Every year, the Denver Cherry Blossom Festival brings people together to celebrate Japanese culture. This year, we had the chance to see Peaceful Forest, a Japanese family on a journey to perform 1,000 taiko shows across all 50 states.
Through taiko drumming, they hope to share the sound of peace and bring people together wherever they go. Here's the story of their inspiring journey.
The Heart Behind the Journey
Takumi Kato, an experienced taiko performer, says one of the events that shaped his thoughts on peace was the September 11 attacks in 2001.
At the time, Kato was an exchange student in West Virginia. When a family member of someone close to him was affected by the attacks, he wanted to do something to help. That's when he realized that what he could offer was taiko.
He began organizing memorial performances in both the United States and Japan, raising donations to support those affected by the attacks. He also continued helping communities after natural disasters in Japan.
These experiences inspired him to use taiko to share hope and peace, a mission that remains at the heart of Peaceful Forest today.
Through a Father's Eyes
For Kato, being with his family and sharing peace through taiko became his life's priority. Today, the family is based in Pennsylvania and continues its journey across the U.S.
His three sons, who are also taiko performers, balance school in the U.S. with their Japanese studies. When I asked what he hoped his children would learn from this journey, Kato simply replied,
"As long as they're alive, I couldn't ask for anything more."
Kato said the journey has helped him grow alongside his children. Watching them perform, it was easy to see the joy it has brought to the family.
The Journey Continues
Colorado was their third visit, and their performance at the Denver Cherry Blossom Festival marked their 736th show.
"We'd like to thank everyone in Colorado for your support," Kato said.
Since starting this journey in October 2022, they’ve performed in 41 states. The nine states they have yet to visit are New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Carolina, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
They're always looking for new opportunities to share taiko with communities across the U.S.
Reaching all 50 states may be their goal for now, but the family is already dreaming even bigger.
Keep dreaming. Keep drumming. And we'll be cheering you on, Peaceful Forest!
Peaceful Forest
https://peacefulforest.org/
Instagram：＠peaceful___forest
Miho
Originally from Japan, she writes in English and Japanese about travel and culture, finding joy in photography, great food, and spending time with her dogs.
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