The examples of Japanese folk music presented in this collection were selected from 81 field recordings made in 1950–1951 by anthropologist Edward Norbeck, primarily in Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region on the main island of Honshu. The selected music, while necessarily not fully representative of the range of Japanese folk music, is a good starting point, and Professor Norbeck’s liner notes provide background on Japanese traditions and each track.

Track Listing