If you’re familiar with Kodo, you won’t want to miss Yamato, Japan’s other Taiko Drum Ensemble. Founded in 1993 by Masa Ogawa, it is based in Asuka Village in the Prefect of Nara, said to be the birthplace of Japanese culture. Its 12 drummers travel all over the world with several dozen of Japan’s traditional Wadaiko drums, from the small Shime-Daiko to the giant O-Daiko, made from a huge tree over 400 years old. Its performances are infused with the idea that the drumbeat, like the heartbeat, is the very pulse of life.