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      Learn — Taiko

      How to Hold Taiko Bachi (& Tips for Better Playing)

      How to Hold Taiko Bachi (& Tips for Better Playing)

       

      1. How to Hold Bachi 

      2. Tips for Better Playing 

       

      1. How to Hold Bachi


      We recommend you to ask your teachers or taiko friends first. But if there are no taiko teachers or friends around you, try the following five ways. 

      WAY1: THUMB & INDEX FINGER:

      Holding Bachi with Thumb & Index Finger
      Hold with the thumb and the index finger firmly and wrap the remaining fingers around the bachi lightly. 


      WAY2: THUMB, MIDDLE FINGER & RING FINGER:

      Holding Bachi with Thumb, Middle, & Ring Finger
      Hold with the thumb, the middle finger and the ring finger firmly and wrap the remaining fingers around the bachi lightly. 


      WAY3: PINKIE FINGER & RING FINGER:

      Hold Bachi with Pinkie & Ring Finger
      Hold with the pinkie finger and the ring finger towards the palm firmly and wrap the remaining fingers around the bachi lightly. 


      WAY4: TIPS OF THUMB & INDEX FINGER:

      Hold Bachi with Tips of Thumb & Index Finger
      Hold with the tips of the thumb and the index finger and adjust the slight movement of bachi with the remaining fingers. (For thin bachi like shime daiko bachi and bamboo bachi) 


      WAY5: ALL FINGERS

      Hold Bachi with All Fingers
      Hold with all fingers firmly in order not to drop bachi. (For thick bachi like odaiko bachi)

      2. Tips for Better Playing


      TIPS1: RELAX

      Basically, the player should not hold bachi strongly too much. To hold it too strongly, the player's wrist (and body, too) will be stiff and he / she won't be able to follow the quick tempo or complicated rhythm. Take a relaxed position and the performances will be better. However, the player should hold bachi firmly when you play odaiko. 

      Relaxed Position
      (Stand in front of the taiko with relaxed position. )

      Stiff Wrist
      (Body, wrist, arm, shoulder, and knee are stiff. )

      Lean Forward Too Much
      (Lean forwards too much. )

      Straightened Body with Relax
      (Straighten player's back with flexible body. )

      Lean Backward Too Much
      (Lean backwards too much. )


      TIPS2: PLACE TO STRIKE

      Where on the taiko should you strike? Basically, the center of the taiko head is the best part to strike. Striking the center of the taiko makes a bigger sound. On the other hand, striking far apart from the center, makes a smaller sound (though it may be a slight difference). Taiko player uses this method. If he / she want to make the sound gradually louder, first they strike far apart from the center, then gradually move nearer the center, and finally striking at the center of the taiko. 


      TIP3: WRIST SNAP

      To make a good sound, only the end of bachi should hit the taiko. As noted above, body and wrist should be flexible to play the taiko. So, the wrist snap is important. 

      Edge Part of Bachi Hits Center of Drum-head
      (Hit the center of the head. End of bachi hits taiko. )

      Majority of Bachi Hits Drum-head
      (Other part except for the end shouldn't hit taiko.)

      Good Wrist Snap
      (Use wrist snap. )

      Inflexible Wrist
      (Stiff wrist is not good for playing taiko. )

       

      Types and Material of Bachi

      Find the best bachi for you. See also this article. 

      Types and Material of Bachi


      Types of Taiko

      Let's see what kind of taiko are there.

      Types of Taiko

       

      😚Thank you for reading this to the end. Please feel free to ask any questions or leave any comments😉

      Types and Material of Bachi

      Types and Material of Bachi

      Bachi is a pair of stick used for playing taiko drums. There are 5 main materials of bachi: kashi (oak), kaede (maple), tabu (machilus), ho (magnolia), and hinoki (cypress). They have different hardness and weight. In addition, there are some variations in size and shape. If you just started learning taiko and play the nagado daiko, we recommend bachi, which has 2.5cm in diameter and 40cm in length.

