Big drum, Odaiko

I love taiko and every time I go to a taiko concert I am fascinated by the sound of the odaiko, the big drum. With impressive sizes (sometimes these giant drums are over 2 meter diameter), an odaiko is often a true work of art: carved from a single tree trunk, the manufacturing process can take years...

I had the opportunity to admire an odaiko from up-close at the Furusato Kumin Matsuri, in Tokyo. It was placed on a special wheeled trolley, so that it could be played from both sides and I was really impressed by the people playing it, because although it seems easy, it is very hard to make it sound good...