RAW Taiko, founded in 1998 and formerly known as Raging Asian Women Taiko Drummers, is a Toronto-based organisation made up of East and Southeast Asian women and gender non-conforming drummers. They carry on the diasporic taiko tradition that grew out of Asian American and Asian Canadian participation in racial and gender justice movements of the 60s and 70. One of the few taiko groups of its kind in the world, RAW Taiko exists as a critical response and challenge to systemic and internalised oppressions. RAW Taiko plays large drums as creative resistance for social change, carving space for self-expression, education and community building.

IG: @rawtaiko

www.rawtaiko.ca

An informal taiko group formed at the end of 2017 at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC). In the spring of 2018, a naming campaign ran amongst the community to name this informal taiko group, and the result was “JCCC Kyowa Taiko” (響和太鼓), where Kyowa means reverberation and harmony of Japanese essence, and they became the official taiko group for the JCCC. The group is made up of volunteers dedicated to cultivating and sharing the performance of “kumi-daiko”, which is a Japanese drum ensemble. They are  based at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto where they practice and teach taiko. Much of their repertoire consists of contemporary music written by local Canadian Taiko composers.

IG: @kyowataiko

https://jccc.on.ca/programs/cultural-classes/taiko-drumming

The first and only Wakayama-ryū group in Eastern Canada, Toronto Shishimai Kai (founded January 2026) is dedicated to the practice and performance of Edo Kotobuki Jishi, the traditional celebratory lion dance of Tokyo, and Edo Bayashi, the traditional festival music of Tokyo. We study in the tradition of the Wakayama school, designated a Nationally Important Intangible Folk Cultural Asset in Japan, and we are committed to representing this tradition faithfully in our own work. We are excited to be a part of a growing cohort of Wakayama-ryū groups across North America, including Vancouver, Portland, Minnesota, and Michigan, and are deeply grateful for their support as we begin our own journey.
https://www.mathewjacqminkramer.com/shishimai

Arashido Taiko is a Japanese drumming group that combines high-energy, passionate playing with melodic, catchy compositions—creating performances where what you hear is just as important as what you see. The group has been performing across the GTA for nearly 20 years, appearing in front of hundreds of thousands of people at major events and venues. A core part of Arashido Taiko’s mission is to promote community spirit, including making annual charitable donations. All proceeds after expenses are donated, totalling thousands of dollars each year. Arashido means “the Way of the Storm,” and we bring that energy to audiences everywhere.

https://www.arashido-taiko.com/

Ame no Ato is a Montreal-based taiko duo born from the pandemic, in a time which offered many opportunities for reflection and a chance to see things anew. They strive to present various styles of taiko: building from traditional festival forms as well as weaving in modern aesthetics from North American innovations and contributions to the art form. They also study Onikenbai, a form of Japanese traditional folk dance, which incorporates taiko and shinobue. Their approach places a strong emphasis on fundamentals that is further supported by the study of the associated traditions. They aim to deepen their understanding and technique towards the various roots of taiko, acknowledging the essence of their origins to more effectively transmit the artistry through performance and teaching, in the hopes of connecting, inspiring and uplifting through the arts.

IG: @ame.no.ato
https://www.amenoato-taiko.com/

In 1983, several individuals were involved in the creation of Arashi Daiko, which means “storm drums.” Terry and May Yasunaka were among the founders, and they gave their final performance at the group’s 20th anniversary concert in March 2003. Twenty years earlier, they had invited Naomi Shikaze of the Vancouver-based group Katari Taiko to lead a series of Japanese drumming workshops at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montreal. A number of members of the Japanese community came to learn this energetic art form, marking the beginning of Arashi Daiko. Over the years, people from all backgrounds have been part of Arashi Daiko. While the almost magical energy of taiko draws people to join the group, it is undoubtedly the warm and generous spirit of its members that encourages them to stay. Everyone who has had the opportunity to experience Arashi Daiko has been touched by the family-like atmosphere that its founders and current members continue to foster.

IG: @arashi_daiko

https://arashidaiko.com/

Oto-Wa Taiko was formed by members of the Ottawa Japanese Community Association in 1989 in Canada’s National Capital Region. The group gradually expanded their repertoire by taking workshops from excellent instructors in North America, including those at Montreal's Arashi Daiko, Toronto's Yakudo and Toronto Suwa Daiko, and Kodo from Japan. Over the years, Oto-Wa Taiko has performed many times each year for schools and public and private events in and around the Ottawa area, as well as a few occasions in other Canadian cities such as Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg, and outside Canada in Sendai, Japan and Rochester, NY.

​Kita no Taiko is an Edmonton-based, non-profit Japanese Drumming group formed in 1986. Since that time, we have grown into a performance group and have been honoured to participate in festivals and events across the province and in the larger Edmonton area. We enjoy building collaborative performances with other artists and artforms, especially highlighting cross-cultural collaborations. Our goal is to continue to improve and challenge ourselves within our art, and to share taiko with our community through performances, workshops and classes.

IG: @kitanotaiko

https://kitanotaiko.ca/