• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

  • Photowalks
  • Book and Prints
  • Newsletter
  • Portfolio
  • About/Contact
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • RSS

Nov 16 2010 12 Comments

A giant Japanese festival drum

Along with mikoshi, or portable shrines, taiko drums are a mainstay of many Japanese festivals, although a large number of the latter generally aren’t as big as this lumbering beast.

Japanese festival taiko drum

An instrument that needless to say required quite a few people to pull it along the pre-arranged path.

Japanese festival taiko drum

But all the effort was worth it when the drum was made to produce its powerful, almost primeval sound. An effect that this recording unfortunately does little to reproduce, as although it may replicate the sound to a certain extent, it in no way recreates the vibrations that can be felt bouncing around the air, and even through one’s bones.

Listen!

Of course knocking out such a noise is no easy task, and those with enough gumption to give it a go understandably had to psyche themselves up beforehand.

Japanese festival taiko drum

As well as utilise a variety of tricky looking techniques.

Japanese festival taiko drum

Japanese festival taiko drum

And of course muster the required strength and stamina.

Japanese festival taiko drum

All of which were warmly appreciated by those watching.

Japanese festival taiko drum

Categorized: Culture, Music, Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. tamh says

    11/16/2010 at 2:16 pm

    Wow, awesome sound. I know you can’t replicate the power of that drum with that recording, but nevertheless the sound is really awesome.
    Nice job as always!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      11/16/2010 at 10:52 pm

      Thanks tamh, happy to hear it conveyed at least some of the drum’s power.

      Reply
  2. Mirinda says

    11/16/2010 at 7:39 pm

    I can’t get enough of these festival posts. Love them. PLease keep them coming!! One day I hope I can attend one myself………..

    Reply
    • Lee says

      11/16/2010 at 10:57 pm

      I certainly intend to Mirinda. If you make it to Japan, then with a bit of good fortune you’ll probably be able to.

      Reply
  3. Tyler says

    11/16/2010 at 11:51 pm

    Very interesting Lee — I like the last picture, aside from the guy w/glasses you could almost imagine that for being a photo of Japan years ago during the early Meiji period

    Reply
    • Lee says

      11/17/2010 at 7:50 am

      Cheers Tyler. Yes, there is a certain timelessness about it, isn’t there?

      Reply
  4. Len says

    11/17/2010 at 2:00 am

    Wonderful post! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      11/17/2010 at 7:51 am

      Thanks Len! And you are more than welcome.

      Reply
  5. Lizzy says

    11/17/2010 at 5:37 am

    I absolutely love the taiko drums. Thank you so much for including the recording with the images. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      11/17/2010 at 7:51 am

      I sometimes forget to make a recording, but there was no way I could miss this one. Glad you liked it.

      Reply
  6. Peta says

    11/17/2010 at 5:43 am

    I love it when you add sound files! Brings a great new depth and makes me Tokyo homesick at the same time!! Bittersweet!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      11/17/2010 at 7:53 am

      Happy to hear you enjoyed it Peta, even if it did make you miss Tokyo.

      Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

Copyright © 2025 · Tokyo Times