JIC: Japan Infomation Communication

Minyo

This article is about Minyo that is one of the Japanese folk song.

What is Minyo?

Minyo (Japanese fork song) is a genre of Japanese traditional music. Japan has a rich heritage of folk song, but the history of folk music is extremely complicated and tangled. There is an image of folk song emerging naturally from the work and culture of people in villages and this song being taken up by people in the cities. There is, of course, folk song like this, and this must have been the origin of most music long time ago.

This information was found from here.

About Minyo

There are many Minyo songs in Japan. They vary from the area of Japan. Each area has own Minyo and they are boasting of their good things (such as place, style, speciality etc.) in Minyo. So we can see many Minyo songs from the northern part of Japan "Hokkaido" to the southern part of Japan "Okinawa". And most of them are sung with dancing. Many of the folk dances were done by the whole community according to their work and/or season, such as a harvest dance, fishing dance, etc., and was part of a festival or celebration. Summer festivals were often for warding off disease. The music is a "cultural asset" supported by the government, famous for its unique words, melody, and dance. They are always sung and danced when people have happy events, for example a wedding reception, the erection of the frame of a house, restoration of a thatched roof and so on.

This information was found from here.

Dancing with Minyo

"Ondo" is a generic term for folk songs that are often used to accompany the dances of the obon festival. During obon, it is said that the souls of ancestors return from the dead. Traditionally obon falls in the middle of July, but according to the modern calendar it falls in the middle of August. People return to their hometowns to visit their ancestors graves. At night they dance in a circle to comfort the souls.Today it is more of a form of entertainment during the summer evenings. Older dances used no instrumental accompaniment, instead a chorus of singers. Pieces from the Edo period use flute, drums, shamisen or cassette recordings. Dancers hold fans and with hand gestures, leg and arm movements in unison move in a circle around the musicians, who are often on a tower covered in a red and white cloth "yukata".

This information was found from here.

                                                                           

Famous Minyo Songs

These are famous Minyo song in Japan.

<Sakura Sakura> This is one of the traditional Japanese fork song depicting spring, the season of sakura (cherry blossom). The cherry blossom is Japan's national flower and has for years appeared in the country's poetry, paintings, and music, as well as on its craft, clothing, and other commercial items. So there is this popular traditional song, Sakura, Sakura (Cherry Blossom, Cherry Blossom), commonly sung to celebrate the national flower.   

This information was found from here.

<Soran-Bushi>  This is one of the folk songs representing Hokkaido. Sung while herring fishing, the name comes from the first words of the song, "Ya-ren-so-ran". Soran bushi is sung during this process and the words "Ya-ren-so-ran" can be thought of as encouraging and cheering up the fishermen. The words "hai-hai" is a response to this chant. Characteristically masculine, the song is one of strong men belonging to the sea. Every summer, Sosakoi Soran Festival is held in Hokkaido. People are dancing with Soran-Bushi.

This information was found from here.

You can see the dancing of Soran-Bushi from here.

Posted by Shiori Abe

Okinawan Songs

This article is about Okinawan songs.

What is Okinawan Song?

Okinawan songs are borned in okinawa and Ryukyu islands that are a chain of Japanese islands in the western Pacific Ocean at the eastern limit of the East China Sea.

Okinawan music is characterized by the sound of the sanshin - a three stringed banjo-like instrument with a snakeskin covered soundbox, related to the Japanese shamisen. Almost all of the well-known musicians favour it, whether in traditional minyo and shimauta, or in an amplified version used by many of the contemporary bands.

This information was found from here.

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Okinawan music can be categorized into four main groups according to its island of origin: Okinawa-honto,  Miyako, Yaeyama and Amami. Songs of Okinawa-honto tend to be sophisticated, smooth and rich with the classic tunes of the people. Miyako's music is filled with elegant melodies and tales of the natural disasters that fill the island's history. The music of Yaeyama includes many festive songs, while Amami tends to have music that is somewhere in between Japanese and traditional Okinawan, leaning more towards an Okinawan singing style. 

This information was found from here.

