Roy Hirabayashi was born in Berkeley, California in 1951. His parents were also born in the United States (kibei); however, they were sent to Japan as young children where they adopted Japanese culture and traditions.
Roy grew up in east Oakland, California and was active in the Oakland Buddhist Temple where he and his family worshiped. Roy’s first introduction to the taiko drum was at the temple’s summer Obon Festival.
Hirabayashi attended San Jose State beginning in 1969. At the time, San Jose State was a mecca for anti-war protests. So much, in fact, that the school was in constant threat of being shut down due to strikes by teachers and students alike. This inspired Roy to learn more about his roots as a Japanese-American. Hirabayashi became interested in the social sciences and worked in the Asian American studies program at San Jose State.
In 1973, Reverend Abiko recruited Dean Miyakusu and Hirabayashi to begin a taiko program through their Buddhist temple. They were inspired by Kinnara Taiko in Los Angeles They decided they wanted to involve the kids in the community in taiko and enlisted Roy Hirabayashi’s support. Roy also invited his peers and under his leadership the program took off.
In July and August 1973, after Roy began a fundraiser for the group, Roy and Dean Miyakusu went to L.A. to meet Reverend Kodani of Kinnara Taiko and learn more about running a taiko group. Reverend Kodani set them up with some drums and taught them how to make their own drums. The drum building techniques Roy learned from Kinnara, and then honed with his own taiko group, provided San Jose Taiko a financially plausible way to build their drum ensemble and grow as a group.
In October, just two months after visiting L.A. and Reverend Kodani, San Jose Taiko finished building their own drum set and creating their own songs and they had their first performance. The following summer, during the San Jose Buddhist Church Obon festival, Roy Hirabayashi met Seiichi Tanaka, the founder of San Francisco Taiko Dojo, the first North American Taiko group. Tanaka offered the San Jose Taiko members an opportunity to engage in his own group’s workshops. For a period of time, San Jose Taiko group members drove up to San Francisco to study with Seiichi Tanaka. After about a year, however, the group decided to continue and strengthen their own unique identity and concluded their study with San Francisco Taiko.
Roy is particularly known for using taiko to establish Japanese Americans as strong individuals. Inspired by the nationwide civil rights movement, Roy saw the powerful sound of the drum as a means to combat the stereotype of Japanese Americans as quiet and meek. Additionally, the prevalence of woman taiko players in San Jose Taiko modeled equality along gender lines for female spectators.
In 1977, Ondekoza visited L.A. on their tour of the U.S. and Roy and San Jose Taiko members went to see their performance. In the following year, Ondekoza came to San Jose for a performance and extended stay. It was during this time that San Jose Taiko had an opportunity to learn more about the life style of Ondekoza and established many lifelong friendships with the individual members.
Unfortunately, Ondekoza had an organizational division. Mr. Tagayasu Den created a new Ondekoza in the Nagasaki area and the former members of company formed Kodo. When Kodo, was about to launch their first North American tour in the fall of 1982, they ask Roy to join the tour as the tour and stage manager. He began working with Kodo in August 1982 and then returned to Japan with the group after the U.S. tour was complete. There he had the opportunity to experience the rigorous training of the group and their polished professional presentation. Impressed by Kodo's dedication and success, Hirabayashi returned to San Jose with a broader vision for San Jose Taiko.
San Jose Taiko first started under the name San Jose Taiko Group. Roy established San Jose Taiko as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit before he left with Kodo to Japan. Two years later, in 1983, the group received its first City of San Jose Fine Arts Commission Grant. With the grant money, San Jose Taiko moved into their first rehearsal space and went on their first tour. The following year San Jose Taiko began their first junior taiko class. In 1985, San Jose Taiko (SJT) hired a part-time general manager, the first staff member for SJT. In 1989, San Jose Taiko impressed a management company, California Artists Management, and SJT soon signed on with the booking management company.
California Artists Management worked on establishing SJT internationally and finding concert opportunities for the group. Roy took a back seat and learned how to mold his group's identity and gain exposure from a professional. SJT engaged the Arts Council of Santa Clara County and worked with their Music and Arts Campaign to develop SJT’s first individual donor base. Roy shifted over to become the managing director of SJT, focusing on fundraising and fiscal development and eventually became the Executive Director of the organization.
