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Have you been to Japan? What do you think of the music scene? Tell us your experiences of the land of the rising sun.

Check out the Japan mini-site.

LOL!!!!!:D "the ratio of ready and willing girls is dope." LOL!!!!

I think the big music in Japan is not just Hip Hop but almost every music genre. The diversity of music is dope.

The modern underground music scene in Japan is arguably the most interesting and diverse on the planet. The musicians in the underground tend to be more interested in making music for music's sake, rather than cashing in on popular sounds from the west. Ironically, the diversity and seemingly endless streams of strange music coming out of this scene is contrary to its spirit of community and collaboration. Underground musicians have been known to switch between various genres, and it's this cross-pollination that has helped keep the Japanese underground vital.

Japanese clubbers are as enthusiastic about their music as those found in the west, there appears to be an on going commitment to appreciating music without the need for chemicals.

It would be fair to say that American and European influences have helped to establish the sounds that are now listened to and exported by Japan. But as any clubbing enthusiast from Japan will tell you, they are producing their own unique sounds and are more than ready to let the rest of us hear them.

I like pizacatto 5, ciba matto, spiritual vibes, LOL!

I’ve never been to Tokyo. I am blown away by how successful music acts can be in Japan. It seems that no matter what genre you like, you can always find such a hardcore passionate following in Japan, more so than virtually any other country.

We never get to hear these unique sounds that Lucid has talked about. It would be nice to touch on some during the Deviation special. I see DJ Krush is mentioned on the websites article, his very moody style of hip hop is like a smokers paradise. Immensely deep and excellent. I just wished his material wasn’t so hard to come by in the UK.

More generally, Japan seems such a fascinating place coz of how hi-tech they are, as Tim Tempest says, the views and things you have in Tokyo just freak me out – in fact I get the impression the pace of life is more faster and packed than in London, which is well hectic! Nice website BTW

Can't believe you're here! Where are you guys hanging out? I'm a London-born West Indian Brit living in Japan and I listen to BBC1Xtra to keep me on a nice even keel. Would love to meet Jason and Iyare they crack me up! You must know most of the reggae clubs by now, but there are some really sweet places that don't go crazy on marketing that are well worth checking out. Not sure about the comment that "Japan does it better" how can you not like hip-hop and R&B. If you translate the lyrics for Japanese rap hip-hop tunes there's nobody that stands out. Did you know that there is s HUGE reggae event this weekend? Beenie Man, Sizzler, Assassin...of course Mighty Crown will be here doing their thing...

Yesss! I'm heading out to Japan in November - only for 4 nights unfortunately, but I'll be checking out Shibuya's record shops for as long as my girlfriend lets me off the leash!

Been in Japan for the last 4 and a half years, living near Nagoya. Found it difficult to find many decent clubs in Nagoya, but have found a drum'n'bass night coming up later this month so will be checking that out.
Went to a great beach all-nighter recently on a small island near Gamagori. Lots of fun though music was pretty samey.
I have some great photos of Japan on my site, (not dance-related) www.bdbtjapan.com

lets get this straight....i lovvvvvvvvvvvvvvve japan....

It's just such a unique country with unique customs,ways,food and music.check this quirky website for an interesting insight into the land of the rising son.....
www3.tky.3web.ne.jp/...

in the meantime I was lucky enough to be on tour there in January and Im back in october (my 7th trip)and then again in late december.The clubs sound systems all over Japan (not just in tokyo)put most clubs in the rest of the world to shame and they make all the djs do a soundcheck in the afternoon before the gig.....
Over the last few years of visits Ive noticed a distinct increase of interest in commercial hip hop and R n B alongside J POP and Japan's unique manefestation of j pop with hip hop and r and b culture whilst other music styles have decreased.There's always going to be people from JApan (like most countries)looking for something out of the norm and you only have to go to Harajuku on a sunday to see that japan's music is closely linked to the love of music.but in japan it seems extreme.....Japanese people have authenticity down to a tee....be it rockabilly.....jazz.....hip hop.....goth....rock....punk....or whatever...The Japanese incidently are the worlds biggest consumers of music and you dont have to tell me how great it is to go into a vinyl only record store where half the customers,people working behind the counter plus people running record labels or involved in various music scenes are women !! Hoorah !!
You also only have to look in DMR (Japan's largest new vinyl only record store)to see that the sales space given over to new jazz,experimental,d n b,brazilian music and the like decreases and the comercial hip hop increases....Ive been told by many japanese friends that Japan is now an excellent place to find rare brazilian records at a good price now !
The closing of the club Liquid in Tokyo (in january of this year)was a big blow in particular to the drum n bass scene and when i was last there there was an organisation sorting something out for those followers outside of tokyo but there was nothing really for those kids in the centre.maybe something has happened now...anyone know ??

Some underground acts like Calm,chari chari,Toshio Matsuura and DJ Mitsu the beats are still making great music and those Jazzysport guys (who benji hooked up with in Tokyo)are doing it all over Japan.Big respects to Masaya & Taro at Jazzy Sport in Shibuya and labels like Planet Groove,Especial and Music Conception.Make sure you check out Jazzy Sport record label...the shop...the t shirts...the events.The jazzy sport guys are doing it !!!
Peace & positivity and for gods sake if you havent been to japan yet...JUST GO !

it will open up your mind...your ears....and your eyes..

out.....Nik Mukatsuku

Hey Mukatsuku,

Besides DJ Mitsu and the few artists you've just mentioned. Would you please name more of underground music artists in Japan? I mean local Japanese artists/band, not Theo Parrish, Madlib the western one.

BTW, I got Chari Chari - Response remixes when I visited Japan in 1999. I liked this album very much! I remembered I bought the album in a record shop in the high fashion area (near Harajuku). Forgot the name of the shop already. Though they have a very nice selection of music.

Where is the group called Spiritual Vibes now? and Pizacatto 5? Thanks.

well lucid c.chari chari is still making music but nowadays under his real name kaoru inoue-hes just done some stuff with bayaka and his label ode.some (not all)is definetly worth checking out.Theres a label called Revirth which continues to put out quirky experimental music from the likes of Numb....Individual Orchestra,Taichi etc.theres underground artists like force of nature (they released a fantastic album on exceptional records www.exceptionalrecords.co.uk )SOS and theres great underground hip hop from dev large/muro and grooveman spot you should check out.You should definetly check everything on the music conception label if you like chari chari stuff.i just picked up a great single from Izanami which is very jazzy but superb..

as for takemura...i heard from him a year or so ago (he used to send me xmas cards !! )and he said he was giving up music and his last material came out on thrill jockey in usa.not sure if he's still releasing music.you should check out ourradio show www.milkaudio.com check out the forwardsbackwards show..we play a selection of new japanese sounds/releases on every show....might give you some pointers ! ?

happy diggin !

I lived and worked in Japan for 3 years, I found the music scene to be vibrant and diverse.

From TOKYO SKA PARADICE ORCHESTRA to Yaida Hitomi the homegrown talent is enourmous but lacks worldwide popularity because they all sing in Japanese.

Utada Hikaru broke the mould with some great accoustic sessions for MTV unplugged.

The Japanese are up for anything, any suggestion that they are only into black music is nonsense.

One of the best gigs I went to was called "electroglide" at the Makahuri Messe convention center in Chiba Ken, I saw underworld, orbital, 2 lone swordsmen, richie hawtin, fatboy slim and aphex twin among many others with 17'000 mad for it Japanese people.

Only a fool would take advantage of these kind and generous people.