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History of Okinawan Song

Classical okinawan music was born in a setting of small subtropical islands situated at the oceanic crossroads of Asian trade and culture. Okinawa is the largest of the Ryukyu Islands which stretch between southern mainland Japan and Taiwan. From the 14th to 19th centuries, Okinawa was the seat of the Ryukyu kingdom. The kingdom maintained close cultural and economic ties with China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia. The culture of Okinawa flourished under influences from these countries, especially China. The many items adopted from the Chinese during this period was the sanshin, a three-stringed instrument with a snake-skin sounding box. So the sanshin became the principal instrument of Okinawan music.

This information was found from here.

Okinawan Fork Festival

Okinawan fork festival are held every year. You can see many Okinawan folk entertainments like Eisa dance, Ryukyu dance, and Karate there. They are dancing with Ryukyuan songs. It’s a one of the most magnificent festival in Okinawa. The number of the all cast is over 3,000. The highlight of the festival, Hatagashira, is a sport and tradition of balancing enormous flagpoles with heavy decorations at the top. At the end of the festival, people will dance Kacya-shi to give glory to the last of the festival.

This information was found from here.

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Famous Okinawan Song "Shimauta"

"Shimauta", song by the popular Japanese singer Kazufumi Miyazawa, a melodic song inspired by the folk music of subtropical Okinawa, became a million seller in Japan in 1993. The title means "island song" and is what the folk songs of Japan's subtropical islands are called. In December 2001 a cover version came out in Argentina, sung in Japanese, and it topped the chart after nearly half a year, at the end of April 2002. The song has achieved just what the refrain calls for: "Shimauta, ride the wind and cross the ocean."

This information was found from here.

You can listen to "Shimauta" song. Click here.

Posted by Shiori Abe

WARABEUTA

What is the Warabeuta?

The Warabeuta is song for children in Japan.

It is different from the Douyou.

It is song that is sung in daily life of play children and has succeeded.

Although it is regenerated fleely and handed down by the playmate, the traditional element is extremely strong.

There are a variety of recitation songs with the ball play the jump rope and the Oniasobi(the 4th on page), etc.

In addition, there are many songs in connection with nature, animals and annual events. With the passage of years, song contents have changed, but the main characteristic, based on the traditional Japanese musical scale, has not changed.

<This information is found from here.>

Introduction of Songs

 Under the Grown up Chestnut Tree (大きな栗の木の下で）

This song, in Japan, is one of the most famous song for children. It is based on an English folk song. And it is popular in America. It is not an exaggeration to say that everyone will know in Japan. I suppose everyone had played with this song once. When we sing it, we use hands. It is very easy choreography.

If you want to know the words, click here. You also can hear melody.

Kagome Kagome (Bird in the cage)

Kagome Kagome (Bird in the cage)

Kagono naka no tori wa (Little bird in the cage)

Itsu itsu deyaru (When are you flying away?)

Yoake no banni (During the down watch)

Tsuru to Kame ga subetta (The crane and the turtle slipped away)

Ushirono shomen dare? (Guess who is behind you?)

How to play "Kagome Kagome"

1. One child is chosen as "it" a.k.a the Oni(oh-nee). Oni is literally translates to "demond" or "ogre".
2. Oni has to sit blindfolded(or with it's eyes coverd).
3. The other children has to hold hands and walk in a circle around Oni while chanting to the song of the game.
4. When the song stops, the Oni has to guess the person who is standing behind him/her.
5. If he is correct, then that person has to exchange places with the Oni.

<This imformation was found from here and here.>

Other typical song

Tooryanse (Pass Through, Pass Through)

↑click! You can know this song in detail.

If you want to know more songs, click here or here!!

You can get goods about warabeuta.

Book Title: "Warabeuta(わらべうた)"　Author: Tanigawa shuntaro

CD Title: "Ketteiban! Warabeuta(決定版！わらべうた)"   Sung by Tampopo Jidou Gasshoudan

Posted by Natsumi Katsuyama

FUE

The fue is flute in English.

There are two basic kinds of flutes, the transverse flute where the instrument is held to the side and the player blows into the side of the flute. The gakubue, komabue, ryuteki, Noh kan and shinobue are all examples of transverse flute. The other kind of flute is held vertically and the player blows into the end. The shakuhachi and hichiriki are examples of this type of flute (although the hichiriki is actually more of a reed instrument than a flute).

