Many styles of traditional music are included in the music of Japan. Numerous performers can be found across the country, playing several of styles of folk and classical music.

The modern Japanese music scene includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles of both traditional and modern styles, ranging from J-pop, rock, salsa and tango to country music and hip hop. Local music often involves karaoke, a form of amateur performance in small nightclubs.

The word for music in Japanese is 音楽 (ongaku), combining the kanji ("on" sound) with the kanji 楽 ("gaku" music, comfort).