taiko

Shinjuku Ninja Live Show: New Tokyo tourist attraction created by the Japan Ninja Council

Kabuki musician teams up with the world’s only official ninja organisation for a night you’ll remember forever.

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“Half-naked men only in loincloths” drum battle returns to Hida festival for first time in five years

Festival of motion and stillness reinstates hours-long drum procession/shoving match.

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McDonald’s Pokémon Happy Meal toys: Summer festival hit or miss?

We find out whether the Pokémon Natsumatsuri Happy Set can really make you happy.

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Stools made from real taiko drum parts sold by 160-year-old workshop and French designer

Make every day a festival with these pieces.

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Japanese drum game Taiko no Tatsujin celebrates 20 years with TikTok version, tournament, and more

Beloved game is kicking it into Oni mode for 2021.

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Drummer wows Internet with miniature taiko gacha capsule toy performance 【Videos】

Taiko capsule toy level: Expert!

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New taiko gacha capsule toys let you play Japanese drums with true-to-life sound

Now anyone can learn to play traditional Japanese drums, and there’s a safe that needs breaking into too!

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Japanese guy plays two-player Taiko No Tatsujin alone, blindfolded and backwards【Video】

And his drumming seems to have an odd power over women.

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First-ever electronic taiko developed with help from world-famous Japanese drum troupe

Kodo drummers help modern technology blend with one of Japan’s most traditional instruments.

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Japanese elementary school teacher gets drunk, visits student’s house and beats him with stick

The teacher used a drumstick from a drumming video game during the assault.

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Japan’s Kodo taiko group creates awesome new performance with 3D sound technology

The stunning sound and visuals in this new clip are designed to transport viewers to a Japanese festival as part of a new website for foreign tourists.

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You won’t want to take this guy on in the ring or at the arcade.

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Six of our favorite songs performed on traditional Japanese instruments to get you to the weekend

From “Shake it off” to “Smooth Criminal”, these Japanese cover songs will definitely have you tapping your toes! 

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Machine that perfectly plays Taiko Master is totally mesmerizing and totally cheating【Video】

Machines will completely rule our lives someday, so why not have them help us with our video games now?

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Dragon Ball & Attack on Titan’s theme songs—recreated with taiko, flutes, and beatboxing!【Video】

Whether you’re a fan of anime or not, you’ll love Shinpu’s covers of Attack on Titan and Dragon Ball’s theme songs combining Japanese flutes, taiko, and even beatboxing.

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Master drummers are lurking in Japanese game centers

Sure, you’ve all heard of Dance Dance Revolution (affectionately called DDR by stomp dancing fans everywhere). But how about Taiko no Tatsujin? Translated as “Drum Master,” this arcade game gives players a faux taiko drum to bang out a predetermined rhythm, doling out points for perfect on-time hits. It’s been around in Japan since 2001, but there seems to be no shortage of amazing drummers turning up in game centers across Japan. The photo above, showing two enthusiastic taiko drummers playing the game with movements that are the equivalent of using that extra bar to launch yourself in the air while playing DDR, surfaced on Twitter just this week…which got us thinking, how many other crazy drummers have been spotted in Japanese game centers?

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Rocking out with the Wagakki Band: Giving vocaloids a human voice

While vocaloids like Hatsune Miku are still relatively unknown in the West, they have quite the following in Japan and can be found taking part in everything from live concerts to limited edition smartphones. Though some may worry that the digital singers mean the end of “human” music, so far that’s hardly been the case. In fact, it’s nothing strange to find regular bands performing cover songs of vocaloid originals!

One band has taken the concept a step further by introducing some unique, traditional elements and are garnering quite a bit of attention among Japanese Internet users. Meet the Wagakki Band with Yuko Suzuhana and get ready to rock!

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