There are only a handful of choices out there for taiko cases in the US. Where do your cases come from? I've collected mine gradually over the last few years and while each of them is from a different company/person, I'm very pleased with all of them.
Katsugi Okedo
I purchased this hard case when living in Japan. It was custom-made to fit my specific drum. For shipping my drum, I love love love this case! There has (so far) not been any noticeable damage to my drum and it's great to not worry about whether or not it will be okay if I check it as luggage. I do set a light blanket on the top end to prevent any shifting at all before shipping. It has a hard handle for hand carrying, and a long strap to use for over-the-shoulder.
Another custom-made drum case, I ordered this one from a drum company in Wisconsin. We discussed a few options via email for how to deal with the tapering of the drums, and I decided on a fitted bottom and a drawstring top with a padded flap. My cases fit snugly and are great for their purpose: day-to-day storage.
Shime Daiko
My soft shime daiko case was made by a friend of a friend. I like that there is a long strap and a shorter one, which gives 2 carrying options. I also appreciate the small business card slot, making identification easy, especially for travel. The foam lining is thick enough to prevent damage as I carry this drum on the subway system, but I always take it as a carry-on if traveling by plane.
A Quick Fix for a Shime Daiko Case
Need an easy way to carry your shime daiko without spending big bucks? Check out the video below, by Former Kodo Apprentice (2007-2009) and currentTaikoza member Joe Small, on how it's done at the Apprentice Center:
