The Taiko tradition in Japan

Taiko means "drum" (literally "big drum") in Japanese. Taiko come in many shapes and varieties with the body made of wood and the membranes or heads made of stretched cow or horse skin. The Japanese experience with these large drums dates from the 600s (CE), when Japan, under the influence of the Chinese, saw the importation of Buddhist and Chinese culture. Over the centuries the Japanese molded these foreign influences into their own. Today drums are used for religious ceremonies, to accompany Noh or kabuki theater, to signal the hour, in farming and fishing villages to pray for good harvests and catches, and to appease the spirits of the ancestors. Modern Taiko is a drumming style that began with the jazz drummer Oguchi Daihachi in the 1950s. Along with the discovery of an old music score, he experimented with new drum ensembles, new rhythms, and innovative ways of arranging the various drummers’ talents. The result was a unique and fresh musical appeal based on an old tradition.

Taiko as cultural symbol

1964 brought the international Olympics Games to Japan. In addition, a "Festival of the Arts" was held to celebrate Japan’s traditional performing arts: kabuki, Noh, traditional songs and of course the new taiko tradition. In the 1970s the national government pushed to revitalize traditions which had been lost in the post-war years of economic growth. Taiko ensembles were seen as a way to harness this need for nostalgia and nationalism. Local governments formed their own ensembles and added this tradition to many local ceremonies. The taiko became a symbol of the good old days, as well as an appealing activity that everyone could take part in. Currently, in addition to the many city ensembles, there are two professional taiko groups; Kodo and the Ondeko-za ensembles. These groups travel world wide.

Taiko Popularity

The taiko music is more popular now than at any time in history. Over the past 25 years 5,000 taiko groups have been formed, each with 20 plus members adding up to over 100,000 drummers in Japan, not including children. While some taiko music is composed and written down in staff notation, most pieces are shared as oral teachings, or written down using a phonetic system which denotes how to hit the drum, along with the timing of each drum beat. Taiko popularity and excitement has spread throughout the world. The taiko ensemble coming to Colorado Springs in October 1998 is a group formed by drummers from the city of Fujiyoshida, one of our sister cities.

Taiko making

Drums are usually handmade by the members of the group. It is believed that the spirit of the tree (the wood) unites with the spirit of the builder and each performer; this gives each drum a unique spirit and sound. With each playing, a spiritual bond forms between performer and instrument. The taiko philosophy, passed from one master to another, involves the skillful playing of the instrument through the discipline of mind and body. The result is mutual respect and unity among the drummer ensembles.

Taiko can be broadly divided into two Styles:

One style is nailed-head drums that cannot be tuned. The Nagado-daiko* is the standard performing and festival drum. The heads are nailed to the body and cannot be tuned. These have a deep, reverberant sound, yet vary in size which allows for a variety of sounds. There are various styles of stands for holding these drums which can be played in several positions: upright, horizontal or diagonal. Depending on the size, the barrel-shaped drum is cut from one piece of wood or made from wooden slats or a wine barrel. The Hira-daiko tends to be small and shallow, yet reverberant.

The other type is drums with a head tightening system of ropes for tuning. Shime refers to the binding or tightening system of ropes for tuning and are the most popular drums for performing. Shime-daiko refers to "flat drums" with a high penetrating sound. The Okedo or Oke-daiko is built from slats rather than one solid piece of wood. Some have a relatively low-tension skin which gives a short, dry sound; some have a loud, booming sound and are often played with slats of bamboo which produces a sharp slapping sound; some are placed in a stand and played from behind; some (Tsukeshime-daiko) are a large variety of the shime-daiko worn slung from the neck and shoulders which allows the drummer to parade or dance while playing.

O-daiko refers to the largest drums with either nailed heads or heads held in place with hundreds of meters of rope. These drums are typically placed on a stand horizontally and dramatically played by drummers standing on both sides. One player beats out a basic accompaniment on one side, while another player plays a solo rhythm. Large Nagado-daiko and Oke-daiko are called Odaiko.

