In Cuban music, refers to a set of wooden box drums with a thin wooden panel forming the 'skin'.

The bass cajon is large enough to sit on and is played with the palm, fist and fingers. It was originally a crate from shipping cod fish in Havana.

The middle drum is played with spoons and was originally a box from church candles.

The solo drum started as a desk drawer but has evolved into a specialised box made for this purpose. It is also associated with the styles from the coastal towns of Peru and is now very popular internationally, notably as the percussion instrument of choice for the Spanish flamenco ensemble.

A more recent contribution to the cajon family is a tall, tapered box resembling a square ashiko. Another is the 'batajon', which has two heads like a bata drum.