Beyond J-Pop: 12 Japanese Music Genres You Should Explore

by Cole Lubchenko | ART

Susumu Yokota - Acid Mt Fuji, photo by Florencia Viadana

When it comes to technology, Japan is a country that has defied almost every modern convention. Sometimes described as the galapagos effect, Japan’s industries have evolved in ways, to suit Japan’s needs rather than slavishly following global trains, much like the way Darwin’s finches evolved to better survive on the Galapagos Islands. This has resulted in flip-phone sales staying way past their welcome, and dvd rentals remaining popular even today.

The Japanese music industry is no different. In Japan, the boy band never died, the guitar never went away, CD sales still up make-up well over half of the market share, and Last Christmas is still an incredibly popular holiday song. While the bulk of the music industry might be catered to churning out cute and poppy idol groups, there are still a huge number of Japanese artists who are pushing boundaries and making refreshing and creative music in a number of genres.

To get a taste of what is available outside the Japanese mainstream, Cole Lubchenko guides us through 12 lesser known bands across 12 genres of Japanese Music.

1. Traditional Japanese Music

Traditional Japanese Music at Udo Shrine, Miyazaki, photo by Tom Vining

Japanese traditional music is too broad to be easily condensed down to simply Traditional Music, but for the sake of fitting it in with other genres of popular music, it is easier for the scope of this article to understand it as traditional music. Traditional Japanese music is often used as an accompaniment to other Japanese forms of art such as noh and kabuki. The music is also a main aspect of Japanese festivals, where Japanese drums and chanting are often a highlight of the event.

The traditional music highlighted in this article makes use of the shamisen, a three stringed traditional instrument that was often played by geisha to provide entertainment for parties. This instrument is also used in kabuki theater and many other styles of traditional Japanese music.

Yoshida Brothers

The Yoshida Brothers are two brothers from Hokkaido who make modern music while using the shamisen, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument. The Yoshida Brothers’ music ranges from strictly shamisen based music that is well rooted in traditional music, to more contemporary music that also uses other modern western instruments.

The Yoshida Brothers have also collaborated with other artists to add their traditional Japanese sound to a range of modern music. Take a look through their discography and listen for their unique blend of traditional Japanese sounds with synthesizers, guitars, and drums.

2. Folk

Humbert Humbert is a husband and wife folk duo from Tokyo. The band started by playing local shows in Shimokitazawa in the late 90’s but soon became relatively popular throughout Japan. The songs have a simple folk structure with basic folk instrumentation, but they are catchy with powerful lyrics and pleasing vocals.

The vocal harmonies provided by the husband and wife duo are nostalgic and easy to listen to, and the guitar, harmonic, and piano create a warm atmosphere. Folk music isn’t particularly popular in Japan, but this duo does a great job at showing what Japanese folk can be.

3. Classical

Yasushi Yoshida is a contemporary classical composer and pianist who writes simple ambient classical compositions usually for piano and violin. His music is gentle and has a warm ambience. His compositions make use of space and silence; they are calm, slow, and deliberate. His earlier albums feature more experimentation with sounds and styles, but his recent work is a mature and consistent contemporary classical work that would be appreciated by fans of other composers like Max Richter, Ólafur Arnalds, and Nils Frahm.

While little information is available about Yoshida, his music speaks for itself. His latest album Heavenly Me Last Days is the perfect soundtrack for some melancholic relaxation or studying.

4. Jazz

Despite jazz music’s influence on Japanese music, and its huge popularity throughout the decades, Japanese jazz music was initially regarded as derivative of American jazz music. It was said to be rather uninspired and lack originality. Many important American artists including Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk have released Live in Tokyo albums, but Japanese jazz players themselves struggled to stand out in the scene.

Recently, Japanese jazz artists have garnered more critical acclaim. Japanese jazz pianist Hiromi has received many awards for her modern jazz piano playing, and has also worked with legendary American jazz pianist Chick Corea. Because jazz is still much more popular in Japan than it is in the US, it is likely more jazz artists will continue to rise out of the scene.

Somehow, in recent years, Youtube’s algorithm has drawn mountains of attention to several Japanese albums that would have otherwise been forgotten. Mariya Takeuchi’s single “Plastic Love” brought attention to Japanese city-pop, lo-fi playlists reminded us of legendary hip-hop artist Nujabes, and Hiroshi Yoshimura’s album Green has garnered a new fanbase for Japanese ambient music.

Ryo Fukui’s Scenery was one such album. Perhaps it is due to the intensely cool album art that features Fukui’s posterized profile against a red background that it attracted so many clicks, but the smooth and playful piano is what kept people interested.

This album has become so popular, thanks to Youtube, that it has even managed to get a vinyl repressing nearly 50 years after its original release. This album is so good and easy to listen to, that even if you have no interest in jazz, it is for you.

5. Experimental Jazz

Mouse on the Keys’ name is reflective of their music. The band features two piano players, and one drummer. Together they create a rhythmically complex style that takes elements of jazz, rock, and progressive music. Their biography suggests that they are a mix of techno and post-hardcore, but it is hard to hear those sounds in their music. The music being almost entirely piano and drums makes it much easier to compare with jazz.

While the trio recently lost one piano player, they have since released another EP and will continue to make music while looking for a new member. The band often tours internationally, and frequently releases new music, so keep an eye out for a new album or a show near you.

6. Soul

OYAT (Omoide Yarou A Team) is a soul band that formed at Tama Art University in Tokyo. Their music is incredibly catchy, upbeat, and fun. The lyrics and music videos suggest that they don’t take themselves too seriously.

