Folk Music of Japan

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

101	Sado Okesa Geisha with shamisen, Shimotsui Village	03:01
102	Waka Man singing at a party, Shimotsui Village, Okayama Prefecture	00:46
103	Bitchũ Kagura Musicians accompanying kagura ritual dance, Nariwa Town	01:10
104	Bitchũ Kagura (Cont.) Musicians, singer accompanying kagura ritual dance, Nariwa Town	02:10
105	Ōmiya Odori Villagers singing with drum, Omiya shrine, Fukuda Village, Okayama Prefecture	01:51
106	Shimotsui-bushi Geisha with shamisen and chorus, Shimotsui Village, Okayama Prefecture	01:24
107	Kagura-bayashi Chorus of boys accompanied by flute, drums, and surigane, Suimon Village, Okayama Prefecture	03:18
108	Ashimori Ondo Festival singers and musicians, Ashimori Village, Okayama Prefecture	05:25
201	Ishiya-bushi Stonecutters singing while working, Kitaki Island	02:50
202	Itokuri-uta Women singing while spinning wool, Kitaki Island	02:24
203	Maritsuki-uta Young girls singing ball-bouncing song, Kitaki Island	01:21
204	Shiraishi Odori Singers accompanied by drum and wooden stick, Shiraishi Village	03:28
205	Shiraishi Odori (Cont.) Singers accompanied by drum and wooden stick, Shiraishi Village	01:38
206	Usuhiki-Uta Three women and a man, Shiraishi Island	01:14
207	Matsuyama Odori Male singer with chorus of children, Bitchu-Takahashi	04:02
208	Urashima Odori Male singer with chorus of children, Bitchu-Takahashi	03:54