The most typical style of drum exemplifying "taiko" as an instrument is the nagado (long-bodied) style of taiko. Each nagado-taiko is carved from a single, solid piece of wood. The types of wood we use for the body can be divided into two broad categories, keyaki and meari. Keyaki (zelkova serrata) is a premium hardwood considered to be the best material for taiko body construction. Meari is a broad term referring to a number of types of wood that can include camphor, horse chestnut, sen and bubinga.