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“Japanese Traditions”: Japanese Festival Music (Jun Hōgaku)

Festival hayashi music is indispensable to Japanese festivals.

It’s music performed with traditional Japanese instruments—such as taiko drums, flutes, and small gongs—sounds that every Japanese person has likely heard somewhere.

Classified as pure traditional Japanese music, festival hayashi has long been performed and cherished at festivals across the country.

In this article, we’ll introduce a wide variety of such local festival hayashi!

Will your hometown’s festival hayashi be featured?

If you have information like “There’s also this kind of festival hayashi!”, please share it with us!

Playlist

“Japanese Traditions”: Japanese Festival Music (Jun Hōgaku)
show_chartTitlePlaylistOne point
1eastEdo Festival HayashiEdo festival music, which could be called synonymous with Tokyo’s festivals...
2eastSahara Bayashi
Sahara Bayashi
Sahara Bayashi stands alongside Kanda Bayashi and Kyoto Gion Bayashi as one of the three great festival music traditions in Japan...
3eastTenjin Bayashi“Tenjin-bayashi,” a song tradition passed down in the Tsumaari (Tsumari) region of Niigata Prefecture…
4eastGion Festival MusicGion-bayashi is played during the Gion Festival at Kyoto’s Yasaka Shrine…
5eastAsakusa Sanja Festival HayashiIn 1970 (Showa 45), unlike the traditional “Edo-bayashi”...
6eastfoolish festivity musicThis intriguingly named “Baka-bayashi” leaves a strong impression...
7eastKanda-bayashi (Kanda Festival music)The Kanda-style festival hayashi music has been continuously [ongoing/played/performed] since 1959 (Showa 34)...
8eastTsugaru Joppari TaikoThe Hirosaki Four Great Festivals held in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture…
9eastKishiwada Danjiri Festival HayashiIt is held every September in Kishiwada City, Osaka...
10eastIshioka I-gumi HayashiBrimming with energy, as if the lively scenes of the festival come vividly to mind...
11eastHeguri Festival Music“Heguri Bayashi,” which conveys the excitement and fervor of the festival. The taiko…
12eastNukui HayashiThe traditional offering at Nukui Shrine in Koganei City, Tokyo...
13eastHokota HayashiFestival music that symbolizes traditional Japanese culture. Ibaraki Prefecture...
14eastSumida Festival Music (Minowa Festival Music)Sumida Bayashi was established in 1958 by Mi…
15eastMeguro HayashiShrines within Meguro Ward, such as Kumano Shrine and Hikawa Shrine, ...
16eastShigematsu-ryu Festival HayashiThe Shigematsu-style festival, an essential part of traditional Japanese festivals...
17eastAomori Nebuta festival musicA thrilling event held every August in Aomori Prefecture...
18eastEisa“Eisa” corresponds to the Bon Odori dance on the Japanese mainland, and in Okin...
19eastAkita Kanto Festival MusicHeld annually from August 3rd to 6th in Akita City, Akita Prefecture, ...
20eastSekiya Bayashi“Kanke…” performed at the Shinjo Festival in Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture
21eastChichibu Festival Hayashi (Festival Music)“Chichibu Yatai-bayashi” is a festival music tradition from the Chichibu region of Saitama Prefecture...
22eastIse Ondo Saijō Festival HayashiIn October, at a shrine in Saijō City, Ehime Prefecture, ...
23eastKohama Suijin Shrine Autumn FestivalPeople of all ages, the whole town coming together to carry the mikoshi...
24eastNakaizumi Hachiman Festival MusicThe festival music that is indispensable to Japanese festivals—its distinctive...
25eastTsuchiura Festival Hayashi Association Shinkawa HayashiAmong the festivals held in Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture, the perfo...
26eastHanawa BayashiLike the Kanda-bayashi and Gion-bayashi, it is one of Japan’s three…
27eastFestival Hayashi Music of Oume (Ome)The festival music of the Ome Grand Festival is of exceptional beauty and charm...
28eastFestival music of the Yoichi FestivalA festival held every summer in Ōtawara City, Tochigi Prefecture...
29eastEnshū Festival BayashiThis piece, performed at festivals in the Enshū region of Shizuoka Prefecture…
30eastFestival music of the Arai FestivalThe Arai festival held in Awa, Chiba Prefecture...
31eastShinjo Festival Masugata Hayashi Youth AssociationThe UNESCO Intangible… to be held in Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture
32eastHigashi-Beppu Festival MusicAmong festival music performed across Japan, the Higashi-Beppu Festival…
33eastOyodo Riverside Festival MusicThe “Ōyodo Riverside Ta…” held on the banks of the Ōyodo River in Miyazaki Prefecture
34eastMiyata Gion Festival Taiko Drum Festival MusicThe Miyada Gion held in Miyata Village, Kamiina District, Nagano Prefecture...
35eastKawakami Festival BayashiThe Kawakami Festival Hayashi, handed down in Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture, is ...
36eastHikiyama Festival MusicA festival held every April in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture…
37eastChigasaki Festival HayashiA team that performs “ohayashi” (traditional festival music) in Chigasaki City...
38eastToyoda Hayashi“Toyota-bayashi,” known for its rhythmic performances. …
39eastNakasendō Festival Music, Tarui Festival Music
Nakasendō Festival Music, Tarui Festival Music
The traditional festival music (ohayashi) of Tarui Town in Gifu Prefecture features hikiyama (festival floats) that...
40eastHachiman Festival BayashiThe ko… performed at Hachiman Shrine in Chita City, Aichi Prefecture
41eastObanazawa Festival HayashiIt has been designated as an intangible cultural property of Obanazawa City, Yamagata Prefecture...
42eastKawasaki HayashiKawasaki Hayashi inherited Shigematsu from the neighboring town’s Higashimachi Hayashi Preservation Society…
43eastHino HayashiIt is also designated as an intangible folk cultural property handed down in Hino City, Tokyo...
44eastHidaka HayashiThe Hidaka Fire Prevention Festival is something beyond the power of humans to...
45eastIshidori Festival HayashiCalled Japan’s noisiest festival, and also a world-renowned eccentric one…
46eastAkitsu Festival Bayashi (festival music)At the Akitsu Shrine Grand Festival in Higashimurayama, Tokyo, you can hardly catch your breath as...
47eastKasai-bayashi (Kasai festival music)If you live in Tokyo, you’re probably especially familiar with the sound…
48eastSakata Festival Hayashi...played at the Sakata Festival held in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture
49eastDecorative Festival MusicThe autumn festival held in September in Kakunodate, Akita Prefecture…
50eastTananabe Festival Hayashi (festival music)Festival music (matsuri-bayashi) is among the most important elements of Japanese festivals...