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Japanese Taiko drums used during the battle in Samurai era

Updated: Jul 26, 2020

Hi. It's Zuke from Japan.

It is still rainy season here in Japan.


As I introduced last time, our focus is playing Taiko drums with wearing Samurai armor with envisaging the people living for long time ago. But how was it in Samurai era actually? To answer to the question, I just tried some old books and found some articles and paintings which indicate it.


This is a cartoon of Taiko drum placed in the head quarter during the battle at Samurai era. It looks a Miya-daiko (made of a single piece of wood, shaped like a wine barrel and the skin is fixed by rivets) which was put on the wooden frame horizontally. This must have been used for the instruction to whole the army or for holy ceremony such as praying or thanking to Goddess of victory.

Citation: Koetsu-Shinsen-Roku interpreted by Yoshiyuki Okazawa

(ISBN4-947697-29-6 C0021)



Another example below is Hira-daiko (thinner drum that the tension is applied by ropes) which was hung from the guard fence. Because this was set and fixed at battlefront, it must have been used to transmit the order from the head quarter to all the army by known rhythms for the attack or the withdrawal. The function is exactly same as bugles in European countries.

Citation: Kawanakajima-Kassen-Zu and Nagashino-Kassen-Zu

(ISBN4-12-402721-4 C0371)


More examples are available as below. Surprisingly Taiko drums were carried on the back of the soldiers!! It is a kind of mobile phone or cell phone that we recently use to communicate each other. One was carried vertically and the other was horizontally. Not sure why there were two ways, but there must be pros and cons.

Citation: Kawanakajima-Kassen-Zu and Nagashino-Kassen-Zu

(ISBN4-12-402721-4 C0371)


Citation: Kawanakajima-Kassen-Zu and Nagashino-Kassen-Zu

(ISBN4-12-402721-4 C0371)



Of course there are more types of Taiko drums and they have already been categorized and introduced in detail at other sites, so I would like leave it to them.


Next time I would like to mention more about the ‘mobile‘ Taiko drum.


Thanks for visiting and see you soon.




Also our Buzin Taiko group has a series of blog as below. Please also visit them for more information.


●OFFICIAL BLOG - Namy from VONBON JAPAN

●OFFICIAL BLOG - Satooto-sha

●OFFICIAL BLOG - BUZIN TAIKO

●OFFICIAL BLOG - Taiko-Uta Nami


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