君が代 [Kimigayo]Words : 古歌 [Ancient Poetry]Music : 林廣守・奥好義 [HAYASHI Hiromori, OKU Yoshiisa] “Kimigayo” is Japan’s national anthem. While it feels a bit daunting to explain a national anthem, there is …
Articles dealing with “traditional Japanese music theory”
*Traditional Music Elements
Sakura Sakura | Traditional
さくらさくら [Sakura Sakura]Words & Music : 作者不詳 [Unknown] “Sakura Sakura,” or “Sakura,” is a very famous traditional Japanese song. Originally, it was a song called “Saita Sakura” and used as …
Usagi | Traditional
うさぎ [Usagi]Words & Music : 作者不詳 [Unknown] “Usagi” is a traditional Japanese children’s song. Its exact origin is unknown, but it is believed to have been created during the Edo …
Subete no Hito no Kokoro ni Hana o – Shokichi Kina & Champloose | 1980
花〜すべての人の心に花を〜 [Hana~Subete no Hito no Kokoro ni Hana o~]喜納昌吉とチャンプルーズ [KINA Shōkichi to Chanpurūzu]Words & Music : 喜納昌吉 [KINA Shōkichi] Continuing from the last time, I’ll introduce another representative song by …
Haisai Ojisan – Shokichi Kina | 1972
ハイサイおじさん [Haisai Ojisan]喜納昌吉 [KINA Shōkichi]Words & Music : 喜納昌吉 [KINA Shōkichi] “Haisai Ojisan” is a famous song full of Okinawan elements. Let me start by giving a brief introduction to …
Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki – Sayuri Ishikawa | 1977
津軽海峡・冬景色 [Tsugaru Kaikyō Fuyugeshiki]石川さゆり [ISHIKAWA Sayuri]Words : 阿久悠 [AKU Yū]Music : 三木たかし [MIKI Takashi] Today, I’m going to feature the first “演歌 / enka” song on Words in Japanese Song.Enka …
Tereto – Soutaiseiriron | 2009
テレ東 [Teretō]相対性理論 [Sōtaiseiriron]Words & Music : 真部脩一 [MABE Shūichi] This time, I’m introducing another band from the alternative scene. Soutaiseiriron (which means “theory of relativity”) is an alternative band formed …
Shinunoga E-Wa – FUJII Kaze | 2020
死ぬのがいいわ [Shinu No Ga Ī Wa]藤井風 [FUJII Kaze]Words & Music : 藤井風 [FUJII Kaze] Continuing from “Nan-Nan” yesterday, I’ll cover another song by FUJII Kaze. This song, included in his …
Kojo no Tsuki | 1901
荒城の月 [Kōjō no Tsuki]Words : 土井晩翠 [DOI Bansui]Music : 滝廉太郎 [TAKI Rentarō], 山田耕作 [YAMADA Kōsaku] “Kojo no Tsuki” is a song with lyrics by Bansui Doi and music by Rentarō …