Taiko 太鼓 is a percussion instrument and simply means big drum in Japanese. Taiko can be categorized by its construction, shape, or size. In the old days it was used in warfare to encourage soldiers, as a communication method between villages, and in religious music of Buddhism and Shintoism. Ensemble Taiko called Kumi-Taiko 組太鼓 (kumi means class or group) is a modern day invention. Today Taiko is used in traditional performances like Kabuki and Noh, and folk music during festivals etc. The picture is from Portland Taiko performance in Aug 2006.Taiko is also one of the popular subjects of pop culture. The drumming game Taiko no Tatsujin 太鼓の達人 (its US title is Taiko: Drum Master) was released for PlayStation 2 in 2005.
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