From what I understand talking to my colleagues from Japan it is very different to the West

They are into ensemble music in a BIG way. The schools start off with Suzuki Melodions which teaches breath control, keyboard skills and the basic principles of Music. Suzuki have a government contract and supply many of the schools with Harmonicas (melodions obviously) and Hammond Organs. They have a little instrument called the Hammond Jnr that you won't find anywhere else in the world. It is a 37 note keyboard with a set of 9 drawbars. There are plastic coloured slides that you can use to form a drawbar shape.

They also use Hammond XE1 keyboards to lead an ensemble of maybe 50 people playing melodions and mallet instruments.

Karaoke is obviously the big thing over there and most places will have a Karaoke center rather than a guy with a Ketron SD1 playing in the corner.

They still play Organ. And schools will have a Hammond XT/XH and Yamaha have instruments that sound like EL series for the home market and these are also used in schools and for organ concerts. Their is no old fart stigma attached to organ playing there...they just love music.

Hammond has become more popular and there are a number of very good Jazz Clubs now.

The younger generation love western music including the supergroups from past decades.

The older generation also learn instruments, but more traditional. The taisho koto (harp) is very popular among this group.

I might be off the mark - as I say its just what i have gathered from talking.

TWD


[This message has been edited by Tonewheeldude (edited 03-13-2010).]