2. History of Japanese Music
Japanese music began to be performed with festivals
and ceremonies
Originally performed on drums and flutes
Music was imported from Korea and China
3. Gagaku
Meaning “Court Music”, Gagaku was a general
name for music performed in a court, or formal,
setting
It is one of the oldest orchestral styles of music still
performed today, lasting for over 1300 years
4. Instruments - Sho
The Sho is made of reeds, and is played upright with
the performer blowing through the reeds
5. Instruments - Hichiriki
Another wind instrument from the flute family, the
Hichiriki resembles a recorder, but is also made of
reeds
6. Instruments - Biwa
Resembling a lute, or small guitar, the Biwa is a
pear-shaped instrument made with silk strings and
played with a large pick called a Bachi
7. Instruments - Koto
A long instrument with many strings, the Koto uses
movable bridges to create different pitches
8. Instruments - Taiko
A large drum used in Gagaku
Multiple drums use the name Taiko, but are
characterized mostly by their large size
11. Gagaku Today
Much like our orchestral music, the works of great
musicians from the past 1300 years are often
performed
Although Gagaku has changed throughout history,
many efforts have been made to keep the music as
close to tradition as possible
Almost 50 years ago, Gagaku musicians decided to
include modern influences, and Gagaku has
continued to change
12. Dance and Theater
Music is closely tied to the popular classical theater
styles in Japan
The three types of theater in Japan are Noh, Kabuki,
and Bunraku
Each features different musical accompaniment, but
the music remains important through each
performance
We will examine the two most popular and distinct:
Kabuki and Bunraku
13. Kabuki
Kabuki is a Japanese stage play
involving music accompaniment
and very intricate, dance-like
movements
Actors wear elaborate costumes
and make-up in order to create a
greater experience for the
audience
Stages usually include large sets
with movable floors and trick
doors
14. Kabuki Music
Kabuki music is often
played on a guitar-like
instrument called the
Shamisen
The Shamisen is similar
to the Biwa, but with a
smaller body
15. Kabuki Music
Pictured here is a Kabuki ensemble: the shamisen
players sit on the top right side, with the chorus on
the left and percussionists in the bottom row
16. Bunraku
Bunraku is Japanese puppet theater
Each puppet is half the size of a real person, and is
operated by three people
All puppets are voiced by one person, who also
provides the narration for the story
17. Bunraku Music
Bunraku is also
accompanied by the
Shamisen, used in
Kabuki
The pace of the music
directly reflects the
action seen on stage
Pictured here is a
shamisen player with
the narrator keeping
pace with the music
19. References
Kabuki and Bunraku. (2013). Retrieved from:
http://www.japan-guide.com/
Institute for Medieval Japanese Studies. (2013).
Gagaku Japanese Classical Music. Retrieved from:
http://www.medievaljapanesestudies.org/current-
activities-programs/gagaku-classical-japanese-
music.html
Web Japan. (n.d.). About Japanese Music. Retrieved
from: http://web-
japan.org/museum/music/about_mu.html
