Birth of a Movement: An interesting branch of the unplugged movement started thirty-eight years ago with a group of young people in Japan.  Disappointed with the direction of modern Japanese society and eager to rediscover traditional roots and values, they left their busy urban cultures behind and traveled north to remote Sado Island, in the Sea of Japan.

They found a home in an abandoned schoolhouse by the sea and began to play the world’s oldest instrument, the drum (taiko).  Soon they added other instruments--the shamisen, koto, and shakuhachi--while exploring dance, song and stagecraft.

The magnificent Kodo Drummers were born.

Their music centers on the taiko drum, which imparts an instant sense of oneness among all who hear it. 

Since their explosion onto the world stage in 1981, they have delivered over 3,100 performances in more than 45 countries. Their One Earth tour is dedicated to spreading a message of shared humanity, environmental awareness, and peace…in short, getting unplugged!

You can learn more about the Kodo Drummers on their website.

You can read more stories like this in the book, Unplugged: How to Disconnect from the Rat Race, Have an Existential Crisis, and Find Meaning and Fulfillment, available in all bookstores and on Amazon.com.

Know someone with an inspiring Success Story? Click on the tab on the left.