About Us

Taiko drums have a rich and ancient history. Some of taiko's earliest uses were in Shinto and Buddhist rituals, cultural matsuri festivals, and even used to provide supporting soundscapes in Japanese kabuki or noh theater.

Today in North America, the most common form of taiko drumming is known as "kumidaiko," or "ensemble drumming." This form of taiko brings many different taiko drums to the stage for a lively performance and has only existed since the 1950s when Daihachi Oguchi, a Japanese drummer who was studying American jazz music, had the idea to bring many different taiko drums to the stage all at once.

Since the 1950s, there have been an explosion of kumidaiko groups all over the world. As a relatively young art form, taiko is continuously evolving. Odaiko New England has established itself as a center where our own style of taiko drumming forms, taking influences from a mixture of different cultures.

Early members of Odaiko New England building a taiko drum