Artist Profile
Atoa.A Japanese drum unit formed by Tokio Takahashi and Akira Takahashi.
Following the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, they left the world-renowned Japanese drum team Kodo and returned to their hometown of Sendai to form Atoa.
In 2011, they performed with Tsukamoto Reijiro, a Noh actor designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property. In 2016, they appeared in a stage production directed by Noda Hideo at the Roppongi Hills Arena. They also collaborated with actress Rie Miyazawa and the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra.
In 2017, they performed at Kyoto Nijo Castle with Takako Matsu and EGO-WRAPPIN's, Yoshie Nakano.
In 2018, they collaborated with singer-songwriter Ken Kamikita on the stage production The Garment of Life, creating a new world using Japanese drums, vocals, and electronic sound sources.
On New Year's Day 2020, they performed as the main guest at the opening ceremony of the JFA 99th Japan Football Championship at the National Stadium.
They performed in front of approximately 75,000 spectators.
In 2021, they performed at the Otsuki Noh Theater in Osaka with director Kōhei Nakadachi and others in a production of Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix: The Strange Tale. The stage was enhanced with projections, and the production faithfully reproduced Tezuka's original artwork, receiving positive reviews. They also served as the musical director for the production.
As a team, they will celebrate their 15th anniversary in 2026, based in Sendai City while touring nationwide and internationally for performances. They collaborate with other genres, explore musical expression, and plan and operate various events, expanding the scope of Japanese drum performance and their activities, with expectations for further growth.
Genre: World, J-PopActive Area: Sendai, MiyagiOrigin: Sendai, MiyagiStart Year: 2011
MEMBER
Tokio Takahashi
Akira Takahashi