<This information was found here.>

Kagurabue

Kagurabue(Kagura) is also known as "Wabue" and "Hutobue." Kagurabue was born in Japan compared with other "Yokobue" e.g Ryuteki was born in China and Korea. This flute is used in Mikagura, the native Japanese music preserved in Gagaku. It is composed of a bamboo pipe which is about 45 centimeters long. The pipe is wrapped in birch bark. And it has one hole for the mouth and six holes for fingers on the front.

Komabue

This flute is used in Komagaku, one type of music used for dances of the right in Gagaku imperial court music.

The instrument is 36.8 cm. long and there are six finger holes. It is very similar to the kagurabue, but it is much thinner.

Ryuteki

The ryuteki is used in Gagaku dances of the left, music from China. The standard length for the instrument is 40.2 cm. but there are also instruments slightly longer and shorter. The flute is thick and mouth hole has a diameter of 2 cm. There are seven finger holes. Ryuteki is also called 'youjou' or 'outeki; meaning whole of transverse flute. Ryuteki was used in the Imperial Court music and in dance 'Gagaku; it was introduced from China ancient time. Gagaku has been decorating the many events of imperial court or temples for a long time. Playing Ryuteki was a fashion of upper-class people, such as a 'Kizoku' and 'Bushi'.

Noh kan

This flute is used in the Noh ensemble and in the hayashi ensemble for Nagauta and other forms of kabuki dance music. In the early 15th century, Kan'ami and his son Zeami created Noh in its present form by transforming Dengaku and Sarugaku Noh.The length of the Noh kan is 39.1 cm and it is 1.7 cm. in diameter.It looks very similar to the ryuteki, but the ryuteki uses a length of bamboo wrapped in birch or cherry bark which is then laquered.

<This information was found from here and here.>

<more information: here>

Khorey Deguchi

He is one of the fue performer. He learned classical gagaku at  Kasuga Nanto Gakuso of Nara. In 1986, he organized "Music Group Mahora" consisting of various kinds of musicians.In 1999, his CD "Forest Soul Kodama" was released by the Nash studio, which recorded his solo performance with a background of sound-effects from natural environments in the primeval forest of Kasugayama.

<This information was found here.>

Posted by Natsumi Katsuyama

Ohayashi

                                                              About ohayashi

"Ohayashi" is Japanese traditional playing which roused the movement of the festival car. We can see and hear a lot of "Ohayashi" in all parts of Japan, in case of Mikuni, some amateurs are assembled at the quarter (is on duty the year) requested. They are called "Hayashi-kata" accompanied playing japanese drums (by the quarter's children) with "Yoko-Bue" and"Syami-sen" (japanese guitar).
In complaiance with one quarter, "Eitai-Bayashi" (permanent-bayashi) is played by the quarter's inhabitant at every duty.

I want to introduce famous ohayashi in Japan.

                                                             Ibaraki  Bon Odori

During the Obon Festival, the entire city is filled with excitement about Bon-Dance where people dance “Shimodate Ondo” at first.
　Shimodate Ondo was presented to the town by Yaso Saijo to express his gratitude. He wrote this song while fleeing from Tokyo to Shimodate during the war, to express his attachment to Shimodate.Following Shimodate Ondo, the dance area will be filled with people dancing the Kasanuki Odori with lively Ohayashi.
The Kasanuki Odori features a special gesture from a time long ago, that of a man twirling a straw hat. The man, named Kanji, was born in the district, and one day he brought home a wanderer whom he had met in Johshu (current Gunma Prefecture). He took off his straw hat, bowing at the waist, and promised the neighboring lords that he would take over the family’s horse business.

                                                              Sushikiri (sushi-cutting) Festival 

Sushikiri (sushi-cutting) Festival is held at Shimoniikawa Shrine in Sazukawa-cho, Moriyama City, Shiga Pref. on May 5 every year. This shrine originates in a small hall built in 715. The deities enshrined here are Toyoki Iribiko no Mikoto and Niikawa Kotatehime no Mikoto. There is a legend that Toyoki Iribiko no Mikoto, the eldest son of Emperor Sujin (97-30 B.C.), crossed Lake Biwa on a raft and landed on this village on his way to conquer the East. The ritual of Sushikiri is said to originate in the salted crucian carp that the villagers offered to the prince. In the Sushikiri ceremony, two young men slice up funazushi (crucian carp sushi) and dedicate them to the god in accordance with ancient ritual. After the ceremony, the dances called “Kanko no Mai” and “Naginata Odori” to the Japanese traditional ohayashi music called “Sanyare” is performed. The ritual of Sushikiri is a nationally selected Intangible Cultural Property.

