PJ Hirabayashi is a San Francisco Bay Area native, taiko artist, and founding member of San Jose Taiko in 1973. She helped guide SJT’s organizational development, holistic philosophy, and creative energy in movement, dance, and drumming. She is a pioneer of North American taiko and known for her distinctive performance and teaching style. She received the National Endowment for the Arts “National Heritage Fellowship for Folk and Traditional Arts” in 2011. “TaikoPeace” is her present focus dedicated to promoting a culture of peace through dance and taiko’s vibrant energy.