This document is a study of the history, instruments, transmission method and performance practices of three types of Japanese taiko drumming. Included are transcriptions of representative pieces, several of which have never been written down in Western notation, as taiko is generally an orally transmitted musical form. Field research was done throughout the summers of 2007 and 2008 with renowned taiko artist Kenny Endo at the Taiko Center of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.