                                                              Takasaki Festival

Each citizen of Takasaki looks forward to the Takasaki Festival every year. It adds new life to the city with it’s portable shrines (Mikoshi), floats (Dashi), and festival music (Ohayashi). People come from all over the prefecture to see Takasaki’s Fireworks Display which is the largest in the Northern Kanto area.

                                                              Kawagoe Festival

Kawagoe City is located in the western part of Saitama Prefecture, which is 30 km from the central part of Tokyo. It is a city concentrated with financial business, service industry, commerce and others. Kawagoe City takes pride in its high production capacity, but also has the largest area of arable land and cultivated acreage combined in Saitama Prefecture. That is why, it is known as a well balanced area.
It is also a city with an old history and traditional culture that possesses numerous cultural assets. Sightseers are especially fascinated by the streets lined with historical Kura-style buildings, the variety of traditional temples, the traditional sweets and the food culture.
The ‘Kawagoe Festival’ replicates the ‘Tenka (worldly) Festival’ of the Edo Period using special luxurious dashi floats and ohayashi music. Every year 1 million sightseers come to participate in this big event.
Getting to know Kawagoe's culture means getting to know Tokyo, which leads to becoming familiar with Japan.
By all means, come to enjoy the traditional culture, food and festivals of 'Koedo Kawagoe'.

                                                             

<reference> 

   http://www.kuni-net.com/eohayash.html

    http://www.city.chikusei.lg.jp/english/event/03bon/

    http://nippon-kichi.jp/article_list.do?kwd=4232&ml_lang=en

    http://www15.wind.ne.jp/~welcome-gunma/data/takasaki/

    http://www.koedo.or.jp/1_english/event/index.html                              

BIWA

　　

　　 A biwa 琵琶 is a Japanese short-necked fretted lute, and a close variant of the Chinese pipa. The biwa is the chosen instrument of Benten, the White Snake Goddess of Japan's Shinto religion.
　　　The biwa reached Japan from China during the Nara Period (710-759 AD), and five instruments from that time are kept in the Shōsōin, the national treasure house of Japan. One of them, a rare, five-stringed Gogenbiwa is decorated with Central Asian themes, including a camel. This instrument is literally one of its kind in Asia. There is also evidence that other biwa instruments came from the Indian lute tradition. In the 9th century the Mõsõ (blind monks') biwa began to be used by blind musicians as an accompaniment to chanted religious texts and sutras. At the beginning of the 13th century, Heike biwa players began telling of tales of the rise and fall of the Taira clan in 12th C Japan. The playing of the biwa nearly became extinct during the Meiji period as Western musics and instruments became popular. Wandering biwa players, similar to minstrels, were known as biwa hoshi .

　The biwa plays simple figures to accompany the melodic instruments of the gagaku ensemble. Although the biwa never came to be used in solo instrumental performances

　Tales of the Heike as well as other battle tales are an important part of the modern biwa repertory.

<This information was found here , here and here.>

　　◎Type of Biwa◎

Classic biwa-Gaku biwa, Gogen biwa and Moso biwa     

Middle and Edo biwa-Heike biwa snd Satsuma biwa

Modern biwa-Chikuzen biwa and Nishiki biwa

◎History of biwa◎

India - legends dating back to the Buddha
China - Japanese biwa is ancestor of the Chinese pipa
Nara period (8th cent.): first imported into Japan
Gakubiwa (gagaku biwa) - favorite of the nobility; solo repertoire (defunct)
Heian: Moso-biwa (blind priest biwa) develops in Kyushu; singing of sutras
Enryaku Temple in Kyoto: moso-biwa drives away snakes.
Biwa traditions of wandering priests develop in Kyoto and Kyushu.
Chikuzen school; Satsuma school.

