Drums Of Noto Hanto - Tapa dura

Each year a festival is held on the sea coast of Japan commemorating a true event of 1576; The Drums of Noto Hanto presents the history then and now In a story that cries out to be performed the people of Nabune Japan on the Noto Hanto coast cleverly save their village from invading samurai by frightening the enemy away with masks and fires on the beach and... drums. From their ships the samurai believe that evil spirits are attacking them but it is a marvellous trick that children will recognise as one they might play. And here is a glory of this dramatic book: It invites play and participation. Small and giant drum sounds - titi tiki podo pada podo pada ko to ko to don kada don kada don don don - pervade the telling. Children will join in. Another glory is the artwork cut-paper "paintings" unlike any you've seen; they seem to swell with sound themselves conveying the beauty of seaside landscape the high-spirited action of the characters the drama of the facts.

This book is based on a visit to Noto Hanto to meet the descendants of the original villagers who performed "go jinyo daiko", which is a festival using drums and masks. The book invites children to play and participate in the storytelling through drum and rhythm participation.