Gagaku

Gagaku is a form of classical Japanese music that has existed for over 1200 years. Originally heard as court music in China and Korea, this is one of Japan’s oldest and traditional music. It is often the music you will hear at wedding ceremonies and Shinto-shrines, but it has been long associated as music of the Imperial court.

Gagaku employs the use of instruments like the Sho and the Hichiriki to create a sound favored by the elites. Gagaku consists of two musical elements referred to as the Togaku or T’ang and Komagaku.

The Togaku or T’ang merges Central and South Asian styles peppered with Indian and Japanese ingredients, while Komagaku favors a more chamber-styled music replete with wind and string instruments.

Gagaku music goes at an unhurried pace compared to other Asian music and that is mainly because of its ancient courts association. Its ability to ebb and flow throughout chord progressions and rhythmic patterns makes it sound intricate to the untrained ear.