If you think that j-pop and visual kei are all there is to Japanese music, think again! The truth of the matter is that Japan has a rich and varied culture of music and it goes back to the beginning of Japanese history. Whether you are looking for something new to listen to, or you want to see what performances you should catch when you are visiting Japan, take a look at a few of the important categories of traditional Japanese music
Gagaku
Gagaku is perhaps the oldest type of music to be found in Japan, and it originates from China and Korea. The name literally translates to “elegant music” and it was performed for nobles and at the Imperial court. Some forms of gagaku included saibara, which was Shintoist music, togaku, which was heavily influenced by the Chinese, and komagaku, which was influenced by Manchurian styles.
Nohgaku
Some music was performed along with visual performance. Nohgaku was specifically the music that was performed during performances of Noh theater and it consisted of several instruments as well as a chorus. Nohgaku is performed in a limited tonal range and the texts conveyed are often not melodic, though a story is being told. In many cases, the singing for nohgaku is accompanied by three drummers and a type of flute known as a shinobue.
Minyo
Not all music was performed for the Imperial court. The term minyo refers to Japanese folk songs and they were a part of everyday life in Japan. They are largely divided into religious songs, work songs, songs for gatherings and songs for children. When these songs were performed, they were typically accompanied by a shamisen, which is a sort of three stringed lute, a drum, and the bamboo flute known as the shakhuachi. Though the term minyo itself is fairly modern, having originated in the twentieth century, the music itself goes back several hundred years and was largely passed down through oral tradition.
Taiko
When people think of traditional Japanese music today, often they think of the popular drum corps that perform all over the world. Thought the modern performances of the taiko drums by groups like Kodo are modern, the drums that are used are not.
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Taiko performances are thought to originate with gagaku performances and the taiko drums themselves are a part of many other forms of music. In the past, taiko was used to coordinate troops and to enforce a marching order.
If you have a love of Japanese culture, make sure that you consider traditional Japanese music; this is something that greatly informs the history of Japan and remains an important part of it today!
