Current Members
Hi, nice to meet you! I’m Arine, a first year here at Cal studying Mathematics. After years & years of musical theater and orchestra (violin supremacy!!), I decided to leave performing behind - but watching Cal Raijin by chance changed that instantly. The energy, excitement, and general good vibes from the team were so contagious that I had to audition even with no taiko experience, and here we are! I’m immensely grateful to have joined the team and partake in the hard work, passion, and silly shenanigans of my fellow members <33
Outside of taiko, I enjoy thrifting, bad puns, going on boba runs, ranting about Star Wars, procrastinating, and singing. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope to see you at our next performance!
Arine Alam
Generation 19
Hello! Gio is a third year student at Cal studying Environmental Earth Science and Conservation and Resource Studies. If he is not at taiko, you probably won’t guess where he could be given how indecisive (and lazy) he is. If he does decide on something to do, it’s probably playing video games with family and friends, sewing, or thrifting and having good food. Catch him always trying to have a good time!
Gio Bernal
Generation 17
Halle is a third-year studying Comparative Literature and Education. She was born and raised in Southern California (626 baby!) Taiko has since become a big part of her life and a connector to her Japanese-American roots. She is excited to continue learning and having fun with Cal Raijin! When she's not playing, she's probably perusing the aisles of a new bookstore, watching (and rewatching) Studio Ghibli movies, or having an existential crisis.
Halle Fukawa
Generation 17
Hihihi! Me llamo Yasmin (*・‿・)ノ⌒*:･ﾟ✧ I'm a sophomore studying MCB and (maybe?) minoring in Japanese. A fun fact I guess is that I was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil guau, BUT I am a socal kid ✌( ͡° ε ͡°). Anyways, I frickin love love LOVE taiko and the people in Raijin
( ˶˘ ³˘(˵ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°˵)♡ Aside from taiko though, I also enjoy drawing (in my nonexistant spare time), crying to any and all Ghibli movies, stuffing my face with yummy food, doing spontaneous activities, going on late night drives, MATCHA, learning how to cook (but somehow ending up with alt meat-looking pancakes...) and sometimes having mid-life crises
o͡͡͡͡͡͡╮༼;´༎ຶ.̸̸̸̸̸̸̸̸̸̸̸̸̸̸̨̨̨̨̨̨̨.̸̸̨̨ ༎ຶ༽╭o͡͡͡͡͡͡,
Yasmin Fukushima
Generation 18
Hi everyone! My name is Momo and I'm a 4th year MCB major. Taiko is something I heard a lot growing up but never did I imagine that I would join a collegiate taiko group! After hearing the older members play Sazanami during our first day of tryouts, I was so mesmerized that I felt like I had to join the group. Being in an ensemble-based group is very fresh to me and I really appreciate how Raijin allows for me to express myself freely. Raijin has become a second home to me and I truly think that joining Raijin was one of the best decisions I made!
In my free time, I am a big fan of drawing, crafting, playing games (Enstars, HSR, Genshin, etc.), figure skating, reading mangas/ manhwas/ manhuas/ webnovels, terrorizing Raijin members (affectionately), biting bachis, and questioning whether it's too late to buy a switch (maybe if Gen 5 Pokemon remakes get released \(^ヮ^)/).
Momo Hlaing
Generation 18
Hihi! My name is Mikki and I’m a second year from Manhattan Beach, California (SoCal Supremacy let’s go!!! ๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵) Playing taiko is a total dream come true because I’ve always wanted to try after being exposed to it at Japanese summer festivals! Now it’s my happy place because well… big drum hit ooga booga big sound rawr + good for mental and physical health<333 (no taiko isn’t killing my knee, it’s great♪) Before playing taiko, I played western classical music for 17 years, mainly on violin and piano but tinkling on some other instruments as well:) Outside of taiko I really love going to concerts, trying different teas on rainy days, museum-hopping, and overall just trying new tings. Thanks for getting to know me and I hope we meet in person (maybe at our next performance xD)
Mikki Horiguchi
Generation 18
Adrien Jones
Generation 19
Hi, I'm Kenzo and I'm a fourth-year studying Nutritional Science. Outside of taiko, my hobbies include latte art, cafe hopping, and skateboarding. This summer, I'm also thinking of brewing beer at home but we'll see how that goes... I will be pursuing my Masters in Bioprocess Engineering next fall so will probably be playing taiko for another year!
Kenzo Khoo
Generation 18
Junsuh is finally a fourth-year.
Junsuh Kim
Generation 15
Kylie is a senior from Rocklin, CA majoring in Global Studies and minoring in Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies and Japanese. After some “encouragement” from her mother, she started playing taiko in fifth grade with Placer Ume Taiko and has continued ever since. Having seen one of Cal Raijin Taiko's performances while in high school, once she came to Berkeley, Kylie knew she wanted to join. Now in her fourth and final year with the group, Kylie is continuously grateful that she has gotten to grow and play taiko with Raijin.
Outside of taiko, Kylie spends her time trying to learn languages, watching sports, watching esports, and creating extensive presentations nobody asked for about her interests.
Kylie Kubota
Generation 16
"Hi everyone! My name is Danielle Louie and I am a junior majoring in Data Science and Sustainable Environmental Design! I love being able to share the dynamic and fun energy that taiko has brought to me. Ever since freshman year, Raijin has grown to become a family that I am deeply grateful for.
