gagaku
Japanese court music
Gagaku is the ancient court music of Japan, dating back over a thousand thousand years.
It encompasses orchestral music, dance, and song performed at imperial ceremonies, Shinto rituals, and state occasions.
The ensemble typically includes wind instruments like the shō (mouth organ), string instruments, and percussion.
Gagaku remains one of the oldest continuously performed musical traditions in the world.
Japanese plucked string instrument
Relating to supreme rule
- aristocracyRule by hereditary elite
- palaceMonarch's official residence
- emperorMale ruler of empire
- empressFemale ruler of empire
nobility · courtier · ceremony · regalia · throne · ritual · protocol · formality
Very old indeed
- NaraFormer Japanese capital
- TangMedieval Chinese empire
- preservationMaintaining something's condition
- traditionCustom passed through generations
heritage · classical · manuscripts · transmission · patronage · continuity · restoration · Meiji
Japanese sacred shrine dance
- ensembleUnified group or outfit
- danceRhythmic bodily movement
- masksFace-covering disguises
- costumesClothes for assuming roles
choreography · movements · procession · repertoire · rehearsal · stagecraft
Japanese animistic tradition
- shrineSacred devotional place
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
- liturgyFormal worship structure
- offeringsThings presented or given
sacred · consecration · observance · dedication · purification · invocation · spiritual
biwa
Japanese plucked string instrument
imperial
Relating to supreme rule
- aristocracyRule by hereditary elite
- palaceMonarch's official residence
- emperorMale ruler of empire
empress · nobility · courtier · ceremony · regalia · throne · ritual · protocol · formality · solemnity
ancient
Very old indeed
- NaraFormer Japanese capital
- TangMedieval Chinese empire
- preservationMaintaining something's condition
tradition · heritage · classical · manuscripts · transmission · patronage · continuity · restoration · Meiji · revival
kagura
Japanese sacred shrine dance
costumes · choreography · movements · procession · repertoire · rehearsal · stagecraft
Shinto
Japanese animistic tradition
offerings · sacred · consecration · observance · dedication · purification · invocation · spiritual
- Japanese culturesamurai, kabuki, sumo, origami, tea ceremony
- Asian artskabuki, noh theater, Peking opera, Beijing opera, Chinese opera
- Asian Musicerhu, sitar, koto, shamisen, tabla
- East Asian MusicK-pop, C-pop, Cantopop, taiko, koto
- Japanese Artskabuki, noh, bunraku, taiko, shamisen
- Japanese theaterkabuki, noh, bunraku, Bunraku, kyogen
gagakufolk music
Community-born acoustic songs
popular music · street music · work songs · festival music · drinking songs
gagakujazz
Improvisational American music genre
jam session · busking · karaoke · honky-tonk · dance music
gagakuelectronic music
Synthesizer-based musical genre
contemporary music · techno · experimental music · avant-garde · noise music