Tao - a word that uses the Chinese character for ‘way' or ‘road' - was founded in 1993 with the bold goal of creating a brand of wadaiko entertainment that would appeal to audiences around the world. While a potentially favorable ‘wadaiko boom' was emerging in Japan at the time, Tao recognized that this was a mere passing phenomenon that hardly emphasized the importance of real drumming skills. In a brave move, the group decided to first lay their roots in the southern Kyushu region to enable them to steadily build strength and hone their skills until they would be ready to play in front of demanding, international audiences.

In 1995, after establishing its base in the town of Kuju in Kyushu's Oita Prefecture , Tao drafted its so-called ‘ Kyushu one million mobilization plan'. With help from innovative stage production worthy of the title ‘wadaiko entertainment' and with a close focus on performances in districts around Kyushu only, Tao attained its goal of one million tickets sold in seven and a half years.

Firmly rooted in the town of Kuju since mid-Nineties, Tao has grown tremendously through relentless, regimented training as well as the study of various performance techniques abroad. All the while, it has kept up a steady rhythm of 200 shows per year.

In the year 2000, Tao finally built itself a house in the middle of Kuju's highlands named ‘Tao's homeland Grandioso'. Quite deserving of words such as ‘magnificent' and ‘grandeur', built on a piece of land 40,000 square meters wide, Tao's home turf is equipped with a live house, a restaurant and accommodation facilities for both the group itself and for visitors. ‘Grandioso' is indeed an impressive multi-purpose facility that is surrounded by lush green hills and nature all around.

In an effort to show its gratitude to the nature, town and people of Kuju who had provided a kind home to the group, and to contribute to the cultural scene of Kyushu on the whole, Tao put on a large-scale event called ‘The International Music Festival of Kuju ? Beat of the Globe' in the summer of 2002. For purposes of hosting this event, a 3000-seat outdoor concert theater was built in the grounds of ‘Grandioso'. Inviting musical guests from Senegal and Ecuador in 2002 and from Las Vegas in 2003, the festival was completely sold-out in both years. The beat of the world indeed echoed across the magnificent highlands of Kuju during these two major spectacles. (The ‘International Music Festival of Kuju' will be held in the summer of 2005).

Following its astounding success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2004, Tao has attracted much attention from around the world. Having already toured New Zealand in March this year, the show group is scheduled to perform shows in countries as diverse as Israel , the Netherlands and Belgium , along with making their second appearance at Edinburgh . An extensive European tour starting from Germany as well as long tours in England and the US are planned for 2006. The time has finally come for Tao the ‘worldwide wadaiko entertainment group' to start its engine and live up to its full potential, entertaining audiences around the globe.