Photo by Srta Gisa
“Everybody experienced one’s mother’s heartbeat as an embryonic music. The sound of taiko is rooted in the common memory of mankind beyond different ethnic history. I think that people are drawn to taiko because of our primitive memory of life itself.” Eitetsu Hayashi
Eitetsu Hayashi, the internationally acclaimed Japanese musician ranked as the world’s leading taiko player and one of Japan’s foremost living cultural assets, has over the past 34 years led an international musical revival of these instruments.
Eitetsu Hayashi, was born in Hiroshima in 1952 where he grew up in a Buddhist temple, hearing his father’s daily recitation of the sutras. At 19, he was playing drums in a western band and in 1971, Eitetsu was a founder of the legendary taiko group, Sado-Ondekoza or “The Demon Drummers of Japan” renowned for its near fanatical 60km daily marathon runs and training sessions in freezing conditions. (Source)
You can certainly feel this energy – powerful performance!
Kimihiko Matsumura
It is heartwarming to see that the younger generation is keeping the tradition alive 🙂
Related Post: Taiko
Kitsune's Thoughts 
Nice, I don’t think these videos accurately capture the full sound you’d hear in real life, but I’m sure it’s a very powerful noise. Pretty rad how these drums have been integrated with other music systems, drumming and otherwise; taiko in the orchestra is surprising.
I think there is some taiko on the field recordings tribute to Ozu, Hitokomakura, but I’m not sure 🙂
Yes, to really experience it, you have to be there.
Indeed, various collaborations are interesting 🙂
I would like to hear those recordings!
Taiko is a wonderful strong sound.
It is indeed, and it looks like the artist has to be physically and spiritually strong to produce such a sound.