On Sunday, July 13th, Soh Daiko had the pleasure of performing in the New York Obon, hosted by the New York Buddhist Church!
Obon is an annual Japanese Buddhist festival that honors the spirits of ancestors who are believed to return to visit their loved ones. On this day, we played in remembrance of our beloved former Soh Daiko members—Aichi Kochiyama, Maria Olivas, James Moran, and Choony Lee—whose legacy continues to shape our group today. We are forever grateful.
This year’s Obon was especially meaningful. It marked the first festival since the pandemic, and thanks to the hard work of the Obon committee, it was held for the first time right in our own backyard on 106th Street—hopefully the first of many!
We were also thrilled to be joined by many former Soh Daiko members who helped keep the beat for the Obon odori dancers. A special shoutout to former member Akira Baruah, who jumped in and amazed us with his energetic Matsuri solo!
Thank you to the New York Buddhist Church for hosting this beautiful event, the Obon dancers for teaching us, our friends at Hoh Daiko who traveled all the way from Seabrook, NJ, and to all our friends, family, and supporters who made the day so special. It was truly an unforgettable experience!
Soh Daiko performances are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
