Traditional Japanese Musical Instruments

In this article, you will learn about all the traditional Japanese musical instruments. There are dozens of instruments of Japanese origin, and we will try to briefly discuss each one and list them.

Japan has a long and rich history of music and traditional instruments. The country has many types of music, from traditional Japanese music of Noh and Kabuki theater to the more modern pop and rock music of today that still uses traditional instruments.

There is a wide variety of traditional Japanese instruments, from the well-known Shamisen and Koto to the less familiar Shamisen-bushi and Biwa. These instruments are used in a wide range of musical genres, from traditional Japanese music to more modern styles.

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Table of Contents

Main Traditional Instruments of Japan

There are hundreds of Japanese instruments that we will not go into detail about, but the most popular deserve at least two paragraphs of information.

The ones mentioned below will not appear in the list of musical instruments of Japan separated by category.

Shakuhachi

The shakuhachi is a traditional Japanese flute that was originally used by Buddhist monks of the Fuke sect. The shakuhachi is made from a bamboo stalk about two meters long. It has a warm and soft sound and is often used in traditional Japanese music.

It is also used in a wide variety of Japanese musical genres, in contemporary music, and even in pop music. The shakuhachi has a very beautiful sound and is a very popular instrument in Japan.

Taiko

The taiko is a large Japanese drum that is typically played with two sticks. The taiko is traditionally used in Japanese music and folk festivals.

The sound of the taiko is very loud and energetic, and it is often used to keep the rhythm in traditional Japanese music. There are different types of Japanese drums that have Daiko in their name.

Shamisen

The shamisen is a three-stringed instrument played with a plectrum. It has a long neck and a body shaped like a drum. The shamisen is used in a wide range of Japanese music, from traditional folk songs to more modern pop music.

It resembles a banjo with three strings; brought to Japan from China in the 16th century. Popular in the entertainment districts of Edo, the shamisen was often used in Kabuki theater.

We recommend reading: Shamisen – Japanese Musical Instrument with 3 Strings

Koto

The Koto is a Japanese instrument with a long history. It is a string instrument played with a plectrum. The koto has a resonant body, and its strings are stretched over a movable bridge.

The koto is a very versatile instrument and can be used for a wide range of musical genres. The koto was first introduced to Japan in the eighth century.

Initially, the koto was played only by the nobility, but later it became popular among the general population. The koto has a strong association with the Japanese imperial family.

Japanese Percussion Instruments

Hyōshigi (拍子木) – wood or bamboo clappers
Den-den daiko (でんでん太鼓) – pellet drum, used as a children’s toy
Bin-sasara (編木, 板ささら; also written bin-zasara) – clappers made of wooden slats connected by a string or cord
Kagura suzu – handbell tree with three layers of pellet bells
Ikko – small hourglass-shaped drum
Kakko (羯鼓) – small drum used in gagaku
Kane (鉦) – small flat gong
Kokiriko (筑子, こきりこ) – a pair of sticks that are struck together slowly and rhythmically
Shakubyoshi – clappers made from a pair of flat wooden sticks
Mokugyo (木魚) – wooden fish-shaped percussion instrument, struck with a wooden stick; often used in Buddhist chants
San-no-tsuzumi (三の鼓) – double-headed hourglass drum; struck only on one side
Ōtsuzumi (大鼓) – hand drum
Sasara (ささら) – clappers made of wooden slats connected by a string or cord
Sekkin – a thin striking drum
Shime-daiko (締太鼓) – small drum played with sticks
Shōko (鉦鼓) – small bronze gong used in gagaku; struck with two horn mallets

Japanese String Instruments

Biwa – a pear-shaped lute
Ichigenkin (一絃琴) – Monochord
Junanagen (十七絃) – the 17-string koto
Kugo (箜篌) – an angular harp used in ancient times and recently revived
Sanshin (三線) – a precursor from Okinawa to the continental Japanese shamisen (and the Amami Islands)
Taishogoto (大正琴) – a zither with strings and metal keys
Yamatogoto (大和琴) – ancient long zither; also called wagoto (和琴)
Tonkori (トンコリ) – a plucked instrument used by the Ainu of Hokkaidō
Kokyū – a bowed lute with three (or, more rarely, four) strings and a body covered with skin

Japanese Wind Instruments

Japanese flutes are called fue (笛). There are eight traditional flutes, as well as more modern creations.

Hocchiku (法竹) – vertical bamboo flute
Nohkan (能管) – transverse bamboo flute used for Noh theater
Komabue (高麗笛) – transverse bamboo flute used for komagaku; similar to the ryūteki
Ryūteki (龍笛) – transverse bamboo flute used for gagaku
Kagurabue (神楽笛) – transverse bamboo flute used for the mi-kagura ritual
Shakuhachi (尺八) – vertical bamboo flute used for Zen meditation
Shinobue (篠笛) – popular transverse bamboo flute
Bow flute (弓笛) – a flute developed by Ishida Nehito with bow hair to accompany the kokyū.
Horagai (法螺貝) – conch shell horn; also called jinkai (陣貝)
Hichiriki (篳篥) – double-reed flute used in different types of music
Tsuchibue – globular flute made of claymore
Shō (笙) – mouth organ with 17 pipes used for gagaku
Mukkuri (ムックリ) – jaw harp used by the Ainu people
U (竽) – large mouth organ
Koukin (口琴) – general name for the jaw harp, in the Edo period also called Biyabon (びやぼん)

List of musical instruments from Japan