Tales of the Heike (late 12th century):
Fujiwara Yukinaga (court official) retired to monastery to write Tales.
Fujiwara taught a blind priest biwa player who traveled the country.
Influence of gagaku, Buddhist chant and blind-priest biwa.
Became popular with nobility and warriors; source of income for priests.
Association of blind performers organized; different styles developed.
Tokugawa (1615-1868): shamisen enters Japan; eclipses biwa in popularity.
Shimazu clan in Kyushu patronize Satsuma biwa: war stories.
Satsuma style becomes popular with common people in Edo (Tokyo).
Meiji Restoration (1868): govt. abolished exclusivity of blind biwa performers.
Biwa could now be practiced by anyone; Emperor Meiji.
New styles: Chikuzen (mix of biwa and shamisen styles)

<This information was found here.>

◎Perfomer◎

Kyokusei Katayama

  Born in Ehime in 1955. Studied Chikuzen biwa under Yamazaki Kyokusui、 Yamashita Kyokuzui and Suga Kyokkou since 1977,and studied Higozatoh biwa under Yamasika Yosiyuki since 90. Through a wide range of activities from traditional songs sung to the biwa, modern music, folk songs,jazz, joint performance with dance, to music creation for plays, the author seeks for new possibilities making the most of the note particulr to the biwa.

<This information was found here.>

Posted by  Natsumi Katsuyama

Taiko

<about Taiko>

Taiko is the name for the small round stick drum used in Noh and Kabuki and the large stick drum that plays such an important role in Kabuki sound effects. But there are many other traditions of stick drum ranging from the signals in Sumo and Kabuki, to festival drums, and to the enormous drums played with great vigor in the newer performances of Japanese percussion well known around the world. This section of the website features types of taiko stick drum outside of the theater. 

<Japanese musical instruments>

The Japanese have few different musical instruments, but they have many types of drums. It seems that Japanese people have always needed and liked drums. There are many different drums. They are judged according to shape, as either Miya Daiko or Shime Daiko.

<Toni>

The festival sound of Japan-- from traditional songs to contemporary compositions; folktales to cultural facts; lullabies to American traditional jazz and swing; folksongs to classical music pieces - her "Matsuri" performance entertains and educates. In traditional costume, using taiko drums, various hand percussion, bamboo flutes and the koto (Japanese harp), Toni and her troupe delight audiences all over Denver and Colorado.

<Taiko CD>

ONDEKOZA,Kyouten Douchi,

Price:   £18.99

Third in a trilogy of albums following on from Fujiyama and Doutou Banri, probably the best two by Japan's original taiko group. New arrangements of five of their most highly regarded tunes, plus three new compositions. Ondekoza have recently been through several personel changes, so this album is considered as a new start for Japan's demon drummers.

<Taiko internet shopping>

  The Taiko Center is a unique business entity specializing in the manufacture and sales of a wide variety of traditional Japanese drums since its establishment in Kyoto in 1988. The Taiko Center has been very successful in its marketing of drums all over Japan, and is now entering into the global market.Traditional but new-----That's Taiko. Taiko drums have been used in such time-honored Japanese performances as Noh, Kabuki and shinto shirine rituals for over 1,400 years in Japan. On the other hand, the kumi-daiko style ensemble which includes various kinds of taikos has a relatively short history originating in the 1950’s. It is estimated that at present there are approximately 4,000 taiko performer groups in the world. In the United States and Canada there are about 1,000 taiko performer groups. These taiko performaers and others interested in Taiko find it difficult to locate reliable quality taiko at local music stores or on the Internet.

<reference>

http://library.thinkquest.org/5997/history.html

http://www.farsidemusic.com/acatalog/TAIKO.html

http://jtrad.columbia.jp/eng/k_taiko.html

http://www.dmamusic.org/taikowithtoni/index.html

http://www.taiko-center.co.jp/english/engindex.htm

Enka

<about Enka1>

Enka is a Japanese popular song, according to a well-defined "traditional" style. Enka music is composed largely in the Pentatonic scale, 5 notes per octave, similar to the scale used in Greek, Celtic , Gypsy, and some Eurasian music, and some modern blues and jazz music.