Japanese Music

Gagaku, the ancient court music, is played by ensembles of wind, string and percussion instruments with the central element being the wind section. Other music developed along with drama, dance, and the arts and is characterized by vocalizing over instrumental music. During the 17th century isolation period, the common people’s music developed which utilized the shamisen, the koto, and the shakuhachi. Increasing numbers of Japanese are renowned as performers of Western classical music with musical instruments from the West. They perform and compete internationally. Just as Japanese traditional music exists alongside Western classical music, so Japanese and Western styles coexist in the realm of popular music. Japanese popular music, called kayokyoku, utilizes both the scales of Japanese music and tunes based on scales of Western music. Rock and jazz, though less popular, have made an impact. There is also the "Technopop" which is played on the synthesizer.
* Note: In compound words the "t" sound is changed to "d" sound, daiko, to indicate a type of drum, group, or style of playing.

North American Taiko

Taiko has spread world wide. North American taiko performances date from the 1960s when the civil rights movement gave Japanese Americans the impetus to celebrate their heritage. With this reexamination of their culture, taiko became a symbol of new-found pride. Today there are over 150 performing groups which utilize hand-made drums and diverse techniques. Most participants are non-Asians, borrowing from jazz-fusion and assimilations from various styles and rhythms. Members of D’CuCKOO, the performance group for the 1996 Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration Family Festival Day, have trained and performed with various taiko groups. Japanese taiko masters applaud the North American style which shows great creativity.

The Legend of Hi no Taiko

In the Emperor Keitai’s day at his castle built on a hill in Mikuni, a special taiko was used to stir up the officers of the army and to frighten the enemy. Many years ago the Mikuni seashore was hit by a tremendous storm which lasted 60 days and nights. No ship could get in or out of the harbor and the townspeople, who were largely fisherman, had to stop fishing. This caused great hardship in the town and the people nearly died of hunger. The leader of the town called a town meeting to discuss a solution to their problem. It was decided to build a great fire and beat the taiko. This would calm the gods of the sea who were angry. They built the fire and beat the taiko for three days. The storm passed and the sea became calm. Peace and prosperity returned to Mikuni. The fisherman returned to fishing and good catches. Today, the Mikuni drum still sounds a welcoming blessing for prosperity as ships enter the harbor. Hi no Taiko is celebrated on January 7 each year. On this day the young townspeople compete at playing taiko.

Suggested Books:

Planet Drum by Mickey Hart and Fredric Leiberman
Man’s Earliest Music by Richard Carlin
Beating the Drum by Josephine Paker
Musical Instruments by Meryl Doney
Percussion by Elizabeth Sharma
Japan: The Culture by Bobbie Kalman
Japanese Children’s Day and the Obon Festival by Dianne MacMillan
Kodomo: Children of Japan by Susan Kuklin
Old Japan (Make it Work!) by Andrew Haslam and Clare Doran

Explore the Web
Suggested Websites:

Rolling Thunder Taiko Resource:
www.taiko.com/rollingthunder.html

San Francisco Taiko Dojo:
www.taikodojo.org

Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration Performance

Taiko Ensemble visit to Colorado Springs
Co-Sponsored by:

• The Colorado College

• Japan Foundation and Language Center in Los Angeles

• Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration

• Colorado Springs Youth Symphony

• Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale

• City of Colorado Springs Mayor’s Office

• Fujiyoshida Sister City Committee

• Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

• Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind

• Japan-America Society of Southern Colorado

Preparation Activities:

View the presentation of Kodo: The Drummers of Japan hosted by Mickey Hart. This will be rebroadcast on KTSC-TV on Sun, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. and Thurs., Sept. 24 at 9 p.m.

Create a classroom set of drums. Use mixing bowls or cans. Stretch waxed paper or cloth tightly over the top. Fasten it over the rim with string or a rubber band. Or use lengths of overlapping tape to make the membrane. Tap the membrane gently.

Experiment with various sounds and rhythms. Sprinkle a few grains of salt or rice on the top and you can see the vibration. Press on the edge of the membrane. Does the sound change? Compare the sound when striking in the center of the head and near the edge. Compare human reaction and discuss what is communicated.

Taiko sheet music is available from the Internet. Invite a music teacher to the classroom to instruct how to read the music score. Rolling Thunder Taiko resource: www.taiko.com/rolling thunder.html

Listen to music by Japanese composers Takemitsu Toro or Moroi Makoto.

