group work such as hoisting sails on boats.
Taiko itself is also a piece of traditional Japanese craftsmanship, made from natural materials like cowhide and zelkova wood. In a sense, we are borrowing the lives of these animals and trees to enable people to support each other through the drum.
Through this, participants can experience the Japanese mindset that values life and material things.
Workshop Overview
Here is a general overview of our taiko team-building workshop.
Duration and Flow
The standard program is as follows:
This is our basic format, but we can customize it to fit your needs. For example:
- Short version (about 60 minutes) or long version (about 120 minutes)
- More game-focused or more performance-focused, depending on your objectives
For example, if many participants are meeting for the first time or if you are bringing together a global team for the first time, we recommend a game-heavy program. If your team already works together regularly, trying a group performance piece can be a powerful way to strengthen a sense of unity.
Venues
Our taiko workshop is offered as an on-site program and can be held at a variety of venues, such as:
- Temples and shrines
- Cultural halls, rehearsal rooms, gymnasiums
- Music studios
- Outdoor plazas
- Your office or event venue
If you share your preferred area, we can search for and arrange suitable venues on your behalf.
Considering venue availability, we recommend contacting us at least two months in advance. The best venue options will also depend on your expected number of participants, so please feel free to consult with us.
Temple and shrine venues are particularly popular. Experiencing Japanese culture in a traditional “wa” (Japanese-style) environment is hard to beat. However, only certain temples and shrines are available for such events, and we must avoid overlapping with memorial services and other religious ceremonies, so scheduling requires coordination.
There are also many clean and spacious cultural facilities and studios we can use, so please let us know your preferred date, time, number of participants, and area, and we will propose options.
Workshop Leader: Professional Taiko Player Shunichiro Kamiya
Our taiko workshop is led by professional taiko artist Shunidhiro Kamiya .
- Performs, composes, and directs taiko stage works mainly in Aichi and Tokyo
- Leads workshops for companies and educational institutions
- Has performed in over 1,000 theatre productions in Japan and overseas
- Invited as the first-ever Japanese traditional instrumentalist to perform at Burning Man, the largest arts festival in the United States
For his full profile, please visit:
https://www.shun-matoinokai.com/profile
As his profile shows, Shunichiro Kamiya has appeared in more than 1,000 theatre performances worldwide. The finale of the workshop we have co-created together is his powerful solo performance on the large taiko drum.
Having touched the drum yourself and then watching a professional performance creates a striking contrast and often leaves a deep impression on participants.
The following video shows a finale from one of our workshops. The video features a six-player version, but our standard offering is a solo performance. Experiencing that solo performance up close is truly breathtaking.
Sample Team-Building Games
Finally, here are some examples from our game menu. We offer a variety of games that support team-building in different dynamics: one-to-many, one-to-one, and many-to-many.
Game 1: Echo Game (One-to-Many)
- Participants repeat and imitate the drum phrases played by the instructor, like an echo
- They mimic not only the rhythm but also the instructor’s movements and voice
- The instructor’s phrases become increasingly complex and faster, and participants see how long they can keep up
- Some participants also take turns leading, testing the group’s collective sense of unity
This is a one-to-many game where a single person creates a phrase and everyone else imitates it. When participants take the role of leading phrases, their personalities really come through.
Some choose simple phrases that everyone can follow easily to create a unified feel, while others intentionally propose tricky rhythms or funny movements that fill the room with laughter.
It is a game that changes completely depending on the characters in the group.
Game 2: Pair Game (One-to-One)
- Pairs face each other and hit the drum while silently counting numbers in their heads
- They keep eye contact and challenge themselves to hit the target number together (for example, stopping exactly at 49)
- The tasks become more complex (for example, skip 20 and 25, and still stop at 49)
- Pairs rotate so participants can experience different partners and “chemistry”
This is a one-to-one game played in pairs. Because participants must keep eye contact throughout, many get shy and lose track of the count, while others become so focused on counting that they forget to look at their partner.
It is one of our most popular and reliable games.
The game was developed in collaboration with a psychiatrist, based on the idea that when two people keep eye contact and work toward a shared goal, their emotional distance naturally shrinks regardless of whether the attempt ends in success or failure.
Game 3: “Don-Hi” Game (Many-to-Many)
- Participants form groups and stand in circles
- One person hits the drum once (“don”) and says “hi” while pointing to the next person, who continues the sequence
- The “hi” call then changes into saying the next person’s hobby or favorite food
- The group cooperates to reach 30 hits without mistakes or competes against other groups to see who can go the longest
This is a many-to-many group game. Participants keep passing the turn in tempo: “don” (hit), “hi” (point), “don,” “hi,” and so on.
The “hi” portion gradually changes into calling out the next person’s hobby or favorite food. This means everyone must remember each group member’s personal preferences. Someone who chooses an easy word like “sushi” for their favorite food may find themselves being called on more often.
The game is full of laughter and playful chaos, but at the same time it is a proven favorite that helps everyone enjoy themselves while also learning about each other on a more personal level.
In addition to these games, we can include:
- “Uchikomi”, a practice where participants keep striking the drum continuously to push past their perceived physical limits, inspired by professional taiko training
- “One-shot unison”, a challenge where everyone tries to strike the drum at exactly the same moment
- “Meditation” after an intense drumming session, allowing participants to turn inward and reflect
There are many more menu options beyond what we can introduce here.
Summary
To recap, here are the key points of our taiko team-building workshop:
- A physical activity using taiko drums where participants move their bodies and work up a sweat
- A non-verbal communication experience rooted in Japanese culture that helps overcome language barriers
- Standard duration is about 90 minutes (60 minutes of hands-on experience plus a professional performance), with flexible customization
- For first-time or newly formed teams, a game-focused program works best; for established teams, we recommend a performance challenge
- An on-site workshop that can be held at temples and shrines, cultural facilities, studios, offices, and more
We hope this article has helped you visualize the specific features and flow of our taiko workshop. So far, we have delivered the program to dozens of companies, and every time the room fills with laughter.
Through this program, we aim to explore how taiko, as a form of Japanese culture, can support communication between people in a modern context.
If you would like to know more about possible venues or pricing, please download our service brochure. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to supporting your next team-building event.
Service brochure download
