Dynamics of Tradition:

Understanding the Historical and Cultural significance, Social Context and Structure of
traditional Japanese Music

Music has played an important part in ritual and ceremony in Japan for centuries. Perhaps one of the most
significant characteristics of traditional Japanese music is its constant evolution. Traditional Japanese music
comes in various forms and genres, with potentially the largest application/genre historically being Gagaku
ensembles. From regional rituals, integration with foreign music, advancements and later influence from
western music, the music of Japan has become a diverse breeding ground for musical learning and development.
Not only have the sounds evolved, but the contexts in which music is used and taught has spread out to many
aspects of daily life in Japan. The purpose of this essay is to explore the historical, social, cultural and spiritual
aspects tied into the structural elements of traditional Japanese music.

Before I begin to breakdown the key figures and events that shaped Japanese music history, it is important to
outline the crucial historical periods that shaped Japan as a whole. Below is a list of historical periods and their
dates that I will be referencing throughout this section.
• Nara and Heian Periods (710-1192)
• Kamakura Period (1192-1333)
• Muromachi Period (1338-1573)
• Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603)
• Edo Period (1603-1868)
• Meiji Period (1868-1912)
• Taisho and Early Showa Period (1912-1945)
• Postwar Period (since 1945)

The use of music in Japan began at the regional level, with folk song and dance being a performative part of
Shinto (a geographically Japanese religion) rituals and ceremonies. As a centralised system of government
formed in Japan during the Nara period, so centralised became the music, as it was brought into the context of
imperial and court performances into the capital of Nara. From this point, music for court nobles and imperials
was split into two streams: foreign music and native music. Foreign music in Japan was long reserved for
royalty and the courts, played by professional musicians and exclusive often to hereditary lines who passed the
skills down from father to son. It was about midway through the Nara period that diversity and variety in the
“importation” of foreign music reached a peak. This music was coming from countries such as China, Korea,
Thailand, Vietnam, and the Bohai state. Over time foreign music slowly spread out and became more accessible
to everyone. This is where we move into the Heian period, a time widely considered to be the most culturally
rich and dense historical era of Japan. This period also saw a unification of most of Japan when the conflict
between the Minamoto and Taira clans was ended. Some of the most crucial and lasting art to Japanese culture
was created during this period. As for music, it was deepening its roots amongst the private lives of nobles, and
music and dance performances became an art form that higher classes were expected to learn. Foreign pieces of
music were being adjusted and reworked to fit with Japanese language and intonation, and the tradition of
Gagaku began to be solidified as the Japanese people began to bring its identity with their own, creating original
compositions with an emphasis on native Japanese influence. This was due to lessening contact with foreign
cultures as Japan came into its own unification and independence. This era also saw the rise of Heikyoku, Joruri
and Katarimono, which are styles based around storytelling and narrative compositions which would be
performed for the court nobles. Heikyoku became even more prevalent in the Kamakura period, when court
nobles were replaced by samurai. These narratives were focused around war and were a way of passing down
and celebrating knowledge and history. Instruments such as the Koto and Shamisen began to receive more
ensemble prevalence as a later result of this musical evolution.

In modern times, the uses of music in Japanese society are many and quite varied, with music playing a similar
role in Japan as it does in western countries. This, however, is not something that western influence is
responsible for. Japan has long used music in almost all parts of life (even in death). Music has been used as a
form of celebration, reflection, storytelling, expression, art, ritual and entertainment. Historically, there is even
songs written for certain occupations in Japan. Songs for planting rice, harvesting, weeding, logging, fishing,
and just about any other occupation one can think of.
Music was always extremely culturally significant, particularly as a means of passing down knowledge and
expression. In early times, much of the Japanese population lacked reading and writing skills, and as such
passing on knowledge verbally was favoured and necessary. This is one way that societal norms and social
context influenced musical expression. One of the key techniques that performing storytellers knew was that to
make a tale memorable, it had to be told in an exciting way. This way music, dance and poetry would be
combined, and this increased the cultural significance of music. Along with education and storytelling, music
has long been viewed in Japan as a highly spiritual practice, a means to spiritual ascension and a way to connect
with religion. Shinto music was the music performed as a part of Shinto rituals. It was a style performed in three
separate contexts: Ceremonially in the imperial courts, as music of the shrine, and in conventional festival
settings. Shinto music is deeply tied to Gagaku, and is a played by priests. Despite Shintoism being the native
religion of Japan, for many centuries the Japanese have also practiced Buddhism widely. Buddhism also deeply
ties music to spirituality, and many monks would play instruments and pass down musical knowledge. Buddhist
ceremonial music is typically more focussed on the vocal element, consisting of chants with more emphasis on
lyric and vocal melodies. This aspect is also similar in Shinto music.
In my previous paragraph I touched on the style entitled Heikyoku. This music originated from one of Japan’s
most important stories: the Tale of Heike. This tale is about the battle between the Minamoto and Taira clans
around the end of the Heian era. What is interesting about the origins of this genre is that it was most often
performed by blind monks. These were monks that turned to music as their blindness meant that their options
for professions were limited and music is a practice that relies on the ears and touch. The instrument of choice
for these monks was the Biwa, a four stringed lute-like instrument with raised frets. The monks would travel
around, reciting tales and performing songs. What allowed this to thrive was the way that the blind monks were
publicly perceived as having magic and spiritual powers, seeing into a world that sighted people could not. This
led to some guilds even only accepting blind Biwa players. This style lasted from the late Heian era and only
diminished after the Edo period. During the Edo period, blind monks who played the biwa (also referred to as
Biwa Hoshi, with Hoshi meaning ‘teachers of the Buddhist doctrine’) were highly sought after by the Shogun
Tokugawa Ieyasu, who even paid for and supported these musicians financially.

