Taiko: The Drums Of Ancient And Modern Times

Japanese taiko drums are perhaps some of thepace, or disseminating orders. In everyday life,
most dramatic percussion instruments everboth then and now, the drums are used in the
created. Originally used in both Japanese folk andreligious music of both Shinta, Japan's native
classical musical traditions, taiko drumming hasreligion, and Buddhism, which was imported some
moved with the times and evolved into a moderntime around the 5th century. Additionally, noh
art form called kumi-daiko, which refers totheatre, kabuki theatre, and gagaku, the traditional
ensemble taiko drumming. Exhibitions ofmusic of the Japanese imperial court, utilize the
kumi-daiko can include taiko of all different shapes,sounds of taiko drums.
sizes, and pitches. Anywhere from one to dozensAs previously mentioned, modern taiko
of performers use sticks called "bachi" to strikeperformances take the form of kumi-daiko, or
the instruments.ensemble drumming. Daihachi Oguchi is credited
There are many different types of taiko, butwith forming the first modern taiko ensemble,
they all share one feature-heads on both sides ofOsuwa Daiko, in Japan in 1951. However, there
the body, which are characterized by a high levelhave been several other influential taiko groups.
of tension. Such a design is most likely the resultSukeroku Daiko also emerged in the early 1950s,
of Japan's summer climate, which is very hot andand the group's performances were heralded for
humid. Drum heads with high levels of tensiontheir speed, fluidity, power, choreography, and
would counteract the slacking effects of thatsolo performances. In 1969, Za Ondekoza was
humidity. Taiko drums can range greatly in size,founded by Tagayasu Den. This group would
but largest is the Adaiko. Such drums are madeeventually evolve into Kodo, one of the world's
from a single piece of wood, often from treesmost recognized performance ensembles and
that were hundreds of years old when finallyhost of the Earth Celebration International Music
felled. Indeed, some Adaiko are so large that onceFestival since 1988.
they've been placed in a Shinta shrine or BuddhistOver the past few decades, taiko drumming has
temple, they are never moved again. Other typesseen a significant increase in popularity in the
of taiko drums include the shime-daiko (which isUnited States. The first American taiko group, San
available in various sizes), uchiwa-daiko (fan drum),Francisco Taiko Dojo, was formed in 1968 by
hira-daiko (flat drum), and o-daiko (big drum).Seiichi Tanaka, a post-war Japanese immigrant.
The existence of the taiko drum can be tracedOther similar groups followed and in 1990,
back to 6th century Japan. It will come as nostudents at UCLA formed the first intercollegiate
surprise to anyone who has attended a taikotaiko ensemble, Kyodo Taiko. This founding
performance that in feudal times, thesemarked a new and popular trend for taiko in the
instruments were often used for martial purposes.United States. Today, it is estimated that 36
Their resounding and invigorating resonances werecollegiate and 300 independent taiko groups exist
ideal for motivating the troops, setting a marchingin America.