basic information

There are several types of traditional, Japanese music (hogaku). Some of the most important ones are listed below:

• Gagaku:
  Ancient court music from China and Korea. It is the oldest type of Japanese, traditional music.

• Biwagaku:
  Music played with the instrument Biwa, a kind of guitar with four strings.

• Nogaku:
  Music played during No performances. It basically consists of a chorus, the Hayashi flute, the Tsuzumi drum, and other instruments.

• Sokyoku:
  Music played with the instrument Koto. Later also accompanied by Shamisen and Shakuhachi. The Koto is a zither with 13 strings.

• Shakuhachi:
  Music played with the instrument Shakuhachi, a about 55 cm long flute. The name of the flute is its lenght expressed in the old Japanese length units.

• Shamisenongaku:
  Music played with the instrument Shamisen, a kind of guitar with only three strings. Kabuki and Bunraku performances are accompanied by the shamisen.

• Minyo:
  Japanese folk songs.

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Traditional Japanese Music

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updated 5 days ago

english links

product links

Traditional Japanese Music and Musical Instruments Book by William P. Malm Tsugaru Shamisen Audio CD by Chikuzan Takahashi Shamisen Audio CD by Various Artists Koto Music of Japan Audio CD by Various Artists Lullaby For The Moon: Japanese Music For Koto And Shakuhachi Audio CD by Various Artists Shakuhachi Meditation Music Audio CD by Stan Richardson Gagaku & Beyond Audio CD by Tokyo Gakuso and Tadaaki Ohno

japanese links