The purpose of this study was to clarify the flow pattern inside a drum that was suddenly stopped from a constant speed. Ten cases were observed by flow visualization using light sheet methods and by measurement of the time history of the velocity using LDV. The experimental results are expressed in terms of two nondimensional parameters: π1, which is determined by the viscosity of the liquid, the speed of rotation, and the size of the drum ; andπ2, which indicates the time required to attain e-1 of a constant speed The relationship between these two parameters is given by a single formula. Prior to each experiment, π1 was set and the time required for the drum to come to rest was estimated from the time required to attain e-1 of the constant speed using this relationship andπ2.