       

      1. Shape 

      2. Material 

      3. Maintenance 

      4. Playing Style 

      5. Other 

       

      1. Shape


      Straight Bachi
      (For Nagado Daiko, Hirado Daiko, Okedo Daiko & Odaiko)
      Nagado DaikoHirado DaikoOkedo DaikoOdaiko

       Nagado Bachi

      Straight bachi is used for playing nagado daiko and hirado daiko.
      Thickness: about 2.1cm-2.5cm (about 0.8in-1in)
      Length: about 33cm-42cm (about 13-17in)

      Recommended Bachi

      Nagado Bachi Long

      Long and thick bachi is used for playing odaiko. It's made of light material because it's long and thick. 
      Thickness: about 3.0cm-4.0cm (about 1.2in-1.6in)
      Length: about 45cm-55cm (about 18-22in)

      Recommended Bachi


      Tapered Bachi
      (For Shime Daiko)
      Shime Daiko

      Shime Bachi

      Tapered bachi is used for playing shime daiko. Hitting end is tapered and thinner than grip end. It is easy to play fast tempo. 
      Thickness (hitting end): about 1.8cm-2.4cm (about 0.7in-0.9in)
      Thickness (grip end): about 1.9cm-2.8cm (about 0.7in-1.1in)
      Length: about 33cm-41cm (about 13-16in)

      Recommended Bachi


      Thin Bachi
      (For Katsugi Oke Daiko)
      Katsugi Oke Daiko

      Thin Bachi

      Thin bachi is used for playing katsugi oke daiko. 
      Thickness: about 1.8cm-2.0cm (about 0.7in-0.8in)
      Length: about 38cm-40cm (about 15-16in)

      Recommended Bachi

       

      Types of Taiko

      Do you know the types of taiko? See also this article. 

      Types of Taiko

       

      2. Material


      Bachi Wood Chart

      Kashi (Oak)
      Bachi Kashi Oak Kashi Oak Bachi Heavy Hard

      Kashi (oak) is the hardest wood of bachi. Player needs enough strength to play with bachi made of this heavy wood. Also, it's enough hard to hit the tacks (byou) and the edge (fuchi) of the taiko body. But, please don't hit them strongly because kashi (oak) wood is so hard that it breaks them. 

      Recommended Bachi


      Kaede (Maple)
      Bachi Kaede Maple Kaede Maple Bachi Heavy Hard

      Kaede (maple) is the second hardest and heaviest wood of bachi. It is lighter than kashi (oak) but heavier than other wood and popular among players who want a little heavy bachi. Due to the weight of the bachi, the player can play taiko without unnecessary power. 

      Recommended Bachi


      Tabu (Machilus)
      Bachi Tabu Machilus Tabu Machilus Bachi Heavy Hard

      Tabu (machilus) is a little hard wood of bachi. It has the moderate weight and easy to play. It's harder than soft material like ho (magnolia) and softer than kaede (maple). It's not too much heavy and hard. So, it's recommended for beginners. 

      Recommended Bachi


      Ho (Magnolia)
      Bachi Ho Magnolia Bachi Ho Magnolia Ho Magnolia Bachi Soft Light

      Ho (magnolia) is soft and light wood of bachi. Bachi made of ho (magnolia) is often used for taiko of which the head is soft and thin. For example, bachi for katsugi oke daiko is made of ho (magnolia) to reduce the damage on the head. However, it's easily dented by hitting hard part of the taiko like tacks (byou) and edge (fuchi). It makes a soft sound. 

      Recommended Bachi


      Hinoki (Cypress)
      Bachi Hinoki Cypress Hinoki Cypress Bachi Soft Light

      Hinoki (cypress) is the excellent wood of bachi. If you want to make loud sound, bachi made of hinoki (cypress) is recommended. This light wood is often used for thick and long bachi. For example, bachi for odaiko and miyake style is made of hinoki (cypress). Bachi for yatai style is also made of this. It fits nicely the player's hand. 

