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 ...

Discover the relationship between music and Buddhism through ancient Japanese instruments such as the gogen-biwa and kugo from the Shosoin Repository in Nara, artifacts restored from Chinese ...

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 ...

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 ...

Amid cold conditions at Marusan Hashimoto Co.'s studio, silk threads are stretched between hooks on pillars and excess glue wiped off with a cloth in a process for making strings for Japanese ...