<What is Enka>

The musical genre known as enka, which first appeared as we know it today in the early Twentieth Century, is considered by many to be the most “Japanese” of contemporary music (although its roots can likely be traced back to Korea and other parts of Asia, where similar genres still exist today). Not to be confused with traditional Japanese folk music, which dates back much further, enka songs are ballads that combine modern Western music with a distinctly Japanese flavor. Enka originated in Meiji era Japan during the early Nineteenth Century as a form of political activism. In 1874, Japan’s first political party was formed, yet party leaders weren’t allowed to speak in public, so they wrote songs and had singers go out in the street and sell copies.

<Famous Japanese Enka Singers>

Enka is unique Jananese music. Enka music has words. Most of women Enka singers wear Kimono, the traditional Japanese dress. Enka is the music that represents Japanese songs. Famous Japanese Enka singers include Hibari Misora (woman), Saburou Kitajima (man) and Shinichi Mori (man). Mainly Enka is popular among old people, but some younger people like it too. Old people say, "Enka is easy to hear and easy to sing." Please see the links below for more information about Enka.

<Queens of Enka>

It is no exaggeration to say that the post war history of enka started with Misora Hibari. She was a heroin of a success story as well as a family tragedy. She debuted as an infant genius and at once climbed up to the summit of popularity and became a super star and idol of the whole nation, and kept her popularity till she ended up her no-long life at the end of the 1980s. She continuously produced hits and especially her songs at later period such as "Kanashii sake", "Yawara" and "Kawa no nagare no yo-ni" remain as Enka standard numbers. After death she was honored for her extraordinary achievement with a National Prize.

<Prince of Enka>

Hikawa Kiyoshi is the most popular young enka singer in Japan nowadays. With dyed brown hair and pierced ears defies any image of a male enka star to date. As the brightest new hope in the enka world for several years, his name is receiving a lot of publicity, and he has been nicknamed

The Prince of Enka.

<refererence>

http://www.technogirls.org/enka/index.htm

http://www.j-fan.com/edit.cgi?selected=enka

http://www.geocities.com/enka_prince/

http://school.ort.spb.ru/(Eng)/library/VC_45/WEB/EXCHANGE/JPSOUND.HTM

http://www.okada.de/archive-japanasitis/enka2/enka2.html

Shamisen

This article is about the Shamisen that is one of the Japanese traditional instruments.

What is Shamisen?

The shamisen is one of the best-known of Japanese musical instruments. The shamisen is used to provide accompaniment to several styles of vocal and theatrical performance. The shamisen came to Japan from China via the Ryukyu Islands, and was fashioned into its contemporary form during the 16th century. It has a long, thin neck, and a box which resonates when its three strings are plucked with a plectrum called a bachi. The shamisen became widely popular from about the 17th century. Today it can be heard accompanying Kabuki, Bunraku and Joruri performances as well as traditional dances and folk songs.

This information was found from here.

The Name of Shamisen

The shamisen is similar in length to a guiter.Shamisen has Tenjin, Itomaki, Sao, Nakago, and Dou. Shamisen's sao can divide three parts. Because, if only one peace, to keep good condition is very difficult. The skin is usually from a dog or cat, but in the past a special type of paper was used and recently various types of plastics are being tried. On the skin of some of the best shamisen, the position of the cat's nipples can still be seen.

This information was found from here.

How to Play Shamisen

In most genres the shamisen is played with a large weighted plectrum called a bachi, which was traditionally made with ivory or tortoise shell but which now is usually wooden. Every shamisen player use bachi when they are playing it, except Kouta which is one of style. Player choose size, weight and material, they want.
The player sits in the seiza formal kneeling position and rests the do on his right leg and holds the instrument in place with his right arm. Then the sao is held with the left hand. The plectrum is held in the right hand and plays with forceful strokes that not only pluck the strings but hit the skin or wood of the body of the instrument to produce a percussive sound. The string can also be played by plucking upward with the plectrum. The left hand presses down on the strings with the fingernails of the forefinger, middle finger and ring finger. On occasion the player can pluck the strings with the fingers of the left hand.

This information was found from here.

Types of Shamisen

There are several different types of shamisen. They are different types of plectrums and bridges to create a wide range of sounds in a very wide range of different styles of music. Tsugaru-Shamisen is one of the versions of Shamisen, a three stringed Japanese Lute, specially evolved in "Tsugaru" region in the northern part of Japan Aomori prefecture. Because of the heavy snowfall and painful long winter, Tsugaru people were in need of music as an emotional relief to struggle with severe life there. Tsugaru-Shamisen and its music will give audiences an impression of the strength of human as well as tenderness.

