Collaborative Initiative with Sado City
Exadon is an innovative fitness program with two main purposes: health promotion and preventive healthcare. Launched on Sado Island in 2014, the initiative is centered around enjoying taiko (traditional Japanese drums), performing arts, and physical activity. The name Exadon combines three words: “exercise,” “Sado,” an island in the Sea of Japan, and the sound of beating a taiko drum, “don.”
The program commenced with a trial session, which was attended by members of the Sado City Council of Social Welfare, taking part as monitors. Next, we sought participants from the general public on Sado Island and the first public Exadon workshop welcomed 29 participants. The 2014 launch also featured the inaugural "Exadon Supporter Development Course," which was conducted to increase preventive care in the community and raise awareness and support for the program.
In 2015, we held a second preventive care event "Exadon Supporter Development Course" and created a new course for senior citizens, "Exadon Taiko Classes," which served as a preventive care and public awareness initiative. Every participant had their physical strength and cognitive function measured at the first and last class of the course. At the beginning and end of each class, the participants were also asked to measure their blood pressure and complete health-related self-assessments, so we could track added content for flow data.
Eating balanced meals is also important for dementia prevention, so Shiosai Clinic Assistant Director Dr. Takako Morimoto devised "Exadon Eats" as a dietary companion to the taiko (exercise) program. In 2015, our team ran the "Exadon Eats Idea Contest" to raise public awareness about good eating habits, share healthy recipes with the community, and gather menu suggestions from Sado Island citizens. The entries were judged by Exadon's creators and instructors and used to further develop the Exadon Eats menu.
2015
1
Exadon Supporter Training Course
Dates: Oct.–Dec. 2015
Total of 6 seminars and 3 intergenerational exchange sessions
Participants: 22 people
Content:
1. Orientation, lectures
2. Warm up
Stretching
3. Walking, etc.
4. Taiko practice 1, 2, 3
2
Exadon Taiko Classes
Dates: July–Dec. 2015
Total of 13 sessions
Participants: 14 people
Content:
1. Warm up
Stretching
Walking, etc.
2. Taiko practice 1, 2, 3
3. Cool down
First and last session only
● Measurement of physical strength (standing on one leg with eyes open, grip strength)
● Measurement of blood pressure (before and after class), etc.
First session only
● Lecture
● Exadon Eats tasting
● Information about dementia
2016
In 2016, Kodo Cultural Foundation, Dr. Yoshinori Morimoto of Shiosai Clinic, and Sado City intensified their cooperation while furthering the Exadon Supporter Training Course and Exadon Taiko Classes. Sado City worked to make Exadon a cross-sectional initiative as part of the island's municipal comprehensive policy. The Kodo Group recognized the value of Exadon and focused on strengthening its various components by designing an instructor system and qualification scheme, as well as systematizing the Exadon method. Also, Kodo spearheaded the creation of a framework to ensure Exadon's principles and activities would be shared correctly.
The Exadon team also carried out research on fitness programs for adults that promote taiko and health, as well as mental health programs that couple taiko and medical care. In addition, staff began developing live-in health tourism programs centered around two community outreach facilities near Kodo Village: Sado Island Taiko Centre and Fukaura Schoolhouse.