YAMATO - The Drummers of Japan

Yamato was founded in Kyoto, Japan in 1995 as an opportunity for young Japanese performing artists to perform and experience the drum & bugle corps activity in the United States. The first corps took the field in 1997 and completed its first North American tour with a mixture of both Japanese and American performers. After achieving finalst status in Drum Corps International's Division 2 & 3 finals in 1998, Yamato filed for and was approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in the state of California, under the name "Yamato Youth Arts Association, Inc." Since then, Yamato has catered to over 400 young musicians in both the United States and Japan, giving them the opportunity to perform and compete in a multi-cultural environment.