Hirabayashi has dedicated years to developing SJT and is now working on the sustainability of the group. He trained staff members (the group now has five full and part-time staff members) and extending the current model of SJT to ensure its long term success. In July 2011, Roy and PJ (Artistic Director) stepped down from the positions to turn over the organization to Wisa Uemura as the Executive Director and Franco Imperial as the Artistic Director.
Roy is also active in fostering and developing other artistic leaders. He helped found 1st ACT's Multicultural Arts Leadership Institute which strives to train artistic leaders in the Silicon Valley area on how to engage their community and strengthen their business management skills. The programs provides participants opportunities to network, develop fundraising strategies, and hone their problem solving skills.
39 years performing member with San Jose Taiko1973 Co-founder of San Jose Taiko (SJT)1973 to 2011 - SJT Practice/rehearsal Leader1985 to 2003 - Instructor for advance classes & Junior Taiko Performing Ensemble1988-89 - SJT Artistic Team memberJan. 1990 - July 1991 - SJT Artistic CoordinatorJuly 1991 - Jan. 1995 - SJT Artistic DirectorJan. 1995 to Jan 2007 - SJT Managing DirectorFeb 2007 to June 2011 - SJT Executive DirectorJuly 1, 2011 - Emeritus, San Jose Taiko Founder2012 to present - SJT Tour Lighting Technical DirectorStudent Administrative Director, Asian American Studies & Asian American EOP, San Jose State University (1970–74)Youth Coordinator (RAB), Buddhist Churches of America (1971–72)Japanese American Citizens League, National office, Textbook evaluation project (1975)Administrative Director, Pacific/Asian Coalition - National Pacific/Asian American Mental Health Organization, San Francisco (1976–78)Business manager/Partner, Yamaguma & Associates, Graphic Design (1978–79)Graphic Design/pre-press production manager, Jim’s Printing (1980-1983)Graphic Artist/Typesetter/Desktop publishing/Production Manager, Communicart (1984–95)Aug. 1982-Feb. 1983 - Toured & studied with KODO, U.S. & Japan tour (residency and studies on Sado Island, Japan)Sept./Oct. 1987 - Studied and performed with Ondekoza, Japan tour (Demon Drummers of Nagasaki, Japan)Fall 1989 - Assisted with the use of the taiko in the ACT/George Coates Performance Works production of Right Mind, San Francisco, CAOct./Nov. 1990 - Performed in the play "Oedipus the King" under San Jose Repertory Theater, directed by Timothy Near, San Jose, CAJune 1991 - Directed collaboration project with SJT and Kenny Endo, Russel Baba, Jeanne Mercer & Margaret Wingrove Dance Co., San Jose, CA, funded by the MAP FundFebruary 1992 - Produced the collaboration project with SJT, Brenda Aoki and Mark Izu, "Soul of the Great Bell", Montgomery Theater, San Jose, CA, funded by the MAP FundMarch 1993 - Co-directed collaboration project with SJT and Mythili Kumar and the Abhinaya Dance CompanySeptember 1993 - Directed the 20th Anniversary program for San Jose Taiko, which included the guest artists Keith Terry, Crosspulse, Yoshikazu & Yoko Fujimoto of Kodo, and Yasuko Takakubo of Ondekoza.December 1993 - Performed at Carnegie Hall, New York with SJT and OndekozaApril 1994 - Collaboration with San Jose Dance Theater, Zakir Hussain, SJTApril 1994 - The Arsenio Hall Show, Burbank, CASeptember 1994 - Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, Las Vegas, NVJanuary 1996 - Coordinated Northern California tour for Warabi-zaJuly 1996 - Musical accompaniment to performance artist Dan Kwong, Contemporary Asian Theater Scene, San Jose StageSeptember 1996 - Collaboration with Anthony Brown, Mark Izu, Qi-Chao Liu, Marco Lienhard in "Traditions in Transformation," Villa Montalvo, Saratoga, CA, funded by the MAP Fund1997 North American Taiko Conference, workshop presenter, panelist, speaker, Japanese American Cultural Community Center, Los Angeles, CAAugust 1997 - Extasia, Asano Taiko Festival, Matto City, Japan1997/98 - Collaboration with Motofumi Yamaguchi of Kodo, Shohei Kikuchi of Warabiza & SJT, funded by Meet The Composer International Collaborations1998 - "Big Bands Behind Barbed Wire: Jazz & Justice" with Jon Jang, Mark Izu, Anthony Brown, Frances Wong, Qi-Chao Liu & others1998-2002 - Produced the SJT Summer