Taiko has a had many influences these few years. It is appearing everywhere.
I do like it the best in its old setting. I have seen stuff and done corporate shows or commercial shows in which taiko was accompanying tracks of Rock n roll music, hip hop, pop, etc.
The percussion though sounds much better on a base drum with plenty of amplification though. Sadly taiko looses of its grandeur or majesty and becomes muddled. it seems the time the sound takes to travel is different for some reason. Depending where you sit in the audience you hear different delays with taiko.
Taiko looses of its impact when the movement element is taken out. Sometimes there is nothing as simple and as graceful as the dialogue of a performer with only one drum.
I am obviously nota big fan of the drum set setting. Even for drum set it becomes a turn off when a drummer starts doing solo in a rock concert. i saw many great drummers do 20-30 minute solos on drum set and rarely have they grasp my attention for that long. The ones that seem to fare the best are percussionists. They seem to grasp the sense of musicality or melody the best. they are the ones you can learn the most from. Drum set becomes technical on many level but on the melody or telling story aspect it lacks a bit in dimension.
Taiko though as simple as it is in its original form has a lot of power- I think as taiko has gained popularity. It has been stretched in all directions, which is important for the art form to grow. I do think though that there is also a place for its more basic form.
Songs such as Yatai Bayashi are as challenging and beautiful as a classic piece.
Taiko compared to the shakuhachi is much easier to play and it is feels at times as if less energy is needed to study which is so untrue of course. Taiko takes as much focus as the shakuhachi or say the violin or piano