Taiko drumming has been part of Japanese culture for many centuries, originating in religious festivals and ceremonies held in temples and shrines. While taiko also saw usage in warfare, it was only in the last forty years that it emerged as a performance art itself, with groups like Ondekoza and Kodo gaining a global audience. The ōdaiko is considered the world's largest drum, with some examples over 9 feet in diameter, made from single blocks of centuries-old wood that take over a year to craft.

1. Taiko Drumming

3. Taiko literally means 'fat drum' in Japanese. Taiko drumming has been part of Japanese culture for many centuries. Its roots lie in the countless temples and shrines scattered all over Japan where they are played in religious festivals and ceremonies. It is said that the furthest point at which the village Taiko could be heard marked the edge of the village.

5. Taiko also found a home in warfare, making sounds big enough to scare the enemy. But it is only in the last forty years that Taiko has become a performance art in itself. Groups like Ondekoza and Kodo regularly bring Taiko to a global audience

7. World's biggest drum O' Daiko

8. The ōdaiko is the largest drum in all of taiko if not the entire world. The largest ōdaiko are too big to move and permanently reside inside a temple or shrine. It is made from a 4 ton block of wood weighing over 9 feet in diameter! It took 12 people over a year to make it. Made from a single piece of wood, some ōdaiko come from trees that are hundreds of years old.