Japan’s Beating Heart: The History of Taiko in Japanese Culture
By Laura Pollacco
What is the sound of a nation? Is there one? Perhaps that is too broad a question to ask. A nation, a country, produces many sounds whether they be natural or manmade. Japan is a country rich with sound, whether it be the hauntingly lonely cry of a red-crowned crane, the resonant gong of temple bells or even the more modern jingles and tunes that can be heard at train stations, in shops, and over the speakers that usher children across the country in for dinner. If we were to cut through the noise, as it were, and isolate a sound that best represents Japan, one that is both natural and manmade all at once, then it would be the sound of the taiko.
The word taiko encompasses a broad range of Japanese percussive instruments. Much like the word sake in Japan refers to any sort of alcohol, whilst abroad it refers specifically to Japanese rice wine, the word taiko in Japan refers to any type of drum, whilst abroad it refers specifically to various Japanese drums called wadaiko. When performed as an ensemble it is referred to as kumi-daiko. The history of these percussion instruments stretches so far back that their origins have been heavily mythologized and their more historically accurate origins are still not one hundred percent clear today. What is clear is how tightly taiko is woven into the history and culture of Japan.
The sound of these drums has echoed throughout the domains of religion, warfare, and entertainment for thousands of years. From communing with the gods to marshaling the troops to providing entertainment to people from all walks of life, taiko is a heartbeat that has kept the country in rhythm, in some instances quite literally. Today, that beat is being felt around the world.
The Origin and Use of Taiko
Percussion is likely the first form of non-vocal music human beings ever made. Drumming is a form of music that is ubiquitous across human cultures, with the banging of hands or sticks on rocks or trees to communicate still used by primates today as a form of non-vocal communication. In regards to Japan, archeologists and anthropologists have cited that drumming was used as a form of communication or even as an instrument for religious ceremonies as far back as the Jomon Period (14,000 - 300 BCE). It is doubtful that the type of percussion they were using back then is what we consider to be taiko today.
According to popular Japanese Shinto mythology, taiko was created due to a falling out between the sun goddess Amaterasu and her brother, the god of storms and sea, Susanoo, two chief gods of Shintoism. The latter caused a great fuss, raging and destroying, enough that Amaterasu hid herself in the Heavenly Rock Cave, thus banishing sunlight from the world. The gods tried to tempt her out, but it was the goddess Ame no Uzume who triumphed after turning over an empty sake barrel and dancing on it. The percussive beat lured Amaterasu out of hiding and saved the world from darkness. This is one of the more famous myths that has been handed down throughout Japan’s history.
In reality, the taiko as we know it today was brought to Japan through Korea and China, perhaps from as far as India, with the earliest written records of such cultural exchange appearing in 558 CE. For hundreds of years, Japan was influenced by the waves of Buddhism that originated in India, traveled along the Silk Road, adapted to Chinese and Korean cultures, before finally crossing the sea. Along with kanji, art, and architecture, taiko was one such cultural import that has since cemented itself firmly in Japanese culture.
The Many Roles of Taiko
Throughout its long history, taiko has taken on many roles, one of the most consistent of which has been as accompaniment for rituals and religious ceremonies. In Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines across Japan you will find taiko, with the instrument considered sacred by many. Its deep rumbling sound is thought to be connected to the sound of the gods, or even a way to communicate with them. Because of this spiritual connection, only men authorized by the priests were allowed to play them on special occasions. It was also believed that only men could play them, as women’s bodies were too “weak” to meet the physical demands of drumming. This is something that would take hundreds of years to dismantle and is still an ongoing process.
Outside of the realms of rituals and entertainment, one of taiko’s most notable roles in history has been its use in warfare. Its role in the field of battle, a field that historically only men were considered fit for, only furthered the perception that taiko was a masculine endeavor. The sound became associated with violence, bravery, and strength - the purview of men. As with many cultures’ armies, moving large numbers of people and keeping them in time had its difficulties, and here is where drums come in very handy. In Japan, taiko have been used to set a marching pace, call out orders, or make an announcement. Soldiers would know what certain rhythmic patterns meant, whether to advance or retreat. It was also believed that the deep booming of the drums would intimidate opponents. For centuries, taiko held an important role in battles that would decide the fate of the country.
Due to their religious connections, taiko has played a huge part at matsuri across the country such as Obon, a summer festival that serves to honor the spirits of one’s ancestors. Many of these festivals combine Shinto and Buddhist rituals, with religious music played for festival goers to dance to. The taiko is often used to accompany this music with the drums and their drummers placed atop a platform of red and white at the center whilst dancers move around in a circular motion. The taiko’s deep, resonant booms keep the music and dancers in rhythm. This style of incorporating taiko into dance dates back to Japan’s first constitution, the Taiho Ritsuryo, enacted in 702, which established a department of imperial court music to be played in the Imperial Palace. This historical court music was known as gagaku and the taiko’s role was to keep a constant beat, guiding the rest of the ensemble. Gagaku continues to be performed today by the Board of Ceremonies at the Imperial Palace.
