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Taiko drumming started in Japan as accompaniment to folk dancing at Japanese matsuri or festivals. The taiko drums were played with a flute and a shamisen while the village community danced. In Japan taiko drumming ensembles started forming after World War II. These drumming ensembles consist of highly trained professional players performing a choreographed performance art with intricate rhythms and athletic movements. There are many Japanese taiko schools each teaching their own style of taiko drumming. The study of taiko in Japan usually requires years of concentrated study. Two of the best known taiko groups from Japan are Ondekoza and Kodo.
In America taiko drumming ensembles started to develop in the 1960's. In contrast to the Japanese ensembles many American taiko groups are community-oriented groups made up of amateur players. The rhythms are adapted from traditional Japanese rhythms and there is often a fusion of Latin American and African rhythms as well. Many groups create their own pieces and collaborate on the music as a group. Some of the taiko ensembles are affiliated with Buddhist temples, some are started as an effort to bring together the Asian American community. Some North American groups have developed into premier professional groups with a unique style, two of the best known are San Jose Taiko and San Francisco Taiko Dojo.
Another important difference between American and Japanese taiko groups are the drums. Japanese taiko drums are traditionally carved from a single large block of wood. The hours of skilled labor that are required to create a traditional Japanese taiko drum are staggering. Japanese taiko drums are works of art and are priced accordingly with prices ranging into the thousands of dollars. In the US taiko groups are community organizations with limited funds. Most American groups make their own drums out of oak barrels. The barrels are glued and headed with cow rawhide creating a reasonable facsimile of a taiko drum. The process of converting a barrel into a taiko drum is tedious and laborious but well worth the effort.
In both the US and Japan taiko drumming has become more popular. The large drums create thunderous rhythms that are spectacular and compelling. Many people are attracted to the music and the dance-like movements of the performers. As taiko drumming spreads throughout the world it will change and grow as an art with each group developing its own unique style.