Outside of taiko, I love taking spontaneous trips, photography, cooking, jopping to bops, doodling, and binging cafe vlogs. Oh, and catching up to the 200+ mangas/manhwas/webtoons that I’m subscribed to.”
Danielle Louie
Generation 17
Hello hello ~ I'm Molly and I am a second-year studying Art History <3
I had never played taiko (or really any instrument) before joining Cal Raijin but I had always heard it at Obon festivals growing up. Taiko has been an outlet for me to engage in my identity as a Japanese-American while also being a really fun space to hang out with my friends! Outside of Raijin, I've recently been really enjoying going on early morning runs, getting overpriced coffee with my roommates, window shopping down Telegraph, and forcing the people around me to watch BOYNEXTDOOR music videos :)
Molly Maseba
Generation 18
Hello everyone!! My name is Zach and I am a 2nd year currently majoring in History. I played taiko when I was very little, but I've always wanted to return to the community. Cal Raijin Taiko is probably the coolest and most exciting thing I've done in college so far, and I'm looking forward to continue playing! In my free time you can find me eating way too many fig bars, watching the Warriors play and the 49ers choke in the playoffs (still mad about the Super Bowl), and going on runs in Berkeley.
Zachary Matsumoto
Generation 19
Hi! I'm Jackson Matsumura (He/Him), a freshman studying Applied Mathematics. I enjoy cooking, thinking about trading card games, and making bad jokes. I joined Raijin because I had done traditional percussion as well as Karate before, but Taiko is so much more than just the intersection between the two.
Have a great day!
Jackson Matsumura
Generation 19
Hi! My name is Sayla Miyoshi and I am a junior Nutritional Science student here at UC Berkeley. I have been playing taiko for over a decade and am so happy to have joined taiko at Cal! Being able to play this amazing art style with so many other passionate players is one of the most fun experiences I’ve had in college. On my free time I like to dance and bake. Thanks for taking the time to get to know me :)
sayla miyoshi
Generation 17
Louisa enjoys terrorizing pigeons, starting collections she'll never complete, and click clacking away with the IPA, for example: [aɪmɪnjɹwɔlz]. She is moving along, with 150% of the forward motion.
louisa ng
Generation 18
Sophia is a first year studying nutritional science with interest in psychology. She has a passion for baking and succulents and loves to swim and play rugby in her free time. Her newfound love for taiko at Berkeley began with the music and continues because of the people she meets!
Sophia Sauter
Generation 19
Hello one, hello all, I’m Adi and I love jamming on any and all objects, to the point that I quit the piano in middle school and picked up the drums. Ever since then, my unbridled love for percussion (and baroque music, somehow) led to me choose between a few music clubs here at UCB and after trying a few things in my first year, I found myself here in Cal Raijin, my home away from home.
Being exposed to western percussion for a good part of my life, taiko is a breath of fresh air and also let me reflect more on the music of my own culture(s) too. I was unsure of joining the club until the older members put on a show during tryouts and I found myself with an urgent need to put myself in the midst of the rhythm, creating it, playing it, and simply vibing. In the end, I just want to hit things in an oddly-specific timed manner, I guess.
Stick hit drum monke brain activate ooga booga
Oh and I also like video games, language exchange, random facts, and being an armchair historian.
Aditya Tripathi
Generation 18
Allan is a Freshman studying Applied Mathematics and Computer Science. He comes from Rancho Palos Verdes in Southern California. Having no prior experience in Taiko, he is very grateful to be apart of the group and to perform. He chose to join after seeing Raijin perform at orientation which made him interested. Outside of Taiko, he enjoys playing volleyball, playing guitar, and spending time with friends. He looks forward to staying with Raijin for the coming years and will work hard to improve throughout!
Allan Tsay
Generation 19
Kohei Tsuchitani
Generation 17
Mizue is a sophomore studying Sustainable Environmental Design and City Planning. She has never played taiko before joining Raijin, but has previous musical experience in classical piano (immense love for Chopin) and flute. You might even find her playing the fue in some Raijin performances! In her free time, Mizue likes to go on spontaneous trips to cafes, parks, nature and museums, manifest over her future travel plans (some came true!), cook, eat, drink tea, make very random artworks, learn about art history, architecture, city planning and sustainable solutions, and lay on the grass on a sunny day :D
Mizue Uemura
Generation 18
Hi everyone! My name is Rachelle and I'm a freshman from Socal studying Molecular and Cellular Biology! Taiko is a newfound love for me since coming to UC Berkeley, but one of those obsessions that only grows stronger with time. My favorite aspect of playing taiko is the energy and excitement shared between the performers and the audience through such a positive connection! I'm so grateful to have found a loving and supportive family in Raijin who have made my first year unforgettable.
Outside of taiko, you'll see me getting boba for the 3rd time in a week, watching musicals, trying random skincare products, stressing out in Doe Library, and taking naps for 3-4 hours minimum.
Rachelle Yang
Generation 19
3rd year undergraduate architecture. Grew up in SoCal SGV (626). I'm bad at introductions or any public speech in general but I like to yap.
Leo Zhang
Generation 17