Our Founder

The Taiko Center of Los Angeles was founded by Reverend Shuichi Thomas Kurai in January 1997. Rev. Kurai, a Zen Buddhist priest, was born in Mie Prefecture, Japan and raised in Los Angeles.  He is the current abbot of Sozenji Buddhist Temple in Montebello, California.

"Rev. Tom" has performed and taught taiko in the United States and Japan for 30 years.  He has been a member and has led several taiko groups in the Los Angeles area and in Japan as well since 1975.

From 1980 to 1983, Rev. Tom studied and performed with Takeko Sudo sensei, director of the Japan Folkloric Dance Group in Tokyo, Japan.

Beginning and intermediate taiko classes are taught through the Taiko Center of Los Angeles at various locations in the community.   (See class schedule.)  Rev. Tom also teaches in public and private schools and is a lecturer in Taiko Ensemble through the University of Riverside Music Department.  He also teaches taiko as music therapy to patients at the Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino, CA.

Rev. Tom has composed taiko music for various kumi (group taiko) daiko as well as for feature films, recordings, plays, modern and traditional dance and video games.  He has received the Los Angeles Dramalogue, L.A. Weekly, the Inland Leaue Theatre Award for best musical performance in llive theatre and the Lester Horton award for outstanding acheivement in music for dance in 2004.