Music Series1999 North American Taiko Conference, workshop presenter, panelist, speaker, Taiko Jam Concert, Japanese American Cultural Community Center, Los Angeles, CASpring 2000 - Sonos Ensemble collaboration with Jaron Lanier as the composer2001 North American Taiko Conference, workshop panelist, speaker, Community Forum curator, opening and closing session curator, Japanese American Cultural Community Center, Los Angeles, CAContinental Harmony, PBS video special, November 20012003 North American Taiko Conference, workshop presenter, panelist, speaker, Community Forum curator, opening and closing session curator, Cal State University Sacramento, Sacramento, CAOctober 2003 - SJT 30th Anniversary with SF Taiko Dojo & Kinnara Taiko, Center for the Performing Arts, San Jose, CA; Zellerbach Auditorium, Berkeley, CA, Japan America Theater, Los Angeles, CA2005 North American Taiko Conference, workshop panelist, speaker, Community Forum curator, opening and closing session curator, Japanese American Cultural Community Center, Los Angeles, CAJune 2006 - Creative Connections grant from Meet the Composers, SPOT Program, Hancher Auditorium, University of Iowa2007 Taiko – Awakening of the Spirit Conference, Crestone, CO2007 North American Taiko Conference, workshop panelist, speaker, Community Forum curator, opening and closing session curator, Taiko Jam Concert, University of Washington, Seattle, WASeptember 2008 Co-directed SJT’s 35th Anniversary concert program, San Jose, CA2009 North American Taiko Conference, workshop presenter, panelist, speaker, Community Forum curator, opening and closing session curator, Japanese American Cultural Community Center, Los Angeles, CA2011 North American Taiko Conference, workshop presenter, panelist, speaker, Community Forum curator, opening and closing session curator, local conference planning group, Stanford University, Stanford, CA2012 East Coast Taiko Conference, workshop presenter, Wesleyan University, Wesleyan, CTYoshi's Jazz Club, 40th Anniversary, Flip Side of Yoshi's. Performed with Yoshi Akiba and Judith Kajiwara, San Francisco, CA, October 2012PJ and Roy were featured entertainment at the Independent Sector 2012 Awards Dinner in San Francisco, CA, November 20122013 East Coast Taiko Conference, workshop presenter, Brown University, Providence, RILecture: Taiko: The Role and Impact of its Reverberations. Japan Foundation, Toronto, Canada, February 2013Kodo Arts Sphere America (KASA), workshop presenter, Los Angeles, CA, June 2013Hancher Auditorium ground breaking dedication with San Jose Taiko and Rinde Eckert, University of Iowa, June 2013Asano Taiko US grand opening, workshop presenter, Torrance, CA, July 2013Taiko Baka, workshop presenter, Sacramento, CA, August 2013Valley of the Heart play by Luis Valdez, El Teatro Campesino, music sound scape and themes, composer and performer, August 2013, San Juan Bautista, CASan Jose Taiko 40th Anniversary Concert, Center for the Performing Arts, San Jose, CA, October 2013Master Class, Skidmore College Music Department, Saratoga Springs, NY, February 20142014 East Coast Taiko Conference, workshop presenter, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY2014 Japanese American Citizens League National Convention workshop panelist, “Breaking the Mold”, San Jose, CAWorld Taiko Gathering, workshop presenter, July 2014, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CAValley of the Heart play by Luis Valdez, El Teatro Campesino, music sound scape and themes, composer and performer, September 2014, San Juan Bautista, CAArt Activism Then and Now, panel discussion, Doishisha University, Kyoto, Japan, November 20142015 East Coast Taiko Conference, workshop presenter, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY2015 Intercollegiate Taiko Invitational, workshop presenter, lecturer, UC Irvine, Irvine, CA2015 North American Taiko Conference, workshop presenter, Leadership Forum curator, Taiko Jam Concert Producer, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NVAlliance for California Traditional Arts Roundtable Gathering, performance and interview, Mexican Heritage Plaza, San Jose, August 2015California Arts Council 40th Anniversary Celebration, Crest Theatre, January 2016, Sacramento, CAValley of the Heart play by Luis Valdez, El Teatro Campesino, music sound scape and themes, composer and performer, February 2016, San Jose Stage Co, San Jose, CACentennial Anniversary Gala for Hakone Gardens, September 2016, Saratoga, CA2017 East Coast Taiko Conference, workshop presenter, Taiko Talk presenter, Brown University, Providence, RIPresident Judy Sakaki Investiture, April 2017, Sonoma State University2017 Smithsonian FolkLife Festival, On The Move, Washington DChttp://festival.si.edu/2017/on-the-move/pj-and-roy-hirabayashi/smithsonian