This information was found from here.

Famous Shamisen Player

They are famous Shamisen player, the Yoshida Brothers. They are pair of brothers and performs of the traditional Japanese instrument of Tsugaru-Shamisen. When they play shamisen, they wear Japanese traditional clothing Kimono and Hakama-pants. But they play not only Japanese traditional music but also rock or pop music with Shamisen. They have reinvigorated Tsugaru-shamisen for a new generation, incorporating elements of jazz, American folk, pop, Latin music, blues and more into their unique musical tapestry. They also active internationally, and play tour all over the world. They are popular with men and women of all ages in all over the world.

This information was found from here.

And If you want to know more about them, click here. This is their Official website.

Posted by Shiori Abe

Gagaku

Gagaku

Gagaku, literally meaning elegant or refined music, is the oldest surviving form of Japanese music. It has been under the patronage of the Imperial Court since the late sixth century, making it possibly the oldest form of orchestral music in the world. It survives today primarily in Japanese Imperial. Household Music Department, in shrines and temple around Japan, and in a small but growing number of early music groups in Japan. The gagaku tradition was derived from Chinese, Korean, and Indian sources, as well as native Japanese influences. Thus, study of gagaku allows inferences to be made about the nature of contemporary music on the Asian continent. The gagaku repertoire consists of orchestral music played by an instrumental ensemble, known as kangen (literally “wind and string”), and of instrumental accompaniment to dance, known as bugaku. In addition, there are several different song forms associated with gagaku. The gagaku orchestra consists of an assortment of winds, strings and percussion. Since gagaku has remained virtually unchanged for over 1200 years, many of these instruments survive only in the court music genre.

Performance of Gagaku on a street

Different kinds of Gagaku

There are three different kinds of gagaku that developed in Japan. They are the gagaku of “National guidelines song and dance,” “Continental music and dance,” and “Folk Songs”

1.National guidelines song and dance (Shinto Music, Eastern Plays)

“National guidelines of song and dance” are ancient primitive Japanese songs based on completed dances and songs from the Heian era. Kagura (Shinto Music), Toyu (Eastern Play), Yamato-uta, these are also called “High class singing and dancing”, “Japanese traditional song and dance.” These arrangements were completed in the middle of the Heian period. They were very much influenced by other countries in the Asian continent of song and dance, special attention should especially be given to the Hichiriki (Reed flute) which is taken from these outside musical instruments.

2.Asian Continent System (Tang Music Dynasty of China and Kokuri Music Dynasty of Korea)

　This system is based on the music and dance of the Asian continental nations that transmitted instrumental music from China and Korea during 400 years during the fifth to ninth century and was fully completed in Japan during the Heian era. From the Yamato era to the Nara era, the Asian Continental system remained the same as when it was introduce from the other countries. But it was gradually consolidated and changed during the Heian era. First of all the instruments were divided and organized into the “Left side” and “Right Side.” The “Left side” is music and instruments that originated in China, Central Asia, and in India, during “The Tang music dynasty of China.” The “Right Side” is instruments that originated in Korea called, “Kokuri music dynasty of Korea.” The performance technique was further classified according to the form of the performance, which divided it again into two more categories of “Wind and stringed instruments” and “Court dance and music.”
In addition many different kinds of instruments outside of Japan were chosen to form the orchestra into a small-scale chamber music designed for the indoors. 
At the same time the instruments and arrangements were actively changed by Japanese composers to create delicate and graceful musical pieces allowing Japanese court music to become completed.

3.Utamono(Saibara and Rouei)

　In the Heian era gagaku’s vocal music received much influence by the Asian Continent system, which was to be sung with accompaniments of instruments such as from the Tang Dynasty of China. Including the folk songs lyrics called “Saibaraku” and Chinese poems called “Rouei” which came to be included in the music. Japanese songs and poems called “Utahiko” (Which are done during the Imperial festival poetry reading of the court) do not appear in any “Gagaku” performance.

Those information  are from Japanese Traditional Music, Japanese Music, About Gagaku, Tenri Cultural Institute and "What is Gagaku?".