Nichinan: Home of the taiko drum, Traditional Drums from Tottori

The traditional Japanese taiko drum originates in the town of Nichinan in the Hino region of south-western Tottori Prefecture; we cannot be sure why drum-making started here, but the favourable location maybe a key factor. Nichinan lies by the River Hino, one of the prefecture’s three great rivers, in the glorious natural setting of the 1000 metre high Chūgoku Mountain Range, with easily accessible supplies of cowhide and zelkova wood required to produce drums. It is also close to the prefectural boundary, so ideally located to transport products to customer bases.