Japanese drum (taiko) – shaped sake cask

Japanese drum (taiko) – shaped sake cask​

Prefecturally Designated Important Cultural Property (designated 1998)
Made: late Kamakura period – early Muromachi period (14th century)
Henmyōin temple, Senzu, Ushimado
Dimensions: Height (including stand): 75.3cm 

A single block of Japanese zelkova wood was carved into a drum shape, and the inside hollowed out to make a resonant cavity. A thin veneer of cedar with a fine, straight grain was adhered to each end of the drum to act as a drum head, after which layers of cloth and black lacquer were applied to harden and reinforce the seams  between the drum body and the striking surface. 
The perimeter of the circular hole in the top of the drum was originally ornamented by a separate carved piece in the shape of an inverted double-lobed lotus flower. However, the majority of this piece has been lost. There is also a support stand shaped like a cloud. 
Based on the particular design of the mitsudomoe (three comma shapes arranged inside a circle) used on the drum skin, it is thought to have been made some time around the 14th century.

​

Cultural properties in Setouchi city​