Instruments of the Hayashi
The hayashi musicians use three instruments: taiko drums, which are tied with ropes and have a deep, throbbing tone comparable to a heartbeat; shinobue bamboo flutes; and teburigane hand cymbals. The drums are elevated onto a large rickshaw-like vehicle and spotlit, so spectators can appreciate the strength and energy it takes to play them. The bamboo flutes follow along, playing the recognizable sing-song tune of the festival music; the small hand cymbals top off the concert of sounds, their merry jingle enlivening the group’s melody. Two main melodies are usually repeated throughout the parade.
The drummers are always the first in the hayashi line-up, and their loud beating can be heard before the float comes into view and after it has passed by. The bamboo flutes and hand cymbals follow next in the hayashi line. These instruments are responsible for the actual melody followed by the haneto dancers, and accompany the taiko drums. The beat of the drums echoes through the town until the hayashi ensemble is well out of sight.