PJ Hirabayashi

Artist Director Emeritus

PJ Hirabayashi, a Bay Area native, is a founding member of SJT and the group's Artistic Director Emeritus. Considered a pioneer of North American taiko, she is recognized in the international taiko community for her distinctive performance and teaching styles that combine movement, dance, drumming, joy, and energy. She helped develop SJT's unique playing style and holistic philosophy, which is emulated by other taiko organizations around the globe.

PJ, along with her husband Roy, received the 2011 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship Award for their lifelong contributions to the art form of North American taiko.

Her new project, TaikoPeace, is a movement dedicated to unleashing creativity and healing the human spirit through the dynamic energy of taiko.