TAIKO is the Japanese word for drum and is a musical instrument whose history goes back about 2,000 years to ancient Japan. It has gone through an amazing evolution in arriving at the way it is played and used today.

Taiko is more than just a musical instrument and it involves more than just striking a drum skin. It is an art and a fusion of movement, rhythm, philosophy and form whose history has been an important part of the everyday lives of the Japanese people. The idea of becoming one with the drum is a fundamental part of taiko. Playing taiko also has much to do with expressing and freeing the spirit of taiko. Therefore, it is important that we treat this art form and the actual instruments with the greatest respect.

Taiko had a variety of uses in Japan. For example it was played on the battlefield where the sound of the drum was used to threaten and frighten the enemy with its deep booming sound. The taiko was also played to give commands since its loud sound could be heard all across the battlefield. Of course the beat of the taiko was a familiar sound in daily village life. It was heard in festivals going way back in history and was associated with religious rites or celebrations of bountiful harvest. Many traditional rhythms have been carried on through the years and also have inspired more modern versions.

Modern taiko as we know it today began in the 1950's when master teacher Daihachi Oguchi assembled the first taiko drum ensemble which is called KUMI-DAIKO. Since Mr. Oguchi was a jazz drummer he arranged taiko music in a way that taiko could be played together. He spread this new exciting style throughout Japan and the world. Since his time, many other kumi-daiko groups have been formed in different parts of Japan with numerous different styles. It’s believed that there are over 4,000 of these groups in Japan today.

As the Japanese people immigrated to this country in the early 1900’s, they brought taiko over but mostly to be played in temples, martial arts schools or to accompany other arts.

It wasn’t until 1968 that a man by the name of Seiichi Tanaka formed the first North American kumi-daiko group, San Francisco Taiko Dojo. His teachings in this country led the way to the formation of many taiko groups all across the U.S. and Canada. Other innovators of the kumi-daiko style are taiko groups like KODO, ONDEKO-ZA, OEDO-SUKEROKU and individuals such as Eitetsu Hayashi and Kenny Endo.