in a traditional japanese village the "odaiko" (big drum) defined the extent of the village land. in modern japan, wadaiko has become more of a performance art, seen only during festivals or in concert. the most famous wadaiko performance group are 'kodo' (meaning heart-beat). they are not only the worlds most respected japanese drumming group, they also maintain many traditional art forms. they group lives on the island 'sado higashima' and live together as a community in a traditional way. many other cultures have adopted this style of drumming, from germany and the united states to australia.