Each and every OYAT song is incredibly danceable and positive. The combination of the rough and raspy vocals with the funky guitar and horns makes the songs memorable and fun to sing along with. If you want something you can dance to, OYAT has you covered. If there is one band on this list that you are sure to be an instant fan of, it is OYAT.

7. Hip-hop

Due to hip-hop’s focus on lyricism and fast vocal delivery, the genre often has trouble reaching audiences who aren’t familiar with the language. In Japan, hip-hop is pretty far outside of the mainstream, so it is even less likely for Japanese hip-hop artists to reach audiences outside of the country. That being said, there are certainly still artists worth checking out; sometimes you can even find artists who incorporate English lyrics into their hooks to make the songs more accessible. The genre is definitely growing, so keep an eye out for more exciting up and coming artists.

Skillkills is a trio featuring a rapper, a drummer, and a bass player who make beats that are deliberately angular and syncopated. Instead of a steady beat that is easy to bob your head to, Skillkills modulates their rhythms to give a constant unsteady feeling as if the songs are always pushing and pulling the listener.

The band makes use of the axiom that repetition legitimizes. The songs have simple structure that allow listeners to grow accustomed to the off-kilter rhythms. The songs may sound unusual at first, but after hearing the beat loop over-and-over, you soon begin to gain a feel for the intricate beats that Skillkills create. While they may not be for everyone, Skillkills has a lot of talent and is pushing rap in a direction it is rarely taken.

8. Rock

While rock music has slowly disappeared from the mainstream of western music, it is still going as strong as ever in Japan. Not only is rock music itself popular, but rock instrumentation is common across many genres, and many of the songs at the top of the charts feature rock style guitar playing. Japanese rock music itself also keeps a lot of pop-sensibilities; it is usually high tempo, with very singable choruses and memorable lyrics; this might be what helps to keep Japanese rock music topping the charts.

Japanese rock music and all of its sub-genres do have some major differences from western rock music. Western rock music often draws from blues and folk music, and thus, the melodies and chord progressions used are very simple and catchy. Japanese rock, instead of drawing from blues, often takes inspiration from jazz music, which is far more complex. Because of this, Japanese rock music often uses long and complex chord progressions borrowed from jazz music.

If you’re interested in Japanese rock music, you might also want to take a look at All You Need to Know About Japanese Guitars!

If Skillkills is an acquired taste, then Shugo Tokumaru is the opposite; he uses Beatles-esque vocal melodies, catchy choruses, and instrumentation reminiscent of Sufjan Stevens. He is said to use over 100 instruments in his recordings, so expect to hear a variety of percussion instruments, xylophones, piano, horns, and stringed instruments too.

Shugo Tokumaru’s most critically acclaimed album is his 2010 effort, Port Entropy. The playful album cover and bright colors should give you a clue to what kind of music lies inside. If you are looking for catchy and bright pop-rock songs, check it out! If you don’t have time for a full album, the music video for his tune Katachi is a perfect distillation of what he is about.

9. Psychedelic Rock

Kikugaku Moyo, which translates to geometric patterns, is a psychedelic rock/folk group based in Tokyo. The band is made up of 5 members including two brothers. Apart from standard rock instrumentation, one of the members also plays a sitar, which completes their psychedelic sound.

The band is much more popular outside of Japan than they are in the country. In 2017 two of the members relocated to Amsterdam to focus on the European presence of their band as well as their record label, Guruguru Brain.

Kikugaku Moyo’s music blends multiple genres and is constantly evolving. They make use of improvisation and experimentation both live and in the studio, and it results in a sound that has resonated globally. Check them out for a taste of Japanese psychedelic sounds.

10. Math Rock

While it was originally a style that developed out of America, Japan has become a powerhouse in the math rock music scene. Bands like Lite, Toe, and Tricot have become major names in the scene worldwide, and international touring math rock bands frequently visit Japan.

JYOCHO is a relatively new Kyoto based math rock band featuring the former guitarist of Uchu Konbini, Daijiro Nakagawa. Nakagawa is known for his extremely technical guitar-playing, fusing acoustic fingerstyle with math rock techniques. Despite being technically complex, the music is relaxed and easy to listen to.

What sets JYOCHO apart from the huge number of math rock bands in Japan is their use of flute and piano. The fusion of these instruments combined with the soft female vocals gives them a distinctly Japanese sound.

11. Post-Rock

While a lot of post-rock is characterized by relaxing sounds that build to grand crescendos, World’s End Girlfriend takes post-rock in a different direction. Many songs begin with beautiful orchestral arrangements, but they almost never follow a standard post-rock structure. Instead, they slowly descend into a glitchy electronic madness that turns once relaxing sounds into anxiety-inducing complexity. The contrast of these two sounds makes each one more extreme. It is what makes his sound unique.

World’s End Girlfriend is the solo project of Katsuhiko Maeda. The music is composed entirely by him, but he often performs with other musicians live. World’s End Girlfriend isn’t the best band to dive into if you are relatively new to the genre, but if you are looking for experimental music that is both beautiful and intense, World’s End Girlfriend has what you seek.

12. Metal

Boris is another band that transcends genres, but for the sake of simplicity you can loosely categorize them under metal. Boris has been around since the early 90s and their sound has evolved immensely. They have had ambient albums, noise albums, straightforward metal albums, and even poppy stuff as well. If you are interested in their pop album, check out Attention Please, and for metal, their latest release No. Their album Pink gained the most international attention and is perhaps their defining album.

They have collaborated with many artists throughout the years, including Sunn O and Ian Astbury from The Cult. They are often recognized as being pioneers for many other experimental metal bands, and the attention is deserved. They recently have worked on releasing albums with Jack White’s Third Man Records.