2017 Taiko Jam ’17 Line Producer, North American Taiko Conference, UC San Diego, San Diego, CA2017 Lecture/Discussion leader, Stage Production, North American Taiko Conference, UC San Diego, San Diego, CAFree Spirit (1983)Weaving Drums (1986)Hachijo/Noto, co-written with PJ Hirabayashi (1987)Miyoshi no Ki, co-written with PJ Hirabayashi (1987)Bamboo Drums, co-written with PJ Hirabayashi (1990)Reflections (1991)Insight Through Sound, co-written with San Jose Taiko, (1991)Celebration, co-written with PJ Hirabayashi (1992)Nana-Shi (1992)Spirit of Adventure (1993)Stompin (1996)Kin Moku, co-written with Karen Morita (1997)PJ's Song, jazz instrumental ballad piece for the Michael Sasaki Band (1999)SJT encore arrangement (2000)SJT Encore arrangement (2001)"Roycore” (2005)Moving Times (commissioned by Portland Taiko) 2004San Jose Taiko Group, Bamboo Brew Productions, 1978;Jon Jang, "Are You Chinese or Charlie Chan?" Wazo's March, 1984, RPM RecordsSan Jose Taiko 15th Anniversary Concert, October 1988, Sokai AudioSan Jose Taiko, Insight Through Sound, March 1991, Sokai AudioSan Jose Taiko, Kodama, Echoes of the Soul, September 1993, SJTSan Jose Taiko, Moichi-Do, One More Time, January 1996, SJT/Sokai AudioAnthony Brown, Family, Asian Improv Records, 1996San Jose Taiko, Video recording, March 1998San Jose Taiko, “Rhythm Journey”, April 2005San Jose Taiko, “Celebrating 3 Decades” DVD, April, 2007San Jose Taiko, “35th Anniversary” DVD, September, 2009City of San Jose, Mayors Task force on Multicultural Arts Development,“Vision 2000”, September 1991Japantown/Corporation Yard Task Force, City of San Jose, 1999Review panel for the Japantown Corporation Yard Developers selection, San Jose Redevelopment Agency, 2005“Big Drum, Taiko in the US”, Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, 2004–05San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs cultural exchange trip to Cambridge, UK, April 2007Mexican Heritage Plaza Steering Committee member, 2009 to May 2011, City of San JoseArts Plan Advancement Team, San Jose’s Cultural Vision for 2040, 2009–10Advisory Committee on Permanent Governance for the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza, October 2011 to May 2013East Bay Japanese for Action (EBJA), Berkeley (1970 to 1973)Founding organization for J-Sei http://j-sei.org/
Asians for Community Action, San Jose (1971 to 1974)Japanese American Citizens League, San Jose ChapterAsian Americans for Community Involvement, Santa Clara County (1973 to 1975)Kodo America, Board of Directors (1988 to 1990)North American Taiko Conference, Advisory Council (1995 to 2013)http://taikocommunityalliance.org/natc/
Western Arts Alliance (WAA) Board of Directors (1998 to 2001)http://westarts.org/
Kodo Arts Sphere America (KASA) founding member & Board of Director (2001 to 2002)http://www.kodoarts.org/
First Voice, board member (multicultural arts coalition, San Jose) (2004 to 2008)Artsopolis, Board of Governors (2004 to 2010)http://www.artsopolis.com/
Japantown Community Congress of San Jose, board member (2004 to present)https://www.facebook.com/JCCsj/
1stACT Silicon Valley founding member, San Jose (2004 to 2013)North American Taiko Conference Executive Committee Chairperson (2005 to 2013)http://taikocommunityalliance.org/natc/
California Lawyers for the Arts/Arts Arbitration & Mediation Services mediator (2004 to present)https://www.calawyersforthearts.org/arts-arbitration--mediation-services.html
American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley (ALFSV), Class XVIII, Senior Fellow (2006 to present)http://www.alfsv.org/
Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute (APALI) Senior Fellow (2007 to present)http://www.apali.org/
