Japan

Fact Monster: Japanese Music
This brief history of Japanese music is ideal for beginners studying the music from this island country. Learn the differences between sacred and secular music, the male and female modes, and trace the music history from A.D. 453 through the 19th century.

Improvised Music from Japan
Improvised music here means jazz and/or electronic music. This site offers pictures and biographies of many Japanese artists who make this type of music and an extensive discography. A great resource for fans, this site may be less useful for those with only a casual interest.

Nihon
Learn about the history of Japanese pop music from the 1950s to the 1990s. Engaging and informative, the text charts the development of Japanese pop against a larger post-WWII historical backdrop. Other features include a gallery of record covers, a discography, a short bibliography, and a links page.

Rolling Thunder Taiko Resource
Learn the difference between the many kinds of Taiko, and look up the fascinating pictures and descriptions of these huge drums. The site links to Taiko groups and festivals, and there is an FAQ that answers questions ranging from finding a Taiko group to issues of health and therapy.

Taiko Resource
Taiko refers to both the modern art of drumming (kumi-daiko), and to the drums themselves. This site is dedicated to gathering and sharing information about taiko. Features include: news, history and overview of taiko, discography, bibliography, purchasing information, and taiko database. don't miss the online drumming tutorial.