Written by: Claris Lam
Apr 2, 2025
Introduction
What are the origins of drum circles? Drumming has deep cultural roots in many parts of the world. In our previous article, we discussed the African, Indigenous American, and Chinese origins of drumming. This article will cover the Japanese drumming tradition of Taiko.
Drumming in Japanese Culture
When someone brings up drum circles or participates in one, a main question that comes up among many first-time participants is: “What are the origins of drum circles?” This fourth part in this series of cultural origins articles will discuss the Japanese origins of drumming.
Taiko is a type of drum that is made from hollowing out a tree and covering it with cow skin by either tacking the skin on or stretching it with ropes or bolts. Some cheaper taiko drums are made from barrels, but real, good quality taiko drums are extremely expensive. Creating a taiko drum is a labor-intensive process, and the wood, tacks, skin, and intricately designed handles also add to the price.
Centuries ago, taiko was used predominantly in the military arena. Taiko were used to set the marching pace for feudal troops and call soldiers to the battlefield from as early as 10,000 BC. Later on, Japanese Buddhist and Shinto religions gradually began to use the taiko as a sacred instrument. Historically, it also existed in a multitude of other environments, including in theater and the imperial court.
Taiko performance groups are actually referred to as kumi-daiko, or literally, group taiko. Kumi-daiko originated post-war in Showa 26 (1951). Daihachi Oguchi, a jazz drummer, discovered an old piece of taiko music. He wondered why taiko were never played together and broke the tradition by forming a taiko drum ensemble.
More recently, taiko enjoyed a resurgence of interest in Japan, where there are over 4,000 taiko ensembles, and also increased in popularity in North America. Taiko is so popular that there is a video game franchise based on taiko drumming called Taiko No Tatsujin, where players must simulate playing a taiko drum in time with music. Most games are designed for use in Japan but there are also localized versions for other regions, including English, Chinese and Korean versions. The latest installment in the franchise is Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival.
Today, taiko remains a phenomenon that captivates the senses. When Taiko drummers bang their hollow, wooden drums, they create thunderous, echoing reverberations that can be heard at up to 120dB – which is on par with the noise produced by jet aeroplanes.
Published April 2, 2025
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About the Author
Claris Lam
Claris is passionate about making grand ideas accessible to a wider audience. She has written articles about emerging environmental technology and research, lifestyle, studying, and career advice, and anime and manga for several organizations including Sustainable Waterloo Region (SWR), TalentEgg, and Comic Book Resources (CBR). When she’s not writing informative articles, you can find her playing the piano, pipe organ or violin, writing new fiction and poetry books as an indie author and poet, or reading.