The first musical instruments humans ever invented were believed to be those of percussion. The oldest drum, discovered in Moravia, dates back to 6000 B.C.

Taiko, or Japanese drums, are presumed to have emerged about 2,000 years ago, though the oldest evidence is a haniwa clay figure of a drummer that is estimated to have been made in the 6th or 7th century. In the Warring States Period, taiko were often used in battle to issue commands, since their loud and rumbling sounds could be heard across entire battlefields.

These days, taiko come in a great variety of shapes and sizes depending on their purpose. The drum is indispensable for local festivals such as the Bon dance festivals that take place all over the country, as well as for Japanese traditional music and dance, such as gagaku, geisha dance and the lion dance. In some religious sects, followers strike taiko while chanting prayers or marching to the cemetery in a funeral procession.