janggu

Musicians playing a <em>janggu</em>Musicians dressed in a traditional Korean ensemble playing a janggu.

janggu, hourglass-shaped (waisted) drum used in much of Korea’s traditional music. It is about 66 cm (26 inches) long and has two heads stretched over hoops; one of them is struck with a hand and the other with a stick. An early Japanese variant of the janggu is the san no tsuzumi, used in Korean-derived court music (komagaku).

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Tamanna Nangia.
Citation Information
Article Title: janggu
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 29 September 2025
Access Date: November 13, 2026