      Recommended Bachi

       

      3. Maintenance


      Broken bachi damages the skin of the taiko. In that case, purchase new bachi or make the surface of the bachi smooth with the sandpaper. 
      Broken Bachi

      Bachi bag prevents it from scratches. We have some recommendations. Please check. 
      Bachi Bag Sticks Inside

       

      4. Playing Style


      Miyake Style

      Miyake Style Taiko

      Bachi made of hinoki (cypress) is used for playing miyake style taiko. It's thick and long but shorter than bachi for odaiko. 

      Recommended Bachi


      Yatai Style

      Yatai Style Taiko

      As well as bachi for miyake, bachi for yatai style is made of hinoki (cypress). It's a little tapered shape and thicker end is hitting end (thinner end is grip end). 

      Recommended Bachi


      Kagaribi Style

      Bachi for Kagaribi Daiko

      Bachi with tassels on the ends are used for kagaribi style. Player swings it like twirling a baton. 

      Recommended Bachi

       

      5. Other


      Children 

      Bachi for children (under 8 years old) should be lighter and shorter than bachi for adults. We recommend bachi in 2.3cm x 37cm (0.9in x 15in). If they are as tall as adults, bachi in 2.5cm x 40cm is recommended. 

      Recommended Bachi


      Taiko Game

      Taiko video game is popular around the world. There are enthusiastic users play it with their original bachi (called my bachi) at amusement arcade in Japan. 

       Bachi for Taiko Game

      To get high score, bachi with sharper end is recommended. It's easy to do drum rolls. If the wood is too light, the sensor may not be tripped. So, the bachi should be moderate weight and bachi made of ho (magnolia) is recommended. Because the hitting end is sharp, it shouldn't be used for real taiko drums. 

      Recommended Bachi

       

      How to Hold Bachi Sticks

      Want to know how to hold bachi? See also this article. 

      How to Hold Bachi Sticks


      Size of Taiko

      Which size should I use? See also this article. 

      Size of Taiko 

       

      😚Thank you for reading this to the end. Please feel free to ask any questions or leave any comments😉

      Maintenance of Taiko

      Maintenance of Taiko

       

      1. Storing & Handling  

      2. Maintenance of Head  

      3. Maintenance of Body  

       

      1. Storing & Handling

      Best & Worst Place to Store Taiko

      Best place to store taiko is well-ventilated and dry place. Desiccant should be put into it to avoid moisture if the taiko is stored in a case. Besides, please be aware of mice and termites. On the other hand, worst place is humid, extremely hot or cold place. Please store it in a cool, dark place to avoid direct sunlight.

      Worst Place to Store Taiko

      Method for Dealing with Wet Taiko

      First, please wipe the wet taiko with a dry towel, and then, leave it in the shade to dry. If the head is too wet and soft obviously, more time is needed to dry it.  

      Method for Dealing with Taiko Got Mold

      To remove mold on the taiko head, rub with a small-grit sandpaper (from 800 to 1200).  Never use detergent and bleach, which may cause tarnish and transformation of the head. It will shorten the lifespan of the head. Please avoid warm and humid storage not to get mold. 

      Storing Taiko in Case

      Carrying case helps to carry the taiko more easily in safe. Also, it prevents from the damage like scratch. However, storing taiko in a case for a long time is not recommended. It may cause mold on the heads and crack in the body. To avoid such damage, user should take the taiko out of the case and leave it in the fresh air regularly to keep the best condition. Or, put some desiccants in the case to prevent moisture. 

      Store in Taiko Case

      Storing Taiko in Blanket

      As well as a case, a blanket protects taiko from dusts and scratch. However, it gets wet easily and may cause mold on the heads. User needs to take the taiko out of the blanket and expose it in the fresh air regularly. Also, blanket needs to be dried under the sunshine. 

      Method for Carrying Taiko in Safe

      Taiko (nagado daiko) has 2 iron handles (kan) at each side of the body. Large taiko should be carried by 2-3 people using them. Dragging a taiko may damage the head of taiko and rolling a taiko may damage the body. Usually, taiko case has handles and it's easy to carry a taiko more easily in safe. Fasten it with belt firmly not to fall off when it is carried by car. 

       

      Material of Taiko

      Do you know the skin and wood of taiko? See also this article.  

