kotsuzumi
Kotsuzumi is a traditional Japanese drum, one of the two main drums in the tsuzumi family, the other being otsuzumi. The name means “small drum,” and the instrument is noted for its high, tense timbre. It is commonly used in Noh theater and appears in other traditional performing arts as well.
The kotsuzumi is hourglass-shaped and typically made of a carved wooden body with two animal-skin heads. The
In performance, the kotsuzumi provides crisp, sharp cues and expressive accents that support singing, acting, and
Origin and development trace to medieval Japan, with formal refinement during the Muromachi and Edo periods.