音の風景

soundscapes

A journey into sound

Be More Japan Soundscapes

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D SUZU: Tinkling bells such as the suzu are a common sound at shrines and temples.

Ambient sound is everywhere, but it is such an important part of the essence of Japan that in 1996 the Ministry of the Environment created a list of the country’s top 100 soundscapes (compiled from submissions by the public) in a novel move to both guard and champion the environment. Natural and man-made, whimsical and riotous, spiritual and commercial, Japan’s amazing variety of soundscapes range from flowing and falling water, hissing steam, shifting ice, and local flora and fauna to temple bells, ship whistles, and ancient crafts. This appreciation of natural and historical soundscapes reflects the open-minded Japanese approach to sound in general, which has allowed innovative experimental music and aural art installations to become a significant part of the cultural landscape.

aural immersion

Many of Japan’s evocative sounds can be listened to as recordings from the comfort of your own home, but they are at their most powerful when experienced in person.

sound sculptures

Japan excels at contemporary art, and soundscape art has long been one of the country’s most inventive creations. Key artists include Ryoji Ikeda, whose performances and installations combine sound, visuals, and mathematical notations. Japan’s art museums also have numerous sound installations within their collections, such as Christian Boltanski’s La forêt des murmures and Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller’s “Storm House” at Benesse Art Site Naoshima (Kagawa Prefecture), which both feature traditional sounds recorded in Japan. Art and experimentation further cross over into the world of music, with the likes of Yellow Magic Orchestra, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Cornelius manipulating sounds to create unique arrangements.

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D Weaving is one of several ancient crafts that appear on the top 100 soundscapes list.

national treasures

You can find a soundscape anywhere you go in Japan—you just need to pause a moment to stop and listen. The top sound on the Ministry of the Environment’s list is drift ice in the Sea of Okhotsk, but more easily accessible options include the “singing” sands at Kotobikihama Beach (Kyoto Prefecture), Sapporo’s Clock Tower bells, and the hubbub of red-crowned cranes in Tsurui (Hokkaido). One of Japan’s most fun sounds are the nightingale floors at Nijo Castle in Kyoto— designed to act as an alarm system for the samurai, they chirp when walked upon.

Be More Japan Soundscapes

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D Top: Drift ice in the Sea of Okhotsk is Japan’s favorite sound. Above: Ryuichi Sakamoto is one of Japan’s leading experimental musicians.

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