Multicultural Arts Leadership Institute (MALI), founder/advisor (2007 to present)http://schoolofartsandculture.org/community-access/mali-program/
http://www.malisv.org/about
Japantown Community Congress of San Jose Board President (2011 to 2013)https://www.facebook.com/JCCsj/
California Japanese American Community Leadership Council, board member (2011 to present)School of Arts & Culture, Mexican Heritage Plaza, board member (2013 to present)http://schoolofartsandculture.org/
Taiko Community Alliance, founding & board member (2013 to 2015)http://taikocommunityalliance.org/
Isadora Duncan Izzies Award, Sound/Score/Music/Text, Bay Area Dance, 1991Nomination for the Isadora Duncan Izzies Award, Outstanding Achievement in Performance for a Company, Bay Area Dance, 1993Chevron & Management Center, Award for Excellence, December 19931994 Arts Council of Santa Clara County award for community leadership for efforts to foster cultural and ethnic diversity in the artsYu-Ai Kai Cultural Award, 1997Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI) Arts Community Star Award, 2003Project Cornerstone Award for Positive Cultural Identity. 2003Preservation Action Council of San Jose, for the work in Japantown, San Jose, 20042005 Community Activists Award, Silicon Valley Asian Pacific American Democratic Club4th Tokyo International Taiko Contest, Judge, Tokyo, Japan, October 20055th Tokyo International Taiko Contest, Judge, Tokyo, Japan, August 2006Nikkei Matsuri Community Recognition Award, San Jose, May 2007San Jose Japanese American Citizens League Community Recognition Award, Oct 2007Yu-Ai Kai Akira Kamiya Award, November 2009Japan Consulate General Foreign Minister’s Commendation to San Jose Taiko, October 2010National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship in Folk and Traditional Arts, September 2011http://arts.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/roy-and-pj-hirabayashi?id=2011_07&type=bio
https://www.arts.gov/audio/roy-and-pj-hirabayashi
San Jose Japanese American Citizens League Community Recognition award, 2011San Jose Nihonmachi Outreach Committee Appreciation Award, February 2012Japanese Consul General's Certificate of Commendation for community service, September 2012Silicon Valley Creates (formerly Arts Council Silicon Valley) 2014 Legacy Laureatehttp://www.svlaureates.org/artist/roy-hirabayashi/
National Japanese American Citizens League 2014 Japanese American of the Biennium awardhttp://www.rafu.com/2014/07/national-jacl-convention-award-recipients-named/
American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley, John W. Gardner Leadership Award, April 2015http://alfsv.org/
Community Trailblazer Award, Asian Americans for Community Involvement, September 2016http://support.aaci.org/better-together-honorees
2016 Cornerstone of the Arts, San Jose Arts Commission and Office of Cultural Affairshttp://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?NID=4486
http://www.sanjoseinfo.org/external/content/document/1914/2870674/1/Cornerstone%20of%20the%20Arts%20Press%20Release%208-1-16.pdf
2016 Bunka Hall of Fame, Hokka Nichi Bei Kai, Japanese American Association of Northern Californiahttp://www.nichibeikai.org/page2/index.html
2017 Apprentice Program Master Artist, Alliance of California Traditional Arts (ACTA)http://www.actaonline.org/content/roy-hirabayashi
2017 Japanese American Leadership Delegation (JALD), US-Japan Councilhttp://www.usjapancouncil.org/jald
Leadership 2000, Arts Management Seminar, Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild October 1994Arts Resolution Services Mediation Training, California Lawyers for the Arts, February 1995Facilitative Leadership Training, California Lawyers for the Arts & Interaction Institute for Social Change, November 1995Arts Leadership for the Future, The Management Center / Packard Foundation, 2002Arts Enterprise Forum, The Management Center / Packard Foundation, 2003Arts Leadership for the Future #3, 2004/05Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders – Arts, National Arts Strategies and the Center for Social Innovation and the Stanford Graduate Business School, June 2006Arts Arbitration & Mediation Services Orientation & Refresher Training, March 2008 California Lawyers for the ArtsCenter for Excellence in Nonprofits, Executive