A Musical Trip to Japan

When I was only about 5 or 6 years old, my dad had bought me a movie to watch, and little did he know, that this kind gesture would shape most of my passions and interest for the rest of my life. 

The movie was titled, 'Kiki's Delivery Service'. A Hayao Mizayaki film.

It is a simple but lovely story about a young witch named Kiki and her talking pet cat Jiji. At only the age of 13, they leave her childhood home to find her true talent as an aspiring witch in the real world. 

I love this movie for many different reasons such as the artwork, the story, the empowering message to young ladies, like myself, and the light-hearted, playful music that is throughout the entirety of the movie gives an amazing feel.

Kiki's Delivery Service is one of many movies directed by Hayao Miyazaki with the help of composer Joe Hisaishi. This list includes My Neighbor, Totoro, Spirited Away, Ponyo, Howl's Moving Castle, and many more!

(I highly recommend watching any of these titles!)

Over the years, I would consume anything and everything Japanese-related. This included artwork, anime, food, culture, language, history, and music. Funny enough, my love for Japan was one of the first connections my husband and I had made when we first met. As I said before, my passion for Japanese culture really did help shape the person I am today. Something that cannot be missed in Japanese traditions is its unique sounds it has, from past to present.

Roots & Now:

Japan is known for being very rich in culture and heritage. A lot of what you see today in modern Japan is heavily influenced by what their ancestors had practiced. Japanese music is no exception. 

Here is a traditional sakura blossom song played on a stringed instrument called a Koto.  

Song: The Cherry Blossoms (Sakura Sakura)

Artist: Toshiko Yonekawa

Original Composer: Unknown

Origin Date: Edo Period-Roughly 1600-1850

Country of Origin: Japan

The Koto instrument is one of three main staples in Japanese culture. It is considered the most popular and familiar of the three instruments, which is still commonly practiced in today's modern times. 'It is a large, wooden instrument that is played with picks worn on the fingers, and uses movable bridges placed under each string to change the pitch,' states History of Japanese Music. It is a very heavily stringed instrument, traditionally 13 silk strings, but there can be more added for a more bass like sound. 

This instrument strongly depends on pitches for its sound, as stated above. With every pluck of a string the pitch can drastically change with a variety of half steps and intervals, it very noticeable with any koto instrument piece. With the particular music piece above, the pitch works hand in hand with the plentatonic scales it is played in, also known as 'In scale' is regularly found in Japanese music. 

The In Scale Formula: 1, b2, 4, 5, b6

Another key instrument in Japanese customs that is still very much present in their music today, is the shamisen. Earlier I gave an example of a traditional folk song, this example might be more familiar to modern times...

Song: Wake Me Up 

Artist: Avicii (Covered by Shamimask)

Original Composers: Avicii, Aloe Blacc, and Mike Einziger

Origin Date: June 14, 2013

Country of Origin: London, UK

This is a great example of how it is encouraged to keep the Japanese culture alive going toward the future. The Shamisen is a traditional instrument that origin dates back to the mid-16th century and derives from a Chinese influence. 'Compared with the koto, a traditional instrument with a history of 1,300 years, the shamisen is only about 500 years old,' states Shamiko Guitars.

'The shamisen has a long, thin neck with a small rectangular body, traditionally covered with animal skins. It contains three strings made of silk, like the koto, the pitch is adjusted by tuning pegs on the end of the instrument, like a gutair or violin. It is played with a large triangular plectrum that's used to strike the strings,' summarizes Audio Network Limited.

One musical element that stands out with the shamisen, again, like the koto, is the use of pitch. With every strike of the plectrum, it drastically changes the sound wave to create a dramatic effect to the sound perceived. Pitch seems to be a defining attribute to traditional Japanese instruments and music. The next element that is important, is the articulation of the notes played with the shamisen. A skilled artist uses a combination of vibrato, and bending to help connect and smooth the notes together to complete the musical piece. 

Both instruments discussed are essential in Japanese culture, and traditions. Each instrument is a staple in the history of Japan but is also cherished and practiced today. Finding older, traditional music pieces with either the koto or the shamisen is just as easily found as finding modern day pieces. Along with the movies I mentioned before by Hayao Miyazaki, a lot of anime series uses traditional Japanese sounds, so these sounds are familiar to me. Hopefully, after this blog, you will be able to start noticing how present these instruments are in modern Japanese culture.  

Resources:

1.) History Of Japanese Music | Audio Network UK | © Audio Network Limited 2021 UK | 18 July 2019

2.) Japanese Scales In Music Theory- Musicnotes Now  | Japanese Scales in Music Theory | © 2021 Musicnotes,Inc 

3.) Sakura- Traditional Japanese Song on Koto | LedgerNote | Lead Author Jared H. | © 2014-2021 | LedgerNote

4.) Wake Me Up by Avicii (featuring Aloe Blacc) - Songfacts | © 2021 Songfacts ®, LLC

5.) The History of the Shamisen - Traditional Japanese Stringed Instruments | © 2021 Shamiko Guitars. | Feburary 27, 2020