      Material of Taiko

       

      2. Maintenance of Head

      Lifespan of Head

      Lifespan of the taiko head depends on how often the taiko is played. In general, it gets loose gradually as it's played. Brand-new taiko has relatively high pitch and flat sound and get lower and deeper gradually as it's played. Loosened head surely loses the resonance and makes just a low sound (dead sound). The head is on its last leg if it only makes a dead sound. Usually, it can be tightened up again at taiko shop if it has mimi part (the hem of the head left after studding). It might be cheaper than replacing with a new skin. 

      Loosen Head

      If the head has ear (surplus at the rim, usually shaped like a tube), it can be tightened up again with a special instrument at taiko shop. However, old skin in bad condition needs to be replaced with new skin. 

      Reason of Loosen Head

      If the taiko with moist inside the body is left under the sun, the heads get loose. If such wet taiko is dried suddenly, the heads often become uneven and loose. Protect taiko with a case and blanket from the direct sunlight when it is left under the sun. If the heads got moist, dry the taiko in the shade to avoid humid place. If the heads are soaked in the rain, wipe up wet completely with a dry towel as soon as possible, and then, leave it in the cool and dark place. 

      Torn Head

      Head of taiko is expendable. It needs to replace with new skin if it's broken. It shouldn't be left as it is even if one side head is broken. Taiko with broken head doesn't make sound well. Replacing with new skin is only the method to solve the problem. Although it depends on how often it's played, it seems that the head was defective in nature. We can repair the taiko including replacing a skin but round-trip shipping cost is required. Please inquire us.

      Torn Taiko Head

      Torn Taiko Head

      Surface of Head

      Usually, the surface of the new skin is even and smooth and becomes rough as it's played. You could say that it's a sign that the taiko is ready to make a good sound.  Generally speaking, brand new taiko has stretched extra hard head which produces a little high-pitched sound. Players need to play taiko again and again for a certain period to get their desired sound. 

      Scribbles on Head

      Stain written with water paint is mostly erased by rubbing softly with a wet towel. However, if it's written with acrylic or oil-based paint, it is hardly rubbed out with just a wet towel. In such case, user needs to rub it with small-grit sandpaper (from 800 to 1200) or waterproof paper like drawing a circle. Be careful not to shave it too much to avoid loosing its durability. Never use detergent or bleach. These chemicals will damage the head.

      Dirt on Head

      Using taiko for years, the head surely gets dirt and tanned. To clean the dirt, rub it gently with small-grit sandpaper (from 800 to 1200) or waterproof paper like drawing a circle. Be careful not to shave it too much to avoid loosing its durability. Never use detergent or bleach. These chemicals will reduce the durability of the head.

       

      3. Maintenance of Body

      Lifespan of Body and Maintenance Method

      Although it depends on material of wood and construction method, generally, taiko body made of solid keyaki (zelkova) wood lasts for a long time, without exaggerating, for hundred years. To keep it in good shape, cover it with a case and store in well-ventilated and dry place to add humid, extremely hot and cold place. In case that it doesn't played for a long time, it needs to leave in fresh air regularly. For shime daiko and okedo daiko, it should be loosen the rope and bolts if it isn't played for a long time. To reduce the tension between body and heads, they last longer. If the body gets any crack, it should be repaired as soon as possible. 

      Cracks on Body

      If the body gets cracks, it should be repaired by professional craftsman or taiko maker. The repair fee depends on how bad the crack is. Don't leave it for a long time. It will get worse and the repair fee will get higher. 

      Painting Peeled off

      If the painting on the body is peeled off, it should be repaired by professional craftsman or taiko maker. The repair fee depends on how bad the crack is. Don't leave it for a long time. It will get worse and the repair fee will get higher.

      Dents on Body

      The edge of the body usually gets dents as it's played for years. Most taiko makers  use a hard wooden material on the edge but it's generally inevitable. If the dent is too deep and the gap between body and head is remarkably wide, the sound quality gets worse. In that case, it needs to make the edge flat and re-pitch the head.

