[Japanese-style BGM] Beautiful tones woven from Japanese tradition

Samurai RiderYoshida Kiyoshi

Kiyoshi Yoshida – Samurai Rider

Kiyoshi Yoshida, widely known overseas as a cool, Japanese-style composer, originally studied film scoring and contemporary arranging at Berklee.

While he has focused his career on film music, he released original compositions in 1999, and since then has continued to receive high acclaim for prominent stage performances, including Kansai Yamamoto’s Super Shows and video works for the World Economic Forum in Davos.

dogwood (flowering dogwood)Togi Hideki

Heian Shrine Night Cherry Blossoms: Red Weeping Cherry Concert 2013 – Gagaku 'Hanamizuki' by Hideki Togi

Hideteki Togi, a Japanese gagaku musician active on the world stage, covers Yo Hitoto’s famous song “Hanamizuki” on the hichiriki.

He performs it with a richly mature mood.

If you listen casually, you might mistake it for a clarinet—unsurprising, since they’re both woodwinds and share a similar sound.

[Healing Effect] A soothing Japanese-style music medley that feels like an autumn festival [BGM for Work]Royalty Free Music

[Healing Effect] A soothing Japanese-style music medley that feels like an autumn festival [BGM for Work]

Recently, more and more musicians have been releasing their original compositions as copyright-free works.

This is a soothing medley of Japanese-style songs, carefully selected and blended from such performances to capture the atmosphere of autumn festivals.

It’s filled with truly practical tracks that evoke the open, airy feeling of a clear autumn festival night and the distant sound of festival music drifting through the air.

heartbeatYoshida Kyōdai

YOSHIDA BROTHERS — Kodo

The Yoshida Brothers, Tsugaru shamisen players who made a splash with their major debut in 1999, are now active in a wide range of fields.

Their music is irresistibly captivating, and the performance they showcase in their monochrome music video is both beautiful and incredibly powerful.

Kagemusha2CELLOS

2CELLOS – Kagemusha

Next up is a distinctive performance… When it comes to Kurosawa films, they still have a wide range of fans both abroad and in Japan.

They’re also renowned for their exceptionally high level of craftsmanship, including the film music.

Here we have Kagemusha performed on two cellos.

Despite not using traditional Japanese instruments—and being played by foreign musicians—it still sounds unmistakably Japanese.

It absolutely reaffirms just how wonderful the composition is.

raccoon dogIchikawa Seizan

Tanuki (A Shamisen Discussion)

When you think of the shamisen, many people probably picture the Tsugaru shamisen.

But in fact, the mainstream tradition is the hosozao, which has been passed down since the Edo period.

This video features a nagauta piece performed on the shamisen.

Its brisk playing style and intriguing melodic lines can hold their own against the Tsugaru shamisen.

Shamisen & Tap DanceShimura Ken & Biito Takeshi

Takeshi Kitano × Ken Shimura: A miraculous collaboration—tap dance meets shamisen!

Recently, Ken Shimura made headlines by collaborating with Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra in a commercial, showing off his Tsugaru shamisen skills.

The piece he plays in this video seems like an improvised tune by Shimura, with his deft pick work on display, and Beat Takeshi dancing beside him, tapping out a strong rhythm.

What a lavish collaboration.