Tsuri-Daiko

One generic term for the many styles of drums in Japan is daiko , a broad range of cylindrically shaped instruments that have a drum head either tacked on directly to the body or attached by ropes or cords.

The tsuri-daiko, also known as a "hanging drum", is a shallow, round instrument often suspended in a circular wooden or metal frame with an upright stand. The wood or metal stand is heavily lacquered and carved, and often has a beautiful flame ornament made from brass. In Chinese, this ornament is called the kwa-yen .

Richly decorated, this is an 'orchestral' or ensemble (rather than solo) instrument which often accompanies traditional music of the Japanese Imperial court. Performers strike the drum with short, padded wooden mallets. The right mallet is called obachi , or male stick, and the left, mebachi , or female stick.

Reference:

• Blades, James. Percussion Instruments and Their History. Revised ed. London: Faber and Faber, 1984.
• Gagaku (videorecording): The Court Music of Japan. Norman, Okla.: University of Oklahoma, c1989.
• Piggott, Sir Francis. The Music and Musical Instruments of Japan. London: Batsford, 1909.
• Malm, William P. Japanese Music and Musical Instruments. Rutland, Vt: C.E. Tuttle Co, 1959.
• Malm, William P. Music Cultures of the Pacific, the Near East, and Asia. 3rd edition. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1996.
• Rohlen, Thomas P. and Gerald K. LeTendre. Teaching and Learning in Japan. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press,1996.
• Shigeo, Kishibe. The Traditional Music of Japan. Tokyo: 1984.
• Tsuge, Gen'ichi. Japanese Music : An Annotated Bibliography. New York : Garland Pub., 1986.
  

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Last updated by Sam Cronk December 4, 1996