The North American Taiko Conference (NATC) is a biennial event sponsored by the Taiko Community Alliance (TCA). Started in 1997, the conference was first held in Los Angeles, hosted by the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, with the mission of supporting the growth of taiko in North America. The conference has become an essential element of the taiko community, with workshops and discussion sessions for players of all levels. NATC also features public performances featuring a wide variety of taiko groups. The conference is attended by virtually all of the taiko community’s leaders, along with hundreds of players from around the world.
The conference has alternated between Los Angeles Japantown and other West Coast locations. The conference has been held at Sacramento State University, the University of Washington, and Stanford University.
The 2015 conference will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV).
NATC Goals
• Build a community of taiko groups in North America
• Share traditions and repertoire
• Support the artistic development of the art-form
• Document North American taiko history
NATC Conference Coordinator: Elise Fujimoto (elise@taikocommunityalliance.org)