      Dents on Taiko Body

      Loosen Kan (Handle)

      If the kan (handle) get loose, one side of head needs to be removed. Sometimes, it's necessary to change the part to place it if the previous part is really messed up. If it is loosen, don't carry the taiko by holding the handles. It may injure the user if the handle suddenly falls off or the body gets cracks.

      Loose Taiko Kan Handle

      Rusted Byo (Stud)

      It may damage the body and head if it's left. If studs get rusted, the handle would wall off in a worst scenario. Rub stud with sandpaper. Apply anti-rust chemicals and paint it with black paint. 

      Rusted Byou Stud

       

      Related Articles

      Material of Taiko

      Which material are these made of? See also this article. 

      Material of Taiko 


      Size of Taiko

      Which size should I use? See also this article. 

      Size of Taiko 

       

      😚Thank you for reading this to the end. Please feel free to ask any questions or leave any comments😉

      Material of Taiko

      Material of Taiko

       

      1. Nagado Daiko  

      2. Shime Daiko 

      3. Katsugi Oke Daiko  

      4. Eisa Daiko  

       

      1. Nagado Daiko

      Nagado daiko is the most popular type of taiko also called miya daiko and odaiko. The best material is keyaki wood, Japanese zelkova wood. There are a wide range of the nagado daiko from the low price one to the excellent one. In addition, the metal parts are also important in the respect of the look.

      Construction:

      Traditionally, it's hollowed out of a log, which is cut in proper length. Craftsmen used to use chisels to hollow it in the old time, but now they use machines to hollow, whittle and polish the body.

      Kurinuki Solid Shell and Shusei Stave Shell

      Kurinuki (Hollowed-out Solid Shell): It is original structure, which is made of one piece of wood. It's the excellent because of not only the beautiful grain of the wood but also the deep and reflecting sounds produced inside the thick and hard wood. 

      Shusei (Stave Shell): It is constructed by wooden boards. There are not so many suitable wood for kurinuki available in these days. Also, based on the high technique to make the taiko as good as the kurinuki taiko, shusei type is becoming popular. It has relatively reasonable price and the light weight is one of the reason why it's popular. 

       

      Wood:

      Keyaki (zelkova) is the best. It's very hard and hardly scratched. Also, the grain is beautiful. Moreover, once studs to fasten taiko heads are driven into the keyaki body, they hardly come loose. Tamo (ash), sen (kalopanax), kusu (camphor) are also popular woods for taiko. However, it's getting difficult to get logs of those woods, which is big enough to become a taiko body in Japan. Thus, imported alternative woods are often used to make a large taiko.

      Wood Grain of Taiko

      Keyaki (Japanese zelkova): Keyaki is the best material of the taiko body.

      Meari (Second best wood): Meari is the term for the second best material such as tamo (ash) and sen (kalopanax).

      Other Material: Other than keyaki and meari, there are some taiko made of the various wood like matsu (pine), buna (beech), bubinga, and take (bamboo).

       

      Skin:

      Usually, cowhide is used for drum head. The cowhide of a three-years-old female Japanese cow is said to be the best material. Horsehide is often used for the katsugi oke daiko. A skin of water buffalo is used for the head of a larger taiko.

      Mimi-tsuki and Mimi-nashi

      Mimi: Literally, it means ear in Japanese. In taiko terminology, it means the hem of the head produced after studding (It's also called en). Usually, the cowhide is stretched over the top of body with ropes, which are laced through holes of the hem. Mimi used to be cut off after studding, but nowadays people leave it intentionally. When the head gets loose after using for years, it can be tightened up again if the mimi remains, instead of replacing the whole head.

      Quality: Taiko heads are made of cowhide tanned by craftsmen with their secret technique. The cowhide is cut in proper size and is stretched over the top of a taiko body using special equipment. Usually, taiko heads made of cowhide have some brown spots. Nowadays, some taiko makers bleach them for sightly sake, sacrificing their durability. The sound of the brand-new skin is high-pitch and it gets lower as it's played. Taiko players make the sound of their taiko by playing it again and again.

       

      Types of Taiko

      Do you know the types of taiko? See also this article. 

