"Not Even Cancer Can Stop My Stage"... 85-Year-Old Oldest Drummer Grandma [Japan Insight]

Born in 1940, Wakako Kurata
Started learning drums at 72... Now the oldest active drummer
Overcame stage 3 colon cancer and chemotherapy
Practices intensely every day to master Led Zeppelin's full song

Mr. Kurata playing the drums. SNS capture

Personally, the instrument I most want to learn is the drums. I used to think, "If I start learning now instead of when I was young, my sense will be duller-is it too late?" However, this week in Japan, an 85-year-old grandmother who learned to play drums in her seventies and now performs as a drummer became a sensation. Hearing her story made me realize that age truly does not matter when starting something new. This week, let me share the story of Wakako Kurata, Japan’s oldest drummer at 85, who says her youth began the moment she picked up the drumsticks.

Facebook profile picture of Wakako Kurata. Wakako Kurata Facebook.

The Most Radiant Age Is When You Take on a Challenge... Picking Up Drumsticks at 72

Ms. Kurata was born in 1940. She uses the stage name "Chababa," which was actually created by her grandson. He was supposed to call her "Obachan" (grandmother), but he couldn't pronounce it properly and kept calling her "Chaba" instead. That's where the name comes from. Wanting a name as unique as Lady Gaga, she added an extra syllable to make it "Chababa." Even the process of creating her stage name shows her cheerful personality.

Ms. Kurata spent years searching for a hobby that truly suited her. At age 30, she learned Japanese dance. In her 40s, she tried the shamisen, a traditional Japanese string instrument. In her 50s, she learned guitar, and in her 60s, harmonica. However, she would lose interest after learning each instrument for a short while and would quit. When she entered her seventies, she began to feel a sense of lethargy in life. She spent her days helping her eldest daughter as the assistant director of a daycare center, which became her main occupation.

Mr. Kurata performing his original composition "Chabarok." Chababa YouTube.

Then, her eldest daughter suggested, "If you're feeling so down, why not try playing the drums?" That’s how, at age 72, she visited a drum school. Watching the teacher play, she thought, "How can anyone do that? I definitely can't." But the moment she picked up the drumsticks and played, she felt, "This is it." She said it felt like she was young again. She remembered that she always shined the brightest when learning something new.

That same day, Ms. Kurata signed up for drum lessons and declared she would take classes. Even as she started, she was torn between anxiety-"Maybe this is too much for me? Isn't this instrument too difficult?"-and determination-"No, this is what a real challenge is." However, she overcame her doubts by practicing intensely for eight hours a day.

She attended the drum school for about two years and even participated in three recitals. After that, she began taking private drum lessons. Seven years after she started drumming, in 2019, she began composing her own music, and in 2020, she launched her YouTube channel. Her video of drumming to her original composition "Chabarok" reached 1.61 million views. News of the 80-year-old drummer spread through social networking services (SNS), and she began appearing on TV. She also performed outdoors at places like Fukuoka Canal City, gradually making her name known.

Mr. Kurata playing the drums. Kurata Wakako Instagram.

A Sudden Battle with Cancer... Overcoming It Through Music

Just as her second act as a drummer seemed to be taking off, an unexpected event occurred. She started to feel dizzy and unsteady while walking, and after undergoing tests at the hospital, she was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. Earlier this year, she underwent surgery that lasted more than six hours, followed by chemotherapy. During chemotherapy, she also developed gallstones and had to undergo another surgery, bringing her total to three surgeries in one year. Undergoing so many procedures at over 80 years old took a toll on her body. Although the treatment ended safely, she lost about 10 kilograms and no longer had the strength to play the drums.

Her body and mind grew weak, but she also gained new insight. She became certain that she wanted to continue drumming. Although she still lacks the stamina to play an entire song, she is now focused on building both her strength and skills, hoping to achieve her goal someday.

These days, Ms. Kurata continues to practice for her bucket list for next year: performing Led Zeppelin’s "Stairway to Heaven" from start to finish. The song’s powerful beat will require a lot of energy. She says the song is perfect for her, as someone who has faced life-and-death situations, and she has loved it for a long time, so she is determined to play it in full. She is repeatedly practicing the difficult sections, preparing for her performance early next year.

Mr. Kurata practicing after cancer surgery. Kurata Wakako Instagram

In the past, she simply wanted to become a drummer who would play until she was 100 years old. But after her surgeries, her outlook changed. She now thinks, "If I can live to 100, I’ll spend the last five years doing nothing, but until then, I won’t stop challenging myself." In an interview with the online media outlet Mydona News, she said, "I want to show through drumming that you can start and achieve something at any age," and added, "If I can shout 'Long live my life!' at the end of my life, that would be the best."

Ms. Kurata has overcome both the sudden illness and the mental barrier of thinking it’s too late to learn something new, all with her lively drum beats. Just imagining what I might be learning anew at 70 makes me excited. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll appear as the oldest guitarist or drummer. I sincerely hope Ms. Kurata continues to play in good health for many years to come.