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If you have never seen or heard taiko drumming before, search for it on YouTube. You will not be disappointed. An exciting new world will open up for you. 
 Feedback
 Clips of taiko drumming on YouTube are very positive. Most people really enjoy the performances.  The beats and the movements are wonderful.  
People who do taiko drumming have to be very fit. Stomach muscles  are very important during a performance. The legs are wrapped around the drum and the drummer has to lean backwards while drumming. 
Taiko is a great workout for creating a six pack. 
 Beginning
 Taiko drumming dates back to ancient times. According to myths, the sun goddess became so angry with her brother one day that she hid in a cave. In her absence, the sun disappeared from the sky and people lived in  total darkness. 
One of the  gods began dancing in front of  the cave to get her to come out. He beat on a taiko drum. People cheered up and their laughter brought the sun goddess out of  the cave. That's how, the story goes, taiko drumming was born.
 Changes
 Traditional Japanese taiko drumming underwent a huge change in 1951. 
A man called Daihachi Oguchi introduced a touch of jazz to the traditional beats, which had been played only at temples and shrines. 
Oguchi also used drums of different sizes, shapes and pitches together and started a band called Osuwa Daiko.
 He went on to form nearly 200 taiko groups in Japan, Singapore, Canada and the US. The master died at age 86 near his home in Nagano in 2008.
 Professional groups
 The first professional taiko group was formed by Seido Kobayshi. It was called Oedo Sukeroku Daiko.
 In 1969, Den Tagayasu started another troupe known as Onderkoza on Japan's Sado Island. For the group's members, it was more than just drum-playing. They lived spiritual lives and grew  their own food. They also  adopted a very strict training programme. 
 The drums
 The drums come in different sizes, shapes and pitches. They have a head on both sides. Most of them are made from one piece of wood. This means the wider the tree is, the wider the drum can be. The drum is struck with a stick called a bachi. 
 Large drums
 The odaiko is the largest type of taiko drum. They are often too large to move and so have to be kept in a shrine or temple permanently. It takes a lot of endurance to play the odaiko.
 The 'N' odaiko is the largest taiko drum in the world. It is made of a single piece of wood from a 1,200-year-old tree. The drum is 2.4 metres long and  2.4 metres wide. It weighs a massive 3 tonnes.  
 Other taiko
 Some taiko drums can be tuned, while others cannot. One drum that can be tuned is called the shime-daiko. One that cannot is called the byou-uchi daiko.   
 Now do this:
 1 Where were taiko drums used before 1951?
 a. in hotels and pubs
 b. in temples and shrines
 c. in schools and hospitals
 2 Which is the largest taiko drum known?
 a. the 'N' odaiko
 b. the uchiwa-daiko
 c. the hira-daiko
 3 What is the name of the stick used to strike the taiko drum?
 a. the daiko
 b. the bachi
 c. the baton
Answers: 1. b, 2. a, 3. b
Join the fun and learn about the ancient Japanese art of taiko drumming. Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation will be offering a series of taiko workshops for eight lucky Young Post readers on December 7 and 9 between 7pm and 9pm at the YAF studio in Quarry Bay. Participants will learn basic drumming  techniques and exercises. No prior drumming experience is required. To register, e-mail us at yp@scmp.com with your name, age, address and phone number, with 'Taiko' in the subject field. Participants are expected to attend both workshops.



The thunderous beat of 'taiko'