Taiko is the Japanese art of drumming. Originally the music of the court and temple, the drums were played singly or in pairs. The modern style of taiko performed as an ensemble is called kumidaiko. This style was created by a jazz drummer, Daihachi Oguchi, in 1951 and has since gained worldwide popularity.

The word "taiko" literally means "drum" or "fat drum." When used in certain compound words, such as for styles of playing, types of drums, and ensembles, the "T" sounds like "D" and it is spelled "daiko."