Wadaiko Yamato is a Japanese musical group of taiko drummers founded in 1993 by Masa Ogawa.In Japanese, the word "wadaiko" translates as "Japanese drum" and "Yamato" was the former name of the city of Nara, the group's birthplace. Since its creation, the group has made over one thousand live performances to over one million people in more than 20 countries in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The group's international debut occurred in 1998 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where the group was awarded the "Sprit of the Fringe" award. The following year, the group embarked on three international tours, covering South America, six countries in Europe, and Israel.On September 28 and 29, 2007 the Wadaiko Yamato musical group performed at the 2007 Universal Forum of Cultures in Monterrey, Mexico.