Investigate other traditional instruments of Japan: the shakuhachi (flute), shamisen (banjo), and koto (zither). Listen to recordings.

Compare various drumming traditions to the Japanese tradition: American Indian, African, Latin American, Near Eastern (India), Modern Jazz, Rock ‘N’ Roll.

Listen to styles of Eastern music on recordings by Ravi Shankar, Ustad Rakha, Zakir Hussain.

Investigate American composers who utilize Asian instruments: John Cage, Henry Cowell, Philip Glass.

FUJIYOSHIDA

Fujiyoshida, Japan is Colorado Springs’ oldest sister city with cultural, humanitarian, and economic connections since 1962. It is located approximately 2,523 feet above sea level in the center of the main island of Honshu, on an open plateau known for its beauty. It is the hub of Mt. Fuji’s northern slope and has attracted visitors since ancient times when mountains were seen as sacred objects of worship and thus off-limits except to those who came to make contact with the sacred. This contact brought safety to their households and cure for diseases. Mt. Fuji is still called a sacred mountain.

The world’s most famous volcano has symbolized the country and its people in art and poetry. It has also brought death and destruction to the local settlements with fiery eruptions and lava flows. But the people of Fujiyoshida have been able to create a city on the beds of lava. Fujiyoshida became known as a base for the mountaineering pilgrims. Those who looked after them were priest-innkeepers known as Oshi and there were many in the area.

Today Fujiyoshida is also the gateway to the Fuji Five Lakes Region; a major tourist destination with a regional park, recreational facilities, forests of red pine, the Sengen Shrine with its 1,000-year-old cedar tree, and a glorious view of Mt. Fuji. The city attracts about 15 million Japanese and foreign tourists each year and is proud of its reputation as "Mt. Fuji’s International City."

Fujiyoshida is located in Yamanashi prefecture and is its second largest city with a population of 56,000. It is a cultural and economic hub of the region and within 2 hours of Tokyo by car or train. Although the city is built upon old lava flows, the land and climate are favorable for some farming which has included grains, vegetables, flowers and even tree farming. The harsh conditions coupled with cold temperatures and high elevation has meant that textile production has become an important economic activity, as well. The area’s textiles are known as Gunnai Orimono. Today business has expanded to include other aspects of clothing production from research and development, design of traditional and modern fashions, and exhibitions. The annual Textile Festival attracts large crowds from surrounding areas. Now it is the center of commerce and high technology in southern Yamanashi Prefecture.

The City Council (26 members), together with the City Administrator, various standing committees, and prefecture committees work toward a well-balanced industrial expansion through the creation of industrial parks and offering incentives for relocating to the area. Major construction projects have included sports, cultural, and recreational facilities. The Chamber of Commerce has also played an active role in development and in encouraging tourism. The City Council is also responsible for the financial and business management of the city.

The life of the Japanese is divided into days which center around labor and days spent in festivities. People worship and give thanks as a part of everyday life from celebrations for individual, family, community, shrine, region, or the nation. Climbing festivals are important to Fujiyoshida and these include the Summer Opening Festival in July, Mt. Fuji Climbing Race, and the Yoshida Fire Festival in August which is dedicated to the end of the safe climbing season. Fujiyoshida’s local shrines sponsor Takigi Noh plays and the Yabusame equestrian archery festivals. A Noh drama is a highly stylized traditional Japanese play performed with unique classical costumes and masks. It is performed and dedicated in the open air under torchlight in mid-August. Yabusame is an 800-year-old Fall festival that occurs just before the first snowfall on Mt. Fuji. To begin each of these festivals the sounds of drums beckon the forest spirits. Additionally, Fujiyoshida has been the site for events as part of National Japanese Sports Festivals in both winter and summer. Citizens of the city also want to organize a sports festival for the handicapped.

The city publishes a monthly English newsletter, Reiho Fuji (Majestic Mt. Fuji). To get on the mailing list or obtain copies of the newsletter, contact the editors:

Tara Lowe and Dean Marold
International Affairs Desk — City Hall
1842 Shimoyoshida, Fujiyoshida-shi,
Yamanashi-ken 403 JAPAN