The word Taiko literally means "Fat Drum". Stemming from Chinese and Korean ceremonial drums, the Taiko as we see it today can be traced back to Japan as early as the fifth century as court music in Japan's Imperial Palace. The Miya Taiko Series is the largest of Pearl's Taikos. The Pearl Miya Taiko drum is constructed of staved oak. It is beautifully finished in a matte natural stain, which shows the rich warmth of the wood, without the expensive price tag of a traditionally carved Taiko. The inside of the drum shells are shaped using a special carving method and have reinforcement rings that are placed to break up the unwanted overtones producing a balanced sonic reflection within the drums. The thunderous sound starts on the out side, with a premium cowhide exclusively selected for the Pearl Miya Taiko drums. This drum has a fixed pitch and it is not tunable.