Watsonville Taiko, Neighbor

Watsonville Taiko, founded by Jim Hooker in September 1991, is a multicultural, multi-generational taiko drumming community of performers and supporters. Ikuyo Conant, artistic director since 1992, set the group’s goal to strive through exploration of taiko to develop an art that combines drumming with folklore, mythology and symbolism.

The mission of the Watsonville Taiko Group is to foster the evolving cultural expression and traditions of taiko drumming through performances and public education.