Sound art has a unique character in Japan. The polar opposite images of the hustle and bustle of the city and the tranquility of Japanese gardens with the sound of bells in temples reflect two views of the same thing. The Japanese soundscape may be related to the incorporation of Buddhist elements and to some historical events.

The Japanese ideals are very different from the Western ideals with their symmetry, pure tone, and steady phrasing, which are also related to the Buddhist concept of Wabi-sabi, the beauty of irregularity. The Japanese shakuhachi, sho, and koto instruments are also played differently from the Western instruments, which prefer to explore the limits of instability.

Although Japan has gone through a cycle of closing and opening, and has now become modernized and its culture has been assimilated into the global culture, it is still an island with its own unique ways and customs.