Taiko Drumming: Tours, Technology, and More

February 2020

The centuries-old Japanese practice of taiko drumming is reaching new audiences through touring performances, local ensembles, therapeutic practices and technological advances.

The art of taiko is over 1400 years old; wooden taiko drums were originally introduced to Japan via Korea and China, and were used by feudal Japanese armies to intimidate enemy soldiers, send commands and coordinate movements. From the 7th century to the present, the royal court music known as Gagaku has been performed on taiko drums. Over the centuries, taiko percussion has accompanied Shinto and Buddhist ceremonies, kabuki and noh theater, kagura dance performances and Bon festival dances.

Taiko pioneer Daihachi Oguchi.

In the 1950s, jazz drummer Daihachi Oguchi arranged old taiko songs to be played by large ensembles; his compositions and arrangements inspired the widely popular Kumi-daiko (組太鼓) style of taiko drumming. Thanks to his efforts, hundreds of taiko ensembles formed across the United States, Brazil, Europe and Japan (learn more here).

Large-scale taiko ensembles including Yamato: The Drummers of Japan and Drum Tao now tour the U.S., and American communities host local taiko clubs, ensembles, and classes, some of which serve health and therapeutic purposes. Beginning in March, for example, San Jose Taiko Conservatory offers taiko classes to help those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease.

Meanwhile, musical instrument maker Roland has developed an electronic version of the popular Katsugi Okedo Daiko drum (which is carried with a sling over the shoulder). Created in partnership with taiko ensemble Kodo to coincide with the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games, this electronic instrument lets musicians reproduce digital taiko drum sounds and practice silently with headphones.

Those interested in learning more about the history of taiko can visit the Taikokan Drum Museum in Asakusa, Tokyo. Find tour dates for Yamato and Drum Tao, and read more about the history of taiko via Stanford Taiko and JROCK NEWS.