Kumi Masunaga is a seasoned drum circle facilitator, performer, educator, and founder of Drum Jam, with over 25 years of experience inspiring communities in Hong Kong and beyond. Originally from Japan, Kumi has made Hong Kong her home for more than 30 years, bringing both an international perspective and a strong sense of community to every session.
With vibrant music and zest, she has travelled to Africa, the Americas, and Asia to deepen her musical roots and cultural understanding. For many years, Kumi immersed herself in West African music and culture—an experience that deeply shaped her artistic direction.
Kumi discovered the world of drum circle facilitation through Arthur Hull, the global pioneer of the modern facilitated drum circle movement, in 2001. Since then, she has completed extensive Village Music Circles (VMC) trainings and mentorships, becoming a certified VMC Global Trainer. She also holds certifications as a HealthRHYTHMs™ and Music Medicine™ facilitator.
Over the past 25 years, Kumi has shared the transformative power of rhythm with tens of thousands of people from varied backgrounds—including youth, corporate teams, wellness groups, and special-needs communities—through workshops, festivals, classrooms, and wellness programmes.
For nearly two decades, Kumi led monthly community drum circles at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and continues to host regular sessions at the Fringe Club in Central, building connections one drumbeat at a time.
Kumi’s creative, hands-on, and inclusive approach has been described by the South China Morning Post as “the living embodiment of infectious enthusiasm.” She enjoys mentoring emerging facilitators and helping others find their creative paths.
Her goal is that everyone who participates in her training leaves feeling confident, connected, and inspired to share the universal language of rhythm in their work, life, and communities.
