Day 14, 15, 16, 17: Hong Kong

thanks greatly to Carrie Carter, who currently resides in Hong Kong, my father and i had the opportunity to feel "useful," for once during this trip by sharing our knowledge about taiko-playing and taiko-making.

19 hours total of taiko instruction (group and private) and one performance.  having to teach private lessons was an eye opener for me.  the last i remember doing such work was back in 2005(?).  i was quite worried prior to arriving in Hong Kong about the lessons, these days it seems like the more i study and practice, the less i really know about what is right.  do i have enough substance within myself to take money from someone in exchange?  i realized though that i had actually grown a bit within the past few years. although my mind is still filled with tons of questions about technique/mindset, there's some things that i definitely have to offer.  i also realized that teaching is not just about how equipped you are, but also about how thoughtful you can be about your students, their needs, and what you believe to be good for their future.  it's such a complicated and scary challenge to face, having to process all these things in an instant is quite tricky, but i like having to be on my toes.

packing and lugging drums and stands for workshops.

during a lunch break, a friend of the members of O-Daiko happened to be at the same restaurant and decided on a whim that he wanted an hour of taiko lessons too.  wow.  i said "heck," and he left learning all of Renshu Daiko within an hour.  what a wonderful attitude to have.  i can't spell his name but it sounds like Faatsai.

 

second time teaching O-Daiko was such a pleasure, although i probably overloaded their brain with too much info.  performing Hachijo in Hong Kong was quite surreal, i failed in playing fue, and my Matsuri solo was crap.

pre-performance

Ban's Gig Drums' kids were wonderful again, and sharing Hachijo Daiko was such a pleasure.  i can't wait to show the Hachijo Islanders pics from kids in Hong Kong learning their style.

Ban's Gig Drums

great times in Hong Kong, but unfortunately dad gets sick after a solo run to the Nepal Consulate for visa processing.  for the next few days, he spends most of his time in bed, unable to eat nor see much of Hong Kong.  we decide to stay for an extra day to make sure he is strong enough to withstand the 20+ hours of transportation to our next destination - Kunming.

here are some other pics from Hong Kong:

smoking grandma

grandpa at the sports center

hand on a pole on subway.

Mui Wo sunrise

lastly, thank you Manman for letting us stay with you.
thank you Carrie for being the awesomest taiko manager, for keeping me sane throughout the crazy train and bus rides in China, playing shitauchi for me, and for being such a thoughtful friend to me, my father, and many others.

Carrie playing shitauchi