[Japanese-style Piano Pieces] A selection of recommended works with a pleasantly Japanese flavor

The piano is an instrument born in Europe.

Classical music is a musical style that developed in the West.

If you mainly practice classical works, you may naturally end up focusing on pieces infused with European essence, and it might be rare to feel a sense of “Wa” (Japanese aesthetics) while playing the piano.

So in this article, for those who want to try playing piano pieces that convey a distinctly Japanese flavor, we’ll introduce a wide selection of Japan-inspired piano works.

Even within the label “Japanese style,” the roots and forms of the pieces vary widely—from works composed by European composers inspired by Japanese ukiyo-e to sets of variations based on children’s songs.

Please enjoy listening while comparing the different expressions of “Japaneseness” in each work and savoring how interpretations of “Japanese style” vary from one composer to another!