CAPA presents the Kodo Drummers of Japan at the Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St., on March 21, at 8 p.m.

The Kodo Drummers of Japan are centered on the Japanese drum or “taiko.” Since ancient times, the taiko has been a symbol of community — serving as a link between people, as well as a link between people and the heavens. On the “One Earth Tour,” Kodo brings the sound of the taiko to global audiences.

More than 35 years ago, a group of young people in Japan yearned for a new way to live. Disappointed with the direction of modern Japanese society and eager to rediscover traditional roots and values, they left their busy urban cultures and travelled north to the remote Sado Island in the Sea of Japan.

There, they found a home in an abandoned schoolhouse by the sea and began to play the world's oldest instrument, the drum or “taiko.” To build endurance, they woke before dawn and ran long distances through the bamboo forests and rice fields. Surrounded by Sado Island's rich performing arts traditions, they began to study other instruments as well — the shamisen, koto, and shakuhachi. They explored dance, song, and stagecraft along with the taiko's limitless depth and range.

Their numbers grew, years passed, and they practiced and trained body and soul. In time, Sado Island's unique culture, its four powerful seasons, and great natural beauty found expression in their art. They called themselves Kodo, which means “heartbeat” and also “children of the drum.”

Kodo debuted on the world stage at the Berlin Festival in 1981, and have since delivered more than 3,100 performances in more than 45 countries from war-torn Croatia to New York's Carnegie Hall. For more information, visit www.kodo.or.jp.

Tickets are $40, $30, and $20 at the Ohio Theatre Ticket Office, 39 E. State St., all Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase tickets by phone, call 614-469-0939.