# data[].attributes.body
Taiko(太鼓) means drum in the Japanese language. They come in all sorts of sizes! The word odaiko refers to any drum that is larger than 82 cm in diameter.

# data[].attributes.body
Kumi-daiko refers to a taiko drumming ensemble. Kumi meaning "group" and daiko being the suffix form of taiko.

# data[].attributes.body
Taiko has been around for many centuries, used predominantly for military and religious purposes.

# data[].attributes.body
Traditions were broken and taiko was reimaged. It spread across the world and now there are thousands of taiko ensembles worldwide.

# data[].attributes.body
If you would like more information the instruments, feel free to click this link!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A tsukeshime-daiko

A taiko is a drum made from an open-ended wooden barrel with animal skin stretched over both ends. It is played with two bachi (wooden sticks).

There are two distinct methods of fitting the animal skin to the drums. Those that have skins tacked directly onto both ends are collectively called byodome-daiko. These are easy to use and, therefore, commonly played in performances and at local festivals. These days byodome-daiko are made from the wood of the keyaki (zelkova) tree or something similar, with cowhide or horsehide stretched across the ends. A section of the desired length is cut from a carefully selected tree of the correct thickness and then hollowed out. This takes a lot of time and effort, so byodome-daiko are very expensive, and their owners use them for many years, replacing the horsehide whenever it gets too worn.

A tsukeshime-daiko is made a bit differently. A number of holes are made around the edges of two pieces of thick cowhide or horsehide stretched on round frames, which are placed across the ends of the barrel. Hemp twine is then passed through the holes and along the length of the drum, pulling the two pieces of cowhide or horsehide tight. The distinctive sound of each drum is determined by how tightly the hemp twine has been fitted. The drums used in noh and kabuki are of this kind and are known as noh-daiko.

There are also some taiko made from staves, or strips, of wood instead of a single hollowed-out block, with cowhide or horsehide stretched across the ends. These are called okedo-daiko. They come in all sizes, and the smaller ones can be carried on a strap hanging across the player's shoulder, so they are very useful for parades.

The largest taiko ever made was 4.8 meters in diameter. It was made by Asano Taiko in Ishikawa Prefecture and is listed in the Guiness Book of Records.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A tsukeshime-daiko A taiko is a drum made from an open-ended wooden barrel with animal skin stretched over both ends. It is played with two bachi (wooden sticks). There are two distinct methods of fitting the animal skin to the drums. Those that have skins tacked directly onto both ends are collectively called byodome-daiko.

# data[].attributes.body
Taiko was likely brought to Japan through Chinese and Korean influence around the 5th-6th century.

# data[].attributes.body
Taiko was used in feudal Japan to motivate troops, set marching pace, and to intimidate the enemy.

# data[].attributes.body
There were many religious uses for taiko as well. In Buddhist tradition, taiko was used to accompany prayers to heaven and the thundering noise represented Buddha's voice.

# data[].attributes.body
Taiko was also used at festivals because it was believed the drums' thunder-like sound would put the spirit of rain into action. They are played to celebrate a bountiful harvest at the end of the season.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1951, a jazz drummer named Daihachi Oguchi invented the kumi-daiko style of playing. He wondered why no one had played taiko together before.

# data[].attributes.body
Oguchi arranged taiko drums in the same manner as a drum set. There were many different drums that varied in size, shape, and pitch.

# data[].attributes.body
Oguchi formed a taiko ensemble called Osuwa Daiko and allowed anyone who was interested in taiko to join. This group became very popular in Japan and Oguchi then went on to help form groups all over the world.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1969, a man named Tagayasu Den created the group Za Ondekoza in hopes to make taiko a way of life rather than just entertainment. The movie "The Rickshaw Man" influenced Den's expectations of an ideal taiko player, which was to focus on showcasing masculinity.

# data[].attributes.body
Za Ondekoza performed at the Boston Marathon in 1975 and is credited with causing the Taiko Boom. They started to do world tours and influenced people from North America and Europe to play taiko.

# data[].attributes.body
The Taiko Boom has now spread to Australia and South America. So many people are attracted to this beautiful art form!

# data[].attributes.body
There are many female taiko groups that continue on Za Ondekoza's legacy. They showcase masculinity in a new and unique type of way.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ondekoza is a professional taiko drumming troupe based at the foot of Mt. Fuji in Japan. Formed in 1969, they have been widely influential in introducing and popularizing taiko drumming around the globe. They are known to have set the groundwork for many of the styles seen in taiko today.