Seidō Kobayashi

Seidō Kobayashi (小林正道, Kobayashi Seidō) is the founder and current leader of the Tokyo-based taiko group, Oedo Sukeroku Taiko. Under Kobayashi's leadership, his taiko group, founded in 1959, was the first to tour professionally. He is considered a master performer of taiko. Kobayashi was well known for attempting to assert intellectual control of the group's performance style, which many believe has influenced taiko performance among many groups, particularly in North America.