Shime-daiko are the pulse of a taiko group. Their high sound cuts through the roar of the big drums and they are equally at home keeping time or unleashing a dynamic solo.

There are five weights of shime-daiko. The lightest is namitsuke, and is it based on drums used in classical Japanese theater. Following namitsuke is the 2-chogake and then the 3, 4, and 5-chogake (which is the heaviest of all the shime-daiko). As the weights of the shime get heavier, the bodies get slightly taller, thicker and are capable of handling more pressure. This allows heavier shime-daiko to generate higher pitched sounds.

Most taiko groups use 2 or 3-chogake sized shime-daiko. Professional groups sometimes favor 4-chogake. 5-chogake are rarely used but are capable of being tuned incredible high. The namitsuke, with it's warm tone, is great paired up with smaller taiko that won't overwhelm it.

Shime-daiko are available in traditional rope tension and bolt tension versions. The rope tension models require special technique (and often two people) to tension the drum. Many taiko groups like the rope tension version because it fosters teamwork and connection to the drum.

The bolt version can be conveniently tuned with a wrench, but they are much heavier and somewhat more expensive than the rope version.

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