Taiko

Taiko (太鼓, or daiko in compound terms) means drum in Japanese. There are actually several types, but outside of Japan, this word now refers to all drum ensembles.

The origins of taiko are linked to Gagaku (雅楽, literally "elegant music"), a very ancient court music style passed down through the centuries (it is still performed today), but these drums soon also found military use.

The modern style, known throughout the world and seen in the video, is recent. It was founded in 1951 by Daihachi Oguchi, a jazz drummer born in 1924 and died on June 27 of this year. According to legend,... Oguchi assembled the first ensemble with several drums and players, wanting to add a more rhythmic touch to a piece he was to perform during a temple ceremony. The idea then spread, and many ensembles were founded, developing the concept of the taiko ensemble to the spectacular standards we see in today's performances.

However, various combinations of players and drums exist, ranging from standard ensembles with many drums and players, to many drums with a single player, or a drum with more than one player, to a single drum and a single player. All of these combinations can be seen in this performance.

Finally, it is interesting to note that taiko are often carved from a single piece of wood, obtained by hollowing out the trunk of a sufficiently large tree.

Back