Traditional Japanese music


Traditional Japanese music or —meaning literally country music, as opposed to or Western music—is the folk or traditional music of Japan. Japan's Ministry of Education classifies Hōgaku as a category separate from other traditional forms of music, such as Gagaku or Shōmyō, but most ethnomusicologists view Hōgaku, in a broad sense, as the form from which the others were derived. Outside of ethnomusicology, however, Hōgaku usually refers to Japanese music from around the 17th to the mid-19th century. Within this framework, there are three types of traditional music in Japan: theatrical, court music, and instrumental.

Theatrical

Japan has several theatrical forms of drama in which music plays a significant role. The main forms are kabuki and noh.

''Noh''

Noh or music is a type of theatrical music. Noh music is played by an instrumental ensemble called. The instruments used are the stick drum, a big hourglass-shaped drum called the, a smaller hourglass-shaped drum called the, and a bamboo flute called the. The hayashi ensemble is performed along with yokyoku, vocal music, in noh theater.

''Kabuki''

is a type of Japanese theatre known for its highly stylized dancing and singing as well as the elaborate make-up worn by the predominately all-male cast. The first instances of kabuki used the hayashi from noh performances. Later, kabuki began incorporating other instruments like the shamisen. Kabuki music can be divided into three categories: geza, shosa-ongaku, and ki and tsuke.

''Geza''

Geza includes music and sound effects played on stage, behind a black bamboo curtain called a kuromisu. Geza music can be further subdivided into three types. The first type is uta or song. Uta is sung accompanied by a shamisen. Typically there are multiple uta singers singing together. The second type is called aikata. It involves shamisen music without any singing. The third type is narimono. Narimono is played by small percussion instruments besides the shamisen.

''Shosa-ongaku''

Shosa-ongaku encompasses music that is played on the stage and accompanies acting and dancing. Shosa-ongaku includes the Takemoto, Nagauta, Tokiwazu and Kiyomoto music styles. Takemoto accompanies acting. Nagauta, Tokiwazu and Kiyomoto accompany dancing in kabuki. Takemoto basically recites the parts of the play concerning scenery. The actors attempt to synchronize their lines with the rhythm of takemoto—an effect known as ito ni noru.
Naguata is one of the most commonly seen forms of gza. It involves singers, called utakata, and shamisen players, called shamisenkata. The utakata are seated to the right of the stage dancers, and the shamisenkata are seated ton the left of the stage. The shamisenkata use hosozao shamisen which produce high pitched tones and are capable of producing delicate melodies.
Tokiwazu consists of reciters called tayu and shamisenkata that use chuzao shamisen. Tokiwazu is similar to Kiyomoto music but is slower-paced and more solemn. Tokiwazu is also performed onstage.
Kiyomoto also consists of tayu and shamisenkata using chuzao. However, in kiyomoto words and sentences full of emotion are recited in very high-pitched tones.

''Ki'' and ''tsuke''

Ki and tsuke describe the distinctive sounds made by striking two square oak boards. When the two boards are struck together, they produce the ki sound. When they are struck against a hardwood board, they produce the tsuke sound.

Court music (''gagaku'')

is court music, and is the oldest traditional music in Japan. It was usually patronized by the Imperial Court or the shrines and temples. Gagaku music includes songs, dances, and a mixture of other Asian music. Gagaku has two styles; these are instrumental music and vocal music.
Since 雅 means "elegance", Gagaku literally means elegant music and generally refers to musical instruments and music theory imported into Japan from China and Korea from 500–600 CE. Gagaku is divided into two main categories: Old Music and New Music. Old Music refers to music and musical compositions from before the Chinese Tang dynasty. New Music refers to music and compositions produced during or after Tang, including music brought from various regions of China and Korea.
Old and New Music are further divided into the categories 左楽 and 右楽. Music of the left 左楽 is composed of 唐楽 and 林邑楽. Music of the right 右楽 is composed of 高麗楽.
is a kind of Buddhist chanting of sutra syllabically or melismatically set to melodic phrasing, usually performed by a male chorus. Shōmyō came from India, and it began in Japan in the Nara period. Shōmyō is sung a capella by one or more Buddhist monks.
The two characters: 声 and 明, literally mean "voice" and "clear". Shōmyō is a translation of the Sanskrit word sabda-vidya, which means "the study of language".

''Jōruri''

is narrative music using the. There are four main jōruri styles. These are centuries-old traditions which continue today:
There are other four jōruri styles which have largely died out. Katōbushi, Icchuubushi and Miyazonobushi are old style. These styles are referred to as or "old music". Kokyoku also included. It is not jōruri but is like Nagauta.
is music using the shamisen. There are three styles of nagauta: one for kabuki dance, one for kabuki plays, and one for music unconnected with kabuki.
is similar to nagauta. Ogie Royuu I began to play this style, having first played nagauta style. He moved from playing this style to play Ogiebushi style. His rival was Fujita Kichiji who was a Nagauta singer in Edo. Ogie Royuu I had a beautiful but small voice. In a theater a voice with volume was important, So Ogie Royuu I stopped singing in the theater. Ogie Royuu I began to play in the Yoshiwara. Ogiebushi declined after 1818. Tamaya Yamazaburou composed new Ogiebushi pieces at the end of the Edo Period. Yamazaburou was an owner of a parlor house in the red-light district of Yoshiwara. Yamazaburou knew music very well. Tamaya Yamazaburou's pieces are influenced by music. Iijima Kizaemon re-established Ogiebushi. Kizaemon changed his name to Ogie Royuu IV in 1876 or 1879. Ogiebushi is classified as a. Now Kokyoku is,, and.
Kokyoku is old music from the Edo period. Not many players perform Kokyoku and those who do are elderly; there are few young musicians playing this music.

''Shakuhachi'' music

music began in the Edo period. Buddhist monks played the shakuhachi as a substitute for a sutra. Sometimes the shakuhachi is played along with other instruments.

''Sōkyoku''

uses the Japanese, which differs from the Chinese. There are two well known families of sōkyoku, which can be distinguished by the shape of the plectra used in playing.
Traditional Japanese musicians sometimes collaborate with modern Western musicians. Also, musicians create new styles of Japanese music influenced by the West but still use traditional musical instruments.

Traditional musical instruments