Northwest Namu Kai Taiko was formed about 1983 out of an independent adult fellowship for those interested in learning more about Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. Looking for an additional novel activity to increase membership, the group started playing taiko. Taiko was just starting to emerge in North America and it drew the group's interest because of it's significance to Buddhism and the Japanese American community. It was a very exciting and dynamic art form.

The minister of the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Church, who started and advised the group, gave the group its name Namu Kai, taking the word "namu" from the Buddhist chant "Namu Amida Butsu" and "kai" meaning group. He wanted the name to reflect an individual's sense of knowing themselves and their ability to expand their spirit in a way that is true to them. The kanji character used for Namu translates to "accept me as I am".

The group began to study taiko under Sue Taoka, who at the time had the most experience in playing taiko. She taught the group for a short time and from there, the bulk of the teaching was a group effort led by several former members from Seattle Taiko. The fledgling group participated in workshops and were in contact with other groups on the West Coast who shared their expertise with them. As with all groups in North America, Northwest Namu Kai Taiko's emerging style was influenced by Sensei Seiichi Tanaka of San Francisco Taiko blending his martial arts movement in form and stance with their own.

In those beginning days, the group's practices consisted of beating out songs on old tires until they were able to make enough drums. Their first performance was on the second story of a Seattle Japanese restaurant in 1984.

The membership eventually grew away from the Buddhist influence, evolved into a performance-orientated group, and in 1994, formally changed the name of the group to Northwest Taiko. However, the group still maintains the basic philosophy of striving not only to expand our own spirit but to learn more about our cultural heritage and to promote a strong Asian American cultural awareness through the traditional Japanese art form of drumming. Our motto is "Spirit is the integrity of the group." The group performs annually at major arts and cultural events throughout the Pacific Northwest. They have also performed in Canada, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana.

Northwest Taiko is made up of members with very diverse backgrounds and careers. We not only enjoy the opportunity of community contact our performances bring and the power of the drums but we also enjoy each other. History by Charlotte Ohashi, April 2002