Itsukushima Shrine: Jindaiko Drum 厳島神社：陣太鼓

Official explanation

The jindaiko or war drum was used by samurai to signal troop movements. It was a common sight on battlefields during the Sengoku period (1467–1568) of constantly shifting alliances and rivalries among local warlord-led clans. The drums came in many sizes. Some were small enough to be carried by a single person, while heavy drums such as the one displayed here would be placed on the deck of a boat and beaten during naval engagements. It is not clear which clan this drum belonged to, but the nine-point star pattern on the leather is distinctive, as most jindaiko were instead decorated with a swirling pattern made up of three comma-like shapes (mitsudomoe). Why the drum ended up at Itsukushima Shrine is unknown, but it was likely presented as an offering to the deities of the shrine and as a symbol of the donor’s faith.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.