Rieko Shimbo

Rieko Shimbo was born in Tokyo, Japan where she saw Taiko drums at many festivals and community events as a child. She has had a passion for drumming since she was a young girl. Her formal training commenced with participation in Araumaza, a professional Taiko company based in Tokyo that performed folk music and dance in Japan.

Shimbo moved to Reno in 1994 and became a teacher for young children at the Mountain View Montessori School. Three years later, she piloted Reno’s first Taiko drum group, Reno Taiko Tsurunokai, and the group has been growing ever since. The group plays traditional Japanese folk music as well as original songs, and has performed in numerous multicultural festivals and charity events in Northern Nevada. Shimbo's passion, as well as the mission of this group, is to introduce people to the rich culture of Japan by sharing this exciting art form and to create a feeling of community through music.