"Taiko" means drum in Japanese. The taiko is literally thousands of years old. Its roots stem from the drums that the priests played to banish evil spirits and those farmers played to celebrate bountiful harvests. Samurai used to carry taiko into battle to bolster their courage while instilling fear in the hearts of their enemies. The taiko were also used to carry the prayers of the people to their gods.

Taiko, as it is thought of today, is a relatively recent cultural development, combining highly choreographed movements with compelling percussive rhythms. While taiko is inevitably rooted in the heart and spirit of Japan, it is a living and evolving art form that is permeating the world. The development of taiko in North America is owed largely to the efforts of one man: Grand Master Seiichi Tanaka, the founder of San Francisco Taiko Dojo and KTH’s instructor.

Kaminari Taiko has successfully hosted the first "Houston Grand Taiko Festival" at Miller Theatre in Houston. Guest performers included Seiichi Tanaka and San Francisco Taiko Dojo, Master Takahamaryu Mitsujuroku, D.R.U.M., Ancestral Roots, and Guru Uday Kangutkar.

In less than five years from its inception, KTH has performed at cultural and ceremonial events as well as fairs, festivals, and parades, and have reached millions of viewers in live and televised performances.  The group was honored to perform in the "Welcome Home" ceremony for Olympic Gold Medalist Tara Lipinski, upon her return from the Olympics in Nagano, Japan.