For centuries, the soulful rhythms of the taiko drum have carried the ancestral spirit of Japanese culture. Played at traditional ceremonies and rituals, the drums’ majestic tones invoke blessings for bountiful harvests and pay homage to the natural gifts of the land. Source: Timberbiz
Yoshihiko Miyamoto’s family has been crafting taiko drums and other Japanese festival equipment since 1861.
From the very beginning, the company has been guided by the same philosophy: ‘Value skill and honour tradition (宮本重義作)’, a concept that Mr Miyamoto was determined to uphold when he inherited the company in around 2010.
Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten produces about 30 types of drums, that could be expanded to more than a hundred if the different sizes are considered.
The drums are crafted using a variety of materials, each chosen with precision to suit the specific drum type.
The primary ones are zelkova wood (keyaki – ケヤキ), cedar (sugi – 杉), and bamboo. The company employs two distinct manufacturing methods: one involves hollowing out a single piece of wood, while the other laminates wood into a board shape and joins it together.
Mr Miyamoto prefers to create items that aren’t consumed quickly. Instead, the focus is on making good quality products that can be used for a long time, repaired, and then used for even longer.
As he contemplated the drums’ sacred role in Japanese culture and their inextricable bond with nature, he felt a growing responsibility to nurture the very forests that in turn, nurtured his family’s craft.
Traditionally, taikos were made primarily from dense-grain premium woods such as zelkova and cedar, chosen for their aesthetic value and durability. But over-reliance on a few tree species risked upsetting the delicate forest balance.
“In seeking high-quality materials, the drum-making industry hasn’t always considered the long-term environmental impact,” he said. “But the very spirit of the taiko symbolizes the harmonious coexistence between man and nature.”
Determined to restore this intrinsic balance, he began exploring possibilities to utilize more sustainable wood sources that would allow both the heritage and natural environments to thrive.
When he met Ryosuke Aoki of Tokyo Chainsaws through a mutual friend, it was as if Mother Nature herself had responded to his call. Tokyo Chainsaws is a Forest Stewardship Council certified forestry company based in Hinohara village, west of Tokyo. Discovering a mutual reverence for nature and cultural preservation, the two agreed to a collaboration: the ‘Echo-logical Taiko Project’.
With this, Mr Miyamoto would use readily available, FSC-certified stock such as snow wood from Hinohara Tokyo Citizens’ Forest for certain types of drums. The project led to the release of a new line of sustainable taiko drums, making Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten the first company in the world to obtain FSC certification for taiko products.
“It’s a revolutionary approach considering the cultural significance of the instrument and the usual preference for straight-grained wood,” said Mr Aoki.
“People are often surprised to learn that 70% of Japan is covered in forests.”
“Here in Hinohara village, you can see many cedar and cypress trees that were planted post-World War II. They have matured and are ready for use.”
Currently, much of Japan’s timber resources remain underutilized, partly due to a lack of awareness among the public. Mr Aoki believes that more can still be done to showcase the bounty of Japan’s forests and boost utilization, beginning with community engagement.
