HAMAMATSU, Japan It was a sight fit for an episode of the Twilight Zone: Dressed in black formal wear, a crowd of musicians filed into a concert hall west of Tokyo and sit down to play. But instead of ...

The celebratory sound of taiko (drum) has become integral to many festivals and performances across Japan. For centuries, taiko artisans and ensembles have helped preserve and advance these ...

This flat rectangular brass instrument has four sets of lines on it, two sets on each side. Each set consists of four nested L-shaped lines and six shorter lines that run across them. Some of the ...

Her fingers dance upon the strings, and like a river or wind, the sounds of the koto carry June Okida Kuramoto. The ancient Japanese instrument drew her in with its angelic voice when she was a little ...

This article is part of a two-part series. To learn about a biwa master and her music lessons, see here. Traditional Japanese instruments, also known as wagakki, are an intrinsic part of Japan’s rich ...