      Types of Taiko


      Maintenance of Taiko

      Do you know how to maintain taiko? See also this article. 

      Maintenance of Taiko

       

      2. Shime Daiko

      Shime daiko (tsukeshime daiko) consists of a body, heads, and a rope or bolts.  A membrane is tied with rope or bolt along the body.

      Shime Daiko Type

      Rope Jime: It is the traditional look of the shime daiko and tuned by a rope.

      Bolt Jime: It is tuned by bolt and nut and easy to tighten and loosen. So shime daiko needs to be loosened after use, it is more convenient than rope jime.

      Turnbuckle Jime: Turnbuckle is easier to tighten and loosen than bolt jime. 

       Shime Daiko Wood Skin

      Wood:

      Same as nagado daiko. Keyaki (zelkova) is the best material of the wood that makes the best sound. 

       

      Skin:

      Skin of the shime daiko is cowhide. The iron ring is inside the rim part of the shime daiko head.

       

      3. Katsugi Oke Daiko

      Katsugi oke daiko is a kind of okedo daiko, the body of which is made of the stave shell like oke (Japanese wooden tub and bucket). Compared to the nagado daiko (making deep and low-pitch sounds) and the shime daiko (making sharp and high-pitch sounds), it makes medium-pitch sounds.

      Okedo and Katsugi Oke Daiko

      Difference Between Okedo and Katsugi Oke: Katsugi oke is different from okedo daiko in some respects. First, the playing style of katsugi oke and okedo is different. Katsugi oke is hung with a strap from the player's shoulder. On the other hand, okedo is set on the stand. Second, the katsugi oke is made of light material so that the player carry it easily. Third, the katsugi oke's drum head is made of thinner than okedo's. So, do not play with hard bachi. 

       

      Wood:

      Body of the katsugi oke daiko is made of the light wood like kiri (paulownia) so that the player hang it from the shoulder.

       

      Skin:

      There are two types of the skin for katsugi oke daiko.

      Horsehide and Cowhide: The most obvious difference is the sound. The horsehide head is generally said to produces a brighter sound than cowhide. Cowhide is more durable than horsehide. The both are used commonly. taiko players seem to choose one matching their need. *Horsehide is temporally unavailable. 

       

       

      4. Eisa Daiko

      Eisa is music with dance originally performed in Okinawa. It was originally a traditional folk performance for a memorial service for their ancestor's spirits. It is close to the obon event in Japan mainland. Three drums are used in eisa music and dance.

      Eisa Taiko

      Eisa Odaiko: Eisa odaiko is a special taiko used for eisa dance. It is very light that the performers carry it with a sash. Players perform it with eisa dance energetically. The material is soft and more fragile than other taiko like nagado daiko which is made of the durable wood and skin.

      Eisa Shime DaikoThe eisa performers hold taiko with one hand and strike it with a bachi. This shime daiko is very light, and performers play and dance while swinging it. This dynamic playing style is unique for eisa. Eisa shime daiko is made of the soft and light material than shime daiko (tsuke shime daiko).

      ParankuParanku is a key instrument for eisa dance in Okinawa. Eisa performers hold it with one hand and strike it with a bachi with the other hand while dancing energetically. As well as other eisa drums, the material is not so durable.

       

      😚Thank you for reading this to the end. Please feel free to ask any questions or leave any comments😉

      Size of Taiko

      Size of Taiko

       

      1. How to Know the Taiko Size  

      2. How to Find the Right Size  

       

      1. How to Know the Taiko Size

      -Nagado Daiko-

      To know the size of the nagado daiko, measure the head diameter.

      Head Diameter of Nagado Daiko

      The unit of the measurement is "shaku". For example, if the head diameter of the taiko is 45cm, it is 1.5 shaku size.

      Shaku and Sun

      Shaku & Sun

      "Shaku" and "Sun" are units of measure used for taiko drums. These units are not generally used in Japan anymore. The metric system of measures using the meter, centimeter and so on are the current standard in Japan now. However, taiko makers use "Shaku" and "Sun" when they make taiko drums. Shaku is pronounced as sha-ku. Sun is pronounced as su-ng.

