Mainly two types dominate the traditional Japanese music scene. These are art music and folk music. The various forms of their traditional music are based on these two types.

• Gagaku - It is actually court music from ancient Korea and China and the oldest form of Japanese music.
• Biwagaku - The Japanese knew of an instrument like a guitar called Biwa, having four strings. This Biwagaku music was played using that.
• Nohgaku - Music played using Japanese instruments like, the Tsuzumi drum and the Hayashi flute among others. This kind of music was usually played during the Noh, which is an ancient form of Japanese theatres, performances.
• Sokyoku - A Japanese musical instrument called Koto, which is a kind of zither having thirteen strings, is used to play this particular type of music of traditional Japan. Later, Shakuhachi and Shamisen, two other Varieties of Japanese musical instruments started being used for this type of music.
• Shakuhachi - A 55cm long bamboo flute is called Shakuhachi which is used to produce the traditional music which goes by the same name in Japan. This musical instrument has derived its name from its length expressed in the ancient Japanese unit of length called, “shaku”.
• Shamisenongaku - Shamisen, a traditional Japanese musical instrument which looks like a guitar having three strings is the key instrument for producing this type of music in Japan. Performances in Bunraku, the traditional puppet theatre of Japan and Kabuki, another traditional theatre from the Edo period included Shamisenongaku music.
• Minyo - Minyo is the traditional folk song of Japan.

Thus we see that like all other things of Japan, their traditional music is also rich with culture and variety.

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