Director Roundtable Program, April 2008Executive Program Nonprofit Leaders Next Step Conference, Center for Social Innovation, Stanford Graduate School of Business, April 2009National Arts Marketing Project Boot Camp, San Francisco, July 2009National Arts Marketing Project Conference, Providence, RI, Oct 2009National Arts Marketing Project Conference, San Jose, CA, Nov 2010James P. Shannon Leadership Institute, St. Paul, MN, 2011San Jose Prepared Community Emergency Response Team, Dec 2012GenArts Silicon Valley Mentorship Program, mentor, 2013Arts Council of Santa Clara County, Community Arts Fund panelCalifornia Arts Council, Arts Services/Presenters/Arts Education panelNational Endowment for the Arts, Advancement Phase One panelSan Francisco Arts Commission, Mid-size Organization panelMeet The Composer, International Creative Collaborations panelOakland Cultural Affairs, Advancement Review panelSan Francisco Arts Commission, Cultural Equity Initiatives program, Level 2 panelCity of Austin Cultural Arts Division, Music Project Support I & IICalifornia Arts Council, Creative California Communities panelSilicon Valley Creates, Artists Laureate panelCalifornia Arts Council, Cultural Pathways panelArticles/Publications
“Taiko”, by Cindy Tong, Bridge: An Asian American Perspective, April 1979“Ethnicity of the Sansei: an Ethnographic Study of Cultural Revitalization Movements in a Japanese American Community in San Jose, California”, by Kazuhiro Ebuchi, Fukuoka, Kyoiku University, March, 1981“Taiko”, by Susan Hayase, East Wind, Winter/Spring 1985“Learning Taiko in America”, Masters Program in Area Studies, by Chie Otsuka, University of Tsukuba, January 14, 1997Taikology Biannual, #16, May 16, 1998Newsweek Japan, The International Newsmagazine, July 24, 2002, by Amy Webb“Learning Together: Practice, Pleasure and Identity In A Taiko Drumming World”, PhD dissertation by Kimberly Powell, School of Education, Stanford University, June 2003“Sounds and Sights of Power: Ensemble Taiko Drumming (kumidaiko) Pedagogy in California and the Conceptualization of Power”, dissertation by Mark Tusler, Music Department, June 2003“Thinking Taiko: A San Jose Taiko Perspective, An interview with PJ Hirabayashi and Roy Hirabayashi” by Linda Uyechi, Asia Society, New York, Sept 2005“The Way of Taiko” by Heidi Varian, Stone Bridge Press, 2005“The Big Drum”, Japanese American National Museum, DVD, 2005Discover Nikkei article by Sojin Kim, September 2011http://www.discovernikkei.org/en/journal/2011/9/29/pj-roy-hirabayashi/
California Arts Council ArtWorks article, September 2011Nichi Bei Times article by Jessica Savage, September 26, 2011http://www.nichibei.org/2011/09/a-tribute-to-pioneers-of-taiko-movement-in-u-s-pj-and-roy-hirabayashi/
NEA audio podcast, August 25, 2011http://arts.gov/audio/roy-and-pj-hirabayashi
Nick Spitzer, American Routes, November 23, 2011http://www.prx.org/pieces/67359-a-conversation-with-roy-and-pj-hirabayashi
California Arts Council 40th Anniversary concerthttp://arts.ca.gov/news/prdetail.php?id=221
Content, Silicon Valley’s Innovative and Creative Culture, “Profiles”, issue 8.4, Nov/Dec 2016Talk Story, Smithsonian Center for Folk Life and CultureRemembering E.O. 9066: San Jose Taiko on Musical and Historical Resonances, February 22, 2017, Sojin Kim
http://www.festival.si.edu/blog/2017/remembering-e-o-9066-san-jose-taiko-on-musical-and-historical-resonances
Smithsonian FolkLife Festival, On the Move, June 29 to July 3, 2017http://festival.si.edu/2017/on-the-move/pj-and-roy-hirabayashi/smithsonian
Playing for Community, Nichi Bei, April 1, 2017http://www.nichibei.org/2017/04/playing-for-community-san-jose-taiko-founders-p-j-and-roy-hirabayashi/
Library of Congress, American Folklife Center, Smithsonian FolkLife Festival, July 2017http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=7952&loclr=eanw
PBS KQED Spark feature, July 2008“This Is Us”, PBS, KTEH, San Jose, May 2009http://blogs.kqed.org/thisisus/2011/11/10/profile-roy-and-p-j-hirabayashi-san-jose-taiko/
Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, 2005http://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/585/
Densho, the Japanese American Legacy Project, 2011http://www.densho.org/archive/default.asp?path=register.asp