Hey Gang,
I've curated five cool Japanese songs.
Shizukana Hibi No Kaidan Wo by Dragon Ash
This is at the end of Battle Royale. Such a song to choose after all that surreal violence.
Shiki No Uta [feat. MINMI] by Nujabes
This is the ending theme to Samurai Champloo. It introduced me to Nujabes who are the best chill bg music when you've a group of friends round.
Zetsubou Billy by Maximum the Hormone
This is the first ending theme to Death Note (the anime). Maximum the Hormone are one of my favourie metal bands and they also have imo the best female drummer going. She can drum and sing at the same time! Nao Kawakita. She da bomb.
カントリー・ロード -
I think the band is called Goose House but their website is very confusing. http://goosehouse.jp/
OK. This one doesn't really fit with the title. It's a cover of a Ghibli / John Denver cover. If you've ever seen Studio Ghibli's Whisper of the Heart, you'll remember that the main characters did a Japanese cover of Country Roads. So this band did a cover of that cover. I just find it very cute.
Keneda's Theme - Akira
If you're a fan of anime, you should know this song. If you're a fan of percussion / drums, I think you'd like this song. When I'm late night working or driving, I like to play this song on loop. It helps get me zoned out / in a flow state.
Bonus song.
While I was on holiday in Tokyo once, I was walking in a park and there were a group of people playing the same bamboo percussion instruments from the above song. They sounded awesome but I decided not to buy their CD. That's the only time I regret not buying a street musicians CD and I regret it so much! Not even knowing the name of the instrument it took me a few years before I came across that instrument again. It's called a jegog. It's from Indonesia but for some reason I prefer when Japanese people play it.
The end. Did you guys have any songs you would have put on this list? Link below pls.