Shinjuku Eisa Festival
You can see the movie.
Please click the photo.

Paranku is a cow skin frame drum which is used in traditional event "Eisa " in Okinawa (south in Japan) at time of Bon Festival (a kind of Buddhism event).
We believe the soul of our ancestor returns to this world at the time of Bon Festival.....Is it like Day of the Dead in Mexico?

Eisa is a event which young people play paranku/other kind of drums and dance with the song and the musical band to send off the ancestor soul to another world. 
Young people parade on the road in the district while dancing.
Eisa has been done in various places in Japan and becoming to one kind of show in recent years. 

The left photo was taken in "Shinjuku Eisa festival". Dancers were semi- professional group from Okinawa. This festival is doing in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo every year. Many audiences come and see this event.

Please click the photo. You can see the movie.

Kishibojin Festival at Ikebukuro
You can see the movie.
Please click the photo.

Uchiwa-daiko is a natural skin drum with a round frame and a handle.
Uchiwa means a wind fan and daiko(taiko) means a drum in Japanese.
It might be called "Daimoku-daiko" because it is used in a lot of situations of Nichiren buddhisum when they recite the holy words. (daimoku means holy words in Japanese) 

Recently, Japanese modern percussionists are using this instrument in their performances. They use many Uchiwa-daikos of different pitches.
It seems to hear as if it has a scale.

The left photo was taken in "Kishibojin Festival" in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.
Kishibojin is the goddess of children which came from India in origin.
Citizens parade on the road to Kishibojin temple at night with drumming.

Please click the photo. You can see the movie.

Performance of Kacho

Kacho is a natural skin frame drum which was used by Ainu tribe lived in Hokkaido (north in Japan).
It was said only Karafuto (Sakhalin) Ainu tribe used this instrument and women shamans used it for "Tus" (sacred ritual).
They played this drum with a stick called Rehera.

Unfortunately, kacho is not used now.
But Ainu tribe is trying to discover their own culture also instruments, too. Ainu tribe had a great culture. Their life styles completely followed to nature and respected the spirits of nature.
So I hope they will show their wisdom to us ....not only instruments but
also life styles. 

I uploaded a very valuable recording to the left above.
Please click "Performance of Kacho".