Art Lee is the first and only non-Japanese person to be crowned Solo Grand Champion of the world's most prestigious taiko competition in Tokyo. In 2001, Art Lee received international acclaim for becoming the first person in the world to be awarded an artist visa from the Japanese government to teach Taiko and lead the life of a professional Taiko artist in Japan.

Yukari Ichise has been a performer with TOKARA since 2006 although she has been playing taiko since 2004 and working with Art Lee in concert production since 2000. She is the principal costume designer for both Art Lee and TOKARA, and has also, until 2008, been an integral part of the Tokara Office as head-of-staff at Art's solo concerts and events. Yukari has become known in particular for her Kakegoe (taiko shouts) and her enthusiastic playing style.

Dean Havixbeck is from Winnepeg, Canada where he began learning taiko in 2001. Dean first came to Japan to study taiko when he joined the INADANI Taiko Drumming Course in 2006. He moved to Ina City, Japan in the autumn of 2007 and soon after became an apprentice of Art Lee. Since then, he commuted over two hours to practice with Tokara every weekend. Dean became a full member of Tokara on June 12th, 2010.