Tokyo boasts several quality professional and amateur Western-style orchestras, as my colleague Robert Ryker keeps reminding us. The elite music schools of the nation's capital turn out highly competent piano, string and woodwind players who are active around the world. American pop songs are heard and enjoyed by the majority of Japan's youth. With such a wide, ubiquitous selection of Western music throughout Japan's cities and towns, how does Japanese hogaku music fare?
Even though on the surface it seems as if Western classic and pop music has taken over the cultural and commercial music scene in Japan, a closer look reveals a rich and vibrant substratum of traditional and contemporary Japanese music concerts and events. The trick is to know where to look.
One of the best sources for information is the Hogaku Journal. Begun about 10 years ago, this Japanese-language monthly has become a major, nationwide resource for all aspects of hogaku. It lists hogaku concerts and events around the country, contains articles on historical and technical aspects of Japanese instruments and performance, presents interviews with veteran performers and introduces young players. The magazine appeals to the young yet strives to maintain respectability among the older generation.