Yoshiaki Oi, Director
The fifth in a series of profiles of individual Kodo members.

Born in in 1951 in downtown Tokyo, Yoshiaki (known as Oi san) spent much of his free time on his own fishing. (He still does). He intended to go to a college specializing in the fishing and hatchery industry, but the year 1970 was the peak of the student riots in Japan and the college to which he applied, one of the most violently radical, was forced closed by demonstrators. While waiting for it to re-open he heard a radio programme about a group called Ondekoza forming on Sado Island for young people who weren' t particularly pleased with the direction of modern society. Off he went to a one week summer school to study about Sado and traditional lifestyles. 10 of the 40 young people who attended formed the core of Ondekoza. Their dream was to travel the world playing the taiko and establish a craftsmen's village and school.

In the spring of 1971 they gathered at an abandoned hospital, (see KB37) began running (which they considered fundamental) and using borrowed instruments studied taiko, shamisen, flute, dance and song under various teachers from throughout Japan. The lifestyle was so spartan that it was only Yoshiaki's determination not to be the first or only to quit that kept him at it. He thinks everyone felt the same way.

Over the years he specialized in taiko and enjoyed touring because he loves to encounter the unfamiliar. In 1981 he married fellow player Kiyoko Obata, and they had the first of 3 babies. At about the same time the group split over philosophical differences from the original director Tagayasu Den - who among other things wanted to concentrate on making movies to support the group. Mr. Den disappeared with the instruments, furniture and rights to the name Ondekoza.

Starting from scratch under the name Kodo the group rallied and returned to their original dream which was bringing the sound of the taiko to the world and the establishment of Kodo Village. Taking complete responsibility for themselves was at once daunting and invigorating.

In 1987 Kodo's leader and another original member, Toshio Kawaguchi tragically died in a swimming accident, leaving Yoshiaki a somewhat reluctant leader. By this time he had already stopped performing to teach the young apprentices, a job he continues to this day. Unlike the players who joined the group 25 years ago when it had few realistic prospects (there had never been a professional taiko group before) but with a dream, the current apprentice applicants tend to join with the dream of being in Kodo and playing this or that number on stage. Once in the group that dream has already been accomplished so he is anxious that they learn to expand their goals. If all they want to do is play the taiko their dream will lose its lustre because it can be a strain playing day in day out whether one is in the mood or not.

Yoshiaki would like to see the number of first-string players expand in the future so they can more readily break off into smaller groups to play in places it would be impracticable to have the full ensemble, tiny towns in Africa, the Arctic and places like Cuba and the Dominican Republic where several members are touring now.

Yoshiaki has absolutely no regrets about joining the group and his last 25 years. When asked what he is most proud about concerning Kodo he said it was the quality of the people. He can think of no other group where the individuals are so willing to take into consideration others even if to the detriment of themselves. Perhaps this is one reason for its lasting power when so many other groups born of the 60s have disappeared. He also has great affection for the people of Sado Island to whom he feels much in dept. Kodo Village and the Apprentice Centre are now an evolving reality which he hopes will continue to grow and offer as much to the people and culture of Sado as it does to Kodo members themselves.