ko-tsuzumi

The ko-tsuzumi is a type of tsuzumi, which is a family of Japanese two-headed drums with hourglass-shaped bodies. It is one of the two most commonly used tsuzumi, alongside the ō-tsuzumi, and is found in the music of Noh and Kabuki theatres.1

The ko-tsuzumi has two horsehide heads. The player holds the instrument on their right shoulder and strikes it with the fingers of their right hand. By squeezing the encircling ropes with their left hand, the drummer can produce four distinct soft sounds by altering the rope tensions. The drum's resonance can be modified by applying thin paper (chōshigami) to the center of the rear drumhead. The ko-tsuzumi is part of the hayashi ensemble in Noh music.12