Taiko is simply the Japanese word for "big drum." Generally, it is used to refer to all drums used in classical Japanese music, whether big or small.

"Taiko" often refers to the modern art of Japanese drum ensembles, but the word actually refers to the drums themselves. Literally, taiko means "fat drum," although there is a vast array of shapes and sizes of the inherently round taiko. Within the last 50 years since kumi-daiko was created, it Taiko has seen phenomenal growth in the past 50 years; there are purportedly more than 8,000 taiko groups in Japan alone. A wide variety of taiko drums are used in Japan, including instruments with tacked heads and others with heads that are laced to the body. Styles range from rustic, usually for folk music, to highly ornate, for imperial court music.

Barrel drum played with two sticks (bachi) (more)