Music of

JAPAN
Japanese Music
• based on the intervals of
human breathing rather than
mathematical timing

• musicians shows spiritual

self-mastery of instruments
Japanese Music
• they give value to their
performance and composure

• meditative in character

• represents the sound of nature

and life
Japanese
Musical Instruments
• Percussion Instruments
(Membranophone)
• String Instruments
(Chordophone)
• Wind Instruments
(Aerophone)
Membranophone
PERCUSSION
INSTRUMENTS
Percussion Instruments
(Membranophone)
1. Odaiko (big drum)
– commonly used during Japanese matsuri
Percussion Instruments
(Membranophone)
2. Tsuzumi - (hourglass-shaped)
a. larger kotsuzumi
-held on right shoulder
-alters tone by squeezing the laces
b. smaller otsuzumi
-placed on left thigh
Tsuzumi
Percussion Instruments
(Membranophone)

3. Tsuridaiko
– a large hanging
barrel drum
Percussion Instruments
(Membranophone)
4. Taiko
– Japanese drum
that comes in various
sizes.
-central instrument in
percussion
ensembles
Chordophone
STRING
INSTRUMENTS
String Instruments
(Chordophone)
1. Koto
- 13-string, about 2 meters long
- plucked using picks on thumb and
first two fingers on right hands
- used in gagaku or as a solo
instrument
Koto
String Instruments
(Chordophone)

2. Shamisen
- 3 strings
- plucked string instrument
- similar to a guitar or banjo
- the neck is fretless
String Instruments
(Chordophone)

3. Biwa
- Japanese short-necked flute
used in narrative story-telling
- instrument of Benten (goddess
of music, eloquence, poetry, and
education in Japanese Shintoism.
Biwa
Aerophone
WIND
INSTRUMENTS
Wind Instruments
(Aerophone)

1. Shakuhachi
- most famous flute made from
bamboo
- 4 or 5 finger holes in front and a
thumbhole in rear face
- imported from China for gagaku
Shakuhachi
Wind Instruments
(Aerophone)

2. Nokan
- a parallel bamboo flute (fue)
- the only melodic instrument
used in Noh theater
Wind Instruments
(Aerophone)

3. Hichiriki
- a double
reed Japanese
flute used as
main melodic
instrument in
gagaku
Wind Instruments
(Aerophone)

4. Sho
- a Japanese
reed-free musical
instrument from
China during the
Nara period
Wind Instruments
(Aerophone)
5. Shinobue
- also called “takebue”
- transverse flute that has high-pitched
sound
Wind Instruments
(Aerophone)
6. Ryuteki - dragon flute