EVENT ARCHIVE
The Race for Free Spirit: A 50-Year Uprising
WHAT: Live show spotlighting PJ & Roy Hirabayashi’s humble path of taiko, social activism, and community building through stories, song, and taiko.
WHEN: Saturday, November 4th, 2023 at 3PM-4:30PM, Reception at 5PM
WHERE: School of Arts & Culture Theatre
With deep gratitude, PJ & Roy thank everyone who made this event possible.
Dear friends,
We are very excited to invite you to attend The Race for Free Spirit: A 50-year Uprising, which promises to be both a joyful reflection of our five decades of playing taiko as well as a look forward with our hopes and dreams for the future.
We will take you along our journey into the backstory of how taiko became our destiny, our voice, and our purpose, reflecting on the values and principles that sustained us on a path that we could never imagine.
Along the way, we will share our personal discoveries of how taiko levels the playing field, awakens our social conditioning for the greater good, informs our greater potential, and reveals what’s possible. We believe these are ingredients for social change, amplified by the power of taiko.
Our heartfelt call to action to the taiko community is to save what’s at stake—the FREEdom of expression that reflects the unwavering spirit of those who came before us and to celebrate by expressing our gratitude to what taiko drumming has meant to us—a beautiful and compelling means to mobilize, harmonize, and unify the human spirit.
Please join us for this very special live, commemorative event in our home town of San Jose, California. We very much look forward to coming together in unity with the taiko drum, the instrument that allowed us to be loud, be heard, and be who we are.
With gratitude,
PJ & Roy
Thank you, sponsors.
Your support means the world.
School of Arts & Culture
Catalyzing creativity and empowering community in the heart of San Jose, California
A special place for this special event.
PJ & Roy are honored to collaborate with the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza who are the lead sponsors for this commemorative show. With a shared vision, the Hirabayashi’s and SOAC are dedicated to fulfilling a common mission to seed and grow diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility through creative cultural expression.
Together, they are wholeheartedly committed to creating an unforgettable celebratory moment in time.
San Jose Japantown
Our community, which we’ve held close to our hearts for 50+ years.
Please visit our beloved community the next time you’re in San Jose.
San Jose Japantown, one of the last three authentic Japantowns in the United States, is where PJ & Roy began their path of taiko with a seed of an idea to encourage the youth at the Buddhist temple to join an activity tied to Japanese American heritage.
A few of PJ & Roy’s favorite places in
San Jose Japantown.
San Jose Taiko
Celebrating their 50th year as a performing ensemble in 2023.
PJ & Roy extend their heartfelt best wishes for San Jose Taiko’s 50-year anniversary.
The race isn’t over.
What you can do to keep the free spirit of taiko thriving for the next generation.
Take a stand against Asian American Pacific Islander racism, visit Stop AAPI Hate
Reflect on the values instilled by the Issei generation and take the time to remember those who came before you with respect and gratitude
Give to the School of Arts and Culture
Make a donation to Japantown’s senior center, Yu Ai Kai
Support San Jose Taiko performing arts company
Learn more about TaikoPeace, PJ’s movement to emanate peace through taiko
Invite PJ & Roy to speak at a community gathering on arts activism, roots of taiko, leadership and performing arts