Music in Japan is called Ongaku (音楽,おんがく), which from the kanji characters literally means “joy of sound”.
This basic concept lying under its meaning, represents well what Japanese people expect from music. Japanese music combining vocal or instrumental sounds to express the beauty of emotions, but also must entertain.  

Since the birth of its traditional folk music, the history of music in Japan has always been rich and varied.

When it comes to Traditional Japanese Music usually we refer two Japan’s historical folk music form- shōmyō (声明) a ritual music sung in a Buddhist ceremony by a group of Buddhist monks and gagaku (雅楽) a type of Japanese classical music that has been performed at the Imperial Court in Kyoto since the 7th century.

The original form of shōmyō (声明) was practiced in ancient India and also the gagaku (雅楽) was imported into Japan from China.
Historically, Japanese folk music was strongly influenced by music from China, Korea, and Indonesia.
Japanese music is essentially an eclectic combination of musical influences from all over the world.
Music styles and instruments were imported from neighboring countries and then adapted to integrate western musical styles such as jazz, rock, and reggae.

Taiko (太鼓) drums, for example, which played a central role in many types of Japanese traditional music and performance, is more than 2000 years old and has been brought to Japan from Korea and China around the 6th Century, during the Kofun period.

There are more than 8,000 taiko groups in Japan, but it is only over the last 30 years that taiko drumming has taken root in the western world.

Nowadays, the appeal of Japan’s traditional taiko (太鼓) drums has achieved worldwide fame, stirring up players and listeners physically and spiritually. 

Imagine you are sitting at our Teppanyaki counter, savoring our delicious Miyazaki wagyu on the notes of powerful rhythms of Japan’s traditional taiko drums and flutes.
We make it possible!

Ginza Onodera London supports Japan-UK artists hosting taiko group, jazz, and guitar performances and art exhibitions, with the aim of contributing to disseminate Japanese arts and culture in London.

Don’t miss the chance to be inspired by the east vibrant artistic scene, while experiencing our exceptional traditional cuisine.