gagaku; traditional Japanese court music
Refers to the ancient orchestral music and dance performed at the Imperial court and certain shrines/temples, with origins in continental Asia.
Gagaku is a traditional performing art with over a thousand years of history.
The Music Department of the Imperial Household Agency is responsible for gagaku performances.
Gagaku was performed at the shrine festival.
I had the chance to listen to gagaku at the Imperial Household Agency.
The shrine maidens danced in accompaniment to the gagaku music.
雅楽 is the whole tradition of Japanese court music including purely instrumental and vocal pieces, while 舞楽 refers specifically to the danced pieces performed to that music.
俗楽 refers to popular, secular music enjoyed by common people, in contrast to 雅楽, the formal music of the imperial court.
government office in charge of court music (ritsuryō period)
From Middle Chinese 雅樂 (ngæX ngæwk), meaning 'elegant music'. The term was adopted in Japan to refer to the court music tradition that incorporated both native and continental influences.