Pop Japan

Japan's music history, like most countries, involves a traditional and a modern touch.

Traditional and folk music
The two earliest forms of Japanese music are shomyo and gagaku, which are buddhist chants and orchestral court music, respectively. Some of the key pieces of Japan's early music years are:

Taiko (Japanese drum)

Biwa (Lute)

Minyo (Folk music)

Shamisen (Banjo)

Hyoshi (Bamboo)

Kakko (Double-headed drum)

Modern Music (Western, Classical, J-Pop,etc.) The modern era of Japanese music was born during the Meiji Period, which is where the western music styles were introduced. From there, it evolved into a ton of other genres, one of the more notable is the classical music. Japan currently has several popular orchestras, they are as follows:

• - Japan Philharmonic Orchestra

• - Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra

• - Kyoto Symphony Orchestra

• - New Japan Philharmonic

• - Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra

• - Sapporo Symphony Orchestra

• - Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra

• - Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra

• - Tokyo Symphony Orchestra

Today, Japan’s popular music includes the genres that are also seen in other countries, like pop, rock, hip-hop, and its other variations.