       

      1 shaku is about 30cm (1000/33 cm) *about 12in (about 11.93in).
      1 sun is about 3cm (100/33 cm)  *about 1.2in. (about 1.193in).
      1 shaku is 10 sun.

      Example (Head Diameter)
      1 shaku is about 30cm *about 12in
      1.1 shaku is about 33cm *about 13in
      1.2 shaku is about 36cm *about 14in
      1.3 shaku is about 39cm *about 15in
      1.4 shaku is about 42cm *about 17in
      1.5 shaku is about 45cm *about 18in
      1.6 shaku is about 48cm *about 19in
      1.7 shaku is about 51cm *about 20in
      1.8 shaku is about 54cm *about 21in
      1.9 shaku is about 57cm *about 23in
      2 shaku is about 60cm *about 24in

      *There's a margin of error in length because it's handmade.

      -Shime Daiko-

      To know the size of the shime daiko, measure the thickness of the head.

      Size of Shime Daiko

      The word "cho-gake" is used. The bigger the number is, the thicker the head is. Only the smallest one is called namitsuke. 2 cho-gake is thicker than the namitsuke. So the thick head can be tensioned more, the sound produced becomes louder.

      *Please note that the size of the shime daiko varies depending on the maker.

      Namitsuke and Cho-gake

      Namituske & Cho-gake

      Different words are used for the shime daiko. The smallest size is called "namitsuke". "Cho-gake" is used for the bigger shime daiko than namitsuke.

      Example (Thickness of Head)
      Namitsuke is about 11mm *about 0.43in
      2 cho-gake is about 19mm *about 0.75in
      3 cho-gake is about 23mm *about 0.91in
      4 cho-gake is about 26mm *about 1.02in
      5 cho-gake is about 29mm *about 1.14in

      *There's a margin of error in length because it's handmade.


      -Hirado Daiko-

      Same as Nagado Daiko


      -Okedo Daiko (Okedo / Katsugi Oke)-

      Same as Nagado Daiko


      -Odaiko (Odaiko / Ohira Daiko / Ojime Daiko)-

      Same as Nagado Daiko


      -Eisa Daiko (Odaiko / Shime Daiko / Paranku)-

      Same as Nagado Daiko


      -Uchiwa Daiko-

       Same as Nagado Daiko

       

      Types of Taiko

      Do you know the types of taiko? See also this article. 

      Types of Taiko

       

      2. How to Find the Right Size

      Since the body size is different depending on the person, the right size of the taiko depends on the body size of the player. You can find the taiko that suits you by the following way:

      (1) Set the nagado daiko holizontally.
      (2) Stand in front of it.
      (3) Bend knees a little bit. Be careful not to stoop over.
      (4) Hold bachi and put the tips of them on the center of the head.

      If your arms are comfortable at this moment, the taiko should be good for you.

      Height of Nagado Daiko

      Height of the nagado daiko is generally calculated by multiplying diameter of head by 1.25 or 1.3. It depends on the taiko maker but Taiko Center uses 1.25. 

      Example (Height of Nagado Daiko)
      1.3 shaku has about 49cm* about 19 in height
      1.4 shaku has about 53cm* about 21 in height
      1.5 shaku has about 56cm* about 22 in height
      1.6 shaku has about 60cm* about 24 in height

      *There's a margin of error in length because it's handmade.

      Tip: The height of the taiko can be adjusted by using the stand.

      Taiko Height and Stand

      In the modern taiko performance, 1.4 shaku, 1.5 shaku and 1.6 shaku sized nagado are mostly used. If you want to play the nagado daiko with other players at the same time, we recommend you to use 1.5 shaku or larger nagado daiko.


      Maintenance of Taiko

      Do you know how to maintain taiko? See also this article. 

      Maintenance of Taiko 


      Types and Material of Bachi

      Are you looking for bachi sticks for these? See also this article. 

      Types and Material of Bachi 

       

      😚Thank you for reading this to the end. Please feel free to ask any questions or leave any comments😉