Do-gyoretsu Drum Parade serves as the annual festival of Matsue Shrine held on the 3rd Sunday in October every year in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture. “Do” is a special drum made of paulownia tube and cow skin. It is a huge drum with a diameter of about 2 meters.

The origin of a Do drum dates back to 1724, when Princess Iwahime of the Fushimi-no-miya family, a branch of the Imperial Family in Japan, married into the 5th lord of the Matsue domain, Matsudaira Nobuzumi. The townspeople made a huge drum and beat it loud to celebrate their marriage.

On the day of the festival, two or three Do drums are placed on dozens of large floats, which are pulled by children in happi jackets and parade through the city. The parade is joined by about 2,000 citizens, accompanied by flutes and copper clappers called “Changara”. On the floats are young drum players beating the drums powerfully with fantastic quill techniques. The spectators can enjoy not only viewing the parade but also listening to the sound of this energetic festival echoing through the city.