The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word TAIKO
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
T
A
I
K
O
Buddy explains!
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does TAIKO mean?
TAIKO noun- A traditional drum, beaten by yobidashi to announce the beginning of a tournament, and at the end of each day
- A Japanese drum or a performance of several drummers in an ensemble (also called kumi-daiko).
- The Chatham Island taiko (Pterodroma magentae).