Along with accompanying music and dancing, taiko has also found its way into the world of theater. When the samurai class seized power in the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), Japan began to develop a culture unique to the country (though still inspired by what came before, as all artforms are). This was only strengthened in the coming centuries, and as theatrical art forms such as Noh and Kabuki emerged, taiko became an important part of the storytelling. In Noh, for example, actors move to very specific beats and rhythmic patterns provided by the taiko. They were also used to add atmosphere, build tension, and even act as set dressing. During this time, the sizes of the taiko grew in variety and the development of other instruments, such as the shamisen and koto also played a role in the burgeoning entertainment scene.
Taiko Crossing Oceans and Generations
When Japan opened up to the world, the use of taiko fell out of favor for some time; it was still used for religious and ceremonial purposes, but its uses outside of that were limited. It wasn’t until 1951, when a jazz musician from Nagano Prefecture, Daihachi Oguchi, discovered some old taiko music sheets, did its revival begin. Oguchi developed the style of kumi-daiko, an ensemble taiko performance where the different sizes of drums had their own place in the ensemble, much like in a Western drum kit. The result changed the face of taiko and the style quickly caught on in Japan. A kumi-daiko performance at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics would cement a love of taiko within the nation for decades to come. When speaking to the Associated Press on the instrument, Oguchi said, “In taiko, man becomes the sound. In taiko, you can hear the sound through your skin. Your heart is a taiko. All people listen to a taiko rhythm dontsuku-dontsuku in their mother’s womb. It’s instinct to be drawn to taiko drumming.”
Thanks to Oguchi, the kumi-daiko style has spread across the world. Not limiting himself or taiko to Japan’s borders, he performed across Asia, Europe, North America, and even in the Middle East, performing at the “World Peace Festival” in Baghdad, Iraq in an attempt to save hostages. He is also, in part, responsible for the blossoming of the U.S.’s strong taiko scene, having passed on everything he knew to the man now considered the father of modern taiko in North America, Seiichi Tanaka. Tanaka found his calling upon visiting the San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival in the city’s Japan Town in 1967. After discovering that there was no taiko at the event, he knew what he had to do. Once back in Japan, he consulted with Oguchi, and then returned to the Cherry Blossom Festival a year later as the sole taiko performer. That same year he founded the San Francisco Taiko Dojo, the first school of its kind in the United States. Since then, thousands have studied under him, many of whom have gone on to found their own schools which has resulted in over 250 taiko schools directly linked to Tanaka opening across the U.S. and Canada. At the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st, taiko has flourished across the globe, growing in popularity in North America, Europe, and even South America.
One of the most notable groups currently performing today is Kodo, a taiko troupe hailing from Sado Island. Kodo began as a group known as Ondekoza, founded by Den Tagayasu in 1971 as a way to revitalize the island and give young people a reason to stay. Later on, the group splintered into two, with one of the splintered groups given the name Kodo, whose name has dual meanings: “heartbeat,” which harks back to the concept that the taiko rhythm mirrors that of the heartbeat heard by babies in the womb, as well as “children of the drum.” Kodo debuted at the 1981 Berlin Festival and has since gone on to become one of the most respected and famous taiko groups currently performing. Whilst initially only starting with men, Kodo now boasts a number of female drum players, mirroring the growing acceptance of female performers in the field. Its members have gone on to heavily influence and modernize the sound of taiko. One such member is Masayuki Sakamoto, who captivated audiences on stage with his skills and physique but also worked behind the scenes developing two new taiko drums which would go on to win Japan’s Good Design Award. Having begun his solo career in 2018, Sakamoto has worked hard to build a global taiko community creating the Online Taiko Collective in 2023, allowing anyone from anywhere to join and learn taiko in English.
Today the beat of the taiko is ubiquitous in Japan. It may no longer be a part of warfare, but the rhythmic beats of these Japanese drums can still be heard in various religious ceremonies, cultural events, theatrical performances, or simply on stage to be enjoyed as a standalone performance. Through the efforts of artisans like Oguchi, Tanaka, and Sakamoto, taiko as a form of entertainment has expanded across the globe allowing new audiences and new generations to fall in love with its resounding beats. Though the artform has undergone modernizations both big and small, from Oguchi’s kumi-daiko to Sakamoto's more recent modern electric drum designs, the essence of the taiko has not changed in centuries. It is a primal beat, a rhythm we all inherently know as humans because it sits inside all of us, pounding in our chests. Japan has captured the essence of this and transformed it into something powerful enough to communicate with the gods, move armies, or even simply move our feet. If ever there were a candidate for the sound of Japan, it would be the resonant drumming of taiko.
About the Author: Laura Pollacco is a freelance journalist and photographer living in Tokyo. Having returned to Japan in 2022 on a working holiday visa, Laura took the opportunity to travel to lesser-known regions in Japan, away from the hustle and bustle of tourist-heavy destinations. During this time she discovered that stories about Japan can be found anywhere, from the sleepiest seaside communities to the cities not highlighted on tourist packages. Aside from travel, Laura has many hobbies and interests that have allowed her to meet and communicate with a variety of people from politicians to sumo wrestlers, bonsai masters to parkour athletes. Outside of writing, Laura spends much of her time in rehearsals as a theatre actor, a love she has nurtured since she was five years old.
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