Traditional Japanese music is not built or structured in the same way as western classical music. As opposed to
thinking of the overall shape and structure of a piece, Japanese music is designed so that each note can be
appreciated on its own, for its beautiful quality and timbre at the passing moment in time that it is played. Due to
this, concepts of dynamics and tension followed by release are less present. Not entirely absent, but utilized
differently. The Japanese philosophy of music is that each moment of sound will be whole and filled with
beauty. ‘The Japanese first enjoy the unique timbre of a single sound and then enjoy ma, the “space” created
after it.’ (Nettl et al. 1998:551). In japanese culture, there is a remarkably deep sense of connection to nature and
in particular the sounds of nature. Coming from Buddhist Zen ideology, there is an appreciation from the ground
up. One pays attention to the smallest things to first and expands that zone of perception to the end of reaching
the highest spiritual awareness. Because of this sounds such at the pattering of rain or the texture wind creates as
it passes through blades of grass and leaves on trees are considered beautiful. Japanese music aims to achieve
the level of beauty help by these non-musical sounds. This is why the sound of a Japanese flute (Shakuhachi) is
airy and textured instead of looking for the purity of a note one might expect from a flute engineered for western
classical music, which puts more aesthetic pleasure in the purity of a tone. In Japanese singing, the deep husky
weathered sound showing the years of life experience in its singer is preferred to a clean youthful voice, as the
crackly timbre more closely reflects nature, along with the connotation of experience and character implied
which represents knowledge and wisdom.
When musical performances are tied to the telling of a story, this is where elements such as dynamics and what
we might call tension are used. In moments of romance, the playing of the instruments is adjusted tonally and
the melody will reflect and draw out this feeling in the audience. In scenes of war and battle, the playing of
instruments is adjusted to a different effect that reflects the story. In Japanese composition, there is a concept
called Zyo ha kyu, a three part formula in which Zyo is the introduction, ha is the section of development and
then the kyu is the fast-paced drawing of the music to an end. Differentiating this from the forms of western
classical music, which typically follows a structure of exposition (establishment of a theme), development,
recapitulation (a call back or return to the theme after its development), Zyo ha kyu purely indicates that the a
performance should begin slowly, speed up and then end swiftly. This concept is applied to a variety of Japanese
arts including dance, martial arts performances and theatre, although its origins are in Gagaku music.
Commonly the way that a section of music would build is to gradually increase in tempo, reaching its fastest at
the very conclusion of the piece, in contrast to the contour we are used to in western music where a song may
reach a climactic point towards the middle or end, and then descend back into a calm resolution. Early on in the
use of this in gagaku, this concept only applied to the music and the other parts of a performance such as dance
and theatrical movement-based storytelling would follow their own construction and develop separately.
However, when the style of Noh emerged and developed during the Muromachi and Azuchi-Momoyama
Periods, continuing into the Edo period, Zyo ha kyu began to be applied to more. It became so that each section
of a play, each performance of a dance, even down to the detail of every movement of an arm would follow the
Zyo ha kyu construction. It became a philosophy for any movement however minor it may seem.
This exploration of the history, cultural and religious significance and the design of Japanese music reflects the
evolution of society and the interwoven nature of life and art that is central to Japanese culture. The historical
journey depicts the evolution and influence of music in Japan, which reflects the character of the Japanese
people. The importance placed on allowing teachings from foreign cultures whilst retaining the integrity of their
own native roots is inspiring along with the way emphasis was always placed on the continued teaching and
development to last many generations, using the mediums of art, music and performance. From humble
beginnings in regional Japan before a centralised government, to the development of many styles such as
Gagaku, Noh, Shinto music and Heikyoku, Japanese music reflects not only musical innovation but also the
storytelling traditions and spiritual beliefs of the time. Structural elements such as Zyo ha kyu offer insight as to
the unique approach taken in the formation of musical compositions, and the contrast that holds to the norms of
western classical music. Additionally Japanese music prioritizes the beauty of each moment, and the quality of
each sound, rather than the compositional elements of form that often determine the perceived depth of a song in
western classical music. Japanese music captivates and touches audiences timelessly, whether used in
ceremonies, court performances or simply in everyday life. Understanding the dynamics of tradition in Japanese
music unveils not only a musical journey but also a deeper appreciation for the complexities of Japanese culture.

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