🎻 Ethnic and folk music — Japanese

Traditional Japanese music notably uses the shamisen, koto, shakuhachi, biwa and various taiko drums. Gagaku, ancient court music, however uses its own instruments, such as the shō, hichiriki and ryūteki, rather than mainly the shamisen or koto. Min'yō brings together regional songs linked to work, festivals, dance and local communities, while nō theatre, kabuki and bunraku each have their own specific musical traditions. Japan also has highly diverse contemporary scenes: enka, kayōkyoku, J-pop, rock, anime music, jazz and electronic music. The international rediscovery of 1970s-1980s city pop also illustrates the ongoing circulation of older repertoires.