VOL.207 SEPTEMBER 2025
THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND MUSIC CULTURE OF JAPAN
A Pioneer of Modern Taiko Drumming Discusses Performance Attire
HAYASHI Eitetsu, taiko drummer.
Photo: © Julia Lebedeva
Although wadaiko1 (traditional Japanese drums) is often regarded as a traditional performing art, its current form was actually newly created from a modern perspective. In this article, we hear from HAYASHI Eitetsu, a pioneer who developed and popularized these techniques and elevated taiko to a globally acclaimed performing art, as he discusses the origins of today’s performance style and attire.
HAYASHI Eitetsu joined a newly founded taiko ensemble in 1971, taking part in its creation as well as in composition, stage direction, and lead performances for 11 years before becoming independent. Since 1982, he has performed worldwide as a soloist in orchestral works and his own stage productions. He transformed the simple taiko style, long cherished as festival accompaniment, into a starring art form, elevating both ensemble and solo performances into a new genre of stage and musical expression.
The composition of muscular performers striking large drums in perfect synchronization, as well as the performance of standing directly in front of a massive 1.15-meter-diameter drum while facing away from the audience, were devised by HAYASHI. He also personally designed the performance attire worn by the drummers.
“Traditionally, at Japanese matsuri, or festivals, and similar events, taiko is often played wearing clothing such as a happi coat,2 haragake,3 momohiki,4 and tabi.5 This originates from the fact that a type of carpenter,6 construction worker,7 and other craftsmen were the ones who originally played taiko, and their work clothes became the basis for the attire. The style of stage costumes worn by modern ensemble wadaiko groups is largely based on the performance method I devised in the 1980s, which many people have since used as a reference,” HAYASHI explains.
“Although they may appear to be traditional attire for taiko performers at first glance, there was no such precedent in taiko performance attire. I combined a kataginu,8 haragake, and tattsuke-hakama,9 designed for ease of putting on and taking off, with mobility in mind. This costume has come to be recognized as the standard attire for taiko performers, and today many people follow this style.”
Photo: HAL
In traditional Japanese matsuri, taiko drums are used in various ways, and HAYASHI explains the accompanying attire as follows: “In traditional festival taiko performances, besides happi coats, performers often wear yukata10 or formal kimono such as montsuki (kimono with family crests). While patterns and how they are worn may vary, there are generally no major differences between regions. However, in the furyu11 style of taiko dances, where dancers parade in groups while playing flutes and taiko, different costumes can be seen depending on the region.”
Photo: Haga Library
As HAYASHI has performed around the world, his stage costumes have also drawn international attention. Originally designed for ease of movement, the outfits also show off the performers’ strong, dynamic bodies, impressing audiences with their power and grace, leading many amazed at the unexpected beauty of Japanese taiko performance. Why not experience the world of taiko music, crafted for the stage and still evolving today, alongside its distinctive, visually striking costumes.
Photo: OGUMA Sakae
- 1. A general term for traditional Japanese drums. These percussion instruments have a wooden body or wooden tub with animal hide stretched over it and are played by striking with bachi (drumsticks).
- 2. A short, open-front jacket with tubular sleeves, worn by craftsmen as formal clothing.
- 3. Work clothing for craftsmen, worn as a chest apron. It has various pockets for tools and is shaped like a short apron.
- 4. Traditionally also worn as underwear, these pants come in a full-length style that fits closely from the waist to the heels, or in a shorter pants style. The waist is tied with a cord.
- 5. Sock-like footwear designed with a separate section for the big toe and the other four toes.
- 6. Craftsmen who build or repair wooden structures.
- 7. Skilled workers specializing in high-altitude construction tasks.
- 8. A sleeveless jacket worn over a kimono. In the medieval period, samurai wore it with hakama (traditional Japanese pleated trousers) as a type of formal attire.
- 9. A type of hakama with a tapered lower section for ease of movement. It was worn by samurai and commoners as travel or work clothing.
- 10. A type of kimono made from cotton yukata fabric, consisting of a single-layered long robe.
- 11. A performing art or festival practice in which participants play fue (Japanese flutes) and taiko (Japanese drums), sing and dance, and parade in elaborate costumes. It was popular in the medieval period.
Calls and shouts during taiko performances
During a performance, shouts are called out between drum strikes.
Photo: Mirai Taiko Dojo
During taiko performances, you can hear many different calls and shouts. KOBAYASHI Masataka, who leads the wadaiko group Bonten, explains their types and roles.
In traditional performing arts such as taiko, noh, and kabuki, the musicians known as hayashikata follow specific calls. There are also various calls that have been passed down through local folk arts and festivals. These calls serve multiple purposes: communicating between performers and confirming timing, signaling other performers on stage, and conveying rhythm and tempo by varying volume and tone to energize the performance.
• Taiko calls in traditional performing arts (used to confirm progress, signal timing, cue performance, and add expression)
Iyo~
Ha!
O~
and others
• Calls in folk performance arts (used in festivals and local celebrations)
Essa
Ii~ya
Soiya
and others
In contrast to the calls used in traditional arts and festivals, calls in stage performances can serve as part of the music itself, signal changes in the piece, or mark the conclusion of a solo performance.
• Calls used in stage taiko performances
Yo!
Ha!
Sore!
Eisa~
and others
The calls add another layer of beauty to the drums themselves—like works of art—and enhance the sense of refined Japanese aesthetics conveyed through the performance, while also conveying energy and passion. Listen closely to the calls and experience the thrilling power of wadaiko performances that move both heart and soul.
Photo: Mirai Taiko Dojo
By TANAKA Nozomi
Photo: ©Julia Lebedeva; HAL; Haga Library; OGUMA Sakae; Mirai Taiko Dojo; PIXTA
