Research topic: Japanese music

Japanese music the highly eclectic musical culture of the Japanese islands. Over the years, Japan has borrowed musical instruments, scales, and styles from many neighboring areas. The indigenous music present before AD 453 consisted of chanted poems ( reyei and imayo ), traditional war and social songs ( kume-uta and saibara ), and the kagura, solemn Shinto temple music. All were recitations on a few notes. The importation of foreign music, particularly from China, began in the 5th cent. and continued into the 12th cent. The ancient ceremonial music imported from China, which... Read more