It is a commonly held notion that Japan's culture is unique from any other country, consisting of a fusion of traditional Asian influences and modern Western culture. While I do not feel qualified or motivated enough to confirm or deny the veracity of this theory, I can say there is at least one component of Japanese culture that I think is unique-music.
Tokyo is a strikingly musical city, both in terms of the variety of music and its pervasiveness. Some of the crosswalk signals play "Sakura," a traditional Japanese folk song, to indicate to the blind that it is safe to cross. At the train station I frequently use, departing trains are sent off with a rendition of the "Astro Boy" theme song. These are just small examples of the infusion of music into Japanese life, things the inattentive might not even notice. But when in Tokyo, it is impossible not to notice karaoke.
Ranging from multi-story neon-lit "boxes" to tiny dive bars, karaoke businesses are as popular as they are ubiquitous. A karaoke session ranges from a couple of hours to an all-night singing marathon and is almost always accompanied by drinking. One of the greatest business innovations in the history of mankind is the "nomihoudai," which involves an unlimited amount of alcohol for a set amount of time-usually two hours-at a price that can be cheap or expensive, depending on a person's tolerance. Karaoke, "nomihoudai" and a few friends make for a fun night.
Outside of the social aspect of karaoke, however, the selection of music itself at karaoke establishments is interesting. Of course, there are the old mainstays one could find singing karaoke in America (Madonna, Queen) and more recent fare (50 Cent, Justin Timberlake), but there is an equally large selection of J-pop (Japanese pop) songs.
While almost all of the songs available at karaoke joints are pretty awful, alcohol typically does wonders for helping even the most pretentious of people shed their inhibitions and sing an embarrassingly impassioned rendition of "Barbie Girl." The often hilariously bad music videos made out of stock footage of happy couples and beaches and candles also help. However, no "nomihoudai" or music video can make me enjoy J-pop.
Japan seems to like musical extremes, taking the good with the bad. Many people cannot stand experimental music, for instance, but I personally enjoy it. Japan has been an important influence on ambient, drone and noise music, with bands like Boredoms, Merzbow and Melt-Banana at the forefront of innovation in those genres.
The underground music scene thrives in Tokyo. There are concerts every night, most of which start at 6 or 7 p.m. to allow people to catch the last train home sometime before 1 a.m. Shows are typically more expensive than in the U.S., but you get your money's worth-I recently paid about $20 for five hours of experimental music that was repetitive, yet interesting and beautiful.
Despite the great variety of music found every day in Tokyo, the realm of nature does not seem to share this propensity for the different. According to my advanced ornithological studies of Japanese wildlife, there are exactly two types of birds living in Tokyo. Both types sound like a mouse being roasted alive while simultaneously passing a kidney stone. The birdsong in Tokyo manages to make J-pop seem like a desirable alternative. No wonder noise rock is big here.
